It’s pretty easy to pick holes in the current legacy storage products, especially when it comes to integration within both public and private cloud deployments. However it’s worth discussing exactly what is required when implementing cloud frameworks, as the way in which storage is deployed is radically different from the traditional model of storage operations. In this post we will look at why traditional methods of storage management need to change and how that affects the way in which the hardware itself is used. This leads to a discussion on APIs and how they are essential to drive cloud deployments effectively.
Overcoming the Hurdles to Create a Dynamic Cloud Environment
Some people might think of cloud adoption as a marathon: a set distance to a clear goal, where keeping focus and maintaining a steady pace will ensure a winning outcome. While there is an element of truth to that, I consider the implementation process more of an obstacle course, with traps and pitfalls that can easily deter a careless competitor. I have seen all too many businesses jump into the trend of cloud computing without taking the time to make a plan outlining what they want to achieve in the short term while also keeping an eye on the future. The ideal cloud computing system will suit an organization’s current needs while also providing flexibility for changing circumstances.
It’s no secret that the cloud offers a tremendous variety of benefits to businesses of all sizes. It changes the static, inefficient data center into a dynamic service provider while providing high availability, scalability and better compliance with regulations. With constantly changing business requirements, and the rapid evolution of technology, that makes the cloud an ideal technology.
Hip? Or Hype? Load and Performance Testing from the Cloud
Assuming you haven’t spent the last couple of years living under a rock, you’re bound to have been bombarded with all sorts of propaganda about “The Cloud.” “The Cloud,” according to the marketing types, is the greatest thing since the invention of bread, surely able to solve all of our needs, whether technology-related or not. While the hype for the cloud might be frequently and frustratingly overstated and confusingly applied in odd places (can someone please explain to me the Microsoft Cloud commercial where the woman goes “to the cloud!!” so she can generate a family photo? What does this have to do with the cloud? Isn’t this just Photoshop?), I’d like to discuss one place where the cloud adds a great deal of value: Load and Performance testing.
In this article, I’m going to talk about the benefits of using the cloud as part of your load and performance testing practices, as well as point out some common approaches in choosing a cloud solution.
In a future article, I’ll discuss some of the challenges the cloud presents and some best practices to deal with these challenges.
CloudTip #14 – Can I Get Profile Information from SQL Azure?
Your application is running slow. You need to find out what’s going on. If you’ve used SQL Profiler on a local database you might be familiar with how you can capture a trace of database activity and use it to figure out where your resources are going. The visibility makes it MUCH easier to tune a database than sorting thru a bunch of code. The question is, what do you do when you’re moving an app to the cloud?
If you’ve wondered how you can get Profile information from SQL Azure, the new online management portal for SQL Azure has been updated with design, deployment, administration and tuning features built in. The Overview screen provides quick links to the different areas of the portal, as well as easy links to help information from msdn online. You can get to the portal either by going to the Windows Azure management portal on http://windows.azure.com and after signing in going to the database section and clicking Manage, or simply browsing to your database name – https://
Cloud Expo NY: How Pro Sports Teams Use Collaborative Decision Making
The impact of Big Data is extremely broad for business, information management and technology. Being able to analyze your growing mountain of data can give you a distinct competitive advantage, but Big Data can be more than traditional tools can handle.
In his session at the 10th International Cloud Expo, John Igoe, Executive Director of Cloud and Big Data Solutions at Dell, will discuss how Dell Apache Hadoop Solutions can help by providing super-fast analysis, data mining and processing.
Cloud Expo NY: Integrate Big Data & Cloud with Your On-Premise Data Center
Whether your company is large or small, you are probably exploring Big Data solutions and using cloud services and will need to integrate with other enterprise workloads.
In his session at the 10th International Cloud Expo, Gwyn Clay, CEO of Stonebranch, will share detailed information about how their customers are already integrating Workload Automation with tools like Hadoop, and running workloads completely in the cloud using a modern enterprise-wide workload automation solution that is 100% web-based, has modern graphical dashboards, embedded workload lifecycle management, and detailed auditing for security compliance.
RACI and PaaS – A Change in Operations
I have been having a great debate with one of my colleagues about the changing role of the IT operations (aka “I&O”) function in the context of PaaS. Nobody debates that I&O is responsible and accountable for infrastructure operations.
Application developers (with or without the blessing of Enterprise Architecture) select platform components such as application servers, middleware etc. I&O keeps the servers running – probably up to the operating system. The app owners then manage their apps and the platform components. I&O has no SLAs on the platform, etc.
In the PaaS era, I think this needs to change. IT Operations (I&O) needs to have full accountability and responsibility for the OPERATION of the PaaS layer. PaaS is no longer a part of the application, but is now really part of the core platform operated by IT. It’s about 24×7 monitoring, support, etc. and generally this is a task that I&O is ultimately best able to handle.
Cloud Expo Sponsor Rackspace Special Offer Coupon Code ▸ rackspaceVIPgold
As a Platinum Plus Sponsor of Cloud Expo New York, Rackspace Hosting is offering special passes to SYS-CON’s 10th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on June 11–14, 2012, at the Javits Center in New York City, New York.
Rackspace Hosting is the service leader in cloud computing, and a founder of OpenStack, an open source cloud operating system. The San Antonio-based company provides Fanatical Support® to its customers and partners, across a portfolio of IT services, including Managed Hosting and Cloud Computing. Rackspace has been recognized by Bloomberg BusinessWeek as a Top 100 Performing Technology Company and was featured on Fortune’s list of 100 Best Companies to Work For. The company was also positioned in the Leaders Quadrant by Gartner Inc. in the “2010 Magic Quadrant for Cloud Infrastructure as a Service and Web Hosting.”
Six Degrees Group Acquires Datahop
Six Degrees Group has expanded its UK network capabilities with the acquisition of Datahop, an international datacentre interconnection business with 200 customers. Datahop’s network consists of a resilient, high-speed fibre ring that connects 21 points of presence (PoPs) in London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Paris.
Six Degrees Group’s expanded network will bring most of London’s datacentres on-net, including Telecity, Telehouse, Interxion, Level 3 and Iomart facilities. Datahop’s network brings 16 new PoPs onto the Six Degrees core network as well as extending the Group’s footprint into four Western European countries. Six Degrees Group run-rate revenues are now approximately £44m with EBITDA of over £11m.
Following the acquisition, Six Degrees Group will be investing in its network by undertaking a multi-million pound upgrade before launching a next generation VPLS-enabled datacentre interconnect fabric that will enable multi-gigabit port capability for distribution of its converged voice, data and hosting portfolio. The Group’s network now connects European and American financial centres with an unrivalled footprint in London carrier-neutral datacentres, and uniquely positions it with the ability to deliver high-speed network interconnects in London.
Daniel Lowe, managing director of Six Degrees Group’s managed data division, commented: “This announcement marks a significant step-change in the scale, reach and capability of the Six Degrees Group network. Datahop’s technologies will allow us to deliver higher bandwidth, and a broader range of services to our customers. Our ability to link people, places and clouds has been boosted significantly with the flexible service creation capability we now offer to the market.”
To find out more please visit: www.6dg.co.uk
Will People Fully Embrace Cloud Gaming?
In recent years the world of gaming has seen a shift in the way in which games are played and therefore the way they need to be developed. In 2002 Xbox released the Xbox Live system, allowing gamers all around the world to connect via the internet and play games together. Since then all of the other consoles have caught up and now provide the same functionality.
With this revolution in gaming ability, the actual games themselves have become more geared towards being played online, with development companies working on improving the online multiplayer functionality over the solo gaming.
But now it seems this whole idea is going one step further with the increased presence of Cloud Gaming.
What is Cloud Gaming?
Using cloud hosting services, companies such as OnLive and Gaikai can host games on their network and allow users to login via an internet connection and play them …