You can't fix, manage or justify what you don't understand. IT chargeback/trackback not only helps end users understand their service utilization, but it also helps IT justify and prioritize spend. Measured service is a requirement of NIST's cloud definition… To read the full article visit: http://www.networkcomputing.com/private-cloud/240003313
People are the No. 1 reason why private clouds fail. The traditional IT staff is a tactically driven, deeply technical group of hardware and software problem solvers who aren't familiar with strategic IT thinking and don't have time for it. They aren't accustomed to aligning IT processes with business drivers. They're more comfortable with explaining why something can't be done than finding a way to make it happen. And they will be the downfall of your private cloud deployment. To see the full article visit: http://www.networkcomputing.com/private-cloud/240002902.
Of all of the possible benefits of a private cloud infrastructure, one of the most valuable is flexibility. With a properly designed private cloud infrastructure, the data center environment can fluidly shift with the business. This allows new applications to be deployed to meet business demands as they're identified, and legacy applications to be removed when the value is no longer recognized. To see the full article visit: http://www.networkcomputing.com/private-cloud/240002196
EMC recently announced VSPEX (http://www.emc.com/about/news/press/2012/20120412-01.htm)which is a series of reference architectures designed with: Cisco, Brocade, Citrix, Intel, Microsoft, and VMware. The intent of these architectures is to provide proven designs for cloud computing while providing customer choice and flexibility. Overall the intent is to provide flexible architectures of best-of-breed components for cloud computing.
The VSPEX solutions are focused on virtualized infrastructure for private cloud and end-user computing environments. Current options provide VMware vSphere 5.0 and Microsoft Windows Hyper-V server virtualization from 50 - 250 VMs as well as VMware View and Citrix XenDesktop solutions from 50 – 2000 desktops. Additionally VSPEX architectures factor in unified management and backup/recovery. The initial launch solutions are: VMware view (250, 500, 1000, 2000 users), Citrix XenDesktop (250, 500, 1000, 2000 users), VMware Private Cloud (125 & 250 Virtual Machines), VMware Private Cloud (50 & 100 Virtual Machines), Microsoft Private Cloud (50 & 100 Virtual Machines.) Full details can be found at: http://www.emc.com/platform/virtualizing-information-infrastructure/vspex.htm#!resources.
The reference architecture are further supported through VSPEX Labs from EMC for testing and configuration,which enables partners to validate specific configurations. The model also enables partners to further drive new functionality into VSPEX based on their customer base. First-Level Support will be provided by the EMC channel partner and backed by EMC.
VSPEX is different from Vblock’s offered by VCE The Virtual Computing Environment Company and are more along the lines of FlexPod which is a collaboration of NetApp and Cisco with flavors for VMware, Citrix and several other applications/deployments. The VSPEX reference architectures offer more choice and flexibility while sacrificing some in the way of acquisition, and operational support. This gap again presents an opportunity for EMC channel partners to differentiate themselves with custom offerings to fill these gaps.
Overall VSPEX is an excellent offering for both customers and EMC channel partners. It provides additional options for deploying reliable, tested integrated hardware stacks for private cloud and end-user computing environments. It also provides a framework and foundation for partners to build a custom solution set from.
The industry is moving up the stack. We're migrating from a focus on Layer 1 physical to Layer 7, applications. Software is king in the future of IT--applications and services are what matter. Cloud is what we've termed it for now, and when discussing cloud, open and standard are key discussions. To see the full article visit: http://www.networkcomputing.com/cloud-computing/240000933
Cloud computing is here, get over it. Services are being used, business value is being gained, and budgets are being cut using cloud platforms, be they private, public or other. It's not something you can hide from, and the longer you drag your feet, the worse off you are. To read the full article visit: http://www.networkcomputing.com/cloud-computing/240000713.
The marketing is there, and has been for some time. Buzzwords have been coined and your interest is piqued. You sat back long enough to see if this was just vaporware or real, while gaseous. Cloud turns out to be more solid than its nomenclature. You’re ready, in fact you’re all in. Now the bad news: If you want to succeed in the cloud, the long-term relationship you've had with your apps must be broken up.To see the full article go to: http://www.networkcomputing.com/cloud-computing/232800466
Here are eight steps for going from zero to private cloud. Note that I didn’t say eight "easy" steps. But don’t let that bother you--nothing that’s easy is ever worth doing anyway. 1. Define business objectives for cloud migration. 2. Prioritize objectives. 3. Create and promote your cloud vision and strategy. 4. Identify organizational readiness. 5. Analyze operational and technical readiness. 6. Define your private cloud architecture. 7. Create a realistic timeline. 8. Execute. To read the full blog go to: http://www.networkcomputing.com/private-cloud/232700285
Right this minute your data center(s) are broken. You, monitoring systems or NOC may or may not know it. All of the blinky lights may be green, all systems reporting normal, but the data center is broken, and it’s costing you money and business agility…
Full article at: http://www.networkcomputing.com/data-center/232602496
When discussing private cloud, questions often come up about how the big boys are doing it; Google, Amazon, Microsoft, etc. The thinking is that the large scale data centers they are running can teach us lessons about smaller scale infrastructure for private clouds, which, on the surface, seems to make sense. Take the lessons learned in big data centers about scale, efficiency and reliability and apply them to smaller scale private cloud deployments. This method is not however without problems. Very little of what the large public cloud providers do is actually applicable to a private cloud. The reason for this is twofold: scale and application. Read the full post on Network Computing: http://www.networkcomputing.com/private-cloud/232602398