Saturday, 29 September 2012
Thursday, 27 September 2012
Better Storage for a Virtual World
Arthur Cole spoke with Augie Gonzalez, director of product marketing, DataCore.
Many organizations are comfortable virtualizing infrastructure for backend or business process applications, but balk when it comes to top-tier transaction or mission-critical ones. Part of the reason is that virtual infrastructure has a habit of overwhelming I/O resources, putting crucial, time-sensitive data in limbo. But while this may seem like a networking issue, it is in fact a storage problem as well, according to DataCore's Augie Gonzalez. But through intelligent software, advanced caching, Flash memory and improved SAN technology, the storage side of the house is quickly catching up to servers and networking.
Cole: Enterprises are still hesitant to trust their virtual infrastructure with mission-critical applications. What needs to happen to overcome this fear?
Gonzalez: Education and proof points. Enterprises need to see first-hand examples of colleagues who confronted the roadblocks trying to virtualize their Tier 1 apps, and overcame them without spending exorbitant money on the solutions. Traditional thinking is that virtualization will bottleneck and slow down critical business applications, yet the productivity and cost-saving advantages are driving the need to move to virtualization. The move is inevitable, and intelligent virtualization software can overcome the performance dilemma by harnessing the latest CPU and memory technologies to dramatically increase performance.
IT has to be more forthcoming and public about their successes. Many are apprehensive to do so, fearing it discloses trade secrets with competitors. We at DataCore have been fortunate in that many of our customers are openly discussing their approach to supporting mission-critical applications in virtual environments. We need to get the word out on the enterprises that are successfully virtualizing their Tier 1 applications. I say, share a little — learn a lot.
Many organizations are comfortable virtualizing infrastructure for backend or business process applications, but balk when it comes to top-tier transaction or mission-critical ones. Part of the reason is that virtual infrastructure has a habit of overwhelming I/O resources, putting crucial, time-sensitive data in limbo. But while this may seem like a networking issue, it is in fact a storage problem as well, according to DataCore's Augie Gonzalez. But through intelligent software, advanced caching, Flash memory and improved SAN technology, the storage side of the house is quickly catching up to servers and networking.
Cole: Enterprises are still hesitant to trust their virtual infrastructure with mission-critical applications. What needs to happen to overcome this fear?
Gonzalez: Education and proof points. Enterprises need to see first-hand examples of colleagues who confronted the roadblocks trying to virtualize their Tier 1 apps, and overcame them without spending exorbitant money on the solutions. Traditional thinking is that virtualization will bottleneck and slow down critical business applications, yet the productivity and cost-saving advantages are driving the need to move to virtualization. The move is inevitable, and intelligent virtualization software can overcome the performance dilemma by harnessing the latest CPU and memory technologies to dramatically increase performance.
IT has to be more forthcoming and public about their successes. Many are apprehensive to do so, fearing it discloses trade secrets with competitors. We at DataCore have been fortunate in that many of our customers are openly discussing their approach to supporting mission-critical applications in virtual environments. We need to get the word out on the enterprises that are successfully virtualizing their Tier 1 applications. I say, share a little — learn a lot.
Read the rest of the interview:
Tuesday, 25 September 2012
New DataCore Storage Virtualization White papers and Case Studies
Software to support data migration services
One of the biggest
headaches in storage sys¬tems – large and small – is migrating data from one
array to another. It creates vendor lock and when arrays go End Of Life, it
creates a major headache and expense for the end user. Downtime is almost always
required. VIEW
SUMMARY
Virtually perfect disaster recovery
This paper highlights problems with conventional disaster
recovery solutions, which are becoming increasingly inappropriate for today’s
information technology requirements. VIEW
SUMMARY
Importance and business value of the DataCore storage Hypervisor & Auto-tiering
In this Q&A, IDC analyst Nick Sundby answers how and why
SANsymphony-V fundamentally changes the economics of provisioning, replicating
and protecting storage for large enterprises and small to midsize businesses VIEW
SUMMARY
Wednesday, 12 September 2012
Software-Defined Storage and the Role of the Storage Hypervisor
http://www.datacore.com/storage-virtualization-viewpoint-blog/12-09-05/Software-Defined_Storage_for_Software-Defined_Data_Centers.aspx ...The storage hypervisor’s main role is to virtualize storage resources and to achieve the same benefits – agility, efficiency and flexibility – that server hypervisor technology brought to processors and memory. To fully achieve this goal, a storage hypervisor must meet certain requirements.
It must improve the utilization of existing storage resources; improve application performance to virtualized storage resources; integrate with heterogeneous hypervisors and popular operating system environments (Windows, Linux, UNIX, etc.); support existing physical and new virtual storage platform resources; and it must automate and simplify storage management. For an overview of the requirements of a storage hypervisor, please view the Storage Hypervisor Checklist: Nine Things to Look for In a Storage Hypervisor.
It must improve the utilization of existing storage resources; improve application performance to virtualized storage resources; integrate with heterogeneous hypervisors and popular operating system environments (Windows, Linux, UNIX, etc.); support existing physical and new virtual storage platform resources; and it must automate and simplify storage management. For an overview of the requirements of a storage hypervisor, please view the Storage Hypervisor Checklist: Nine Things to Look for In a Storage Hypervisor.
Monday, 10 September 2012
DataCore Storage Hypervisor Powers Virtualization and Delivers High Availability at Loeb Partners Corporation and Loeb Capital Management
http://vmblog.com/archive/2012/09/05/datacore-storage-hypervisor-powers-virtualization-and-delivers-high-availability-at-loeb-partners-corporation-and-loeb-capital-management.aspxn
DataCore Provides Financial Services Company with Cost-Effective Virtualized Infrastructure to Eliminate Single Points of Failure, Consolidate Servers and More
To read the complete case study, go to: Loeb Partners
http://www.datacore.com/Testimonials/Loeb-Partners-Corporation.aspx
“It was very important to enhance our IT infrastructure and maintain our technology leadership by implementing state-of-the-art resiliency and redundancy into our network upgrade,” commented Bruce Lev, managing director, Loeb Partners Corporation, “DataCore storage hypervisors provide the data protection management we sought and consider vital to ensuring non-stop business operations for our firm.”
Loeb Partners Corporation is an investment firm that represents the interests of the Loeb family and its affiliated entities. In 2008, the asset management business of Loeb Partners Corp. changed its name to Loeb Capital Management. DataCore storage virtualization software now supports virtualized IT environment for both Loeb Partners Corp. and Loeb Capital Management (Loeb)…
DataCore Provides Financial Services Company with Cost-Effective Virtualized Infrastructure to Eliminate Single Points of Failure, Consolidate Servers and More
To read the complete case study, go to: Loeb Partners
http://www.datacore.com/Testimonials/Loeb-Partners-Corporation.aspx
“It was very important to enhance our IT infrastructure and maintain our technology leadership by implementing state-of-the-art resiliency and redundancy into our network upgrade,” commented Bruce Lev, managing director, Loeb Partners Corporation, “DataCore storage hypervisors provide the data protection management we sought and consider vital to ensuring non-stop business operations for our firm.”
Loeb Partners Corporation is an investment firm that represents the interests of the Loeb family and its affiliated entities. In 2008, the asset management business of Loeb Partners Corp. changed its name to Loeb Capital Management. DataCore storage virtualization software now supports virtualized IT environment for both Loeb Partners Corp. and Loeb Capital Management (Loeb)…
Saturday, 8 September 2012
DataCore's Steve Houck interviewed at VMworld
http://truebittv.truthinit.com/media-gallery-media/mediaitem/112-datacore-vmworld-2012
VIDEO: DataCore's Steve Houck interviewed at @VMworld about the growing role of the storage #hypervisor with #VMware: bit.ly/TrAMay
W. Curtis Preston interviews Steve Houck, Chief Operating Officer for DataCore, at VMWorld 2012 in San Francisco. They discuss DataCore's recent release of SANsymphony-V 9.0. They talk about DataCore's ability to offer snapshots at the software level across any of the hardware devices already in an enviroment. They install on any Windows server and sit between the storage and virtualization layer. They are VAAI certified and HCL compliant with VMware, as well as Microsoft certified and work with Xen and RedHat as well.
VIDEO: DataCore's Steve Houck interviewed at @VMworld about the growing role of the storage #hypervisor with #VMware: bit.ly/TrAMay
W. Curtis Preston interviews Steve Houck, Chief Operating Officer for DataCore, at VMWorld 2012 in San Francisco. They discuss DataCore's recent release of SANsymphony-V 9.0. They talk about DataCore's ability to offer snapshots at the software level across any of the hardware devices already in an enviroment. They install on any Windows server and sit between the storage and virtualization layer. They are VAAI certified and HCL compliant with VMware, as well as Microsoft certified and work with Xen and RedHat as well.
Friday, 7 September 2012
CRN Slide Show: VMworld 2012 - Storage Takes Center Stage -SANsymphony-V Storage Hypervisor
SANsymphony-V 9.0 also boosts the performance of tier-one applications with adaptive caching and automated storage tiering. The software is available with price points for small or midsize datacenters as well as large scale cloud rollouts.
Software-Defined Storage for Software-Defined Data Centers
“The move to a software-defined virtualization-based model supporting mission-critical business applications has redefined the foundation of architectures at the computing, networking and storage levels from being ‘static’ to ‘dynamic’; software defines the basis for agility, user interactions and for building a long-term virtual infrastructure that adapts to change.”
In my last post on Software-defined Storage, I wrote about the software-defined data center and I anticipated that VMware would be showcasing the theme at VMworld.
VMware is clearly promoting this new “software-centric” concept and made “software-defined data centers” not only their new mantra but their vision statement for the future. The industry conversation on this topic is getting louder.
Since its formation, DataCore has likewise embraced the need for “software-defined storage” as an essential element to software-defined data centers. Virtual storage infrastructures are the foundation for scalable, elastic and efficient cloud computing. While the primary attention is focused on the computing and networking elements, the major challenge continues to be storage. To make the software-defined data center a reality, we need to overcome the hardware-defined mindset that has stalled the redefinition of storage from being software driven.
Three key elements: Computing, Networking and Storage
As users have to deal with the new dynamics and faster pace of today’s business, they can no longer be trapped within yesterday’s more rigid and hard-wired architecture models. Infrastructure is constructed on three pillars – computing, networking and storage – and in each area hardware decisions will take a back seat to a world dictated by software and driven by applications.
Clearly the success of VMware and Microsoft Hyper-V have proven the compelling value proposition that server virtualization delivers. Likewise, the storage hypervisor is the key to unlocking the hardware chains that have made storage an anchor to next generation data centers.
Software-Defined Storage and the Role of the Storage Hypervisor
The storage hypervisor’s main role is to virtualize storage resources and to achieve the same benefits – agility, efficiency and flexibility – that server hypervisor technology brought to processors and memory. To fully achieve this goal, a storage hypervisor must meet certain requirements.
It must improve the utilization of existing storage resources; improve application performance to virtualized storage resources; integrate with heterogeneous hypervisors and popular operating system environments (Windows, Linux, UNIX, etc.); support existing physical and new virtual storage platform resources; and it must automate and simplify storage management. For an overview of the requirements of a storage hypervisor, please view the Storage Hypervisor Checklist: Nine Things to Look for In a Storage Hypervisor.
Software-defined Storage and Tier 1 Applications
The storage hypervisor is intelligent software that abstracts, transforms and optimally manages the many different device types into pools of virtual resources that can be provisioned and mapped to application systems as needed. With a storage hypervisor, all the available resources enterprise-wide can be pooled and also automatically tiered to optimize performance and cost. Automation and intuitive tools make it easier to achieve much greater levels of productivity. The storage hypervisor and the larger virtualization movement are clearly redefining the data center at the infrastructure level.
Infrastructure, however, is simply a means to an end. It is the way that you run applications that ultimately matters. The main goal of the software-defined data center is to optimize the application experience. DataCore understands that in the end, it is all about how the software makes business applications more productive. For more details, please review how DataCore’s storage hypervisor Optimizes Your Application-centric Storage.
Also check out our recent announcement: DataCore Storage Hypervisor Makes Mission-Critical and I/O Intensive Tier 1 Business Applications Run Up to 5X Faster Virtualized.
DataCore SANsymphony™-V 9.0, our newest release, boosts the speed, throughput and availability of virtualized, I/O intensive tier 1 applications. Customers report up to 5x faster response time performance and achieve better than 99.999% uptime after virtualizing their existing storage with SANsymphony-V. To learn more, see how DataCore’s storage hypervisor benefits these popular applications:
SAP Oracle Microsoft SQL Server Microsoft SharePoint Microsoft Exchange
DataCore fundamentally changes the economics of performance – cost-effectively enabling application overseers/administrators to virtualize their tier 1 applications as they transform into private clouds and software-defined data centers. The DataCore storage hypervisor harnesses the full power of server caches, solid state disks (SSDs) and existing storage assets so that application owners no longer need to “rip and replace” storage infrastructures and pay much higher costs to meet their performance and uptime objectives.
Along with the virtualization of server and network resources, DataCore’s storage hypervisor provides the virtual storage architecture needed to realize the vision and the benefits of the software-defined data center.
VMware is clearly promoting this new “software-centric” concept and made “software-defined data centers” not only their new mantra but their vision statement for the future. The industry conversation on this topic is getting louder.
Since its formation, DataCore has likewise embraced the need for “software-defined storage” as an essential element to software-defined data centers. Virtual storage infrastructures are the foundation for scalable, elastic and efficient cloud computing. While the primary attention is focused on the computing and networking elements, the major challenge continues to be storage. To make the software-defined data center a reality, we need to overcome the hardware-defined mindset that has stalled the redefinition of storage from being software driven.
Three key elements: Computing, Networking and Storage
As users have to deal with the new dynamics and faster pace of today’s business, they can no longer be trapped within yesterday’s more rigid and hard-wired architecture models. Infrastructure is constructed on three pillars – computing, networking and storage – and in each area hardware decisions will take a back seat to a world dictated by software and driven by applications.
Clearly the success of VMware and Microsoft Hyper-V have proven the compelling value proposition that server virtualization delivers. Likewise, the storage hypervisor is the key to unlocking the hardware chains that have made storage an anchor to next generation data centers.
Software-Defined Storage and the Role of the Storage Hypervisor
The storage hypervisor’s main role is to virtualize storage resources and to achieve the same benefits – agility, efficiency and flexibility – that server hypervisor technology brought to processors and memory. To fully achieve this goal, a storage hypervisor must meet certain requirements.
It must improve the utilization of existing storage resources; improve application performance to virtualized storage resources; integrate with heterogeneous hypervisors and popular operating system environments (Windows, Linux, UNIX, etc.); support existing physical and new virtual storage platform resources; and it must automate and simplify storage management. For an overview of the requirements of a storage hypervisor, please view the Storage Hypervisor Checklist: Nine Things to Look for In a Storage Hypervisor.
Software-defined Storage and Tier 1 Applications
The storage hypervisor is intelligent software that abstracts, transforms and optimally manages the many different device types into pools of virtual resources that can be provisioned and mapped to application systems as needed. With a storage hypervisor, all the available resources enterprise-wide can be pooled and also automatically tiered to optimize performance and cost. Automation and intuitive tools make it easier to achieve much greater levels of productivity. The storage hypervisor and the larger virtualization movement are clearly redefining the data center at the infrastructure level.
Infrastructure, however, is simply a means to an end. It is the way that you run applications that ultimately matters. The main goal of the software-defined data center is to optimize the application experience. DataCore understands that in the end, it is all about how the software makes business applications more productive. For more details, please review how DataCore’s storage hypervisor Optimizes Your Application-centric Storage.
Also check out our recent announcement: DataCore Storage Hypervisor Makes Mission-Critical and I/O Intensive Tier 1 Business Applications Run Up to 5X Faster Virtualized.
DataCore SANsymphony™-V 9.0, our newest release, boosts the speed, throughput and availability of virtualized, I/O intensive tier 1 applications. Customers report up to 5x faster response time performance and achieve better than 99.999% uptime after virtualizing their existing storage with SANsymphony-V. To learn more, see how DataCore’s storage hypervisor benefits these popular applications:
SAP Oracle Microsoft SQL Server Microsoft SharePoint Microsoft Exchange
DataCore fundamentally changes the economics of performance – cost-effectively enabling application overseers/administrators to virtualize their tier 1 applications as they transform into private clouds and software-defined data centers. The DataCore storage hypervisor harnesses the full power of server caches, solid state disks (SSDs) and existing storage assets so that application owners no longer need to “rip and replace” storage infrastructures and pay much higher costs to meet their performance and uptime objectives.
Along with the virtualization of server and network resources, DataCore’s storage hypervisor provides the virtual storage architecture needed to realize the vision and the benefits of the software-defined data center.
Wednesday, 5 September 2012
Tuesday, 4 September 2012
DataCore Receives VMware Certifications & VMworld 2012 COO Interview
VMworld 2012 Interview - DataCore SANsymphony-V Virtualizes Storage
One of the most interesting meetings I had at this year’s VMworld 2012 was with Steve Houck Chief Operating Officer of DataCore Software. Steve explained that DataCore has been in the storage virtualization business for the past 14 years and that SANsymphony-V is the ninth release of their flagship product. Just like VMware virtualizes compute and memory resources, DataCore’s SANsymphony-V abstracts and virtualizes storage resources.
SANsymphony-V is Windows based software that creates a virtual storage layer on top of whatever physical storage your organization has. It supports all of the popular hypervisors including VMware vSphere, Microsoft’s Hyper-V and Citrix XenServer. It also integrates with Microsoft System Center and VMware’s vCenter...
Tom'sITPRO: DataCore Receives VMware Certifications
DataCore, announced at VMworld that its Storage Virtualization software SANsymphony-V is now certified as VMware Ready
SANsymphony-V integrates with several VMware solutions, including vSphere 5, vSphere Storage APIs for Array Integration [VAAI], vCenter Server, and vCenter Site Recovery Manager...
NetworkWorld: Tech CEOs’ first jobs
Tech CEOs’ first jobs: Licorice maker, housekeeper, scuba diver and more
Before their corporate jobs, many tech CEOs got their hands dirty, scrubbing oils stains off asphalt, cleaning bathrooms, and shoveling monkey cages. Here are their stories
http://www.networkworld.com/slideshow/63007#slide16
George Teixeira ascended the ranks from housekeeper to hotel manager, but not before “cleaning and making more beds then anyone should,” he recalls. The housekeeping job taught him a lot about humility, dealing with difficult and demanding people, and making the most of every opportunity. “When you start out as a housekeeper, you're at the ground level of a hotel’s operation, so you really get to see and learn how things are. As a CEO of a software company, I’ve done most of the jobs within the company. It gives you an idea of how all the things work together,” Teixeira says. “Everyone today wants to start off as an executive. But you can't.”
12 career tips from tech CEOs
Work hard, seize opportunities, think differently, say tech CEOs to young workers
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2012/082912-career-tips-ceos-262037.html?hpg1=bn
"Get your hands dirty and go... each job is a learning experience in life. Everyone today wants to start off as an executive. But you can't. Take every opportunity you can, because it will help you down the road." -- George Teixeira, DataCore Software CEO.
Before their corporate jobs, many tech CEOs got their hands dirty, scrubbing oils stains off asphalt, cleaning bathrooms, and shoveling monkey cages. Here are their stories
http://www.networkworld.com/slideshow/63007#slide16
George Teixeira ascended the ranks from housekeeper to hotel manager, but not before “cleaning and making more beds then anyone should,” he recalls. The housekeeping job taught him a lot about humility, dealing with difficult and demanding people, and making the most of every opportunity. “When you start out as a housekeeper, you're at the ground level of a hotel’s operation, so you really get to see and learn how things are. As a CEO of a software company, I’ve done most of the jobs within the company. It gives you an idea of how all the things work together,” Teixeira says. “Everyone today wants to start off as an executive. But you can't.”
12 career tips from tech CEOs
Work hard, seize opportunities, think differently, say tech CEOs to young workers
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2012/082912-career-tips-ceos-262037.html?hpg1=bn
"Get your hands dirty and go... each job is a learning experience in life. Everyone today wants to start off as an executive. But you can't. Take every opportunity you can, because it will help you down the road." -- George Teixeira, DataCore Software CEO.
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