The Pros and Cons of 100% Virtualization

January 16, 2012 By

To understand virtualization you must first comprehend what this term means exactly.  Look up the word virtualization in any dictionary and you will find the following result:

“Virtualization, in computing, is the creation of a virtual (rather than actual) version of something, such as a hardware platform, operating system, a storage device or network resources.”

The different types of virtualization include:

  • Hardware
  • Software
  • Desktop
  • Memory
  • Storage
  • Data
  • Network

The Pros of Virtualization

The main pro of virtualization is the ability to reduce items into one chunk. This can help save resources and storage requirements. On top of this a company can expect to see huge savings in operational costs. Less power is often required once the new processes are in place and this has a huge positive impact on the environment.

One of the main benefits of using virtualization is that it makes functions such as backups, system recovery and system migration more doable.  Virtualization is perfect for creating test scenarios and can be used to improve existing functions in your data center.

In a recent report it was stated that virtualization can help solve cloud hosting integration issues and help speed up your data delivery times.

Implementing virtualization is fairly fast weeks as opposed to months. Plus this can all be done in real time. Great for any company!

The Cons of Virtualization

The key thing to keep in mind here is that the virtual environment is a shared environment. Your hosting account uses many virtual machines and each of these guest machines is unaware of what is happening on any other machine at any given time.

Taking the above scenario into consideration if the performance of one machine is affected this will affect all other machines run by the same host. This could possibly lead to slow down times or the inability to access your account.

There are certain barriers in place which need to be considered before taking the virtualization route.  One of these is when scanning or defragmentation is taking place. This can cause a system slow down. Plus when files are deleted on virtual disks the space is not always made available again resulting in wasted space.

Conclusion for Virtualization

If you are considering implementing virtualization then take the time to weigh the pros and cons of virtualization and see if it is right for your business requirements.

If you would like to discuss the topic of virtualization further please do so by visiting our Data Center Talk Forum and leave your comments on the article there.

Share on TwitterSubmit to StumbleUpon
Filed Under: Virtualization Tagged With: ,

The US Military Considers Using Cloud Computing

January 5, 2012 By

It was recently announced that the US Defence Department was actively looking at their options for Cloud Computing.  In fact various military organizations around the country have test projects in place.  All departments in the military are attempting to deal with budget cuts and implementing cloud options could be a viable way to save money.

One of the top priorities to consider would of course be the cost. The Defence Department has huge resources which could make the cost sky rocket. However once this is successfully completed the savings will be large. It is important for the decision makers in the department to weigh both the pros and cons of making this important move.

Another huge consideration is that of security. This one issue is probably the one which is the most difficult to achieve at the moment. Data insecurities have happened in the past and these breaches have resulted in more requirements to properly set up safe systems.

Congress recently passed the 2012 National Defence Authorization Act which includes information on cloud computing and data centers. This Act has set standards for server and data center operations including the implementation of cloud computing.  It states that the costs must be lower and more security must be provided.

In March of each year beginning with 2012 and ending in 2016 reports must be presented to Congress to show costs both spent and saved. All of this data will provide invaluable insights into moving forward with any transitions to cloud computing for the military.

Currently $20 billion has been allocated for cloud computing migration alone. The US has a total IT budget of $80 billion and this amount could be reduced once cloud computing is in place.  The main focus of this is to close existing data centers by 40% by the year 2015. This one step should save them around $5 billion annually.

Creating new more efficient data centers would take years with an astronomical cost. With migrating to the Cloud costs can be reduced immediately once migration is finished and produce immediate savings.

The scalability of the cloud is one of the largest benefits. For example if a new energy savings program is implement by the government they don’t have to worry about down times if they see a surge in users. Instead the Cloud could easily accommodate this sudden change.

Another huge concern for the military would be having quick control over their cloud functions. The option of being able to turn services on and off immediately is critical if any types of attacks occur.

Developing a resource plan will be key to implement cloud computing for the military. They will need to identify all of their requirements to their proposed hosting company. It will then be up to the cloud hosting provider to see if they can safely implement all of these requirements.

To reduce the amount of cloud hosting space required the military has several divisions which are currently trying to consolidate their information. Their goal is to achieve a 75% reduction. They have test programs in place in all departments of the military especially when it comes to requiring information when divisions are on the move all the time. This includes things like giving pilots access to information at a moment’s notice regardless of their location. Another example is allowing access by cards to the correct people only to their authorized access points at all times.

On top of the specialized requirements the military will also need to establish more standardized features. This will ultimately allow them to control their network more effectively. This could also help them by allowing them to use mobile workers. No one has to be chained to a desk at the Pentagon in order to access any necessary information.

Cloud computing will enable the military to use civilian workers in a more efficient manner and differently to how they use civilians now.

The ultimate goal is to buy cloud computing services from the public sector. Robert J. Carey who is the deputy assistant secretary of defence has stated that using defence systems such as the U.S. Cyber Command could provide extra security while protecting the cloud.

While it is understood that moving to the cloud will be a long process things will also change between now and 2016. With more advances in technology the face of cloud computing will definitely be constantly changing. All companies military or otherwise will need to adapt to these changes in order to get the best value out of the cloud as possible.

On December 8, 2011 the FedRamp program was introduced and highlights the goals and benefits for the using cloud service providers.

If you would like to keep abreast of current trends in all aspects of cloud computing and data centers then please subscribe to our newsletter at Data Center Talk.

Share on TwitterSubmit to StumbleUpon
Filed Under: Uncategorized

Mobile Cloud Computing Set to Make Billions

December 20, 2011 By

The Visiongain Report was just released on December 17, 2011 with a forecast that mobile cloud computing is set to generate $45 billion by 2016. Just this year the mobile cloud computing arena is starting to make a noticeable move. Advances will continue as more and more people and businesses turn to using mobile devices and computing systems.

Mobile Cloud Computing Forecasts

Forecasters predict that by 2016 this market will be extremely competitive. For any company wishing to capture their share of the market the time to act is now.

The use of smartphones is increasing rapidly along with increased worldwide usage of the 3G network. Both businesses and people’s lives are changing because of mobile computing. It is now much easier to use any type of mobile device from more locations.Mobile Cloud Computing

Speculation has it that mobile network operators are set to move their real time operations to the cloud. This includes voice, video and messaging services.  These types of cloud services still need to be tested but the potential is there for businesses to reap a huge return on their investments.  Their other option is to set up their own data centers.

Mobile cloud computing is currently being led by Apple and Google. With smartphones and tablets decreasing in price more mobile computing services will be needed by the anticipated influx of new users.

Mobile applications are huge and this trend is set to increase rapidly. Software such as Maps are going to be a forerunner for mobile cloud computing. Asia is reported to have more mobile users but North America will be the winner as far as revenue is concerned.

Some of the applications customers can expect to use mobile cloud computing for include:

  • Turning your thermostat up or down
  • Recording movies
  • Controlling lights
  • Banking
  • Remotely opening doors for someone else
  • Controlling security centers

Current concerns facing mobile cloud computing include security, privacy and data ownership. These will need to be dealt with so advances can be made. Companies have to ensure their customers that they will not sell or allow a third party to access their information.

Once these issues have been addressed then more players can be expected to enter into the mobile cloud computing arena. For customers they can expect to see better pricing and the availability of more applications being made. For businesses mobile cloud computing provides the opportunity for them to increase their customer base and see a huge return from their initial investment.

For more quality articles on cloud computing visit DataCenterTalk

Share on TwitterSubmit to StumbleUpon
Filed Under: Articles, Cloud Computing, Technology Tagged With: , ,

Ways to Keep Your Cloud Costs Low

December 7, 2011 By

Cloud hosting is definitely here to stay but the one question on many businesses’ mind is how to keep their cloud costs low.  One of the main lures of using the Cloud is the unlimited potential of available resources.

New clients have used their resources but then been surprised by the amount of their bill at the end of the month! So how can your business keep these costs lower?

The biggest thing to consider is that your cloud costs are based on the time you are using the available resources. Billing costs also take into account the amount of data that you put through the system.  So basically you need to plan for how much of the resources you truly need and how much data to put through it.

Before signing up with the first cloud host you come across, you may want to do a comparison of several hosting companies. Take into account that more cloud providers are becoming available and look at their hosting plans too.

Items that you want to take into consideration are:

  • What resources are available to you?
  • Look at how secure the cloud hosting company is – how many times have they been hacked?
  • What processes are in place to deal with failures?
  • Are backups included in your monthly price or an extra cost?

Each cloud hosting company may offer several billing plans based upon:

  • How much data you upload each month
  • The amount of data you download
  • How much storage space you require

When hosting a business project on the cloud you can save on your costs by planning in advance. Projects can be uploaded to the cloud within a week if not sooner but they need to be thought out first. This way you will only use the resources that you actually need.

It may be best to do a test run with some data first to ensure that things run smoothly. Remember you are being billed on a pay-as-you-use basis, so you want to avoid uploading and downloading the same data repeatedly.

Choose your cloud hosting provider wisely. Take the time to research and ask them questions first. Once you are comfortable that they can handle all of your requirements then go ahead and sign up with them.

When you are using your Cloud resources remember you can keep costs low by simply switching off machines when not needed. This one small tip can potentially save you lots of money on your cloud costs.

 

DCT would love to hear from you. Leave us a post.

Share on TwitterSubmit to StumbleUpon
Filed Under: Cloud Computing, Today's Article Tagged With: , , ,

Powering Your Data Center with New Technology

December 7, 2011 By

A new report released on November 30, 2011 announced that fuel cells are now available to power your data center.  A fuel cell provides power by converting chemical energy into electricity by means of a chemical reaction. Fuel cells are used in many industrial and commercial industries, but using them in Data centers is a new concept.

Why Fuel Cells?

For data centers who want to be known as environmentally friendly then using fuel cells could be the answer. Fuel cells are much more reliable than using solar or wind power. They are still inexpensive and a great source of an alternative energy supply.

Natural gas fuel cells have been developed by ClearEdge Plus and they are targeting areas where power consumption is high and expensive like California. With demand and price increases no business can afford not to start looking at alternative energy sources. Energy rates in California are in the 17 – 23 cents range per kWh. A natural gas fuel cell could have those costs reduced down to the 9 cent range, a huge savings!

Fuel Cells Have Actually Been Here For Ages!

The idea of using fuel cells in data centers is not new. The concept of using Hydrogen fuel cells has been around for over a decade now. Resistance to these hydrogen cells was mainly due to storage concerns. Data center owners were not comfortable with the thought of storing natural gas on their property. The actual process of drawing power from hydrogen was thought to be messy and using electricity directly was much cleaner and convenient.

As with any process advances in technology have made processes cleaner and easier than ever before. This new technology uses a chemical process to convert the energy into electricity. Basically the hydrogen is split into protons and electrons. The electrons then pass through a circuit which produces the energy.

Benefits of Natural Gas Fuel Cell

The biggest benefit of using natural gas fuel cells is that they are clean running. Even though the initial outlay for the fuel cells is higher than regular batteries the fuel cell has a much longer life span.

Another benefit of using these types of fuel cells is that weigh less than batteries and a generator and make for much easier storage. This could have a huge impact if your data center is located on the upper floors of a high rise building.

For a great example of where fuel cells have been successfully used visit the following link. The First Silicon Valley Company to use Hydrogen Fuel Cell.

For more on environment friendly data centers,please visit Data Center Talk.

Share on TwitterSubmit to StumbleUpon
Filed Under: Data Center Power, Green IT Tagged With: , , , ,

What company owners and executives Need to Know About Cloud Computing

December 7, 2011 By

The following is a summary of a paper released by Accenture entitled ‘Six Questions Every Executive Should Be Asking about Cloud Computing’. This overview will quickly summarize the key points in helping you understand what you need to know about cloud computing, and if this is something that your company should pursue.

Question 1: What is Cloud Computing and what is its Path for Utilities?

Cloud computing can be defined as providing IT provisions for hardware, software or services by means of the internet. Cloud computing based functions allow for faster uploading and downloading times along with storage capabilities with no set limits. These variables allow a company to save costs yet have access to more data functions and capabilities as needed.

Some benefits of Cloud Computing are:

  • Very little if any capital investment
  • A pay-per-use price structure
  • Quick acquisitions and deployments
  • Lower operating costs when compared to in-house IT data centers

These benefits have led to two types of cloud computing being made available, Private Cloud and Public Clouds. Private Clouds are built within a company’s existing structure whereas Public Clouds enlist the use of IT functions from a third party.

When deciding which type of cloud computing to use the most common concerns are in the form of security. Is your data secured and can anyone else access your data? Private clouds are perceived as more secure and are a good interim solution.

Utility customers are becoming environmentally concerned. They are opting for online billing and payments in order to have a paperless environment. With these types of changes, the demand for computing power is higher than ever before.

For examples of how consumer based applications can be used in a cloud computing environment, take a look at Microsoft’s Hohm. This is a free application to show consumers how to conserve resources like electricity and natural gas.

Google’s PowerMeter home electricity cloud service allows some customers the ability to read meters through Google servers.

Question 2: What Benefits Can Cloud Computing Bring to My Company?

The top three basic benefits of cloud computing are:

  • Cost
  • Flexibility
  • Speed

When it comes to utilities, the benefits are even greater. With the introduction of smart grid and metering infrastructures the utility world is changing. You need to be aware that smart grid and smart metering are two separate identities. When these two functions are made available in the cloud, storage and speed will be optimized. With the insurgence of thousands of new clients, using cloud computing resources only makes sense. The cloud can easily handle this surge and then maintain a balance once the rush has died down.

Question 3: Can I Count on the Cloud to Save My Organization Money?

When asked this question, Accenture’s own response was that they could see saving as much as 50% on their own IT costs by using cloud computing. When it comes to saving money each organization must take the time to research their needs to see what costs savings they can perceive.

Studies need to be done on ROI’s and the cost of each service and function of the cloud. Each cloud computing service has a different price structure and all of this must be taken into account.

Question 4: How Will Clouds Affect the Way My Organization Operates in the Future?

Cloud computing is set to have a huge impact on a utility’s capabilities and operations when it comes to using smart grids. By analyzing data, outages can be predicted and hopefully prevented. The processing power of cloud computing will create tons of useful data for the utility company. This information can then be used to create products and new features for customers.

By using the cloud, real time services can be offered along with competitive prices plus customers can gain insight into how much power they are using right now! Smart grids will have an enormous impact on renewable energy costs which will help put the utility company in a favorable light. With the expected growth in electric vehicles this demand can be reduced by incorporating green energy practices.

Question 5: What Risks Must My Organization Manage?

The biggest risk for businesses is wondering if their data is secure or if it will get hacked or be given to the wrong people? For utility companies, the need to know local laws and abide by them will be imperative. Questions to ask are “Can you use a cloud service outside of your registered country and are you violating any privacy acts?”

Utilities have different levels of data which are more sensitive than others, so it may be best to store these levels differently on the cloud. The solution could be to use both a private and public cloud mixture. In essence creating an almost semi private/public cloud service.

Question 6: What Are My Next Steps?

Research is the key to making any informed decision. Functions such as Infrastructure, Platforms, Applications and Services must be taken into account. Transferring to cloud computing should involve the entire company and not just the IT department.

When choosing a cloud computing provider, you want to look at what they have in store for the future along with current services. Will they be able to meet your future requirements and keep up with technological advances? Are they ready and able to put new practices in place quickly?

The provider should have the resources to help you plan your needs based upon your budget. They should offer guidance and help your transition to cloud computing be smooth.

Conclusion:

By focusing on these six points as laid out by Accenture in this report, you should easily be able to identify your cloud computing requirements. You will have enough information to analyse how and where you can cut costs, thus ensuring you are not spending more than what is required.

You can also keep up to date with current trends and technology by visiting Data Center Talk where we keep you informed on important changes as they occur.

Read on for Ways To Keep Cloud Costs Low.

Share on TwitterSubmit to StumbleUpon
Filed Under: Cloud Computing Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Storage Strategies NOW Releases White Paper on Cloud Storage

November 26, 2011 By

Storage Strategies NOW recently released a White Paper entitled: Cloud Storage: Adoption, Practice and Deployment. This article is a summary of this document.

Basics of Cloud Storage

To understand cloud storage we need to define what this type of storage really means. Simply put Cloud Storage is data storage that is either internet based or hosted by a third party at a different location.

Cloud storage comes under the subset of cloud computing. Cloud computing consists of a pool of resources including networks, servers, services and storage capabilities.

Assigned and Unassigned Storage Requirement

The popularity of cloud storage is the availability of resources as needed by the client. They can simply assign and unassigned storage requirements as they are needed. This in turn helps the client save money. This eliminates the need of buying additional servers and purchasing storage on a long term basis. Each client’s information is secure and cannot be accessed by anyone else.

Making use of cloud storage frees up the time of the staff at your IT center. They are now available to put their skills into use in other areas.

API’s (application programming interfaces)

The physical location of the cloud storage can be anywhere in the world. This is because storage is done via web applications known as API’s (application programming interfaces). The information stored is made available through the internet or through a private resource. Accessibility is not an issue.

Cloud Requirements

The main requirement for a customer is the ability to be billed on usage only as opposed to available space. This is known as multi-tenancy. The next requirement is that a client’s information is secure. These needs to be done with encryption, authentication, and authorization methods and needs to be implemented for the transfer of information as well as for long term storage. The actual storage site needs to be physically secure as well.

  • Secure transmission is done several ways including:
  • Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)
  • Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (https)
  • Virtual Private Networks (VPN)
  • Private Networks using a gateway

Another issue for clients is in knowing and trusting that your data is actually in the cloud. This is known as Data Verification and there is no actual system for this in place. This is an area where ongoing research is currently being conducted.

Protection of Cloud Resources

The storage provider needs to take good measure for protection and availability of their cloud resources. They must take steps to maintain physical protection as well as protection against power loss and loss of network access.

Cloud Resources Back UP

Processes need to be in place to deal with failures and redundancy as they occur. Some providers offer different price plans for backing up data to several places. These backup tapes can then be used to recover lost data as needed. This recently happened to Google and their Gmail accounts. Information was lost but was recoverable within a matter of days by using their backup tapes.

Billing for Cloud Storage

The cost of cloud storage is a main issue for customers. Cloud Storage is normally billed in the following ways:

  • Amount of data uploaded
  • Amount of data downloaded
  • Amount of data stored
  • Number and type of requests

Overview of Who is Using Cloud Storage

A survey was conducted to businesses by Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA) and Storage Strategies NOW. Common consensus was that the business was planning on using cloud storage with 57.5% responding positively. With 27% wanting to make the change in the next 6 months to one year and 22% responding that they had already made the switch.

For the type of material being stored in the Cloud email and backups were the most common items stored. The organizations that used cloud storage the most at this time were financial organizations, banks and real estate companies.

Main IT Priorities

The survey also asked businesses what their main IT priorities were over the next 18 months. The top three areas were:

  1. Improve data backup and recovery
  2. Increase use of server virtualization
  3. Information security

The storage applications most commonly intended for the Cloud include primary backups, secondary backs and archiving and retention purposes.  The biggest drawback for customers to start using cloud storage is that it is not yet proven.

Cloud Storage API’s

Cloud Storage API’s is the set of program functions that are applied to any application wanting to access the cloud. This is proving to be an issue for many providers. Currently there is no standard API in place. SNIA does have development initiatives underway but they will still take years to fully implement. New users must choose a cloud storage provider and then develop any modifications or use a gateway to access the cloud. This is why most customers are using cloud storage as a secondary back up source.

Some of the recommended providers for cloud storage mentioned in this report are:

  • Amazon S3 API’s
  • Eucalyptus  API’s
  • Mezeo API’s
  • Nirvanix API’s
  • SMEStorage

This white paper provides a concise overview of what cloud storage is along with the current trends and what we as customers can look forward to in the future. Remember when we were concerned about WiFi? This is exactly where cloud storage is today.

Source: Storage Strategies NOW White Paper

 

You can also keep up to date with current trends and technology by visiting Data Center Talk where we keep you informed on important changes as they occur.

Share on TwitterSubmit to StumbleUpon
Filed Under: Articles, Cloud Computing, Hosting / Colocation, Storage / Server, Technology Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Green IT set for Increased Spending in 2012

November 24, 2011 By

The projection for 2012 is that many businesses are set to increase their spending budget on network infrastructure. This increase could be as much as 10-25% for approximately 55% of businesses. This is great news taking into consideration the state of the global economy.

84% Business Investment in Green IT

CommScope recently conducted a European survey with results showing that 84% of businesses had invested in green IT in 2011 already. This investment has been done to improve the energy efficiency of their data centers.

49% Business Cost Efficient

Investing in green IT systems is seen as the most effective and efficient way for a business to save money.  Forty nine percent of the businesses Green IT set, Increased Spending in 2012, Data Center, power calculation, cooling system, fewer generator, Green Data Center, datacenter, data center services, data center management, about data centers, internet data centers, datacenter services, datacenter solutions Business continuitysurveyed had cost efficiency listed as their main goal for 2012.

Achievement in 2012 Businesses

Another important objective to achieve in 2012 is for businesses to increase their Reliability performance.  Reliability issues were prominent during 2011 and these issues were normally caused by one of the following reasons:

  • Lack of network visibility
  • Technician errors
  • Power failures

To counteract this network managers are working on ensuring that their networks are more efficient, intelligent and robust. Businesses are not just looking for cheap solutions. Instead they are searching for quality solutions which include improving reliability issues and offering their clients great performance.

Ways to Go Green

  • Improving data center cooling methods – this consists of looking for energy leaks and reducing the amount of hot spots.
  • Reducing Energy Consumption – many data centers are now turning to using virtual servers instead of having dedicated servers for each job. One server is now capable of running many other servers and this greatly reduces energy consumption costs.
  • Increased Driver Capacity – storage needs are on the increase and this can be handled by using larger drivers with more storage capacity versus increasing the number of smaller drivers.
  • Improving Floor Layouts – many data centers are becoming outdated and one solution is to reconfigure the layout of the data center. The solution can be as simple as moving hot and cold aisles and making use of available outside air to help cool the data center. This helps to reduce energy costs dramatically.
  • Alternative Energy – many green data centers are using solar, hydroelectric, hydrogen fuel cells and nuclear power which greatly reduces costs. Even the simple step of turning off unnecessary equipment when not needed helps reduce power requirements and saves money.

The anticipated green up of IT centers in 2012 will definitely go a long way in helping the environment.

 

You can also keep up to date with current trends and technology by visiting Data Center Talk where we keep you informed on important changes as they occur.

Share on TwitterSubmit to StumbleUpon
Filed Under: Data Center Design, Green IT Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Data Center Reliability and Availability

November 23, 2011 By

Data center reliability refers to the measurement of the time it takes between failures happening in your data center. All software and hardware have different failure points so it can be extremely difficult to predict when failure will occur.

Phrases of Data Center

Most components have three different phases that they go through:

  1. Burn in
  2. Normal Operation Time
  3. Failure

Most failures are known to occur during the burn-in period. Once the component reaches normal operating mode less occurrences happen. As with anything as the component ages failure is more likely to happen.

Electrical Storm Failure

Failures are also due to the area where you live. For example if your data center is located in an area with lots of electrical storms failure may occur more rapidly. Any extreme type of environmental condition will put stress on your components making them more vulnerable to failure.

Reliability Failure Rate

While reliability measures the failure rates of software and hardware components, availability measures the percentage of time the component is operating at its correct rate.

The availability rate has to be calculated and uses the following formula:

Availability = mean time to failure (MTTF) / (mean time to recovery (MTTR) + MTTF)

By knowing these rates you will have a good idea of when any particular component can be expected to fail. Items such as connectors and boards have a longer life expectancy. While boards and disks a much shorter span. You then have two choices; you can improve the MTTF or reduce the MTTR. It is also vitally important to have a good recovery method in place for when a failure does occur.

Unexpected Power Outage

Of course unexpected power outages have to be taken into account when determining data center reliability and availability formulas. If you are located in North America certain areas will see more outages along with blackout periods during the summer months.

Major Delays in Power

Once all the availability and reliability data is produced you can then proceed to take precautions to prevent any major delays in power from happening. This can be in the form of a backup system which will take over if power is suddenly lost. Serviceability is known as the time it takes to get your system back up and running after a failure has occurred.  This includes identifying and locating the component and getting back online.

 

You can also keep up to date with current trends and technology by visiting Data Center Talk where we keep you informed on important changes as they occur.

Share on TwitterSubmit to StumbleUpon
Filed Under: Data Center Resources Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

HP’s Thoughts on the New Data Center of the Future

November 21, 2011 By

HP recently released a white paper on how they see the future of data centers evolving. Following is a brief summary of their paper.

Data Centers are changing constantly with all the improvements and innovations that technology provides. It is now extremely important for companies to combine business along with technology if they want to be highly successful.

Future data centers will need to concentrate on the services that their clients require. This will result in ‘Service Data Center’s’ being formed.

Multiple Resources Data Center

These new data centers will provide multiple resources for their clients. As required the client may draw on these resources and use them for as long as necessary. When no longer needed the resource will be placed back into the Service Data Center pool and be available to other clients.

The data center of the future will be automated and flexible. This allows new businesses to draw on additional resources as required. It provides money saving costs for all businesses as their demand for resources fluctuates.

Traditional data centers are designed to handle ‘peaks’. This is effective in handling and delivering the required resources but the downside is that they can be expensive.

Virtual Data Center

Virtual data centers are designed to be ‘leveraged’. Resources are pooled together and drawn upon as needed. This design is optimal for dealing with peak processing times while it also helps leverage capital and operational funds.

Services data centers will not be IT focused but focused on business needs. Business functions are made available for clients and these functions will be automatic. When it comes to storage the new service centers will need to offer data classification along with storage capabilities.

The monitoring system within the services data center is crucial. Businesses are running in a ‘real time’ scenario so predictive monitoring is important. Component failure will need to be identified before failure occurs.

Availability of a Data Center

Availability could almost be considered the number one priority in a services based data center. By incorporating virtual solutions additional IT resources can be added on the fly and used by each client as required.

Automation is another key component of the services data center. Traditional service levels were based on metrics. The shift will now be required to something being called business service levels, which are directly related to a function such as meeting billing cycle needs. The business service level will show how the business is performing.

HP concludes that overall the new data center of the future will not just focus on technology. It will shift its focus to the services provided to their clients. This shift is vital for any company wanting to remain competitive in today’s marketplace.

 

You can also keep up to date with current trends and technology by visiting Data Center Talk where we keep you informed on important changes as they occur.

Share on TwitterSubmit to StumbleUpon
Filed Under: Today's Article Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
« Older Posts