In Cloud Computing, Downtime is Endemic – But Does it Matter?

January 21, 2010

By Andi

In Cloud Computing, Downtime is Endemic – But Does it Matter?

There is a perennial debate in cloud computing about whether a failure of one cloud service provider can be more generalized to a ‘failure of cloud computing’. It is an important question because availability is a key decision factor in choosing between private and public cloud, and between public cloud providers.

The most recent example of such failures is the power outage at IaaS provider Rackspace’s London facility, but of course, we have seen this before from many public cloud providers – including Rackspace in particular, and not just once. SaaS provider Salesforce.com (and its PaaS arm, Force.com) has also had one outage already this year, an event that is far from unusual,...
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Is KVM a credible choice for x86 server virtualization?

January 12, 2010

By Andi

Is KVM a credible choice for x86 server virtualization?

The other day I saw someone post a poll question, “Is KVM a credible choice for x86 virtualization?” My immediate response was – “Is that even a credible question?” If you read my many contributions to TechTarget, you will know I am no great supporter of KVM (Kernel Virtual Machine). In my analysis, it does not offer any significant advantages to the many alternatives. It does, however, introduce many significant challenges.

The only significant and unique benefit of KVM for server virtualization (as noted by Sander van Vugt in our (virtual) debate on Xen vs.KVM Linux Virtualization Hypervisors) is that KVM is part of the Linux kernel. This ensures broad standardization,...
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Microsoft Acquires Opalis

December 11, 2009

By Andi

Today Microsoft Corporation (NASD:MSFT) announced a definitive agreement to acquire Opalis Inc., the leading independent vendor of IT Process Automation (ITPA) software.

IT Process Automation (ITPA) is a Data Center Automation (DCA) discipline that EMA defines as “the ability to automate and integrate the workflow of complex, multi-discipline IT management processes.” This automation can replace many manual, resource-intensive, and error-prone activities that typically cross multiple IT components, disciplines, and/or departments. ITPA delivers exceptional results including freeing up 77% more staff for strategic projects, providing more than 60 additional hours of system availability per year, and saving an average $500,000 more per year on staff costs than other Data Center Automation (DCA) disciplines.…

Novell Announces Intelligent Workload Management (IWM)

December 8, 2009

By Andi

Novell Announces Intelligent Workload Management (IWM)

Today Novell released the details of their eagerly awaited Intelligent Workload Management (IWM) solutions. Novell has an exceptional opportunity, great development, and an excellent product line that clearly makes sense in this newly defined ‘market’. Plus, Novell really had to respond to their seriously lackluster financial performance in their 4^th Quarter and Annual earnings announcement,…

The CIO Dilemma – Balancing Tactical and Strategic Projects

December 4, 2009

By Andi

The CIO Dilemma – Balancing Tactical and Strategic Projects

I had an interesting discussion last night on Twitter with Tajeshwar Singh (@tsingh4IT), a thoughtful and experienced IT pro working with a leading IT outsourcing provider, about the differences and overlaps between strategic and tactical CIO planning. It was triggered by the disdain I have for a new “Top Technologies for 2010” prediction I saw, which included the caveat that these technologies will have a “significant impact in the next 3 years”.

I tweeted that I think such predictions are useless when most CIOs must prove return on investment (ROI) for major IT projects in less than 6 months. Tajeshwar got me thinking more deeply about this idea with his reply:…

You Cannot Separate Security and Systems Management

December 1, 2009

By Andi

You Cannot Separate Security and Systems Management

A few days ago I was pleased to brief again with Reflex Systems. Apart from the fact that they are doing some very cool things with virtualization management, their approach struck me as, if not unique, at least pleasantly rare.

Good for them!

What I liked most was that they are trying to break down the barriers between systems and security management.…

HP & CIO Magazine’s New Virtualization Survey

November 23, 2009

By Andi

HP & CIO Magazine’s New Virtualization Survey

HP Software & Solutions recently conducted a global CIO survey with CIO Magazine on virtualization trends. Shay Mowlem, Director Virtualization Strategy with HP, and Jim Malone, Editorial Director of CXO Media’s Custom Solutions Group, held a free webcast last week to cover the details of the survey. If you missed it, you should certainly check out the replay.

The survey revealed some very interesting data, with a very well thought out instrument and a quality sample – 300 respondents (100 each from the US, EMEA, and Asia Pacific) with at least 500 employees in the US (250 in the UK, France, Germany, Australia, Singapore and India), and all with a current or planned investment in server virtualization.

A number of data...
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Virtualization is not Cloud … but Cloud needs Virtualization

November 20, 2009

By Andi

Virtualization is not Cloud … but Cloud needs Virtualization

Surfing a couple of blogs today, jumping from another analyst commenting that virtualization is not cloud (a fair, if unexplored, post), I came across William Vambenepe’s post from September on the confusion between virtualization and Cloud Computing. As he did on my blog recently, I started to post a reply to his site, and then as it expanded, decided to post it as a full reply on my own blog.

I like the thinking, and agree with a lot of the principles involved. Without doubt, virtualization is not cloud. But I can’t agree with it all. Apart from technical quibbles (like the part about mainframe LPARs not running on a hypervisor), I simply find it unreasonable, if not impossible, to think of implementing cloud computing without virtualization.…

Cloud Computing Podcast with Techtarget – Part 1

November 16, 2009

By Andi

Cloud Computing Podcast with Techtarget – Part 1

I really enjoyed my first podcast with the crew from SearchCloudComputing – hosted by Carl Brooks (Twitter’s @eekygeeky) – last week. (Of course I did – I am an analyst. If there is one thing I love more than being asked my opinion, it is talking about my opinion!). In this two-part podcast, Carl and I talk about all sorts of issues regarding the management of cloud computing – a critical part of EMA’s ‘Responsible Cloud’ approach to cloud computing.…

What is Wrong With the NIST Definition of Cloud Computing?

November 13, 2009

By Andi

What is Wrong With the NIST Definition of Cloud Computing?

I am getting so sick of the continual bickering over definitions of cloud computing. Even more frustrating is the hype from all the vested interests – vendors and analysts, mostly – trying to define cloud computing in ways that they imagine will best contribute to their own commercial success. And I know that I am not alone.

What is wrong with the definition that the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) – a division of the US Department of Commerce – uses?…