Datacenter Solutions in the Clouds

  • Clearing the HPC Cloud Cache

    The web provides users in all fields the capability to interact with HPC cloud users, developers and vendors. As the area grows to encompass an increasing number of interested parties, the resources to discuss the topic will grow. Today we clear the cache from the past week or two of browsing and share some sites on the radar.

  • Is a Single Vendor Solution the Right Approach to Cloud?

    HP is adopting cloud technologies from the solution perspective that puts the work back on technology as a whole. I’ve long thought that application design makes virtualization and other technologies easier to manage, and that is not even taking into account availability requirements such as disaster recovery.

  • Are RTOs Forgotten With Data Protection in the Cloud?

    Regardless of how the cost argument is defended, one area that emerges in discussions about cloud-based data protection is the recovery time objective or RTO. The root of this discovery is that traditional storage options, even the venerable tape media category, have fast transfer rates. The hard question is do we put a price on an RTO?

  • Virtualization is Not Cloud...But Does Make It Shine

    Virtualization does not a cloud make, but it does certainly aid with the advancement and wider adoption of cloud computing across the business and research spectrum. Initially emerging as a business decision, virtualization has now developed a life of its own both within and independent of the cloud model.

  • In the Flesh? Reflections from the Flash Memory Summit

    SSDs are worth it if they are dedicated to data that's read frequently, such as information in a database or popular multimedia content. However, what's most popular can change over time, and not all the data in a particular LUN (logical unit number) may qualify.

  • X-Force Warns Earth’s Citizens of Imminent Threat

    IBM X-Force has united to deliver a stern message to cloud-using citizens that their workloads might not be safe given a swift uptick in threats from hypervisor attacks and inappropriate application-specific cloud security strategies.

  • The Cloud to 3PAR's Silver Lining

    At the heart of a highly publicized (which is only natural since the price point is in the billions) bidding war between HP and Dell is high-performance storage company, 3PAR. An announcement tonight revealed that HP's offer is being considered if Dell doesn't up the ante. After all, it's only a few billion more...

  • Managing Clinical Trials in the Cloud

    To support large scale clinical trials, life science CIOs must deal with the challenges of provisioning and supporting vital hardware and software infrastructure. While there are a number of applications for managing clinical trials many life science companies are looking to cloud based offerings to reduce complexity and cost.

  • Large Enterprises Giving IaaS a Second Glance

    According the survey results from the Yankee Group, a relatively large number (at least compared to what one might have imagined) are taking a fresh look at IaaS as a cloud strategy. While this could mean there is growing traction for infrastructure as a service, there is a big difference between responding to a survey and implementing solutions.

  • Flash Dancing: Live from the Flash Memory Summit in Santa Clara

    SSDs are finding acceptance, regardless of their packaging or host interfacing approach. A few key vertical markets or applications are experiencing not only the promise of IO performance improvement but they are also seeing tangible benefits in lowering the power envelop compared to HDD and consolidation of infrastructure