Infrastructure Optimization

Not to brag, but we’ve been preaching this message since we were knee-high to a rack full of blades. It’s good though: the more this story gets out there, the more everyone who listens will win.

Tech-Ed Keynote Highlights ‘Dynamic IT’ and Virtualization

June 10, 2008 • by Kurt Mackie

Microsoft’s Tech-Ed North America event for IT professionals kicked off today with a keynote address on enabling “dynamic IT.” That idea was the main concept emphasized by keynote speaker Bob Muglia, senior vice president of Microsoft’s Server and Tools Business unit. The talk, given in Orlando, Fla., also consisted of a number of practical demos that displayed the latest Microsoft IT management solutions.

It turns out that the dynamic IT concept is a ten-year Microsoft plan, which is currently in its fifth year. The aim of dynamic IT, according to Muglia, is to reduce IT maintenance costs and “drive business advantage” via Microsoft technologies. Muglia pointed to Microsoft’s infrastructure optimization models as a first step for IT organizations to become “dynamic.”

Read More: Redmond | News: Tech-Ed Keynote Highlights ‘Dynamic IT’ and Virtualization

Windows Vista has been out for a while now and hardware and software vendors have had time to update their drivers, apps, interface, etc. to the new operating system.

Nevertheless (and this happens all the time) some specialized application vendors still will not support Vista and as a result, Windows XP and 2000 will remain in the environment “forever,” much like a Styrofoam cup in the forest.

Either way, 80 to 90 percent of all workstations can be migrated over to the new, more stable and secure windows Vista.

Oh wait! Windows 7 will be out soon, should we wait? The answer to that is “NO.”

It is time to build a infrastructure that is agile enough to shorten the lifecycle management of operating systems just like it was shortened for applications.

Major application releases happen sooner than 2 years, why shouldn’t OS’s do the same?

Those who develop an environment based on Virtualization and fast deployment of OS’s will rule the day.

Not a sermon just a thought.

Now on Microsoft Connect, the beta of the excellent new SCVMM 2008. The sign up for the beta is easy and installation is simple and fast on Server 2008 (which I am way digging these days). What’s the coolest thing about SCVMM 2008? Probably the ability to manage non-Microsoft hypervisors (e.g. ESX.)

Top 10 Features of SCVMM 2008

1. Designed for virtual machines running on Windows Server® 2008 and Microsoft Hyper-V™ Server
   Hyper-V is the next-generation hypervisor-based virtualization platform from Microsoft which is designed to offer high performance, enhanced security, high availability, scalability and many other improvements. VMM is designed to take full advantage of these foundational benefits through a powerful yet easy-to-use console which streamlines many of the tasks necessary to manage virtualized infrastructure. Even better, administrators can manage their traditional physical servers right alongside their virtual resources through one unified console.
2. Support for Microsoft Virtual Server and VMware ESX
   With this release, VMM now manages VMware ESX virtualized infrastructure in conjunction with the Virtual Center product. Now administrators running multiple virtualization platforms can rely on one tool to manage virtually everything. With its compatibility with VMware VI3 (through Virtual Center), VMM now supports features such as VMotion and can also provide VMM-specific features like Intelligent Placement to VMware servers.
3. Performance and Resource Optimization (PRO)
   Performance and Resource Optimization (PRO) enables the dynamic management of virtual resources though Management Packs that are PRO enabled. Utilizing the deep monitoring capabilities of System Center Operations Manager 2007, PRO enables administrators to establish remedial actions for VMM to execute if poor performance or pending hardware failures are identified in hardware, operating systems or applications. As an open and extensible platform, PRO encourages partners to design custom management packs that promote compatibility of their products and solutions with PRO’s powerful management capabilities.
4. Maximize datacenter resources through consolidation
   A typical physical server in the datacenter operates at only 5 to 15 percent CPU capacity. VMM can assess and then consolidate suitable server workloads onto virtual machine host infrastructure thus freeing up physical resources for repurposing or hardware retirement. Through physical server consolidation, continued datacenter growth is less constrained by space, electrical and cooling requirements.
5. Machine conversions are a snap!
   Converting a physical machine to a virtual one can be a daunting undertaking – slow, problematic and typically requiring you to halt the physical server. But thanks to the enhanced P2V conversion in VMM, P2V conversions will become routine. Similarly, VMM also provides a straightforward wizard that can convert VMware virtual machines to VHDs through an easy and speedy Virtual-to-Virtual (V2V) transfer process.
6. Quick provisioning of new machines
   In response for new server requests, a truly agile IT Department delivers new servers to its business clients anywhere in the network infrastructure with a very quick turnaround. VMM enables this agility by providing IT administrators with the ability to deploy virtual machines in a fraction of the time it would take to deploy a physical server. Through one console, VMM allows administrators to manage and monitor virtual machines and hosts to ensure they are meeting the needs of the corresponding business groups.
7. Intelligent Placement minimizes virtual machine guesswork in deployment
   VMM does extensive data analysis of a number of factors before recommending which physical server should host a given virtual workload. This is especially critical when administrators are determining how to place several virtual workloads on the same host machine. With access to historical data — provided by Operations Manager 2007 – the Intelligent Placement process is able to factor in past performance characteristics to ensure the best possible match between the virtual machine and its host hardware.
8. Delegated virtual machine management for Development and Test
   Virtual infrastructures are commonly used in Test and Development environments, where there is constant provisioning and tear down of virtual machines for testing purposes. This latest version of VMM features a thoroughly reworked and improved self-service web portal, through which administrators can delegate this provisioning role to authorized users while maintaining precise control over the management of virtual machines.
9. The library helps keep virtual machine components organized
   To keep a data center’s virtual house in order, VMM provides a centralized library to store various virtual machine “building blocks”– off-line machines and other virtualization components. With the library’s easy-to-use, structured format, IT administrators can quickly find and reuse specific components thus remaining highly productive and responsive to new server requests and modifications.
10. Windows PowerShell™ provides rich management and scripting environment
    The entire VMM application is built on the command line and scripting environment, Windows PowerShell. This version of VMM adds additional PowerShell commandlets and “view script” controls which allow administrators to exploit customizing or automating operations at an unprecedented level.

Not to be left out of the Open Source buying frenzy, Sun has recently acquired an OS virtualization product called “VirtualBox” that looks to be a boon for developers and for IT Administrators looking for standalone lab environments. Sun already had a server consolidation virtualization product (datacenter grade) in xVM Server, but didn’t have a standalone desktop virtualization application (like VirtualPC or Parallels.) Now they do.

VirtualBox  was an open source project, and Sun has committed to keeping it free, but as with all open source commercial acquisitions, this sort of move always raises mixed feelings: it’s nice to have some dollars behind continued development, but people love their free software.

via Infoworld 

If you haven’t already heard of it, you will: The Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack, or MDOP for short, is an add-on subscription for customers with Microsoft Software Assurance (SA) coverage for their Windows desktops.

The five core components of MDOP are SoftGrid Application Virtualization, System Center Desktop Error Monitoring, Asset Inventory Service, Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset, and Advanced Group Policy Management.

There’s a lot of great stuff in MDOP, but the application virtualization and error/diagnostics/recovery tools really caught my eye.

Application Virtualization with SoftGrid

Microsoft Application Virtualization (as you know from reading this blog, the word “SoftGrid” is disappearing, sadly!) transforms applications into virtualized network-available services that are not installed on user desktops or laptops, but are instead delivered as a service. This allows you to centralize your applications and the management of those applications. We’ve looked at (we think) all of the application virtualization products out there, and AppVirt gets it right.

As opposed to the ways of traditional Electronic Software Distribution (ESD), when users need new applications, you simply add those users to the list of users authorized for those applications, and voila, the application icon appears on their desktop. There is no installation, and no desktop visit required. None! This feature alone has sold more copies of MDOP than I can count.

This technology also makes having roaming users and disaster recovery easier with applications being centrally managed and delivered since the applications are tied to the user’s logon and not the machine.

Another really unique use is when new versions of an application need to be tested side-by-side with the previous version(s) of the application. Each version is isolated from the other in their own virtual “bubble,” so there’s no conflict and you can quickly see the results without the need to use different machines or load/unload different versions. I could have used this back in my application development days.

Decreased PC Sick Days with MDOP

We’ve all had the experience of encountering a PC that is either failing, generating an error (or the dreaded “unknown error” – my personal favorite!), or, if you’re having a really super day, won’t even boot.

System Center Desktop Error Monitoring (DEM) is one of the unsung heroes of MDOP. It provides an insight into application and operating systems issues.

You know the routine: many times if a PC “hangs” or at least stops responding, your users will merely turn the power off and re-boot the machine. Problem solved for today, but what about tomorrow? Will this error happen again? Will this error spread and begin to affect your other users? Will your users throw up their hands and say ”Nothing Changed! I Swear!” or “I don’t know why it’s hanging! But I just flip the power switch and it works again!”

Enter System Center Desktop Error Monitoring.

DEM provides an agentless way to track these events, identify their frequency, and provide crash details and automated responses to a centralized console that you control. This gives you a better clue as to what’s been going on and where to look in the PC, without relying on silent or unreliable user reports.

Having this head-start is so much better than just a short time ago (perhaps last week for some of you?) when you needed to look at everything on a sick PC just to try to figure out where to start diagnosing the real problem. Seriously: I’m sure you can imagine how the time savings from not having to do this is worth it. On top of this, DEM arms you with the tools to forecast problems down the road, and gives you the chance to take corrective steps before things get out of hand.

BUT: what if you’ve got a PC that is totally busted? DEM can tell you about it but it seems quite certain that once you know about it, you’ll be expected to do something about it. Well, MDOP’s got some IT Admin love for that too: a Swiss Army toolkit to allow you to resurrect dead PCs and pro-actively manage PC failures leading to better stability and reduced downtime.

The Diagnostic and Recovery Toolset (DaRT) can help you save time and reduce the challenges associated with troubleshooting and repairing system failures. The challenges include unusable PCs, issue diagnosis, and repairing unbootable or locked-out systems.

The toolset provides options for recovery, even when Windows Safe Mode or normal boot will not function. That’s a big benefit right there since you now have a better chance of not needing to reload or re-image the entire PC!

DaRT’s off-line boot environment helps you quickly restart computers, recover deleted files, remove malware whilst the computer is off-line and therefore protect the other computers on the network. Your desktop technicians will thank you if they have this tied to their utility belt.

Other coolness: DaRT’s ERD Commander boots PCs into a windows-like repair environment. Crash Analyzer determines the most likely cause of a crash. System Restore lets you safely remove changes that could be causing the system to malfunction. Taken together, this toolset allows you to work more quickly to minimize downtime due to lost productivity thus reducing associated support costs. Copy and paste that last sentence: your boss is going to love it.

Real quick: if you’re an SA customer with Microsoft, and are managing PCs, you are going to really want to get your hands on MDOP. It’s a great suite of products that we’re really excited about here on the team, as we’ve seen our customers’ real-world solutions reduce costs and downtime as well as increase productivity not only of information workers, but of over-taxed IT staff.

Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack

Best Practice Alert – did you folks in the app-virtusphere know that Office 2k7 was not initially designed for virtualization?

I’m a bit bemused by the SoftGrid Blog team using that phrase “not designed.” I just wonder, with my tin-hat on, waiting for the black helicopters – did MS do this with intention? Will Biff go into rehab?

From the SG Blog – (link) Microsoft Office Support of SoftGrid Outlined

“Keep in mind that Office 2007 was not designed for virtualization, so there are some features that will not work in a virtualized environment. Find out more about best practices and limitations at www.windowsvista.com/optimizeddesktop.”

With intention? I don’t think so - along the sequencing path there have been a few add-ons to achieve packaging nirvana as well as updates to the AppVirt client. For instance to the AppVirt sequencer base image - we’ve added Windows Installer, .Net and VC++ redistributables as needed. Hey, even the AppVirt sequencer needs a nip and a tuck every once in a while - don’t hate it becuase its beautiful!

Reading on -

“Depending on the usage scenario, we recommend that customers install Office 2007 on their client machines to ensure access to all of the product features, and use virtualization for older versions of Office in cases where they need to run multiple versions of office at the same time. “

Best Practice-

This last quote is the “one ring” to rule them all that falls into “best practice.” We have found in our AppVirt deployments that its beneficial for long term support – from within your own enterprise and from Microsoft to follow best practice and install Office locally and sequence other versions for AppVirt delivery. We learned this lesson back in the version 2.x days on a two thousand plus seat deployment. While Office sequenced and streamed it was trial and error to find all the touch-points where other applications needed Office connectivity. It became very clear we needed to install locally and sequence and stream older versions.

Biff did go into rehab - my helicoptor awaits.

While I’ve not finished parsing it, Tarry Singh’s article caught my eye. I don’t normally read all of the links that come in through the ITToolbox newsletter, but anything with “virtualization” in the title tends to give me pause.

Tarry’s article provides a (rather dense and obviously knowledgeable) collection of predictions for the future of virtualization in 2008. If nothing else, there are a bunch of great links to check out here, if you’re in the field.

Virtualization Predictions for 2008

Tarry - we’re watching too. Perhaps you’ll inspire us to make predictions of our own!

During a client-call yesterday, once again, we heard the “very many challenges” that data centers have with all of the issues that come with the incredible and never-ending demand for application services within enterprises.

A solution that’s well-tested and well-vetted for these ever-increasing demands for applications is the propping of virtual infrastrucutres. Nothing new here: just prop a virtual server or two, install the application, and voila - the enterprise is on its way, with no new hardware purchase.

But, taking this concept further - given this demand, and the repeatability of the process, how does this mode get streamlined? For a while we have known of a company that is offering the ability to create complete infrastructures in virtual design environment.

With their service, you draw in a Visio -like web-based program what infrastructure you want, how would you like to connect it, and such and then click on “build.”

In just a few minutes, all of your servers are created dynamically in the background. If you need more servers, you simply add to the visio-like diagram and they are added.

The company name is 3tera and can be found at: www.3tera.com

The demo of their control panel AppLogic can be found at: http://ns1.netclime.net/online-demo.html (also on their home page.)

The demo is particularly interesting (even for those of us that are not technical!)

And, in the interest of full-disclosure and above-board etceteras, the IO Team is not affiliated / associated with this company, but we know a good idea when we see one, and we believe this is the future of IT infrastructures.

With Google, Yahoo, Microsoft (and now Amazon.com) building monster (500,000+ servers) data centers, and touting grid-based computing to offer services, like those discussed above, you can see we are not too far from being there. Now imagine an organization built on a virtual infrastructure, with application virtualization all the way to the desktop. Now that’s powerful.

How does this affect the landscape of our future?

As more and more IT services get commoditized and virtualized, fewer technical folks will be needed on-site, and the need for good processes and people trained in technology will grow, resulting in business alignment along with managing demand. In our opinion, this the keystone for future IT departments.