Author: Logicalis Staff

Risk Management in Cloud Computing

Posted by | May 27, 2011 | , , |

Reading Time: < 1 minuteIs there such a thing as too good to be true?  Cloud computing does come with risks that CIOs and CTOs need to recognize before making the jump to the cloud. Many IT leaders are already utilizing cloud options, but what do you think of these risk management tips: It’s crucial for an IT leader considering the cloud to have a strategy for mitigating risk. To prevent risk, the strategy must come first. Ask and understand the data management and hiring practices of the cloud provider you choose. It’s important to know how your provider plans to recover your data in a disaster scenario and how long it will take. What do you think, is this good (Ripe) advice or is it Hype? [poll...

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The VDI Bandwagon

Posted by | May 26, 2011 | , , , |

Reading Time: < 1 minuteIt seems like everyone is on the VDI bandwagon lately.  However, here are a few reasons why some businesses may be hesitating. The nature of desktops has changed, and some IT leaders are at a stand-still, deciding what to do. VDI requires the desktop, storage, network, virtualization and data center guys to work together. VDI is costly, complicated and not effective. IT leaders haven’t been convinced of VDI’s success. What do you think – are these good reasons (Ripe) to hesitate on implementing VDI or are they just Hype? [poll...

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Data Center Hardware You Should Keep

Posted by | May 24, 2011 | , , |

Reading Time: < 1 minuteAs businesses make the move to cloud computing models in their data centers, it becomes difficult to determine what to keep and what to let go, especially in terms of physical infrastructure. Plenty of CIOs and IT leaders are making the decision to take out some on-site solutions and go with an as-a-service solution, either hosted or managed services.  It seems a lot of executives have found the cost of maintaining and managing old infrastructure (plus the human resources that go along with it) is actually more expensive in the long run. So, is it Hype or Ripe? Is it more cost effective to get rid of your data center hardware – just pull it all out and move to a more cost-effective deployment model? [poll...

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GUEST POST: Operations in the Hot Seat?

Posted by | May 24, 2011 | , , , , |

Reading Time: < 1 minuteGuest post by Kevin Gruneisen, VP of Data Center Solutions Can the oil and vinegar in the data center ever come together? Oh, I’m not talking about the networking and storage guys. I’m talking about operations and IT. Never before did I worry about operations as much as I do now. In the past, operations was just there to make sure the power was ready for the servers I was selling. Now, with virtualization, server and desktop, and the thought of implementing a private cloud (what’s that?), operations is in the hot seat, or should I say the hot aisle/cold aisle seat. You see, running virtualization means increasing server workloads while decreasing physical servers. But, start tweaking it and letting workloads move around the data center and all the sudden a cold spot could become a hot spot. Putting in vitalization at the desktop level? You are adding servers again, not subtracting; get ready for more power and cooling requirements. So, are you seeing the big picture, too? What do you think – is operations in the hot seat for you (Ripe), or is this just Hype? [poll...

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Is the Cloud Green?

Posted by | May 19, 2011 | , |

Reading Time: < 1 minuteCloud computing leads to more efficiently run computers, so it must be green, right? But, how many companies are promoting their energy utilization information?  It seems most organizations are dragging their feet when it comes to publishing energy consumption details.  This leads some to believe the cloud is in fact highly inefficient and not at all green.   Other research suggests the cloud will continue to become greener.  Data centers today account from about 2% of all energy consumption, and that percentage is growing.  According to Pike Research, because of the migration to large aggregated cloud data centers, it is estimated that by 2020, data center energy consumption will drop by 31% from the energy consumption levels of 2010, resulting in a savings of $16 billion in energy costs.  This report also forecasts greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from data centers should drop by 28% over the next 10 years.   What do you think, is the cloud actually green, or is this just Hype? [poll...

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The future of data centers?

Posted by | May 18, 2011 | , |

Reading Time: < 1 minuteThere are various thoughts on the future of the data center, especially as enhanced flexibility and reduced costs make data centers more seamless.  What do you think about the following theories for the future of data centers – are these Hype or Ripe? Data centers will have the ability for customers to scale their IT environments from managing hundreds of virtual machines to tens of thousands of virtual machines that are distributed and mobilized across their entire enterprise and throughout the cloud. Utility computing will change enterprise IT. Energy efficiency will become increasingly important for the bottom line. [poll...

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Are these four “easy” budget cuts for IT managers?

Posted by | May 16, 2011 | , |

Reading Time: < 1 minuteA recent CIOUpdate.com article says IT managers can make budget cuts with these four tips. Ask yourself the following questions, and see where you can save money.    1. Does the company hold excess or unused software licenses for which maintenance is being paid that could be eliminated? 2. Can fees for services be reduced in exchange for a reduction in service levels from “optimal” to “adequate?” 3. Will vendors discount fees for their current (non-value creating) services now to ensure a chance at renewal when contracts expire in the future? 4. Will vendors convert fixed-cost IT service contracts to variable-cost IT service contracts in exchange for an extension of the contract expiration date?   What do you think, are these budget cut tips Hype or Ripe? [poll...

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Managed Service Providers Missing an Opportunity with SLAs?

Posted by | May 13, 2011 | , |

Reading Time: < 1 minuteMany managed service providers (MSP) think service level agreements (SLA) add an unwelcome sense of negativity to a business built on trust and reliability. We’ve heard a lot of MSPs say the unfavorable history of SLAs can make hesitant customers feel like the agreements are a just a barrier to shelter the service provider, rather than protect the user. As a result, plenty of MSPs try to avoid SLAs completely, or, if they are required to include them, use agreements that are vague and indefinite. These organizations miss out on the power of a strategic SLA to help positively manage expectations from both parties in an MSP relationship. What do you think – are MSPs who avoid SLAs missing an opportunity to utilize a tool for communication between customer and service provider, or is this just Hype? [poll...

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Data Centers and Cloud Computing: Different This Time?

Posted by | May 11, 2011 | |

Reading Time: < 1 minuteThe cloud debate isn’t over – so, how is the cloud different this time? Some are saying the cloud is different now: The technology for the cloud is mature enough now in terms of usability, price and flexibility. It’s becoming clear the IT industry is not as efficient as it could be. Many IT leaders are seeking changes, like utilizing the cloud to outsource, and making their role less operational, to put them back in a strategic business partner role. So, do these reasons make the cloud different this time, or is this Hype? [poll...

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