Month: July 2011

I came across an article recently that asked if Cisco was the new 800 pound gorilla of client virtualization. Now Cisco has long been labeled as the 800 pound gorilla of networking, but as a relative newcomer to the data center and Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) space, could they be crowned the heavy-weight champion already? And what is an 800 pound gorilla anyway?

While the picture certainly lends some creative imagery to the phrase, urbandictionary.com defines it as “A seemingly unbeatable presence always to be reckoned with; whose experience, influence, and skill threatens to defeat competitors with little effort.” I am sure the expression can be traced back to the riddle: “Where does an 800 pound gorilla sleep?” with the answer being “Anywhere it wants to.” However, in actuality, gorillas only grow to be at most about 450 pounds.

So has Cisco earned this title yet? Client virtualization is still an emerging market, but with Cisco’s hat in the ring, you can bet more and more companies will be hearing about the benefits of VDI, as the powerful engine of Cisco’s direct sales force and channel partners take the messaging to the street. This alone will drive growth in the client virtualization market as a whole, giving legitimacy to competitive solutions as the concept becomes more mainstream thanks to Cisco. With Cisco already demonstrating its ability to deliver superior data center solutions with the Unified Computing System (UCS) platform back in the server room rack, having an end-to-end solution with end point devices on the desktop is a play that is very familiar to Cisco from their Unified Communications IP phone systems… and Cisco is now the number one provider of enterprise phone systems in the world.

Add to that the differentiating architecture of Cisco’s Virtualization Experience Infrastructure (VXI), which is a combination of new products and partner solutions to deliver rich media content to VDI end users without compromising the concept of the thin client, and Cisco pulls into its virtualization solution the success and experience of Unified Communications. Can you hear Cisco beating its chest?

If there is one thing we do at TBL, it’s eat our own dog food. But, to be fair, I think it’s a little more than that. One of the things that makes us so unique is that we make a living delivering solutions to clients who are just like us. Our focus is not taking down large federal equipment resell contracts or delivering services to the Fortune 50, but rather developing solutions for companies and solving problems. The interesting piece is we need look no farther than our front door for inspiration on what solutions businesses need to solve today’s problems. It is in that spirit that I begin this series – TBL’s own search for the perfect social platform.

 

Let’s introduce the contenders. Most everyone who will read this blog is familiar with Microsoft SharePoint. SharePoint has come a great distance since its debut. It is arguably one of the more prevalent intranet portal platforms in use today and offers models for both on-premise and hosted consumption.

 

 

A potentially less known, but no less valid, contender is Chatter from Salesforce.com. TBL’s runs many of its operations from a Salesforce.com database so the tight integration from Chatter is most certainly attractive.

 

 

And the new entry to the field, Cisco Quad. We have placed the order for our Quad licensing and the Cisco UCS B-Series blades that will support it and are just awaiting shipment. Now I know what you’re thinking…TBL is a Cisco reseller and delivers Cisco solutions so clearly Quad is going come through as the victor. While I can’t deny the first two points, I hope the trials and tribulations you will witness through these posts will be evidence to the fact that we took a hard look at each solution.

 

 

Let the games begin!

Summertime brings back lots of memories for me.   Lazy days at the beach.  Working as a bagger at a grocery store.  Long car rides to visit family.  (Note to readers: Four people driving in a 1982 Nissan Sentra for eights hours = not optimal).

Of course, summertime also brings back memories of great summer blockbusters.  Whereas I don’t have as much time to watch movies as I did when I was younger, I can look back and see lessons about virtualization that were not apparent in the past.


“I feel the need … the need for speed” – Performance THEN Capacity

 

I learned a lot of things from Top Gun – the Navy is awesome, volleyball is to be played sans shirts, and that you can take a highway to the Danger Zone.

In addition, Maverick and Goose taught me the importance of the need …. the need for speed.  With virtualization, it is important to consider performance before you consider capacity.  In planning your physical infrastructure, it is not enough to not focus on having lots of available storage, but to make sure that your infrastructure can perform to serve the particular needs of your environment.

“You’re going to need a bigger boat” – Importance of Storage and Scalability

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gciFoEbOA8&feature=player_embedded

 

This is not to say that capacity planning is not important for virtualization.  Once you have gauged the performance needs, you can plan your storage solutions accordingly.  With capacity planning, as opposed to ‘ballparking,” you can ensure that equipment and platform software are appropriate for your environment.  In addition, capacity planning allows to factor scalability into your decision making.  As demonstrated in Steven Spielberg’s  Jaws, while infrastructures are scalable, it is not unfortunate for Quint that boats are not.

“Nobody puts Baby in a corner.” – Storage Options for Virtualization

 

Whenever I see this scene from Dirty Dancing, I generally think of two things: 1) I would rather be watching Roadhouse 2) The storage platform is the foundation of your virtual infrastructure. 

With storage, your two main categories are Block storage and File system storage. However, don’t let yourself to be placed in a corner with Baby (or go to her plastic surgeon).  You don’t have to select this false choice, as there are unified arrays that provide for your infrastructure’s current needs, but also provide flexibility for future growth. Don’t buy the false choice of storage options, and you will have the time of your life.

“Do or Do not. There is no try.” – No shortcuts in virtualization

 

With virtualization, there is a great temptation to take shortcuts.  The road to virtualization can take a while, and there often is pressure to cut corners on your infrastructure.  Yoda would not want you to give in to this temptation, and neither do we.  As illustrated by The Empire Strikes Back, and further illustrated by the deeds and mustache of Bad Harley, you need to fully commit to a proper planning process.  “Trying” to construct an environment without thinking ahead will only cause you more problems down the road. 

While the summer movies might appear to be concerned with superheroes and big explosions, there could be lessons about your virtual infrastructure right in front of you.