Custom Search
|
|
How The Data Center Changes: Interop Ecs Private Clouds
Assumptions about the data center: * incremental server buy * traditional tiered storage works * tiered networks * static power When you have these assumptions, you get de facto standards. Standards: * consistent server appearance * consistent storage management, network, and protocols * segmented, small, networks * standards violation: overbooking Now we have virtualization and the cloud. Virtualization is good - we've been doing this for awhile. According to Gartner, 18% of enterprise data center workloads that could be virtualized had been virtualized by the end of 2009. OK - so the fundamentals of virtualization are set. There are people out there who know how to do this. Vendors have been making the move to support virtualized workloads. All good things. But what about cloud? The two are NOT equal. It's all about being elastic. The one common element among all cloud definitions is being elastic. Otherwise, you're not getting the benefits of cloud. You want to be able to run any server, any time. You want any storage, any time. You want to access any place on the network, any time. As the workload moves - power moves. What are problems with the data center now when looking to move to the cloud? Storage. Servers. Networking. Elastic storage is able to handle spokes, with offers spare capacity. Do people need to rethink how they handle storage - what vendors they use and the solutions they have? Servers have a similar problem to storage. Every aspect needs to be identical, we often buy excess capacity. Networking also has similar issues. So how to manage all this? Validate your strategy. Be clear about your requirements. Get value from the cloud by thinking elasticity. Finally, think about the hybrid cloud. Changes are not cheap - identify what is necessary, vs. cloud for the sake of cloud. You might have to get excess capacity - but does it make sense or you? Work backwards from requirements on the cloud. Be willing to accept that there are certain things to do to get value from the cloud. To get value from the cloud, remember elasticity. Cloud wins through oversubscription and elastic use. To get the win, size the datacenter for surprise growth. It's not about defining cloud, it's about getting value. Think about the hybrid cloud. Not all clouds are Amazon. Think about if you can isolate the workload to benefit from elasticity. It seems the final points from Steve are - strategy and elasticity. If you think before you move to the cloud, you should be able to manage it all. Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com Larissa Fair is senior online marketing manager for ScienceLogic, a leading provider of IT infrastructure management solutions including cloud monitoring for enterprises, service providers, cloud providers and government data centers. She specializes in social media, marketing, and traditional PR. |
|