Cloud and the data center
Don’t overlook the demands that cloud computing can make on your data center. You’ll want to invite your data center operations team to sit down with your IT operations team to ensure that your cloud strategy works on the ground.
Implementing a private cloud can have serious impacts on a data center. While your private cloud is responding to changing business demands on the front end, the back end of the cloud in your data center needs to be able to respond to changing demands for power and cooling. As private cloud features like self-provisioning are introduced, hot aisles may get hotter requiring more cooling in that region.
Power consumption fluctuates when virtual machines are spun up and down and will require smart power distribution units (PDUs) that can monitor power and respond to changing demands. Data center infrastructure management (DCIM) tools should be deployed so the operations teams can track changing power and cooling requirements in your cloud.
Designing and implementing a private cloud environment touches on no less than everything you do. It’s a long journey of self discovery and the first step needs to be developing a strategy that reflects your vision of what you want to accomplish as well as a realistic evaluation of where you are today.
There is no single right answer, no silver bullet that will make all your cloud aspirations come true. It’s not just about infrastructure, or software, or policy, or people or procedure: It’s about all of them. And it’s not something that the IT department can do on its own.
If IT is going to achieve ITaaS, they are going to have to understand the business users they serve at least as well as they understand their technology. That may be the biggest challenge of all. There are changes in here for everyone.
Gettin’ your ya-ya’s out
This six-part series of articles looks at private cloud computing from several perspectives to give you a full picture of the changes cloud computing will put you through, as well as the benefits of committing to implementing a cloud of your own. We used Rolling Stones song titles to add a touch of irreverence and fun to the topic. The remaining articles in the series are:
- “You Can’t Always Get What You Want, But If You Try Sometimes, You Get What You Need.” This article looks at developing a cloud strategy that builds on what you have today.
- “Get Off My Cloud.” This article looks at the security considerations for your private cloud today as well as the hybrid cloud that is in your future.
- “Under My Thumb.” This article looks at management considerations including the orchestration, automation and governance that you will need to keep your cloud from blowing you away.
- “Beast of Burden.” This article looks at what it will take to enable, migrate, re-write and/or create new applications that can take advantage of the capabilities your private cloud environment makes available.
- “Gimme Shelter.” This article looks at extending your cloud environment to include public cloud and, eventually, hybrid cloud options.
Kevin Gruneisen is vice president, data center solutions for Logicalis, an international provider of integrated information and communications technology (ICT) solutions and services. His key responsibilities are focused on data center and private cloud solutions. Prior to joining Logicalis, Mr. Gruneisen worked for IBM in both engineering and marketing positions and for Solutions Technology Inc., which was acquired by Logicalis in 2004.