Evolving Solutions will be hosting a number of AIX classes in July.  Sign up to attend!

AIX Basic System Administration – Level 1
July 7 & 8, 2010
Cost: $1,000
This class is designed for administrators that are new to AIX and the IBM Hardware, or administrators that have had very brief exposure (migrating from architecture to AIX). Basic functions, such as operating system installation, update (patching), and backups are covered as well as an introduction to the HMC (Hardware Management Console) and LPAR’ed environments. Some troubleshooting basics are also covered (disk replacement, adapter hot-add, etc).

AIX Intermediate System Administration – Level 2
July 12 & 13, 2010
Cost: $1,000
This class is designed for administrators that have AIX experience, but have not virtualized their environment as of yet, as well as administrators that want a review of intermediate level functions. Implementing NIM (Network Install Manager) is a subset of this class. Discussion of Dual VIO is covered, as well as additional ways to make your systems more robust and resilient. Setting up initial performance monitoring is also covered.

AIX Advanced System Administration – Level 3
July 15 & 16, 2010
Cost: $1,000
This course is designed for seasoned AIX administrators. Experience is a must, because it is assumed that the student already knows basic tasks and concepts. This class requires advanced systems (P6, or P7) for the labs. Live partition mobility is covered in this class, as well as NPIV, Zoning Lun Allocations, etc. Available tools for AIX (IBM and Shareware) are covered in this class.

For more information or to register, please email Joanna Puklich at Joanna.p@evolvingsol.com

Evolving Solutions is happy to announce the launch of our new, value-added service – the Customer Asset Management Portal (CAMP).

CAMP is designed to to provide IT staff and asset management personnel with a single source database for managing multi-vendor technology assets.  Now our customers can access the IT information they need – when they need it.

Our mission is to make it easier for our customers to access and track IT assets under contract.  CAMP was created to significantly improve IT efficiencies.

Read the full press release

Earlier this year IBM released its latest version of Tivoli Storage Manager, TSM 6.   New to TSM is its DB2 database.  By incorporating the features and benefits of DB2, TSM 6 offers more scalability and performance along with the ability to manage more data.  Although this is a major upgrade to TSM, migration from version 5.x can be accomplished smoothly through a thorough pre-planning process. 

 Knowing how important data is to companies, our professional services group developed a migration assessment for TSM 6 to facilitate a smooth transition.  Our senior TSM Consultants and Account Executives meet with clients at their location to conduct the assessment.  This assessment provides insight into the current environment as well as evaluating the needs and challenges they may be facing in the future.  If the environment would benefit from the enhancements available with TSM 6, we develop a robust migration strategy, customized to meet their needs prior to beginning the migration to TSM 6.

With its scalability, additional reporting capabilities and de-duplication functionality, TSM 6 is a solution to consider when looking at managing backups and data more efficiently.

Details Virtualization Challenges

At Evolving Solutions, we build IT solutions for companies that improve data center and business efficiency.

Server virtualization, a solution reducing the number of physical servers in a data center by consolidating them into a virtual environment, helps achieve these objectives.  Utilizing fewer physical servers ensures data centers run more efficiently and more affordably, as costs needed to power and cool servers are reduced.

In several posts, particularly in our Data Center Leaders Interview Series, we expound on the benefits of server virtualization – and they are vast.  That being said, the implementation of any new solution will present its share of initial challenges. We would be remiss in only sharing the benefits of server virtualization while not alerting you to these challenges.

NetworkWorld recently detailed the challenges to be aware of with server virtualization in the excellent whitepaper, “Seven Key Challenges You Can’t Ignore,” available now for complimentary download.

Bottom-line, when companies implement a data center solution, they are looking for three things:

•    Performance
•    Affordability
•    Simplicity

In one way or another, everything can be said to relate to these three bullets.

So, bottom-line, does virtualization support these bullets?  If planned, implemented and deployed properly – yes.

Courtesy of NetworkWorld, here’s how:

•    Performance – when moving from physical to virtual software, application networking resources can be depleted at a faster rate, causing initial issues with server performance.  To improve performance, application networking resources can be offloaded onto a purpose-built appliance.
•    Affordability – From new software licenses to new hardware, initial costs of virtualization can threaten to overshadow its eventual cost-saving benefits.  Contain these costs by planning ahead, especially in regards to making the most of existing resources during deployment.  The smoother, more gradual the deployment, the more initial costs will be contained.
•    Simplicity – Anytime you introduce a new IT solution, there will be initial challenges felt as your team learns to manage the data center, new components and all, as a cohesive unit.  By managing virtual machines, your application network and storage network together, your organization can significantly reduce complexity – and simplify administration – by dynamically provisioning resources.

Each of the challenges and solutions above, plus more from the latest whitepaper by NetworkWorld, should be a part of the virtualization plan developed by your data center consultants.  Your consultants should also present these challenges and solutions in regards to how they specifically relate to your company.

If ever you’re unsure about something, the key is simply to ask, and armed with a copy of “Seven Key Challenges You Can’t Ignore” you will be more empowered to ask the right questions.

In the meantime, pose any of your additional questions about the benefits and challenges of server virtualization via a comment below.  We’ll ensure our data center consultants review and provide feedback to each.

Presents Virtualization Webinar

Several posts we’ve published, including those in our Data Center Leaders Interview Series, offer server and storage virtualization as one of today’s top data center cost avoidance strategies.

As an IT architect who has helped hundreds of clients launch server and storage virtualization initiatives, we are compelled to share the success possible with virtualization.  That being said, we are far from the only source touting its benefits.

Launched this month, and available through June 2010, is the complimentary webinar Unleashing Virtualization’s Full Energy Savings.  Sponsored by APC, the webinar is presented by Aaron Goldberg, VP, Market Experts Group, Ziff Davis Enterprise, and Victor Avelar, Strategic Research Analyst, APC. One of the primary takeaways for attendees who attend this webinar will be how to choose and implement a high-density data center strategy.

By definition, a high-density data center strategy is a plan empowering a data center to do more with less.  For example, more data capacity with fewer pieces of hardware.  Essentially, the purpose of using fewer piece of data center hardware is saving on data center power costs, particularly those stemming from heating and cooling.  Power and cooling costs are necessary expenditures for data centers that must regulate temperatures for multiple servers and increase with the more servers in use.

Server virtualization, which reduces the quantity of physical servers in a data center by consolidating them into a virtual environment, is a key tactic in any data center high-density or cost savings strategy.  Ultimately, this should secure interest in server virtualization for a high percentage of data center managers.

According to survey results published by The Data Centers Users Group and reported by SearchDataCenter.com, 47% of data center managers list energy efficiency as their second highest concern.

These survey results differ markedly from a survey conducted four years ago where energy efficiency was not even listed by data center managers as a top 3 concern.  This helps the energy efficient data center stand out as a symbol of an industry whose tide is quickly turning in much different direction than ever before. Of course, with any quickly turning tide, it’s vital that you truly understand it before you hop on for a ride.

We encourage readers of this blog to learn more about server and storage virtualization by registering for the webinar, Unleashing Virtualization’s Full Energy Savings, or by submitting any questions you have via a comment below.

Is Green IT The Answer?

Last month, we at Evolving Solutions celebrated Earth Day.

In the spirit of the day, I conducted an online search on Green IT to see how others in the industry are discussing green initiatives, and found the excellent post, “Saving Green by Being Virtually Green,” by Lilac Berniker.

“The focus of IT departments has shifted palpably in the last few months. Until last year, their focus was on becoming more environmentally conscious and making concerted efforts towards ‘greening the datacenters,’” begins Berniker.  ”Today, the entire focus is on cost savings, cost avoidance and cost deferment. Few organizations realize that virtualization can be a critical link to creating a utopian world where IT can lower costs while at the same time be more green.”

So, can data center cost saving strategies, like server and storage virtualization, transform our world into the utopia envisioned by major proponents of a green lifestyle?

The answer is a resounding ‘maybe.’

Despite its name, Green IT’s focus is almost entirely on cost-savings.  However, when someone offers Green IT as a solution, many see this as trusting a vital part of your business to a faddy, green movement.

A business’ fundamental purpose for existing is to be a profitable entity, and part of what’s keeping this entity alive is a robust, efficient IT infrastructure.  While many businesses have implemented green initiatives, these initiatives are secondary, and more philanthropic than fundamental.

The reason why few organizations realize that Green IT, or initiatives like server and storage virtualization, can be beneficial to the environment is because this is not their fundamental purpose for existing.

Hence the revised focus on selling Green IT as a cost saving initiative.

So, will Green IT save costs?

Absolutely.  The idea behind green IT is lower power costs, essentially.

Will Green IT be beneficial to business?

Yes.  Solutions like server and storage virtualization, while using less power, bring with them the added benefit of more efficient IT processes, leading to a more efficient business altogether.

Will Green IT make our world a better place to live?

Likely so.  In using fewer resources, it would not be out of line to suggest that we are collectively reducing our impact on the planet.

When someone mentions Green IT in your organization, realize that while its benefit towards the greater good for our planet remains to be proven beyond a doubt, its benefit to your business is not the least bit in question.

XIV Storage Systems is one of the newest offerings from IBM.  If you are interested in learning more about this exciting new technology, consider attending one of our upcoming lunch seminars.  On December 4th we will be holding a lunch meeting at the 317 on Rice Park in St. Paul.  Registration and lunch will be available starting at 11:30 am.  A presentation on XIV Storage will begin at noon.  Representatives from IBM will be on hand to discuss the features and benefits of this exciting new storage system.

Our second lunch meeting will be held on December 18th at the Medina Golf and Country Club in Medina.  Following this session, a tour of our BPIC will be available where you can view the XIV Storage System.  Come see first hand a demonstration of how XIV can improve the management of your data, provide business continuity through innovative grid-based redundancy and instant snapshot creation for faster data recovery as well as it’s self healing capabilities.

To register for one of the XIV Storage lunch meetings, visit www.evolvingsol.com/training.

Evolving Solutions held its 7th Annual Technology Update on August 4th. Our focus this year included a technical presentation on Live Partition Mobility, Virtual Desktop Infrastructure and an update on Server Virtualization.

One of our Senior Consultants, Ralph Johnson, presented on the features and benefits of utilizing Live Partition Mobility. Ralph has successfully completed installing and configuring systems in our Innovation Center to demonstrate Live Partition Mobility. If you would like to schedule a demo in our lab, please give us a call.

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure is causing quite a stir in the IT community. Through our partnership with VMware, we are able to offer our clients a look and a test drive on this exciting technology. With the focus today on cost saving, VDI is a technology worth looking in to.

Server Virtualization has been around for a few years and continues to be a “hot” topic for our clients and partners. The values of virtualization in your server and storage environment increases the ease of managing a data center and can give you back time in your day for strategic planning.