One key element that is often missing in the avid discussions on what’s keeping more enterprises out of the cloud is a common recognition that storage in the cloud is simply not what it should be. It may surprise you, but to a large degree the solution to some of the cloud’s biggest concerns – such as security, compliance, control and complexity – has to do with storage.
So what’s wrong with storage in the cloud?
Unlike compute or networking in the cloud, storage in the cloud is very different from the storage enterprises use in their own data centers. If we look at cloud compute, the VMs are exactly the same as those you would provision in your own data center; networking is very similar: Internet Protocol (IP) and Virtual LANs let you connect machines to each other with reasonable performance and low latency. But storage in the cloud is not the same as that in an on-premise data center.
Seven Cloud Predictions for 2014
With the end of the year buzz around predictions, it’s hard not to join in the conversation. Our CenturyLink Cloud leadership team came together for a few predictions for the year head – and to show we are keepin’ it real, we scored last year’s predictions as well.
1. Enterprise-buyer demand fuels cloud consolidation. Well past the «dipping their toes in» stage with cloud-native apps, enterprises are now accelerating the migration of business-critical applications to the cloud. They will demand more complete, mature cloud solutions from the IT providers they already know and trust. This, in turn, will result in more cloud M&A activity as incumbent vendors solidify their cloud strategy and enhance offerings.
Big Data Top Ten
My general prediction is that Cloudera and Hortonworks are both aggressively moving to fulfilling a vision which looks a lot like Gartner’s “Logical Data Warehouse”….namely, “the next-generation data warehouse that improves agility, enables innovation and responds more efficiently to changing business requirements.”
In 2012, Infochimps (now CSC) leveraged its early use of stream processing, NoSQLs, and Hadoop to create a design pattern which combined real-time, ad-hoc, and batch analytics. This concept of combining the best-in-breed Big Data technologies will continue to advance across the industry until the entire legacy (and proprietary) data infrastructure stack will be replaced with a new (and open) one.
NRRC Video Series – Video 8
In September, the NCOIC delivered the Geospatial Community Cloud (GCC) demonstration. Sponsored by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, this demonstration showed how an interoperable, hybrid-cloud operating environment can be quickly enabled and used as a rapid response capability.While this demonstration was designed around lessons learned in the 2010 Haitian Earthquake, the effort showed how a cloud services brokerage approach could be used to quickly provide critical information technology infrastructure support to an unplanned event.
The NCOIC is an international organization for accelerating the global implementation of network centric principles and systems–to improve information sharing among various communities of interest for the betterment of their productivity, interactivity, safety, and security. The NCOIC Rapid Response Capability (NRRC) video series supports that mission by broadly disseminating information about the GCC demonstration for the good of the global community.
NRRC Video Series – Video 8
In September, the NCOIC delivered the Geospatial Community Cloud (GCC) demonstration. Sponsored by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, this demonstration showed how an interoperable, hybrid-cloud operating environment can be quickly enabled and used as a rapid response capability.While this demonstration was designed around lessons learned in the 2010 Haitian Earthquake, the effort showed how a cloud services brokerage approach could be used to quickly provide critical information technology infrastructure support to an unplanned event.
The NCOIC is an international organization for accelerating the global implementation of network centric principles and systems–to improve information sharing among various communities of interest for the betterment of their productivity, interactivity, safety, and security. The NCOIC Rapid Response Capability (NRRC) video series supports that mission by broadly disseminating information about the GCC demonstration for the good of the global community.
PaaS Leads to Healthcare Solutions for Remote Regions of the World
The medical needs of developing countries are staggering and come in many shapes and sizes. The trouble is the real issues can only be understood once an individual or organization gets involved. About 10 years ago, our organization was routinely shipping medical supplies to hard-to-reach places. But what we found was that in many cases there were no hospitals to receive the supplies. We overcame this challenge by adapting the shipping containers used to move goods internationally into portable clinics outfitted with supplies and laptops. Once we were “on the ground” and learned more about the healthcare systems in countries such as Kenya, we found that even where there was an existing brick-and-mortar hospital, the medical software in place wasn’t really compatible with local needs. This was for two reasons: either it was too complex or it was not designed to tolerate the frequent Internet service gaps or disruptions that are common in developing regions.
Storage: You Once Were the Weakest Link
One key element that is often missing in the avid discussions on what’s keeping more enterprises out of the cloud is a common recognition that storage in the cloud is simply not what it should be. It may surprise you, but to a large degree the solution to some of the cloud’s biggest concerns – such as security, compliance, control and complexity – has to do with storage.
So what’s wrong with storage in the cloud?
Unlike compute or networking in the cloud, storage in the cloud is very different from the storage enterprises use in their own data centers. If we look at cloud compute, the VMs are exactly the same as those you would provision in your own data center; networking is very similar: Internet Protocol (IP) and Virtual LANs let you connect machines to each other with reasonable performance and low latency. But storage in the cloud is not the same as that in an on-premise data center.
NAS Cloud Backup: How It’s Done
Having Network Attached Storage (NAS) can be a lot simpler than backing up a large number of individual user machines, however, the rules for NAS cloud backup may be different then you’re used to. Each NAS vendor has its own particular steps to follow. Here is how to back up NetApp devices with Zetta DataProtect. If you need to back up another type of NAS, contact Zetta.net.
Zetta’s NetApp backup works by reading a user generated configuration file which defines the data sources to back up and the appropriate login credentials to gain access to these data sources.
When the config file is read by Zetta, network mounts will be created to the defined data sources and the ZettaMirror agent triggers a snapshot on the NetApp appliance which is used to capture a consistent state of the NetApp file system and replicate the targeted data to the Zetta cloud. The ZettaMirror agent walks the directory tree, finds files that have changed and transmits the delta to Zetta. Once the transfer of data is complete, Zetta creates a snapshot of the file system on the Zetta storage end, deletes the NetApp snapshot and disconnects.
Agile Development Drives Enterprise DevOps & Public Cloud Adoption
In the past decade, many companies have moved towards the agile method of development rather than the traditional waterfall methodology. Even companies that do not strictly adhere to agile development will usually use a blend of both agile and waterfall techniques. Agile development has many characteristics that make it more suited to modern technology than the waterfall method. Today, agile development is very closely related to DevOps and the cloud.
Agile development allows companies an adaptability and flexibility that is simply not possible through traditional waterfall methodology. In a world that moves as fast as the modern tech industry, the ability to turn on a dime during the development process is invaluable to any company. The waterfall method requires a linear project schedule that advances from one stage to another while the agile method is modular and fluid. It is this same fluidity that ties agile development into enterprise DevOps and the public cloud.
Cloud Computing Takes Not-for-Profits to New Heights
Not-for-profits and cloud computing seem to be made for one another.
The cloud IT delivery model is well suited to not-for-profits (NFPs) for a number of reasons, according to an article on CMO.com. There are little to no upfront costs with cloud services and consumption is usually billed on a monthly subscription basis, allowing for predictable budgeting.
There are also fewer IT staff requirements; this is ideal for NFPs who might not have the resources to hire skilled technical staff. In the specific case of server hardware, no servers need to be purchased, maintained, or recycled with a cloud service.
Other tangible benefits of the cloud for NFPs include rapid deployment of services, and the convenience of being able to use the service from any location – ideal for staff and volunteers.