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Friday, August 16th, 2013
- The data center operating system. Big shops like IO are getting the idea quickly. They released their IO.OS where administrators have granular visibility into components that they wouldn’t have been looking at otherwise. Furthermore, they are able to connect multiple data center nodes to create one logical cluster. This means one pane of glass – and a lot more control over the entire data center management process. They’re not the only ones getting this idea. More data center management solutions now look at the actual workloads running within the data center and how it can all be optimized and controlled.
- Connecting the physical and the logical. In the past, physical components would be separate from the virtual or logical workloads running on top. Furthermore, the management platforms would be segmented as well. The modern data center has come so far that this approach no longer applies. Both components are vital to the entire delivery process and there needs to be visibility into everything. This means seeing full metrics around both physical and non-physical systems running within the data center.
- New security trends. Advanced persistent threats (APTs) are wreaking havoc on data center workloads. Remember, these aren’t just your typical DDoS attacks. These are new, constantly live, and always present threats against physical and virtual data center components. Remember, APTs don’t just attack the workload layer of the data center. These new threats can actually take aim at physical data center components as well. Intelligent data center operating systems can now look for anomalies in normal operations and actually re-route network traffic if there is a situation. Furthermore, they are able to route this traffic at a physical and virtual layer. These DCOS platforms logically connect the data center to the applications and data that it houses. That way, it can better protect the entire logical and physical stack.
- Creating the mobile data center. No, your data center isn’t going to get up and move around (unless you have a mobile modular data center, of course.) Rather, the data center operating system presents new ways to control your infrastructure. With so much DC distribution, there needs to be a way to see multiple nodes and control them from a mobile perspective. So, in the sense of data center operating systems and management, administrators are able to control data centers from remote locations or intelligently bring multiple nodes together under one management UI. And yes, this does mean having some controls from mobile and web-based devices as well.
| Time | Event |
| 12:20p | Defining the New Data Center Operating System  The abstraction of the hardware layer within the data center means we are able to utilize new types of controls around our data center. The data center operating system – many times referred to as DCOS. Kind of sounds like a bit of a buzz term doesn’t it? Well, the reality is that there is already a lot of conversation around the idea of an intelligent data center management platform. This isn’t a conversation about data center virtualization, but rather a look at how the future data center environment will be managed. The modern data center is at the center of any major organization. We have a lot more systems that are being placed within the data center environment and new technologies are being born directly within a cloud infrastructure. With this focus on the data center – there needed to be a way to better manage all of the services we are relying upon. Remember, at the data center level we are still using physical components – servers, cooling equipment and advanced types of power distribution technologies. The big difference is that the physical layer is now designed around high levels of efficiency, multi-tenancy and resiliency. This is where the DCOS platform is able to take the entire data center layer and begin to abstract it. So, how does the data center operating system really different from other DC management platforms? DCOS really means connecting the logical with the physical. As the modern data center continues to become the “data center of everything” we need to evolve the way we control these vital platforms. New types of threats against the data center environment are continuing to grow. So, to combat new security needs, an ever-scaling environment, and a lot more cloud computing; we must take the next leap in data center control and management. The abstraction of the hardware layer within the data center means we are able to utilize new types of controls around our data center. New technologies are being deployed within the data center at a very fast pace. Segmenting physical components from the workloads that are running on top is no longer the right way to approach data center management. This is why DCOS has become a powerful way of seeing all of the core and vital components running within a data center. Already, large data center providers are approaching this management methodology. What are the results? Greater visibility, more control and the ability to be proactive with very important workloads. |
| 12:26p | Quantum Object Storage Testing Lab Debuts At SuperNAP  A look inside the SuperNAP in Las Vegas, where Quantum has opened an object storage testing environment. (Photo: Switch) Hoping to help customers conduct cloud-based proof of concept trials for object storage, Quantum (QTM) launched a new Lattus Demo Lab, located inside Switch SuperNAP data centers in Las Vegas. As a full-scale, cloud-based object storage testing environment, the Lattus Demo Lab features Lattus-X NAS-based object storage and Lattus-M, an object storage solution which integrates into StorNext environments and leverages StorNext Manager’s policy-based tiering. “Quantum is leading the way to help customers understand and benefit from object storage solutions,” said David Hekimian, founder and CEO of TechAccelerator. “With a complete system installed at the Switch SUPERNAP, organizations considering Lattus will be able to conduct cloud-based POC testing quickly and easily without needing to wait for the required equipment and resources or investments involved in performing their own in-house POC evaluation.” Lattus object storage enables access to archived data across global locations in a scalable disk-based solution that never requires a “forklift” upgrade. At the Switch SuperNAP, Lattus-X capabilities are accessed using a downloadable virtual Lattus A10 gateway node, while Lattus-M is accessed with a StorNext M440/660 metadata appliance in existing StorNext environments or from a downloadable StorNext virtual metadata controller. The lab affords customers an opportunity to test Lattus and experience all that object storage can deliver without having to invest their own installation resources or make onsite changes. “We’re partnering with one of the premier data center facilities in the world that’s already used by major cloud service providers and entertainment companies,” said Janae Stow Lee, senior vice president, Filesystem and Archive at Quantum. “By providing a cloud-based, fully functional object storage testing environment and making it accessible with a variety of application integration options, we’re giving customers and partners a unique opportunity to complete testing more efficiently and gain a thorough understanding of how Lattus can best be leveraged to meet their needs.” |
| 2:00p | Equinix London Selected By ParFX In today’s data center news roundup, Equinix is selected by ParFX for its trading platform in London, South Africa National Airways secures 20 Terabytes of the HP Autonomy Cloud, and Telx achieves a Tier III rating and completes a SOC2 examination. Equinix selected by ParFX. Equinix (EQIX) announced that ParFX, the new Tradition-owned wholesale electronic spot FX trading platform, has launched from Equinix’s London Slough data center campus. Equinix was selected for the ParFX trading platform because of its market leadership position, broad range of trading customers and unrivalled global reach. ParFX positions its platform directly alongside many other leading trading venues and connects with hundreds of FX institutional traders, trading platforms and ECNs globally to enable ‘follow the sun’ FX trading. ”The ParFX founder banks came to us because they believed there was a need for change in the FX market ecology and for the creation of a truly level playing field,” said Roger Rutherford, chief operating officer at ParFX. “That need is at the heart of the ParFX philosophy. Equinix’s London Slough data center campus offers world-class support with global reach, congregating players and service providers across FX, providing the opportunity to adapt and scale our business according to market need.” South Africa National Airways secures 20 Terabytes of Autonomy Cloud. HP (HPQ) announced that Africa’s largest general aviation agency, National Airways Corporation (NAC), is deploying HP Autonomy LiveVault to securely back up 20 terabytes of company data. The HP Autonomy LiveVault platform will be used in a large-scale deployment to secure approximately 100 servers, distributed across NAC’s seven airports and airfield sites. The data will be backed up securely to local on-premises HP LiveVault Turbo-Restore Appliances and off-site to secure geographically spearated data centers across South Africa. “We chose HP Autonomy’s LiveVault solution because it offered proven scalability reliability and an attractive cloud and on-premises hybrid approach,” said Andrew McGurk, IT manager, National Airways Corporation. “The ability to scale without much capital outlay was particularly important to us, because we need to protect such large quantities of data, which is being created in numerous different sites across the country.” Telx achieves major milestones. Telx announced two major operational milestones. Its recently completed NJR3 data center in in New Jersey has received certification as a Tier III concurrently maintainable data center by the Uptime Institute. Telx has also transitioned and completed its first SOC 2 examination report covering Security and Availability related to Interconnection and Colocation services in 14 other Telx facilities across the United States. ”Telx’s investment in SOC 2 via upgrading internal processes and systems underscores our commitment to delivering quality, secure and highly available data center services to our customers,” said Dan Wolfe, Telx’s vice president of IT and process management. “Telx is committed to providing 100% Uptime SLA and 24 Hour or Less Cross Connect Completion, along with other industry-leading standards for availability like Uptime Institutes’ certification. Obtaining confirmation of our fulfillment of these standards via SOC 2 is a strong proof point for us moving forward.” |
| 3:01p | Vantage Adds Capacity in Silicon Valley, Beefs Up Executive Team  The exterior of a Vantage Data Centers’ facility in Santa Clara, Calif. Vantage Data Centers has completed construction on 1.5 megawatts of additional data center space in Santa Clara in support of a deal the company signed in February. The company now has 25 megawatts of critical load at its Santa Clara campus, with room for 20 megawatts more in the future. The new data center space is in the V1 building of its Santa Clara campus, and is in support of a rapidly growing enterprise customer. Vantage led the design, construction and completion of the 9,000 square feet of space in less than four months. “We are pleased with our continued growth in Santa Clara,” said Vantage CEO Sureel Choksi. “With over 20MW of additional expansion capacity available on campus, Vantage is poised for continued growth.” The new space Vantage has built in Santa Clara also includes space for customer briefings, research and development, proof of concept and demonstration centers. This allows the end users of Vantage’s customers to test, validate and evaluate new technologies prior to deploying in a production environment. The company also continues to retool its executive team and sales effort with the appointment of Greg Vernon as SVP Sales and Marketing. Vernon has more than 13 years of experience in data center sales and sales management. Previous positions include VP of Sales at ViaWest and WiredRE, a leading data center real estate advisory firm; and most recently as CEO at Rare Space Technology, a boutique brokerage firm where he was focused on data center planning, finance and related transactions. This continues the company beefing up the executive team for its next phase of growth. Last month, the company named Choksi as CEO. “We are very pleased to welcome Greg Vernon as SVP, Sales and Marketing,” said Choksi. “Greg brings a wealth of sales management experience and customer relationships that will serve Vantage well as we accelerate the company’s sales and marketing investment.” Vantage entered the highly competitive Silicon Valley market in early 2011, quickly leasing 20 megawatts of power capacity, and, as the new space indicates, continues to grow rapidly. |
| 4:02p | The Cloud Conundrum: SGI Scales Back on Sales to Amazon  Amazon is among the customers for SGI’s Infinite Storage. Some units are shown above. Could Amazon buying $139 million a year in hardware from a vendor be a bad thing? That’s the question facing SGI, the hardware vendor with a long legacy in the hyperscale market, which has recently been focusing its business on the technical computing market. SGI’s recent earnings illustrate the challenge the hyperscale market presents for server vendors. Cloud builders like Amazon, Microsoft and Facebook buy an enormous number of servers. But they also use their purchasing power as leverage in obtaining volume pricing from their vendors, and that’s usually not good for profit margins. SGI never mentioned Amazon by name in last week’s earnings call. But executives noted that the company saw surprising revenue growth from its “largest legacy cloud customer,” which saw its sales soar to $139 million, or 18 percent of SGI’s total revenue. “This significantly exceeded our expectations entering the year, reflecting a high rate of demand growth for this particular customer,” said Jorge Luis Titinger, the CEO and President of SGI. “While the top line achievement was positive, continuing to grow in this segment requires committing to an aggressive cost-down trajectory that is increasingly unattractive. Scaling Back on Cloud Deals“Our strategic focus is to invest in verticals where we can provide differentiated value that commands gross margins in line with our business model and to pull away from market segments that are commoditizing,” he continued. “We therefore are planning on significantly lower revenue in the public cloud infrastructure going forward. However, we expect to more than offset the margin contribution of this segment with growth from higher-margin products and verticals.” Shrinking margins have been a historic concern for SGI. As Rackable Systems, the company was an early innovator in the hyper-scale computing space, developing half-depth servers deployed in back-to-back racks, and later “micro-slice” servers and the CloudRack, which pioneered concepts that have subsequently been adopted by the Open Compute movement. This helped Rackable build business among the largest Internet companies, including Microsoft, Yahoo, Facebook and Amazon. But it soon felt the heat from other server vendors, most notably Dell’s Data Center Solutions unit. Rackable continued to win deals, but saw its margins shrinking. So the company changed course, acquiring Silicon Graphics and shifting its focus to technical computing market, including HPC and supercomputing. But Amazon has continued as a customer, and the spectacular growth of its cloud storage infrastructure has boosted its business with SGI, which has previously acknowledged Amazon as a customer of its Infinite Storage hardware. Amazon represented more than 10 percent of the company’s business as of early 2011, and saw sales growth further in 2012. SGI says that discussions in the last month have made it clear that sales to its “legacy cloud customer” will decline by $25 million to $30 million this quarter. While that has short term implications for its revenue guidance, the company says it expects to make up that lost revenue with higher margin deals in the technical computing space, a strategy that has boosted the company’s fortunes since it rebranded as SGI. “To the extent that it starts to displace potentially larger-margin business, it strategically makes sense for us to consciously not want to pursue it with the kind of enthusiasm, perhaps, that one might want to chase just for the size of the revenue dollar itself,” said Robert Nikl, SGI’s Chief Financial Officer, on the earnings call. SGI isn’t alone among server vendors wrestling with margins on high-volume deals with cloud customers. Dell and HP have been meaningful players in this market, but have also expanded into cloud hosting, using its cloud-optimized designs to power direct services to their own customers – a strategy that likely offers a better return on cloud hardware than highly-competitive bulk sales to cloud builders. |
| 4:21p | Friday Funny: Vote for the Best Caption It’s Friday and time for some chuckles! What better way to end the work week than our cartoon caption contest? Please take a moment to vote on the caption suggestions for our latest cartoon about “the mouse in the data center” in the data center. (Scroll down to vote!) The caption contest works like this: We provide the cartoon (drawn by Diane Alber, our fav data center cartoonist) and you, our readers, submit the captions. We then choose finalists and the readers vote for their favorite funniest suggestion. The winner will receive their caption in a signed print by Diane. Take Our Poll
Please visit Diane’s website Kip and Gary for more of her data center humor. For the previous cartoons on DCK, see our Humor Channel. |
| 4:31p | Data Center Jobs: ISS – Integrated Services Solutions At the Data Center Jobs Board, we have a new job listing from ISS Intergrated Services Solutions, which is seeking a Data Center Operator I – HVAC or Electrical in Austin, TX. The Data Center Operator I – HVAC or Electrical is responsible for assisting the Assistant Chief and Chief Engineer to effectively complete assigned tasks in the O&M program for the data center as well as any non-data center space(s) assigned; following building operation rules for the Owners building(s) as provided by the Data Center Manager; and ensuring that PMs and work orders as assigned and scheduled each month are completed and closed out.. To view full details and apply, see job listing details. Are you hiring for your data center? You can list your company’s job openings on the Data Center Jobs Board, and also track new openings via our jobs RSS feed. |
| 6:37p | Data Center Jobs: Data Center Operator III – Electrical At the Data Center Jobs Board, we have a new job listing from ISS -Integrated Services Solutions, which is seeking a Data Center Operator III – Electrical in Clarksville, Virginia. The Data Center Operator III – Electrical is responsible for providing a variety of O&M services within a 24/7/365 environment; performing duties with constant awareness of the need to preserve the reliability of the critical load; providing O&M for building systems of other facilities as assigned; and carrying out maintenance and operations by performing the following duties personally or as a team member. To view full details and apply, see job listing details. Are you hiring for your data center? You can list your company’s job openings on the Data Center Jobs Board, and also track new openings via our jobs RSS feed. |
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