Cloud Computing

Comparison: Online Backup vs. Cloud Storage

December 28, 2012 By DCT User

Before cloud computing service came into picture, online backup services had been serving customers. Online backup was provided by many companies like Carbonite, Mozy, Comodo, McAfee and Symantec. General methodology in online backup service allowed customers to backup and restore files from anywhere. Online backup is nothing but a remote, managed or online backup service that provides users with a system for backing up and storing computer files. Before comparing online backup and cloud computing let us know more about each of the storing methods.

“Online backup is basically a method of storing data like documents, folders and sometimes even the hard drive contents on a remote server or a computer network.” Backing up data in a remote hard drive reduces the risk of data loss, theft, fire, corrupt and other natural disasters. Companies can easily restore any lost file from the remote location using any PC and high speed internet connection. Many small and medium sized organizations prefer to backup their data on a removable storage media like DVD or CD or thumb drives or tapes, sometimes

they might think of storing data onto an external hard drive.

Cloud storage is a model of online storage where big data are stored in a pool of servers. These servers are generally maintained by third parties. Hosting companies usually operate large data centers, customers who are in need of cloud storage can lease the storage based on their requirements. Cloud storage services are

usually accessed through a web service API (Application Programming Interface) or a web based UI (User Interface) or through a cloud storage gateway.

One of the general rule between online backup and cloud computing is an online backup service allows customers to backup and restore files. Hard drive size varies from hundreds of gigabytes to one terabyte, using this storage method we will be back only a small portion of your system. Many online backup companies keep a copy of My Documents and other selected folder instead of entire hard drive. Cloud storage is different; these services take a portion of your hard drive space and synchronize it with online storage. Whenever you make any changes in the file they are quickly replicated to the cloud storage. SugarSync is one of the services providers which offer both classic backup and file synch support.

Some of the cloud storage companies have claimed that they will be providing unlimited bandwidth and unlimited disk space, but none of them is true. For large data backups companies have allotted reasonable space, once customers have reached this limit his backup speed will noticeably reduce. The main question that a customer should ask before investing in any of the services is whether online backup of more than 100 GB is really worth of investing. If your data backup capacity is less than 100 GB then it is recommended to use any online backup services like dropbox, Google drive, Microsoft Skydrive and many more available services. Smart users knows when things get worst and make sure to get the best kind of backup service which is best suited for them and their organizations.

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Filed Under: Cloud Computing Tagged With: Cloud Storage, Online Backup

Innovations in Cloud Computing and Virtualization

November 12, 2012 By DCT User

Modern data centers rely heavily on virtualization technology to improve productivity. As a result of the immense pressure on its performance, the technology itself has stepped up and evolved drastically since its inception. Virtualization is a concept wherein a virtual version of a hardware, software, operating system or storage space is created in order to centralize administrative tasks and enhance scalability and performance of the component that has been subjected to virtualization.

Virtualization ensures optimal resource utilization. With the aid of this technology, one can run multiple operating systems simultaneously on a single platform/CPU. It’s a perfect example of enhanced multitasking or hierarchical multitasking. In multitasking, you are allowed to run multiple applications on a single operating system, whereas in virtualization, you are simultaneously running several operating systems on a single CPU; on each operating system, you can simultaneously run several applications. This reduces the overhead cost of the data center as you are making full use of the available CPUs, thus bringing down the need for more.

The latest innovation in the virtualization technology is the Converged Network Adapter. It is a server card that is meant to serve the purpose of a Fibre Channel Host Bus Adapter and Ethernet Network Interface Card in one card. It connects the storage network and the computer network. For companies struggling with complex physical and virtual networking, CNAs are a boon to have. Once the CNA is connected and routed properly, it can pass both TCP/IP networking and storage traffic simultaneously.

The main advantage of CNAs is the reduction in the number of adapters required to connect the servers to the ports.

After understanding the importance and hype around cloud computing, it becomes more or less important to strategically adopt cloud computing into the enterprise. The hype around cloud computing keeps growing as the number of cloud service offerings evolve.

Cloud computing should not just be an alternative to expansion of an enterprise. Maximizing the effects of cloud computing on an enterprise should be on the grounds of being able to leverage the technology to its full capacity. At this stage it is important to understand the needs of an enterprise, and its end-user requirements. There are several strategic plans for the successful adoption of cloud computing.

Understanding the requirements and demands of the enterprise, and the end-user
Frame the right team of professionals
Create a definite strategic plan
Deploy the right measures to achieve the objective

Cloud computing services have the obligation to abide by the standards of certain regulatory bodies. They are required to pass all the compliance audits. At the end of the day, all that matters for the successful adoption of cloud computing is a series of right decisions.

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Filed Under: Articles, Cloud Computing, Virtualization Tagged With: Cloud Computing, data center innovation, Virtualization

STEPS TO STRATEGIZE CLOUD COMPUTING

October 12, 2012 By DCT User

After understanding the importance and hype around cloud computing, it becomes more or less important to strategically adopt cloud computing into the enterprise. The hype around cloud computing keeps growing as the number of cloud service offerings evolve.

Understanding the requirements and demands of the enterprise, and the end-user
Frame the right team of professionals
Create a definite strategic plan
Deploy the right measures to achieve the objective

The first and foremost plan of understanding the requirements of the enterprise is in itself a herculean task. Several factors are to be taken into consideration while deciding the need for cloud computing, not just as an alternative to expansion or to get into the domain of cloud services. If there is a growing demand for cloud end users, cloud computing is the right domain an enterprise needs to look at. These decisions are not to be made by following instincts or random ideas.

In conventional IT sectors, the decision of a company to move up the ladder in terms of technology is normally taken by a group of IT professionals. What needs to be discussed here is that demand for cloud services coming from the non IT folk. These people want to maximize the effectiveness of the organization. The staff from the finance department would idealize cloud computing as a way of reducing costs. The marketing personnel would want to look at it as a mode of enhanced publicity. It is always critical to have a team built on different aspects of expertise. This would contribute to the success of the project.

After framing the right team, a strategic plan needs to be in place. Cloud computing requires generous number of years for establishment. It is not and should not be the result of isolated decisions. The plan should focus on the previous existing services, and its inter-operability with the new cloud services. It should be taken care not to damage the accountability of the existing services on the pretext of maximizing cloud services. A clear road map towards the objective, to an extent, marks the success.

Once the team has been framed, and a strategic plan is in place, it is time to deploy some mission-critical actions. The inter operability and portability of services need to be rightly defined. The terms and conditions of service providers and hosting services should be rightly made for all the targeted services. Actions deployed must be capable of maximizing the returns. Decisions once made should not differ with respect to unfortunate impacts and situations.

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Filed Under: Articles, Cloud Computing, Technology Tagged With: Cloud Computing, strategic plans for the successful adoption of cloud computing.

CLOUD COMPUTING AND VIRTUALIZATION

October 4, 2012 By DCT User

In the present scenario of changing technology, the IT sector is keen on reducing costs, and improving performance. Innovative use of the advanced techniques is a logical solution, but is very elusive. Data centers need to optimize infrastructure and deploy strategies to improve data center operations. These would enable centers to leverage the benefits of cloud computing and virtualization for their economic benefits.

Cloud computing and virtualization are two relatively similar ideas, but with a whole new horizon. The whole process of implementing the infrastructure requires a lot of detailed discussion about the type of data center and its requirements.

Cloud computing is a scalable platform that is used for the delivery of a service or a capability, to build and run applications over the network. It refers to the IT services that are deconstructed from the underlying infrastructure, and provisioned when needed as well as providing infinite resources to meet the growing demands. It entrusts remote services to the user’s data via computing and networking. The user’s data is stored in a remote location, whereas the end client can access the application through a web browser or a simple mobile app.

Cloud computing fundamentally changes the way IT services are delivered to clients. IT sectors need not concentrate on developing a separate hardware and software encrusted infrastructure for all their servers and storage devices. This would mean that the companies also need to upgrade their servers based on the changing trends. This facility of cloud computing requires neither ownership nor installation of dedicated resources. Cloud computing offers a wide array of benefits:

Reduced cost: Reduction in the cost is definitely an added advantage to any data center operative. The organization would have to invest only in the required capacity and not on unnecessary infrastructure and maximum capacity.

Flexibility: A data center always needs to forecast its future requirements. It needs to be well equipped to situations of migration and need of excess workload. Cloud computing eliminates these undesirable consequences.

Location independence: As cloud computing does not use a physical infrastructure, users can access any application irrespective of their location or the device they are using.

Scalability: A major problem that data centers incur is the expansion plan. Cloud computing offers “on demand” services without having to look for onsite resources.

Security: Access to the log audits is very difficult, hence ensuring security to the data stored. Since the data is distributed over a widespread area and relying on multi-tenants, concern over data loss is relatively minimized.

Maintenance: Maintenance of cloud computing applications is simpler as it does not involve installing applications on every user’s device. It can be accessed from any location.

Server virtualization refers to the servers and data storage devices that are simulated using software. It is the division or segregation of servers. Every single virtual server runs on its own and as a part of another physical server. Many virtual servers can run on a single physical server. These virtual servers can be isolated and can be handled singly, even away from the physical servers.

Through virtualization, you can install a software only once and be rest assured that everyone will have access to it. You don’t need multiple licences to make the software available to all your employees. Since you are technically installing it only on one system, you are not violating any laws either. Same is true with storage. This technique avoids the need for data replication, thus saving storage space.

Virtualization can bring higher utilization, better security and easier management.

Server utilization can definitely bring in some great amount of flexibility and energy efficiency into data centers.

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Filed Under: Articles, Cloud Computing, Data Center Design, Data Center Solutions, Virtualization Tagged With: Cloud Computing, Virtualization

Path to Cloud Sourcing

July 12, 2012 By DCT User

Yet another buzz word in IT. The emergence of hundreds of cloud vendors is causing enterprises to consider how and when to do ‘Cloud Sourcing’. Over the last few years, there has been a shift towards cloud-based hosting of applications and infrastructure. It is a well-established process for a business to carryout all of its computing requirements to a cloud based supplier so that they can take advantage of the benefits and reduce their expenses. How can the march towards cloud sourcing help to reduce those for a business?

A lot of businesses have periods when they require extra staffing for peak periods. This might be to take orders during the run-up to festive seasons or to take customer enquiries after a product launch, or maybe they just want regularly updated content for their website. Instead of spending lots of money to train permanent staff members to do that job, many companies hire temporary staff to cover that peak period. A large business might well have already looked into business process outsourcing (BPO), or even have moved that function overseas to save costs. The next evolutionary step to this process is cloud sourcing, which combines the BPO model of outsourcing business processes or services and utilizing cloud technology to find the staff to complete that process wherever they are based.

Small Tasks

One of the oldest sites using this kind of model is Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (MTurk), where employers submit tasks that they want to complete and workers from around the world complete the tasks. The majority of tasks on this site are simple jobs, such as tagging images or checking search queries, that pay very little, but there are also other tasks offering several dollars a time. Workers in India and USA can choose to be paid direct to their bank accounts, while workers elsewhere have to work for Amazon.com vouchers. It is straightforward to get simple and repetitive tasks completed this way, however quality control could be an issue if you want more complex tasks completing in this way.

Larger Tasks and Small Recurring Works

Freelancing sites, where workers bid to complete more complex tasks for employers are also becoming more popular. The jobs listed on these sites are usually more complex in nature, and range from content writing and translation services, up to complete application development and support.

For a business wishing to fully outsource an entire service, there are a number of options. A business may want to outsource an entire business process, such as sales or support, to another business, just like in the BPO model. The cloud sourcing companies are responsible for staff recruitment and training and juggling their staff between different clients to satisfy their requirements. Several large organizations are starting to offer this service, an area that has immense scope to grow.

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Filed Under: Cloud Computing, Data Center Management Tagged With: cloud management, could sourcing, managing cloud business

FORTRUST & Ajubeo Enter into a Partnership for Mutual Benefits

June 29, 2012 By DCT User

FORTRUST, premium data center based in the rocky mountain region recently announced that Ajubeo, a national provider of enterprise-class cloud infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS), has chosen its Denver, Colorado data center for their high-density cloud computing colocation deployment. This development is a result of FORTRUST’S impressive zero downtime record. FORTRUST also owns a 224,000 sq.ft data center which is situated in Denver, Colorado.

According to the industry experts, companies like Ajubeo which specialize in cloud infrastructure prove to be ideal clients for FORTRUST because of their superior potential and on-site marketing synergies which employ hybrid colocation to cloud deployments.

This Partnership also opens doors for various other offerings by FORTRUST including its new data module offering. Ajubeo has already shown interest in the product and now the companies are in talks about their next move.

“The decision to deploy our Denver cloud hub at FORTRUST was obvious,” commented Chuck Price, president and CEO of Ajubeo. “FORTRUST is the only data center in Denver built to handle power-dense offerings like Ajubeo’s enterprise-class cloud infrastructure. FORTRUST has never experienced an outage and their commitment to security is evident immediately upon entering the facility. FORTRUST enables Ajubeo to provide an infrastructure-as-a-service platform that is second-to-none.”

“We are excited to welcome Ajubeo’s industry-leading cloud infrastructure offering to the FORTRUST data center ecosystem,” said Rob McClary, vice president of FORTRUST. “We expect Ajubeo’s expansion potential and complimentary offering to contribute significantly to FORTRUST’s success over the years to come.”

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Filed Under: Cloud Computing, Data Center Management, Data Center Solutions, Featured News, News Tagged With: cloud infrastructure, data center partnership, data center services, hybrid colocation

CloudProtect – A Unique Service Launched By Insurance Broker, Marsh

June 11, 2012 By DCT User

As per recent reports, insurance broker Marsh has launched a Cyber policy enhancement which is designed to provide protection against losses incurred from failure by cloud service providers. The service is an add-on to the company’s cyber policy and is specifically aimed at the client’s dependence on the vendors across the wide range of operations.

“Cloud computing enables much more efficient computing by centralizing storage, memory, processing and bandwidth—but it also can lead to network interruptions and lost income should the cloud go down,” says Robert Parisi, Marsh’s network security and privacy practice leader.

CloudProtect solution works to mitigate the risk by offering protection that are not helps to mitigate this risk by offering additional protections that are not sufficiently covered by traditional Cyber insurance policies, says Parisi.

The best feature of the service is that the policy is customizable. Marsh says the policy covers costs associated with procuring services from a new cloud provider as well as the costs involved in transitioning to the new provider.

Marsh says the need for such coverage is growing. Citing a Cisco survey of 1,300 IT executives from 13 countries, the broker says it is estimated that by the end of the year, 20 percent of companies will be using cloud-computing technology to deliver the majority of the software applications they use in their businesses.

Parisi says Marsh is working with leading Cyber underwriters on this program and that limits on policies currently go up to $5 million in capacity in the primary market, with limited additional capacity in the excess markets.

CloudProtect, he notes, will not be attractive to large organizations until the market for the coverage broadens to provide more than $100 million in loss protection. The program is currently “relevant to small and midsize companies (under $2 billion in revenue), which rely more heavily upon cloud vendors and [so] would suffer a more severe loss—relatively—than a larger company might,” he adds.

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Filed Under: Cloud Computing, Disaster Recovery, Featured News, Networking / Security, News Tagged With: Cloud Computing, cloud service, Network Security

Data Center Infrastructure Management

June 1, 2012 By DCT User

Most organizations spend more than 70 percent of their IT budgets on infrastructure such as servers, operating systems, storage and networking. This is required to manage the swift yet uneven pace of growth that is essential to survive in today’s highly competitive environment. When organizations achieve the critical mass, they are often bogged down by the widely varying demands placed on their IT infrastructure.

Even as the investments for hardware and software are tracking downward, the costs of managing and supporting infrastructure are increasing. Server sprawl leads to increased operations and support costs, labor intensive legacy platforms lead to increased administration and support costs. Deployment and maintenance of IT systems is costly and consumes too much time and effort and managing system security and user identity information across enterprise systems can be complex.

Identity and Access Management:

Rapid search, identification and verification of user access rights helps guarantee information, communication and IT infrastructure protection from malicious attacks. The Activity Directory Domain Services offered help create a scalable, secure, and manageable infrastructure for user and resource management. These services provide the means to manage identities and relationships, and the out-of-the-box functionality needed to centrally configure and administer system, user, and application settings. Some of these services are:

Active Directory Implementation
Active Directory Migration from Previous Versions

Desktop, Server and Device Management

Data centers can manage desktops, mobile devices, and servers as well as deploy patches, operating systems, and applications across the network, asset inventory and proactive monitoring of systems by implementing and managing the Microsoft System Centre Suite.

System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) – The SCCM comprehensively assesses, deploys, and updates servers, client computers, and devices-across physical, virtual, distributed, and mobile environments. Optimized for Windows and tightly integrated with Windows 7, it is the best choice for gaining control over IT systems.
System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) – SCOM uniquely enables data centers to reduce the cost of data center management across server operating systems and hypervisors through a single, familiar and easy to use interface. Through numerous views that show state, health and performance information as well as alerts generated according to some availability, performance, configuration or security situation being identified, operators can gain rapid insight into the state of the IT environment, and the IT services running across different systems and workloads.

Security and Networking

Data centers should guarantee that information and communication are protected from unauthorized access while at the same time provide a mechanism to protect the IT infrastructure from attacks and viruses while preserving access to corporate resources.

ForeFront Endpoint Protection (Anti-Virus) – By allowing a data center to use its existing client management infrastructure the solution helps reduce ownership costs while providing improved visibility and control over endpoint management and security.
ForeFront Threat Management Gateway (Firewall and Proxy) – The solution reduces the cost and complexity of Web security through multiple layers of continuously updated protections that are integrated into a unified, easy to manage gateway.
ForeFront Unified Access Gateway (Firewall, Proxy and SSL VPN) – The solution utilizes a combination of connectivity options, ranging from SSL VPN to Direct Access, as well as built in configurations and policies. This enables the delivery of comprehensive, secure remote access to corporate resources for employees, partners, and vendors on both managed and unmanaged PCs and mobile devices.

Data Protection and Recovery

Organizations require a structured or disciplined backup, storage and restore management solution to protect their data. Disaster Recover Planning – an in-depth analysis of current systems and creation of contingency plans in case of natural or intended disasters.

The System Center Data Protection Manager (SCDPM) from the Microsoft System Center suit can also be implemented for data management. The SCDPM delivers unified data protection for Windows servers such as SQL Server, Exchange, SharePoint, Virtualization and file servers, as well as Windows desktops and laptops. DPM seamlessly uses disk, tape, and cloud-based repositories to deliver an easy-to-use and best-of-breed backup and recovery solution for Windows.

Virtualization

In today’s highly automated, technology-enabled economy, business capability has become inextricably linked to IT capability. However, IT infrastructure is becoming increasingly complex. The need of the hour is to leverage IT so that it becomes a more efficient and strategic asset of business. By consolidating resources through server, client and storage virtualization, organizations can increase their resource utilization from 10%-15% to as much as 80%. Hardware requirements can also be reduced by 10:1 ratio or better. Automated system management and administration at every level in the data center allows greater focus on more strategic planning activities. Moreover, through virtualization, organizations can achieve a reduced deployment time for new IT services by 50% to 70%

Data Center Talk updates its resources every day. Visit us to know of the latest technology and standards from the data center world.Please leave your views and comments on DCT Forum

Filed Under: Cloud Computing, Data Center Design Services, Data Center Management, Data Center Project Management, Data Center Solutions, Networking / Security, Virtualization Tagged With: access management, benefits of virtualization, data center infrastructure management, Data Center Solutions

Data Center Infrastructure Management

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