Although the technical details of VMware’s version 4 product (dubbed the vSphere family) were known ahead of time, the product’s licensing model came as a surprise. Rather than go with the “base product + options” approach used by many software products, VMware decided on a flat tiered pricing scheme. Both approaches have their fans and detractors, but the details of VMware’s system left many off guard. Has VMware pushed the tiered model too far, eliminating flexibility and forcing enterprise customers to purchase pricey top-tier licenses? The Gestalt IT staff put our heads together to think the matter through.
Exclusives
Some Symmetrix V-Max Discussion
I had written a blog post about expectations with EMC DMX next generation technology, and did come quite close to predicting what the new set of architecture would look like, including Directors, Cache, IOPS, Drives types, Release dates, Cost offerings, GA enginuity code, Scalable Architectures, Controller Consolidation to include local memory, processor speed, EFD sizes, SMC console and associated Symapi, SMC friendless (templates, wizards), new conceptual design of mirror positions, virtual provisioning, power savings, Ethernet based connectivity to V-Max Service Processor, VMware Native Integration, Support for various RAID types that would enhance the product, policy based work flow automation, some support for FCOE in the future and a radical design change.
EMC Symmetrix V-Max Is Neither Monolithic Nor Midrange
EMC today announced a new generation of the flagship Symmetrix enterprise storage array by EMC: Initial reactions have compared it to the CLARiiON (with which it shares hardware), the DMX-4 (with which it shares software), the new 3PAR F-Class, the Compellent Storage Center, the HDS USP, and NetApp’s next-generation clustered filers. In every case, the V-Max is different enough to be compellingly new – it’s a true hybrid of monolithic (tiger) and modular (lion), thus its codename, “tigon”!
Governance And Peaks In The Cloud
As large organizations begin to look towards cloud computing, many find themselves questioning the suitability of the infrastructure for their business needs. As consumer-focused services like Carbonite lose data and startup-focused systems like Amazon EC2 and Microsoft Azure suffer outages, the image of the cloud has darkened. How are providers protecting the data? What RTO and RPO is offered? Are these sufficient for the types of applications being considered for the cloud?
Reacting To The Open Cloud Manifesto
Reuven Cohen of Enomaly has penned an Open Cloud Manifesto. This might not have been news but for a curious backlash when two big cloud vendors, Microsoft and Amazon, refused to sign on, although IBM, Sun, and many others have endorsed it. In my opinion, the Open Cloud Manifesto is interesting, forward-thinking, provocative, and a bit naive.
Storage Resource Analysis (SRA): Part 6
Continuing the blog posts on Storage Resource Analysis (SRA), this post focuses on some facts about what causes and what are inconsistencies in storage environments.
Storage Resource Analysis (SRA): Part 5
Continuing the blog posts on Storage Resource Analysis (SRA), this post focuses on some facts about data that sits in Storage Environments.
Storage Resource Analysis (SRA): Part 4
Continuing the blog posts on Storage Resource Analysis (SRA), this post focuses on some fundamental questions around Storage Environments.
Storage Resource Analysis (SRA): Part 3
The IT Budgets of 2009: Continuing my posts on Storage Resource Analysis (SRA) and Storage Economics, this one focuses on the facts of IT – Storage Budgets of 2009.
Storage Resource Analysis (SRA): Part 2
Continuing the series blog post on Storage Resource Analysis (SRA), this post focuses on the “IT – Storage World of 2009†and the requirements / importance of it around today’s overall Storage Strategy.