In our last newsletter we discussed some of the logical issues, such as route flapping, that can complicate management in a traditional IT environment. In this newsletter we will describe how the adoption of server virtualization and cloud computing further complicates management processes.
One of the real advantages of implementing server virtualization, or a cloud computing solution that includes server virtualization, is that VMs can be transferred without service interruption from a given physical server to a different physical server. While this provides great value, it also creates challenges. The IT manager that we referenced in our last newsletter identified one of the management challenges associated with virtualization and cloud computing when he stated that one of the factors that keeps his organization from implementing the dynamic movement of VMs is the lack of a tool that tells them “Where is my application right now.”
To exemplify a related management challenge, assume that an IT organization has implemented a hybrid cloud computing solution. This solution calls the IT organization to host the application and database tiers in one of their data centers and that the relevant servers have been virtualized. The solution also calls for a cloud computing service provider to host the application’s web tier on the service provider’s virtualized servers. Further assume that all of the users access the application over the Internet and the connectivity between the web server layer and the application server layer is provided by an MPLS service.
Since the web, application and database tiers can be moved, either dynamically or manually, it is extremely difficult at any point in time for the IT operations organization to know the exact routing between the user and the web tier, between the Web tier and the application tier or between the application tier and the database tier. This difficulty is compounded by that fact that as was discussed in the last newsletter, not only does the location of the tiers of the application change, but the path that traffic takes to go from point A to point B also changes regularly.
In our next newsletter we will discuss a technology, route analytics, which mitigates those challenges.
