PlateSpin

Dec 7 2007   6:52PM GMT

Data Center Virtualization Automation/Management is becoming very, very congested

Posted by: Ryan Shopp
DataCenter, BladeLogic, Cassatt, HP Software, IBM Tivoli, InfoVista, Symantec, BMC, Microsoft Windows, Virtualization, Netuitive, PlateSpin, Quest Software, Stratavia, Veeam, Vizioncore

I just saw this snippet from the 451 consulting group and WOW!  In December 2006 they were covering 6 players in the Virtualization Management arena, now their are over 60!

I have some reading to do it seems.  I don’t have the $$$ to pay for the 170 page report but will take the time to go review the website and read articles about many of these vendors then report back what I learn here on this blog.  Reading through the below list I recognize a number of them…but some are names i’ve never even heard of to this point.  My quick notes are mentioned next to the company name…kind of like the word association game “what is the first thing you think of when I say…”

The companies listed by the report that have a virtualization management play include;

3Leaf Systems - who?
Acronis - who?
Akorri - who?
Availigent - who?
Avocent - the ones who acquired LANdesk
BladeLogic - major player in DCA systems/application automation
Blue Lane Technologies - virtual patching appliance
BMC Software - one of the big 4 has something, not sure how deep or what
CA - one of the big 4 has something, not sure how deep or what
Cassatt - virtualization pure play with “green” positioning
Catbird - who?
CiRBA - monitoring product to help with cserver onsolidation efforts
Cisco Systems - big guy with their ambitious Data Center 3.0 initiative
Citrix Systems - acquired XenSource post VMware IPO
CohesiveFT - who?
CollabNet - who?
Configuresoft - big but still growing systems & security mgmt player
Desktone - who?
DeviceVM - who?
Egenera - who?
eG Innovations - who?
Embotics - who?
Enigmatec - who?
Enomaly - who?
FastScale - who?
Hewlett-Packard - major player/move with Opsware acquisition
Hyperic - who?
IBM - one of the big 4 has something, not sure how deep or what
illumita - who?
InfoVista - not sure what they have in virtualization, maybe a performance monitoring for some virtual servers?
InovaWave - who?
Leostream - who?
Marathon Technologies - who?
Mendocino Software - who?
Microsoft - guerilla, who will have an impact in this space!
Netuitive - automated performance threshold monitoring, i assume they must do this for virtual servers to be included here.
Network Appliance - not sure
Nimsoft - application monitoring, been on my todo list to read more on them.
Novell - big guy, has some play here - not sure what
Onaro - who?
Pano Logic - who?
PlateSpin - known virtualization automation player i’ve talked about previously
Platform Computing - who?
Quest Software - database, application monitoring
Qumranet - who?
Red Hat - linux
Reflex Security - who?
RingCube - who?
Scalent Systems - known virtualization player with recent major OEM announcements
ScienceLogic - who?
SteelEye Technology - who?
Stratavia - Run Book Automation
Surgient - austin company, not sure what they have these days…need to look
SWsoft and Parallels - Macintosh ability to run Windows
Sychron - who?
Sun Microsystems - solaris and grid computing initiatives
Symantec - security and storage with some systems products they’ve acquired
ToutVirtual - who?
Univa UD - who?
Veeam Software - known virtualization player i’ve previously talked about
Virtual Iron - heard of them…haven’t looked at them yet though
Virtugo Software - who?
Vizioncore - known virtualization player i’ve previously talked about
VMLogix - heard of them…haven’t look at them yet though
VMware - if you don’t know this name you must dead, or atleast not into technology or the stock market
XDS - who?
Xsigo - who?

Bottom line, I have a ton of reading to do!!!  I’ll start with the smaller guys and work my way up.  If you have any perspectives or insights please don’t hesitate to leave them in the comments section.

Dec 4 2007   10:04PM GMT

What are the Six Functional Areas of Data Center Automation

Posted by: Ryan Shopp
DataCenter, Alterpoint, BladeLogic, Cassatt, Integrien, IT Process Automation, HP Software, IBM Tivoli, InfoVista, BMC, Microsoft Windows, NetIQ, Netuitive, Opalis, Optinuity, PlateSpin, RealOps, Scalent, Stratavia, Veeam, Vizioncore

Alright, here is my first pass at a graphic I’m attempting to build that will capture the spirit of my previous posts (this is a work still in progress as previously mentioned);

• Building out a reference model for data center monitoring/automation
• Reference model build out, take two

I’m attempting to come up with a 30,000 foot reference model (functionality focused) for when you’re building out a data center’s software automation architecture.

The yellow areas are the 6 current areas I’ve functionally identified. The tricky part is based on the complexities of each category in the Data Center Infrastructure (e.g., Network vs. System), many of the functional areas require technical depth and audience-specific focus (e.g., network engineers vs. SAP administrators). The arrows are trying to capture that.

I know this still needs work but this is an evolution, and I only have a little time each week to currently work on it during these blog posts.

Below the graphic are some current vendors by function that have product(s) in each function that I’ve mentioned during previous blog posting so far.

• Configuration & Change: BMC (Marimba), CA, EMC (Voyence), HP (Opsware), IBM, BladeLogic, Cassatt, AlterPoint, Platespin, Scalent, Veeam, Vizioncore
• Security & Protection: Symantec, IBM, EMC, McAfee, nCircle, Lumension, ArcSight
• Performance & Capacity: BMC, CA, EMC, HP, IBM, Quest, InfoVista
• Availability & Notification: BMC, CA, EMC, HP, IBM, Microsoft, Quest, Integrien, Netuitive, NetIQ
• Process Orchestration: BMC (RealOps), HP (iConclude), Opalis, Optinuity, NetIQ, Stratavia
• Resource Reconciliation: Symantec, IBM, HP, BMC, EMC

I know I’ve missed many and also it would probably be helpful to not simply mention the company but also the product name but that will have to wait until another time.

Nov 29 2007   5:16AM GMT

Recent news in managing server virtualization

Posted by: Ryan Shopp
Vizioncore, Veeam, PlateSpin, Scalent, Cassatt, DataCenter, Virtualization

I still haven’t forgot my previous promise to talk further about system virtualization automation. I’m still researching and formulating my perspectives on the space. Meanwhile, here is some recent news and traction from the vendors.

Cassatt - launched a new version and updating positioning around their product offerings. Taking more a “green” slant to their positioning, they still automate in the data center key tasks on systems.

Scalent Systems - have stuck OEM relationships with EMC, HP and Unisys which shows very encourage momenteum for the space!

others have been quiet since their announcement at VMWorld back in September.

PlateSpin - September product launch.

Veeam - September product launch.

Vizioncore - September product launch.