A Data Center Fabric Is Critical to a Next-Generation Data Center
|
|
- Valerie Barber
- 2 years ago
- Views:
Transcription
1 A Data Center Fabric Is Critical to a Next-Generation Data Center January 2014 Prepared by: Zeus Kerravala
2 A Data Center Fabric Is Critical to a Next-Generation Data Center by Zeus Kerravala January 2014 º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º Introduction: The Changing Data Center ZK Research A Division of Kerravala Consulting The data center has gone through many major evolutionary changes over the past several decades, and each change has been defined by major shifts in architectures. The industry moved from the mainframe era to client/server computing and then to Internet computing. In 2011, another major shift began: the shift to a virtual data center. This has been the primary driver in enabling customers to transition to the cloud and ultimately IT as a service. The shift to a virtual data center will be the single biggest transition in the history of computing. It will reshape all the major data center tiers: applications, storage, servers and the network. The drivers of this transition are as follows: Evolving applications: As the workforce has become increasingly more distributed, the nature of applications has changed. Legacy client/server applications were designed for workers to use on a corporate device that was attached to the private company network. Today s workers need the ability to access any application from any location, meaning the applications must evolve to be a more dynamic resource compared to static legacy applications. IT resource pooling: To date, most of the focus of virtualization in the data center has been on servers. Over time, however, all the resources in the data center will become fully virtualized and pooled (see Exhibit 1). This pooling will bring to fruition the vision of on-demand computing, in which any application or service can access as much of any resource as it needs, governed by business policies. For cost/benefit reasons and to promote optimum utilization of existing resources, the ideal scenario is to create large, dynamically shared pools. These pools are driving the demand for a flexible data center architecture. Changing IT service models: Historically, IT delivered resources in tightly defined silos to optimize application performance and to simplify management. However, deploying infrastructure in discrete silos is highly inefficient and one of the reasons server utilization historically has been under 20% and storage utilization has been approximately 25%. As IT budgets were slashed and CIOs were tasked with doing more with less, new service models arose. Today, companies are using cloud computing to deliver IT more efficiently and provision resources faster than ever before. Over the next several years, more and more companies will build private or hybrid clouds to change the way IT is delivered to the business. Cell: Office: Influence and insight through social media Every trend toward a fully virtualized data center is highly dependent on the data center moving away from a number of vertically integrated silos. Next-generation data centers will see a greater coupling of hardware and software to bring together both physical and virtual infrastructure. The result will be a fluid, dynamic fabric capable of moving IT resources where the business needs them.
3 A Data Center Fabric Is Critical to a Next-Generation Data Center 3 Exhibit 1: The Role of the Data Center Fabric Storage Pool Network Resources Compute Pool Data Center Fabric Security Services Mobility Services Application Resource Pool Source: ZK Research, 2014 Section II: The Challenges of Legacy Data Centers Legacy data centers were optimized for performance, not cost. Each application typically has its own dedicated network, storage and compute infrastructure. This means that each application has finite resources; it cannot use idle resources from any other application to improve performance. Over time, the siloed nature of the legacy data center has led to the following inefficiencies: Lack of agility to meet business demands: Poor resource utilization combined with IT silos results in long lead times in deploying the infrastructure required to deliver new applications and services. Typically, application owners must contact each area of operations independently for the needed resources, resulting in typical lead times of six to eight weeks for resourcing each part of a new application. In a worst-case scenario, an application may not be ready until about six months after the business asks for it. Poor resource utilization: Deploying applications in silos means IT managers must provision all resources for peak utilization and then add a little more for overhead on the peak days, resulting in highly underutilized data center infrastructure. Based on ongoing research, ZK Research estimates server utilization in a legacy data center environment is about 20%, while storage utilization is approximately 25% and network utilization is about 30%. Considering data center infrastructure is among the most expensive IT resource, this kind of waste is very costly. Organizational structure not optimized for delivering IT as a service: IT infrastructure s vertically integrated nature has driven IT operations to be highly siloed as well. Each area of operations tends to work independently from the others. The resulting lack of cross-silo awareness can create situations where one area of operations makes a change, and the other areas must scramble to adapt to it. This is one reason organizations spend an estimated 83% of their IT budget on simply maintaining the status quo. High total cost of ownership (TCO): Poor resource utilization combined with a lack of agility and dedicated operational teams results in a lack of efficiency that drives the cost of running a data center to incredibly high levels. Almost every CIO s current mandate is to find a more costeffective way of running the data center. Difficulty meeting current data center demands: Traditional networks struggle to meet the demands of varying applications (bare metal or virtual) and increasing traffic requirements in terms of performance, scale and capacity. Clearly, this expensive and inflexible legacy way of running a data center will not enable an organization to leverage the trends of virtualization and cloud
4 A Data Center Fabric Is Critical to a Next-Generation Data Center 4 computing. Instead, organizations should look to migrate to a data center. Section III: Characteristics of a Data Center Fabric Data center fabric is a widely used industry term referring to a network-centric system that links storage and compute functions through highbandwidth interconnects to function as a single logical infrastructure unit. Data center fabrics can be easily built, dissolved and rebuilt as necessary to provide data center resources where and when they are needed. They are the result of several major trends coming together to deliver a unified data center, offering organizations the ability to manage and orchestrate all the elements for physical, virtual or cloud-based deployments seamlessly. Data center fabrics help dissolve both IT and organizational silos to increase efficiency, simplicity and business agility. The data center fabric does more than just cobble together infrastructure components. The fabric actually operates as a single system to deliver data center resources to any application or service as business policy dictates. The characteristics of a data center fabric are as follows: Open: No solution provider can deliver an entire data center. Being open is important to enable third-party integration across solution providers. Integrated and simplified: Traditional IT silos need to be integrated into a single fabric to ensure that the storage, compute and network resources can be optimized and maintained as the environment changes. Flexible and dynamic: The application and virtualization environments supported by the data center are not static, and the fabric can t be static either. A data center fabric has holistic control over data center resources and can more easily orchestrate the configuration changes required as the application environment evolves, in order to support automation and service orchestration. Scalable: It s difficult to predict the growth of compute, storage and network requirements. IT managers must be able to scale up the data center fabric in real time to ensure there is enough capacity to deliver a high-quality experience to both workers and customers. Resilient: Today s business environments require non-stop operations. Downtime means lost customers, lost opportunity and lost revenue. The data center fabric needs to be built with resiliency and self-healing in mind to ensure maximum uptime with minimum disruptions. Secure: The data center delivers a wide range of information to applications and services, including data that is highly confidential and critical to the organization. Security is an area where data center architects simply cannot compromise. The data center fabric provides the highest level of integrated security to not only the data center but also end-user devices including mobile endpoints. Application centric: The data center fabric provides control APIs for network and compute resources, enabling applications to directly interface with the infrastructure that supports it. Through the APIs, the infrastructure can be provisioned or reconfigured on the fly according to business policy. Evolving the data center to a fabric might seem like a nearly impossible task for an organization, but it s necessary in order to leverage the trends of virtualization and cloud computing, and truly fulfill the vision of next-generation computing. Section IV: Benefits of a Data Center Fabric A network-centric data center fabric offers organizations many benefits. The most obvious is the consolidation and simplification of network, compute, storage and application resources. However, the value proposition is much broader. Other benefits of a data center fabric include: Faster time to deliver services: Legacy infrastructure often has long deployment times, meaning it can take weeks or even months to deploy a new service. The dynamic nature of a data center fabric combined with centralized management can shorten the deployment time of a new service from weeks to days or even minutes in some cases. Better utilization of data center resources: A data center fabric virtualizes physical resources into logical pools. Instead of each application having its own set of IT resources, applications fetch needed resources from the logical pools. If more resources are needed, more are added to the pool. This optimizes IT resource utilization. The elimination of IT silos: The limitations of the current data center architecture drove IT into its current silos. A data center fabric allows IT organizations to combine all the different operational silos into one common management
5 A Data Center Fabric Is Critical to a Next-Generation Data Center 5 area. This eliminates many redundant tasks and streamlines data center operations. More productive IT staff and corporate workers: A data center fabric improves efficiency and creates more manageable environments. This means less downtime for IT and less ad-hoc troubleshooting, leading to a more productive IT staff that can focus on strategic initiatives. Corporate workers are also more productive because applications are more available and perform better. Lower overall TCO: Improved utilization means less hardware to buy, maintain, power and cool. Organizations that deploy a data center fabric will see a reduction in both operational expenses and capital costs, significantly reducing TCO. Section V: Evaluating a Data Center Fabric Moving to a data center fabric will be critical for almost every organization over the next five years. However, organizations might not understand how to evaluate solution providers because the term fabric is relatively new in data center operations. When considering a move to a virtualized data center, ke y decision criteria for IT leaders include: A holistic data center fabric: Choose a fabric solution that encompasses application, storage, servers and network infrastructure. Many vendors offer solutions in only one of these areas, but a data center fabric must address all of the changing needs of a virtualized data center. Ideally, the fabric should provide a converged storage, server and network solution. Scalability: Data centers are not static entities; fabrics can t be static either. Organizations need the ability to start small, migrate at a comfortable pace and then expand the fabric as the data center grows. Additionally, it s important that the solution scale between data centers to enable data center fabrics in separate data centers to be managed as a single entity. Location-independent virtual resources: Location-independent virtual resources provide the ability to deliver a consistent fabric experience, independent of whether the workload is in the same blade, within a data center or across data centers. Location independence improves visibility, manageability and ease of use. Integrates physical and virtual infrastructure: Much of data center innovation has focused on virtualizing infrastructure. However, physical infrastructure still plays a key role in how applications perform. Unfortunately, many data center solutions are confined to just virtual or physical infrastructure. The fabric needs to integrate both physical and virtual infrastructure to ensure optimal resource utilization and application performance. Cloud ready: Within five years, more than twothirds of all workloads will reside in the cloud and will account for well over 50% of data center traffic. An agile, efficient network with features such as multi-tenancy and high availability is required to prepare the enterprise for the era of cloud. Section VI: Data Center Fabric Case Studies The Organization: Apollo Group Based in Phoenix and founded in 1973, Apollo Group is a provider of higher education programs for adults currently in the workplace. The University of Phoenix, Apollo s marquee university, has over 400,000 students and 24,000 faculty members across its more than 200 campus locations and learning centers. The Problem Apollo Group s applications reside on 7,500 physical servers located in three interconnected data centers. Its data centers were designed in very typical legacy fashion: Each application had its own dedicated server, storage and network resources. Additionally, its network supported 1 Gbps speeds, which is common for legacy data centers. Although this speed was sufficient five years ago, it s not workable today. The current architecture led to the following problems: Poor user experience: Apollo Group is seeing a significant increase in network traffic from applications such as videoconferencing, Websharing tools and social media. Students tend to expect any application to work anywhere on campus, whenever needed but this was not the case. During peak traffic times, the network faltered, creating a sub-par experience for students. The organization became concerned that if students experience did not improve, they would choose another online educator. Long provisioning time for new applications: Because each application had its own dedicated hardware, adding new applications required procuring new storage, servers and network resources. This created provisioning times that
6 A Data Center Fabric Is Critical to a Next-Generation Data Center 6 were less than ideal. For example, if a business unit requested infrastructure for a new application, it would take two to four weeks to purchase and build the new servers alone. Inconsistency in OSs and patches across servers: Apollo Group s infrastructure experienced a significant amount of drift when applications and OSs are not consistent from server to server. This happens when a server or OS is patched or modified to react to an urgent condition, such as a security warning or business change. Too much drift can lead to intermittent outages and long troubleshooting times. Lack of scalability: Because each application or service was deployed in a dedicated silo, scaling the infrastructure meant having to add staff. Typically, doubling the IT infrastructure would require a 20% to 30% increase in IT staff. The Solution Apollo built its next-generation data center network on a foundation of Cisco Nexus switches. Apollo used a modular design to build out computing blocks that could be partitioned and provisioned as the business required. Each block contains a pair of Cisco Nexus 7010 switches at the core. The core switches are connected to Cisco Nexus 5010 or 5020 switches at the end of each row. The end-ofrow switches are connected to Cisco Nexus 2248 Fabric Extenders deployed at the top of each rack. Each of the interswitch links uses dual 10 Gig-E links, creating the high-speed, redundant network foundation needed to support the organization. Apollo uses the Cisco data center fabric to create virtual data center pods. A data center pod is a self-contained unit made up of physical/virtual storage, server and network resources that can be provisioned on an on-demand basis from a centralized management console. When a business unit requests infrastructure for a new application, a pod is created and assigned to the business unit. The allocation and provisioning of the storage, server and network resources is fully automated, removing the risk of human error that existed in the old, manual process. The virtualized compute resources deployed on the high-speed network foundation create a data center fabric. This fabric addresses all the technical challenges that could potentially keep the IT infrastructure from meeting the demands of the universities. The Benefits Apollo Group realized many benefits from its move to a data center fabric: Greater agility to support business growth: The data center fabric s modular design allows the IT department to respond to business units much faster. Prior to using the fabric, the IT department could only provision one server at a time and it would take two to three weeks to complete the task. Now the infrastructure can be provisioned on the fly, giving IT the ability to create multiple servers simultaneously in minutes. Lower infrastructure costs: The Cisco Nexus 7000 Series switches have a port density that is 10 times greater than other comparable options. Combined with a flatter fabric design, this ultimately means fewer switches to buy and less infrastructure to procure, manage, power and cool. Reduced operational costs: Because the Nexus 2248 switches are extensions of Cisco s 5000 Series switches, the IT department does not have to manage each 2248 switch individually. All management can be done on the 5000 Series switch, providing a single point of management. Apollo can now manage twice the number of devices with the same size IT staff. Eventually, Apollo will actively monitor and automate more tasks with Cisco Data Center Manager software to drive operational costs down further. Improved user experience and application availability: Legacy networks utilize Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) to prevent routing loops and broadcast storms. STP works by having only one unique path for traffic to take at any given time, with the rest of the paths being disabled. When the primary path becomes unavailable, STP recalculates the best path to make active. In a large network, such as Apollo s, this process would create periodic downtime. The data center fabric removed the dependency on STP, increasing the overall uptime of the network. Additionally, the high-speed 10 Gig-E backbone ensures peak performance even during peak usage periods. The data center fabric built on a Cisco Nexus foundation allows our IT department to respond to the business units at Apollo Group in near real time, said Dennis Crowe, director of network engineering at Apollo. The data center fabric has given us better uptime with an easier to manage infrastructure. The Organization: NTT DATA Corporation NTT DATA Corporation is a global systems integrator with a successful track record in developing administrative systems as well as
7 A Data Center Fabric Is Critical to a Next-Generation Data Center 7 building and operating shared data centers. NTT DATA owns more than 100 systems itself and is aggressive with its own IT strategies. The company has bases in 145 cities and 34 countries, and has a vision to be a Global IT Innovator. The Problem NTT DATA s internal IT systems last had a major upgrade and redesign in The systems were aging and the company faced the problems of expiring hardware and software maintenance contracts. Additionally, the age of the systems had caused the cost of maintenance and management to skyrocket. Historically, the company had optimized and standardized its platforms in an ad-hoc manner, making it very difficult to manage the systems. In an effort to lower the overall total cost of running IT and make more effective investments, NTT DATA had a goal of optimizing the infrastructure by means of integrated virtualization. The ultimate goal would be to have a standardized, shared, company-wide platform on which corporate applications could be run (Exhibit 2). NTT DATA would have its own private cloud where IT resources could be shared. Exhibit 2: NTT DAT A s Vision of Private Cloud Source: ZK Research, 2014 The Solution To fulfill on the private cloud vision, NTT DATA implemented a data center fabric using Cisco s Unified Computing System (UCS), Cisco Nexus 7000 core data center switches, Cisco Catalyst 3560 and 2960, Cisco MDS 9100 Fiber Channel Switches and Cisco ASA 5500 Adaptive Security Appliances. NTT DATA chose the Cisco solution for its data center fabric because Cisco offered functions such as service profile and fabric integration that allowed the company to adopt a new approach in the development and operating phases of data center operations. In addition, the Cisco data center fabric had the following benefits: Simple system structure: The Cisco UCS has been optimized for architectural simplicity, and the integrated system has far fewer elements than a traditional blade server. In addition, cabling is minimized because the network is delivered via the fabric interconnect. The storage network can also be integrated with the fabric, so fewer SAN switches and cables are required. Also, the entire system is managed by UCS Manager, making data center operations less complex and increasing the cost savings. Network affinity: To build a private cloud using integrated virtualization, reducing network complexity is a must. A Cisco data center fabric minimizes network complexity by utilizing fabric extender technology. This reduces the number of
8 A Data Center Fabric Is Critical to a Next-Generation Data Center 8 management points in the network, facilitating network interoperability. Virtualization affinity: The Cisco UCS hardware was designed to maximize the benefits of virtualization technology. For example, it has virtual interface cards for controlling the quality of service for each virtual NIC. Additionally, by using the service profile function, the operational burden of installing and swapping out servers can be reduced. The Benefits The NTT DATA private cloud built on a Cisco data center fabric resulted in the following benefits for the organization: Reduced TCO: The total cost of running the environment has been cut in half compared to the pre-installation level. This was achieved through integrated virtualization of servers and network integration using the fabric interconnects, which significantly reduced the number of hardware elements required. Compared to the previous system, the initial investment was reduced by 58%, maintenance costs were lowered by 17% and rack costs were cut by 58%. Shortened server provisioning time: Central management of the servers combined with the use of the profiler function has increased operational efficiency. The provisioning lead times for servers were reduced by more than 50%. Green data center: The reduction of hardware components combined with other power-saving products has reduced CO 2 emissions. The reduction currently stands at 79%. NTT DATA estimates that over a five-year period, the cumulative reduction in CO 2 will amount to 3,540 tons. Reference architecture for customer-facing services: NTT DATA is now using the lessons learned and the experience and expertise gained from this implementation to process its own total cloud service, BizXaaS. This will enable the company to suggest customer-facing solutions with NTT DATA serving as innovation partner to BizXaaS. Section VII: Data Center Fabric Best Practices Building a data center fabric involves more than just infrastructure. Organizations should follow best practices to minimize the risk and maximize the ROI of the technology deployment. ZK Research recommends the following: Build an agile infrastructure. Traditional data center architectures are highly inflexible, are difficult to scale, and do not adapt easily to business changes. Building an agile infrastructure allows IT organizations to respond immediately to changes in the business climate, freeing IT from being the roadblock to competitive differentiation. Converge all data center operations under one management leader. Although much of data center evolution has focused on the rigid nature of the infrastructure, the organizational groups that support the operations are equally rigid. Converging all data center operations under a single management domain ensures the storage, application, network and server teams are working toward a common goal, and all changes are well orchestrated. Deploy a fabric that addresses storage, servers and network infrastructure. The evolution to a virtual data center needs to span across servers, storage and the network. A nextgeneration fabric architecture needs to extend across all three domains. Migrating just a single area will significantly limit the benefits and ROI. Automate as much as possible. Human error accounts for the largest component of downtime in data centers today. A major cause is the fact that administrators need to perform repetitive tasks under tremendous pressure from the business, which leads to errors. The ability to automate and coordinate many of the tasks required to operate a data center can significantly increase availability, reduce the amount of downtime due to human error, and allow IT to respond faster and more accurately. Strive for 100% virtualization. Virtualization has been used extensively to reduce the number of physical servers in a data center. However, ZK Research estimates that only about 45% of workloads are virtualized today, with the majority being Tier 2 and Tier 3 applications. Virtualization technology has evolved rapidly over the past few years and can now support even the most mission-critical applications. Additionally, having the workload virtualized provides a higher level of resiliency because the VM can be moved between servers or data centers in real time. The goal for every organization should be to virtualize all workloads over time.
9 A Data Center Fabric Is Critical to a Next-Generation Data Center 9 Section VIII: Conclusion The industry is on the verge of another major computing revolution this time to a fully virtualized unified data center. However, the path to the unified data center requires more than just using virtualization technology to consolidate servers. Applications, servers, storage and network infrastructure must work together to create an agile, flexible environment that can adapt to the short- and long-term needs of the business. A data center fabric is critical to supporting the journey to a fully unified data center, and should be one of the most important initiatives of all organizations looking to gain a competitive advantage. : A Division of Kerravala Consulting All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution in any form without the express prior permission of ZK Research is expressly prohibited. For questions, comments or further information,
Network Monitoring Fabrics Are Key to Scaling IT
Network Monitoring Fabrics Are Key to Scaling IT September 2014 Prepared by: Zeus Kerravala Network Monitoring Fabrics Are Key to Scaling IT by Zeus Kerravala September 2014 º º º º º º º º º º º º º º
The Software-Defined Data Center is Key to IT-as-a-Service
The Software-Defined Data Center is Key to IT-as-a-Service August 2013 Prepared by: Zeus Kerravala The Software-Defined Data Center is Key to IT-as-a-Service by Zeus Kerravala August 2013 º º º º º º º
Agility has become a key initiative for business leaders. Companies need the capability
A ZK Research White Paper Influence and insight through social media Prepared by Zeus Kerravala March 2014 A Guide To Network Virtualization ZK Research Zeus Kerravala A Guide to BYOD Network And Virtualization
Virtual Infrastructure Creates Communications Agility
Virtual Infrastructure Creates Communications Agility June 2013 Prepared by: Zeus Kerravala Virtual Infrastructure Creates Communications Agility by Zeus Kerravala June 2013 º º º º º º º º º º º º º º
An Application-Centric Infrastructure Will Enable Business Agility
An Application-Centric Infrastructure Will Enable Business Agility March 2014 Prepared by: Zeus Kerravala An Application-Centric Infrastructure Will Enable Business Agility by Zeus Kerravala March 2014
Cisco Unified Data Center: The Foundation for Private Cloud Infrastructure
White Paper Cisco Unified Data Center: The Foundation for Private Cloud Infrastructure Providing Agile and Efficient Service Delivery for Sustainable Business Advantage What You Will Learn Enterprises
Why Cloud Computing Needs a Cloud-Intelligent Network
Why Cloud Computing Needs a Cloud-Intelligent Network April 2012 Prepared by: Zeus Kerravala Why Cloud Computing Needs a Cloud-Intelligent Network 2 Why Cloud Computing Needs a Cloud-Intelligent Network
Data Center Network Evolution: Increase the Value of IT in Your Organization
White Paper Data Center Network Evolution: Increase the Value of IT in Your Organization What You Will Learn New operating demands and technology trends are changing the role of IT and introducing new
The Hitchhiker s Guide to the New Data Center Network
The Hitchhiker s Guide to the New Data Center Network by Zeus Kerravala November 2010 I. The Virtual Data Center Requires a New Network The enterprise data center has undergone several major transformations
Software-Based Session Border Controllers are Critical to the Evolution of Communications
Software-Based Session Border Controllers are Critical to the Evolution of Communications October 2013 Prepared by: Zeus Kerravala Software-Based Session Border Controllers are Critical to the Evolution
Traffic Visibility Networking (TVN) can Simplify and Scale IT Operations in a Networked World
Traffic Visibility Networking (TVN) can Simplify and Scale IT Operations in a Networked World January 2012 Prepared by: Zeus Kerravala Traffic Visibility Networking (TVN) can Simplify and Scale IT Operations
Top Five Considerations for Building a Cloud-Ready Network for Distributed Enterprises
Top Five Considerations for Building a Cloud-Ready Network for Distributed Enterprises January 2015 Prepared by: Zeus Kerravala Top Five Considerations for Building a Cloud-Ready Network for Distributed
Open Network Automation is Critical to the Virtual Data Center. A Dell Technical White Paper
Open Network Automation is Critical to the Virtual Data Center A Dell Technical White Paper THIS WHITE PAPER IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY, AND MAY CONTAIN TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS AND TECHNICAL INACCURACIES.
Compute Transitions Drive the Need for the New IP Network
Compute Transitions Drive the Need for the New IP Network January 2015 Prepared by: Zeus Kerravala Compute Transitions Drive the Need for the New IP Network by Zeus Kerravala January 2015 º º º º º º º
The Virtual Workspace, the Next Phase of VDI
The Virtual Workspace, the Next Phase of VDI May 2012 Prepared by: Zeus Kerravala The Virtual Workspace, the Next Phase of VDI by Zeus Kerravala May 2012 º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º
A ZK Research Whitepaper. October 2014. Cisco s Branch Infrastructure Powers the HYBRID WAN
A ZK Research Whitepaper October 2014 Cisco s Branch Infrastructure Powers the HYBRID WAN ZK Research Cisco s Branch Zeus Infrastructure Kerravala BYOD Powers And the Collaboration Hybrid WAN ABOUT THE
A Software-Defined WAN Is a Business Imperative
A Software-Defined WAN Is a Business Imperative May 2015 Prepared by: Zeus Kerravala A Software-Defined WAN Is a Business Imperative by Zeus Kerravala May 2015 º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º
Blade Switches Don t Cut It in a 10 Gig Data Center
Blade Switches Don t Cut It in a 10 Gig Data Center Zeus Kerravala, Senior Vice President and Distinguished Research Fellow, zkerravala@yankeegroup.com Introduction: Virtualization Drives Data Center Evolution
Global Headquarters: 5 Speen Street Framingham, MA 01701 USA P.508.872.8200 F.508.935.4015 www.idc.com
Global Headquarters: 5 Speen Street Framingham, MA 01701 USA P.508.872.8200 F.508.935.4015 www.idc.com W H I T E P A P E R O r a c l e V i r t u a l N e t w o r k i n g D e l i v e r i n g F a b r i c
Top Five Reasons to Implement Unified Communications Now
Top Five Reasons to Implement Unified Communications Now August 2013 Prepared by: Zeus Kerravala Top Five Reasons to Implement Unified Communications Now by Zeus Kerravala August 2013 º º º º º º º º º
WHITE PAPER. www.fusionstorm.com. Building Blocks of the Modern Data Center
WHITE PAPER: Easing the Way to the Cloud: 1 WHITE PAPER Building Blocks of the Modern Data Center How Integrated Infrastructure Solutions Help to Accelerate Application Deployments and Simplify Management
Juniper Networks QFabric: Scaling for the Modern Data Center
Juniper Networks QFabric: Scaling for the Modern Data Center Executive Summary The modern data center has undergone a series of changes that have significantly impacted business operations. Applications
Cisco Unified Data Center
Solution Overview Cisco Unified Data Center Simplified, Efficient, and Agile Infrastructure for the Data Center What You Will Learn The data center is critical to the way that IT generates and delivers
Economic Benefits of Cisco CloudVerse
Economic Benefits of Cisco CloudVerse Key Takeaways Executive Summary Cloud architecture enables IT to be delivered as a service and delivered only when it is needed over the network from central, secure
Brocade One Data Center Cloud-Optimized Networks
POSITION PAPER Brocade One Data Center Cloud-Optimized Networks Brocade s vision, captured in the Brocade One strategy, is a smooth transition to a world where information and applications reside anywhere
Radware ADC-VX Solution. The Agility of Virtual; The Predictability of Physical
Radware ADC-VX Solution The Agility of Virtual; The Predictability of Physical Table of Contents General... 3 Virtualization and consolidation trends in the data centers... 3 How virtualization and consolidation
SummitStack in the Data Center
SummitStack in the Data Center Abstract: This white paper describes the challenges in the virtualized server environment and the solution Extreme Networks offers a highly virtualized, centrally manageable
Radware ADC-VX Solution. The Agility of Virtual; The Predictability of Physical
Radware ADC-VX Solution The Agility of Virtual; The Predictability of Physical Table of Contents General... 3 Virtualization and consolidation trends in the data centers... 3 How virtualization and consolidation
White Paper: Optimizing the Cloud Infrastructure for Enterprise Applications
White Paper: Optimizing the Cloud Infrastructure for Enterprise Applications 2010 Ashton, Metzler, & Associates. All rights reserved. Executive Summary Given the technological and organizational risks
Global Headquarters: 5 Speen Street Framingham, MA 01701 USA P.508.872.8200 F.508.935.4015 www.idc.com
WHITE PAPER Network Consulting Services Lead Enterprise Transformation Sponsored by: HP Leslie Rosenberg February 2011 Curtis Price Global Headquarters: 5 Speen Street Framingham, MA 01701 USA P.508.872.8200
Data Center Networking Designing Today s Data Center
Data Center Networking Designing Today s Data Center There is nothing more important than our customers. Data Center Networking Designing Today s Data Center Executive Summary Demand for application availability
SummitStack in the Data Center
SummitStack in the Data Center Abstract: This white paper describes the challenges in the virtualized server environment and the solution that Extreme Networks offers a highly virtualized, centrally manageable
Empower the Workforce with BYOD and Collaboration
Empower the Workforce with BYOD and Collaboration Cloud-Based Unified Communications Enhances BYOD Strategies January 2014 Prepared by: Zeus Kerravala Empower the Workforce with BYOD and Collaboration
Cisco Data Center 3.0 Roadmap for Data Center Infrastructure Transformation
Cisco Data Center 3.0 Roadmap for Data Center Infrastructure Transformation Cisco Nexus Family Provides a Granular, Cost-Effective Path for Data Center Evolution What You Will Learn As businesses move
Network Virtualization
. White Paper Network Services Virtualization What Is Network Virtualization? Business and IT leaders require a more responsive IT infrastructure that can help accelerate business initiatives and remove
Cisco Nexus Family Delivers Data Center Transformation
Cisco Nexus Family Delivers Data Center Transformation Data Center-Class Family of Switches Built to Help Customers Evolve Their Data Centers What You Will Learn As organizations increasingly rely on IT
Economic Benefits of Cisco CloudVerse
Economic Benefits of Cisco CloudVerse Executive Summary Cloud enables IT to be delivered as a service, when and wherever it is needed, from central, secure, public and private data centers. Enterprises
SERVICE ORIENTED DATA CENTER (SODC) AND STORAGE. Cisco on Cisco E-Learning Series - Executive Track TRANSCRIPT INTRODUCTION
SERVICE ORIENTED DATA CENTER (SODC) AND STORAGE Cisco on Cisco E-Learning Series - Executive Track TRANSCRIPT INTRODUCTION Welcome to the Data Center and Storage Networking module part of the Cisco on
The Top 10 Reasons to Consider Hosted Collaboration Solutions
The Top 10 Reasons to Consider Hosted Collaboration Solutions February 2013 Prepared by: Zeus Kerravala The Top 10 Reasons to Consider Hosted Collaboration Solutions by Zeus Kerravala February 2013 º º
Optimally Manage the Data Center Using Systems Management Tools from Cisco and Microsoft
White Paper Optimally Manage the Data Center Using Systems Management Tools from Cisco and Microsoft What You Will Learn Cisco is continuously innovating to help businesses reinvent the enterprise data
The Next Phase of Datacenter Network Resource Management and Automation March 2011
I D C T E C H N O L O G Y S P O T L I G H T The Next Phase of Datacenter Network Resource Management and Automation March 2011 Adapted from Worldwide Datacenter Network 2010 2015 Forecast and Analysis
Best Practices from Deployments of Oracle Enterprise Operations Monitor
Best Practices from Deployments of Oracle Enterprise Operations Monitor September 2014 Prepared by: Zeus Kerravala Best Practices from Deployments of Oracle Enterprise Operations Monitor by Zeus Kerravala
A 10 GbE Network is the Backbone of the Virtual Data Center
A 10 GbE Network is the Backbone of the Virtual Data Center Contents... Introduction: The Network is at the Epicenter of the Data Center. 1 Section II: The Need for 10 GbE in the Data Center 2 Section
Data Center Consolidation
Data Center Consolidation How Cisco IT Achieves Consolidation and Standardization in the Data Center A Cisco on Cisco Case Study: Inside Cisco IT 1 Overview Challenge Current siloed data center structures
Microsoft Lync Transforms Business Communications
Microsoft Lync Transforms Business Communications September 2012 Prepared by: Zeus Kerravala Microsoft Lync Transforms Business Communications by Zeus Kerravala September 2012 º º º º º º º º º º º º º
Data Center Security That Accelerates Your Business
Solution Overview Data Center Security That Accelerates Your Business Business today runs at a breakneck pace. Customers want exceptional service, and workers expect instant access to their job tools,
Multi- Path Networking Is a Key to Maximizing Cloud Value
Multi- Path Networking Is a Key to Maximizing Cloud Value May 2015 Prepared by: Zeus Kerravala Multi- Path Networking Is a Key to Maximizing Cloud Value by Zeus Kerravala May 2015 º º º º º º º º º º º
Switching Fabric Designs for Data Centers David Klebanov
Switching Fabric Designs for Data Centers David Klebanov Technical Solutions Architect, Cisco Systems klebanov@cisco.com @DavidKlebanov 1 Agenda Data Center Fabric Design Principles and Industry Trends
How Microsoft Designs its Cloud-Scale Servers
How Microsoft Designs its Cloud-Scale Servers How Microsoft Designs its Cloud-Scale Servers Page 1 How Microsoft Designs its Cloud-Scale Servers How is cloud infrastructure server hardware design different
Addressing Scaling Challenges in the Data Center
Addressing Scaling Challenges in the Data Center DELL PowerConnect J-Series Virtual Chassis Solution A Dell Technical White Paper Dell Juniper THIS WHITE PAPER IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY, AND MAY
ALCATEL-LUCENT ENTERPRISE DATA CENTER SWITCHING SOLUTION Automation for the next-generation data center
ALCATEL-LUCENT ENTERPRISE DATA CENTER SWITCHING SOLUTION Automation for the next-generation data center A NEW NETWORK PARADIGM What do the following trends have in common? Virtualization Real-time applications
Cisco UCS C-Series Rack-Mount Servers The Computing Platform for Virtualised Data Centres. Business Overview
Cisco UCS C-Series Rack-Mount Servers The Computing Platform for Virtualised Data Centres Business Overview The Data Centre is at a Market Transition Transformation Technology advances Energy efficiency
Cisco Data Center Optimization Services
Cisco Data Center Optimization Services Evolve your data center solutions to support business growth, deliver nextgeneration services, and maintain competitive advantage with Cisco Data Center Optimization
Stuart Berman, CEO Jeda Networks September, 2013
Stuart Berman, CEO Jeda Networks September, 2013 Emerging Cloud model Resource pooling, dynamic allocation of resources, multi-tenant, software deployments/automation/management Consumer cloud companies
An Application-Aware Network is Key to Maximizing Productivity. by Zeus Kerravala
An Application-Aware Network is Key to Maximizing Productivity by Zeus Kerravala An Application-Aware Network is Key to Maximizing Productivity June 2013 Prepared by: Zeus Kerravala An Application-Aware
LAYER3 HELPS BUILD NEXT GENERATION, HIGH-SPEED, LOW LATENCY, DATA CENTER SOLUTION FOR A LEADING FINANCIAL INSTITUTION IN AFRICA.
- LAYER3 HELPS BUILD NEXT GENERATION, HIGH-SPEED, LOW LATENCY, DATA CENTER SOLUTION FOR A LEADING FINANCIAL INSTITUTION IN AFRICA. Summary Industry: Financial Institution Challenges: Provide a reliable,
BYOD: Focus on User Experience, Not the Device
BYOD: Focus on User Experience, Not the Device May 2012 Prepared by: Zeus Kerravala BYOD: Focus on User Experience, Not the Device by Zeus Kerravala May 2012 º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º
Bring-Your-Own-Device Requires New Network Strategies
Bring-Your-Own-Device Requires New Network Strategies September 2012 Prepared by: Zeus Kerravala Bring-Your-Own-Device Requires New Network Strategies by Zeus Kerravala September 2012 º º º º º º º º º
Visibility in the Modern Data Center // Solution Overview
Introduction The past two decades have seen dramatic shifts in data center design. As application complexity grew, server sprawl pushed out the walls of the data center, expanding both the physical square
WHITE PAPER. www.fusionstorm.com. Easing the Way to the Cloud:
WHITE PAPER: Easing the Way to the Cloud: 1 WHITE PAPER Easing the Way to the Cloud: The Value of Using a Reference Architecture in Private Cloud Deployments for Microsoft Applications and Server Platforms
Data Centre White Paper Summary. Application Fluency In The Data Centre A strategic choice for the data centre network
Data Centre White Paper Summary.. Application Fluency In The Data Centre A strategic choice for the data centre network Modernizing the Network: An Application-Fluent Approach With virtualization it s
Top Five Reasons to Optimize your Network for BYOD
Top Five Reasons to Optimize your Network for BYOD March 2013 Prepared by: Zeus Kerravala Top Five Reasons to Optimize your Network for BYOD by Zeus Kerravala March 2013 º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º
I D C T E C H N O L O G Y S P O T L I G H T
I D C T E C H N O L O G Y S P O T L I G H T U n i fied Cloud Management Increases IT- as- a - S e r vi c e Ag i l i t y November 2013 Adapted from VMware Unifies Cloud Management Portfolio with a Focus
W H I T E P A P E R. Reducing Server Total Cost of Ownership with VMware Virtualization Software
W H I T E P A P E R Reducing Server Total Cost of Ownership with VMware Virtualization Software Table of Contents Executive Summary............................................................ 3 Why is
Cisco Unified Network Services: Overcome Obstacles to Cloud-Ready Deployments
Cisco Unified Network Services: Overcome Obstacles to Cloud-Ready Deployments What You Will Learn Deploying network services in virtual data centers is extremely challenging. Traditionally, such Layer
FlexPod from Cisco and NetApp:
FlexPod from Cisco and NetApp: Simplify Your Journey to a Microsoft Private Cloud Solution April 2012 Today s IT Is the Backbone of Your Business Data Center Challenges Are Business Challenges Keep up
PROPRIETARY CISCO. Cisco Cloud Essentials for EngineersV1.0. LESSON 1 Cloud Architectures. TOPIC 1 Cisco Data Center Virtualization and Consolidation
Cisco Cloud Essentials for EngineersV1.0 LESSON 1 Cloud Architectures TOPIC 1 Cisco Data Center Virtualization and Consolidation 2010 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Confidential
Building the Virtual Information Infrastructure
Technology Concepts and Business Considerations Abstract A virtual information infrastructure allows organizations to make the most of their data center environment by sharing computing, network, and storage
SOFTWARE DEFINED NETWORKING
SOFTWARE DEFINED NETWORKING Bringing Networks to the Cloud Brendan Hayes DIRECTOR, SDN MARKETING AGENDA Market trends and Juniper s SDN strategy Network virtualization evolution Juniper s SDN technology
Fabrics that Fit Matching the Network to Today s Data Center Traffic Conditions
Sponsored by Fabrics that Fit Matching the Network to Today s Data Center Traffic Conditions In This Paper Traditional network infrastructures are often costly and hard to administer Today s workloads
CENTER I S Y O U R D ATA
I S Y O U R D ATA CENTER R E A DY F O R S D N? C R I T I C A L D ATA C E N T E R C O N S I D E R AT I O N S FOR SOFT WARE-DEFINED NET WORKING Data center operators are being challenged to be more agile
Facilitating a Holistic Virtualization Solution for the Data Center
WHITE PAPER DATA CENTER Facilitating a Holistic Virtualization Solution for the Data Center Brocade solutions provide a scalable, reliable, and highperformance foundation that enables IT organizations
WHITE PAPER: Egenera Cloud Suite for EMC VSPEX. The Proven Solution For Building Cloud Services
WHITE PAPER: Egenera Cloud Suite for EMC VSPEX The Proven Solution For Building Cloud Services Build, Manage and Protect Your Cloud with the VSPEX Certified Egenera Cloud Suite Today, organizations are
Virtualization Essentials
Virtualization Essentials Table of Contents Introduction What is Virtualization?.... 3 How Does Virtualization Work?... 4 Chapter 1 Delivering Real Business Benefits.... 5 Reduced Complexity....5 Dramatically
Cisco Data Center Network Manager for SAN
Cisco Data Center Network Manager for SAN Product Overview Modern data centers are becoming increasingly massive and complex. Proliferation of new technologies such as virtualization is adding yet another
Making the hybrid world work for you: Redefining IT operations Frank Casey Group Director, Data Center Solutions & Managed Services
Making the hybrid world work for you: Redefining IT operations Frank Casey Group Director, Data Center Solutions & Managed Services accelerate your ambition We re a USD 6.7 billion business with a remarkable
The virtualization of SAP environments to accommodate standardization and easier management is gaining momentum in data centers.
White Paper Virtualized SAP: Optimize Performance with Cisco Data Center Virtual Machine Fabric Extender and Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Kernel-Based Virtual Machine What You Will Learn The virtualization
WHITE PAPER The Evolution of the Data Center and the Role of Virtualized Infrastructure and Unified 3D Management
WHITE PAPER The Evolution of the Data Center and the Role of Virtualized Infrastructure and Unified 3D Management Sponsored by: Hitachi Data Systems Laura DuBois October 2010 Marshall Amaldas EXECUTIVE
Deliver Fabric-Based Infrastructure for Virtualization and Cloud Computing
White Paper Deliver Fabric-Based Infrastructure for Virtualization and Cloud Computing What You Will Learn The data center infrastructure is critical to the evolution of IT from a cost center to a business
Business Case for BTI Intelligent Cloud Connect for Content, Co-lo and Network Providers
Business Case for BTI Intelligent Cloud Connect for Content, Co-lo and Network Providers s Executive Summary Cloud computing, video streaming, and social media are contributing to a dramatic rise in metro
How do software-defined networks enhance the value of converged infrastructures?
Frequently Asked Questions: How do software-defined networks enhance the value of converged infrastructures? Converged infrastructure is about giving your organization lower costs and greater agility by
Evolution from the Traditional Data Center to Exalogic: An Operational Perspective
An Oracle White Paper July, 2012 Evolution from the Traditional Data Center to Exalogic: 1 Disclaimer The following is intended to outline our general product capabilities. It is intended for information
The Next Evolution in Storage Virtualization Management
The Next Evolution in Storage Virtualization Management Global Storage Virtualization Simplifies Management, Lowers Operational Costs By Hitachi Data Systems July 2014 Contents Executive Summary... 3 Introduction...
FROM A RIGID ECOSYSTEM TO A LOGICAL AND FLEXIBLE ENTITY: THE SOFTWARE- DEFINED DATA CENTRE
FROM A RIGID ECOSYSTEM TO A LOGICAL AND FLEXIBLE ENTITY: THE SOFTWARE- DEFINED DATA CENTRE The demand for cloud infrastructure is rapidly increasing, the world of information is becoming application and
The Road to Convergence
A UBM TECHWEB WHITE PAPER SEPTEMBER 2012 The Road to Convergence Six keys to getting there with the most confidence and the least risk. Brought to you by The Road to Convergence Six keys to getting there
Four important conclusions were drawn from the survey:
The IBM System z10 is an evolutionary machine in the history of enterprise computing. To realize the full value of an investment in the System z10 requires a transformation in the infrastructure supporting
A Comprehensive Cloud Management Platform with Vblock Systems and Cisco Intelligent Automation for Cloud
WHITE PAPER A Comprehensive Cloud Management Platform with Vblock Systems and Cisco Intelligent Automation for Cloud Abstract Data center consolidation and virtualization have set the stage for cloud computing.
I D C T E C H N O L O G Y S P O T L I G H T. I m p r o ve I T E f ficiency, S t o p S e r ve r S p r aw l
I D C T E C H N O L O G Y S P O T L I G H T Optimizing Blade Ser ve r s f o r V irtualization: I m p r o ve I T E f ficiency, S t o p S e r ve r S p r aw l August 2011 Adapted from IDC Blade Market Survey:
WWT View Point. Journey to the Private Cloud: Take the First Steps with FlexPod
WWT View Point Journey to the Private Cloud: Take the First Steps with FlexPod TABLE OF CONTENTS 1...EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW 2...SECTION 1: THE ROAD TO PRIVATE CLOUDS 3...SECTION 2: START WITH A STABLE INTEGRATED
Elasticsearch on Cisco Unified Computing System: Optimizing your UCS infrastructure for Elasticsearch s analytics software stack
Elasticsearch on Cisco Unified Computing System: Optimizing your UCS infrastructure for Elasticsearch s analytics software stack HIGHLIGHTS Real-Time Results Elasticsearch on Cisco UCS enables a deeper
Data Center Solutions
Data Center Solutions New Data Center Challenges Require New Solutions Data Center Architecture. Inside and Out. Data centers are mission-critical facilities. A silo-based approach to designing, deploying
Data Center Evolution without Revolution
WHITE PAPER www.brocade.com DATA CENTER Data Center Evolution without Revolution Brocade networking solutions help organizations transition smoothly to a world where information and applications can reside
Taking the Open Path to Hybrid Cloud with Dell Networking and Private Cloud Solutions
Taking the Open Path to Hybrid Cloud with Dell Networking and Private Cloud Solutions In This Paper Frequently, the network is the stumbling point to cloud adoption SDN offers a more dynamic, virtualized
Physical Infrastructure Management Solutions
Physical Infrastructure Management Solutions Physical Infrastructure Challenges Require Innovative Solutions The Need for In-Depth Network Intelligence. With increased acceptance of virtualization, cloud
Leveraging Radware s ADC-VX to Reduce Data Center TCO An ROI Paper on Radware s Industry-First ADC Hypervisor
Leveraging Radware s ADC-VX to Reduce Data Center TCO An ROI Paper on Radware s Industry-First ADC Hypervisor Table of Contents Executive Summary... 3 Virtual Data Center Trends... 3 Reducing Data Center
D A T A C E N T E R W H I T E P A P E R. Application Fluency in the Data Center
D A T A C E N T E R W H I T E P A P E R Application Fluency in the Data Center Table of contents 3 Introduction 3 A Perfect Storm of Network Pressures 3 Virtualization 4 Real-Time Applications 4 Mobile
Public Cloud and Managed Communications Services: Right Time, Right Place?
: Right Time, Right Place? Market Advisory Report Ashok Kumar Director, Custom Research December, 2013 Current Analysis (www.currentanalysis.com) Washington, D.C. Paris, France Phone: +1 703 404 9200;
Cisco Unified Computing System: Meet the Challenges of Virtualization with Microsoft Hyper-V
White Paper Cisco Unified Computing System: Meet the Challenges of Virtualization with Microsoft Hyper-V What You Will Learn The modern virtualized data center is today s new IT service delivery foundation,
Pulsant Delivers Agile and Cost-Effective Hybrid Cloud Services with Cisco ACI
IDC ExpertROI SPOTLIGHT Pulsant Delivers Agile and Cost-Effective Hybrid Cloud Services with Cisco ACI Sponsored by: Cisco Matthew Marden December 2015 Overview Pulsant is a United Kingdom-based IT infrastructure
How Solace Message Routers Reduce the Cost of IT Infrastructure
How Message Routers Reduce the Cost of IT Infrastructure This paper explains how s innovative solution can significantly reduce the total cost of ownership of your messaging middleware platform and IT