Implementing Private Cloud on "z"
"Cloud" is more than a buzword, it is a fundamental shift in the way IT does business. It impacts business in many different ways:
- Reduces cost of ownership with a better resource sharing architecture
- Higher utilization of resources with resource pooling between many users
- Removes legacy barriers by providing users access to resources directly without costly paperwork and time
- Changes the jobs of IT professionals from administration of resources to managing resources
Cloud requirements
A cloud architecture is normally defined to include the following:
- Virtualization of resource to allow sharing. Resources are shared as needed between multiple users
- User driven provisioning - self service. Users may provision their own services as needed without involving "IT"
- Chargeback model for resources consumed. Information Technology has a cost that users need to recognize. Management has a need to understand the cost structure to support IT. Chargeback is a critical component of a private cloud implementation.
- Service management to ensure the users are provided optimal service. In terms of resource availability, when the resources are needed, they are given and when there are abusive users, they receive restricted access.
- Decommissioning when the server is no longer required.
The Velocity Software Cloud on "z"
Velocity Software has been implementing Private Cloud architectures since before "cloud" was a buzzword. Many z/VM installations running Linux on "z" have implemented their own private clouds with predefined golden images that may be cloned on demand. Servers may be commissioned and decommissioned as needed.
PaaS - Platform as a Service is the first step, allowing users to create their servers as needed.
Velocity Software's zVPS provides full metrics for chargeback, meeting one of the most difficult requirements of a cloud implmentation.
The Velocity Software cloud architecture base product, zPRO, runs native to z/VM, using native interfaces. This allows for a much richer implementation than what competitors can offer using restrictive APIs.
Implementing a Velocity Software cloud LPAR is a very inexpensive process that can be fully operational in a day. Implementation only requires zPRO, and zVPS as the complete software solution. Velocity Software strives to provide simple, elegant and complete solutions.
Velocity Software Cloud Enablement
Velocity Software provides a range of services to support your private cloud implementation.
- Cloud planning, to assist you in planning the implementation.
- Cloud implementation services with onsite support to ensure your private cloud on "z" is fully operational as soon as possible.
- Cloud accounting implementation, assisting in building a chargeback model and implementation of chargeback.
- Cloud operational management, providing full support to ensure service levels are met and service issues are resolved quickly.
- Cloud capacity planning - as your cloud grows and more servers are created and utilized, capacity requirements must be managed and planned. With full resource utilization data collection performed by zVPS, Velocity Software will interpret the data and show where capacity needs to be increased.
Cloud Case Studies
Many installations are moving to cloud architecture to meet different requirements. The following lists some of the ongoing projects:
- "Bank" - The bank will save millions in software costs by migrating
from WebSphere to jBoss. With the choice of buying several blade
servers and licensing VMWare, for the development project,
the bank chose to use the extra cycles
on their z/196, configure an LPAR for cloud and let their developers
manage their own resources.
Using existing resources eliminated significant software and hardware costs, and reduced the development cycle of the project. - "Government" - An Oracle consolidation project was targeted for "x" based servers. Resources were available on their z10 to create an LPAR for developers to build their servers on "z", eliminating added hardware and software costs. The installation recognizes that Oracle runs well on "z" and has lower operational costs on "z".
- "Financial" - A smaller installation with VSE and Linux wants to "Remove Legacy Barriers" for the platform. Implementing a cloud architecture allows the users to administer their own resources without the need for daily involvement with "IT".
