Month in Review - November 2007

This is something I’ve seen from other bloggers that I decided early on I wanted to do. First, it offers a way to consolidate a group of thoughts in a digestible manner and second, it allows me to self-review myself on what I covered over the month, review feedback, plan ahead for next month, etc.

Overview and Goals for this blog - The launch/kick-off post that outlined what I plan to cover over the days ahead

Development of new Reference Models for Data Center Automation
Building out a reference model for data center monitoring/automation - Part 1 brainstorming notes as I begin to build out a reference model for Data Center Automation to help drive/organize the postings and coverage this site focuses on.
Reference model build out, take two - Part 2 brainstorming, reviewing land learning lessons from ITIL & FCAPS models.

Data Center Automation: Change Management
Managing server/application configuration management - quick take - Brief mention of server virtualization automation/management companies
Recent news in managing server virtualization - update on activities around the virtualization management vendors
Microsoft continues it’s drive into the data center - insights around the launch of their latest updates to Systems Center
Why note AlterPoint, NCCM continues to consolidate? - Quick soapbox on the Network Configuration & Change Management space sparked by the Voyence acquisition by EMC.

Data Center Automation: Security Management
Automating security, risk & compliance for your data center - Discussion around products that help automate making your data center more secure.

Data Center Automation: Resource Management
How to be a network admin god? - Network inventory, asset, resource, CMDB (pick your term) tool that I had the chance to review from the open source sector. Open-source has it’s place in Data Center Automation to.

Data Center Automation:  Process Management
IT Operations Process Automation - aka  “Run Book” continues to mature - review of players in this emerging automation area.

Data Center Automation: Performance Management
Activities in Application, System & Network Performance Monitoring - Talk about InfoVista and Solarwinds

Data Center Technologies: Virtualization
Virtualization in data center, drumbeat keeps getting louder - everyone is jumping on the bandwagon
New Data Center Survey Results - hard numbers about server virtualization growth plans.
So I need to get back on track and hopefully during December finish up the  reference model.  I’ve also noticed no coverage so for for availability management.  Need to take care of that to as I know I’ve seen things from IBM, CA, HP, BMC and others about their Manager of Managers (MOM) products.