unifying

Why virtualization is shaking up IT data centers

If you begin with the premise that the abstraction of data center resources into software representations (such as virtual machines) decouples IT workloads from the physical systems they rely on, then it makes sense to reconsider the way you buy and build your data centers.

Simply having a uniform (or near-uniform) software layer between the physical infrastructure and your compute workloads means you can begin to assemble a homogeneous physical infrastructure to support a heterogeneous abstract IT environment.

No more custom-tailoring your systems for each application, only to find those systems difficult to alter to either meet the needs of a new workload or the changing needs of the existing one.

No more adding a unique network card to each server to support a shared management plane, just to find it locks you into that management architecture long after something better comes along.

No more trying to figure out which servers have storage area networking and which have local disk...they all can have both--making it much easier to reuse the physical system for workloads that require either one.

This is not a spiel for any one vendor or even for a group of competitive vendors. Instead, focus on what this evolution means to the way you will buy and operate enterprise computing equipment in the coming years. While the highly customized computing systems of our siloed past meant buying "pieces/parts" was the logical way to go, its been a little like buying a car by getting the engine from Honda, the chassis from Ford, and the wheels from Costco. You could probably build a pretty decent ride, assuming you could get it all to work together.… Read more

Web site created for semantic cloud API

John Willis of the IT Management blog is reporting that Reuven Cohen has created a new web site in support of the development and promotion of a Universal Cloud Interface. The concept, as Reuven reported today, revolves around some of the good work being done to address cloud taxonomy and ontology:

We are in a sense defining what cloud computing is by describing it's "components" and their relationships to one another. One that is capable of expressing cloud computing and its subsequent parts in terms of a consensus data model.

So in this effort we may actually be defining a dynamic computing model that can, under certain conditions, be 'trained' to appropriately 'learn' the meaning of related cloud & infrastructure resources based on an common ontology / taxonomy. In a sense, we are talking about the Semantic Web applied to API's or more broadly, a unified cloud interface.

The web site, created on the Google Code infrastructure, provides a central point for the definition and development of the UCI. Remember all that Simon Wardley has been saying about the need for open sourced standards? This is probably as good an example of a community supported effort as there is to date.… Read more

Networking predictions for the new year

As 2008 draws to a monotonous close, there is still a sliver of time left for me to make my 2009 networking predictions. Yes, money will be as tight as a Minnesota Senate race next year, but there certainly will be a number of bright spots. Here is my list of 10 technology areas to watch in 2009 (in no particular order):

Managed network services. Unlike other IT infrastructure areas (servers, storage, security equipment) large and small organizations have been buying network services for years (think Frame Relay, Centrex, etc.). This comfort level will persuade frugal chief information officers to … Read more

Cisco's $100,000 bounty: Get paid to love Linux, diss Microsoft

Most hardware and software vendors live in fear of Microsoft. Few dare to take the company head-on.

Cisco, however, has a different plan. As revealed by The VAR Guy, Cisco wants developers moving to its network-aware applications written for Cisco's AXP (Application Extension Platform) and Integrated Services Routers (ISRs), and away from Microsoft Windows. Instead of just wishful thinking, however, Cisco is putting real dollars behind its initiative to move developers to Linux: 100,000 of them.

So, you're a Linux geek and have always wondered why triathletes get $40,000 in prize money for winning the San … Read more

Microsoft plans unified communications update

Aiming to make further inroads into business telephony, Microsoft said on Tuesday that it is working on an update to its unified communications software.

Dubbed Office Communications Server 2007 R2, the release is currently in private testing and is slated to be released in February. The product, which will add group chat and screen-sharing technologies, comes roughly a year after Microsoft introduced the first version of its business telephony product.

Microsoft said that about half of Fortune 500 companies have at least one instance of Office Communications Server installed, but the company wouldn't give any sales estimates or say … Read more

Cisco ramps up collaboration software portfolio

As Wall Street struggles to redefine itself, Cisco is busy this week introducing its latest wave of collaboration products to compete with Microsoft, IBM and Oracle.

"It's a major launch for us, including a comprehensive update to our Unified Communications platform, a new collaboration client for WebEx and Telepresence Expert on Demand," said Rick McConnell, vice president and general manager of Cisco's Unified Communications division.

Cisco's Unified Communications release 7.0 adds support for Windows Mobile, in addition to Symbian and Blackberry. iPhone support is in the works, McConnell said, but Android support is not … Read more

Cisco buys into corporate IM

Cisco Systems is bolstering its unified communications and collaboration portfolio with the purchase of a corporate instant-messaging company.

On Friday, the networking giant announced it will purchase Jabber, which uses an open-source IM and presence protocol used by Google Talk and Gizmo. The company didn't disclose financial details.

In essence, Jabber's technology allows multiple IM platforms to "talk" to each other. This means that it allows people using tools such as Microsoft Office Communications Server, IBM Sametime, AOL AIM, and Google to send messages to each and get presence information about one another.

Jabber's technology … Read more

Cisco patches three critical flaws

On Wednesday, Cisco Systems issued three patches for critical vulnerabilities affecting Cisco Internetwork Operating System (IOS). The most serious of these affects the Cisco Voice Portal and the Secure Shell server (SSH) implementations.

Cisco says the first patch covers a vulnerability that exists in the Cisco Unified Customer Voice Portal (CVP) , which provides customer voice and video self-service integration. If the vulnerability is exploited, an authenticated user can create, modify, or delete a superuser account. In other words, successful exploitation may result in full control of the system.

The second patch covers the Secure Shell server (SSH) implementation in Cisco … Read more

Microsoft adds Aspect to telephony push

As part of its push into business telephony, Microsoft said Tuesday it is investing in Aspect Software, whose technology is used to run large call centers. Aspect, in turn, will make sure its software works with Microsoft's unified communications products.

"A key pillar of Microsoft's unified communications vision is improving access to the people and information you need to do your job better and more quickly, and with Aspect, we are making this vision a reality for contact centers," said Gurdeep Singh Pall, corporate vice president at Microsoft, in a statement.

Later this year, Aspect plans … Read more

IBM muscles into Microsoft unified communications turf

IBM said that it will invest more than a $1 billion over the next three years in the unified communications market, setting up another race between the computing giant and its rival Microsoft.

At a conference at it Somers, N.Y., headquarters on Monday, executives outlined the company's strategy to garner more revenue from communication and collaboration products, including its Sametime instant messaging and Lotus collaboration suite.

The $1 billion over the next three years represents "substantial growth" over current investment levels and represents the rapid growth of the market overall, said Bruce Morse, vice president of … Read more