So what is Virtualization Service Architecture? Well something that will be the norm tomorrow. But seriously it is the architecture that we will use in the coming years when talking about starting with our company, a high profile project (be it migration, outsourcing, moving applications) or even plain and simple administration (admit it, no matter what you say about cutting costs you will be needing someone to watch your systems). The idea will be to start running your services almost right away and they could be physically located really far far away! Meaning for instance you want to start with a Social Networking Company (you know stuff like making one simple virtual or web office suite on the web , there are enough companies who are into this game already like Zimbra , 37Signals etc , check out this ZDnet blog for more on that) and you just don't want to go through regular hassles like hiring a place, hiring people, buying hardware, list is endless. So how do you do it? Well...
!!This is how the future might look!!
Anyways you will need hardware, people etc etc. Wait but we're in a new web era right? Project Managers work with stuff like Groove Networks or any other Web Project Managements Tools, Virtual Engineers , Virtual Admistrators aren't needed, they're contracted by this amazingly fast growing dutch company run called "VirTarry Engineering" (ahem) and all the setup is taking place using a RUOD (Resource Utilization On Demand) project management model (again something which I will write about in the coming days) and the "VMware Virtual Server Suite 2008".
Team starts the work on a 24 hour non -stop basis. Project manager Argentina logs off, someone in China takes over, Engineers working in round robin fashion [ Teams all working with the fully optimized IM a Gaim like Instant messenger with inbuilt WebCam & Voice communication and also with VOIP phones from Linksys or other should they be sitting in the backyard in their gardens enjoying the sun (think personalization and creativity as well, no sir, it's not just those lovely ads anymore we want it as well) + VM Consoles+ tools (ssh,vnc,freenx etc) all of it provide by VMware in the VMware Virtual Suite 2008 ]. I can write a whole "Virtual Project for a typical Virtual Organization/Company" but maybe we'll try to do a typical virtual case in our upcoming articles.
So this is how things are going to go in the future.
I've spoken about the future of creating and running Virtual OS's on the Web and I really hope that VMware can cut lose from the rest (and EMC can sure take a real good look at it, I'm sure they did, that's why they bought it in the first place!) and get on to kick ass OS deployments on the Web. Get on to it with Google, use thousands of computer with Grid Computing (call it Utility Computing) and offer consumers loads of disk space for very cheap costs. Well I know it will be a major threat to a lot of ASP/ISPs but it's time that we moved on to using the Virtualization the way it was meant to be. Advantages?
- Free yourself from all the woes of managing your server farms!
- Free yourself from all other limitations (be it bureaucratic/cocky IT staff/HW/suppliers etc.)
- Get the freedom to do everything like you always wanted without hassles!
- As an ISP/Web Hoster you give power to the advanced customers (who isn't these days!) by letting them do stuff ALL THE WAY! (Starting from creating OS, backing up, doing all kinds of amazing creative things)
So as you see it's all about freedom! So how are you going to achieve it? Remember the slogan "The Network is the computer"? Well let me tell you (like I spoke in another blogpost and not to forget one of many wishlists!) the network may never become a "open source commodity" but the net certainly will be the only hang out in the future.
Anyways so blah blah blah, I can dream on again. But hey wait! This is already here! I mean the technology is provided by VMware all this time. Nobody has to take pains of reinventing the wheel again. OK we know MS has its own Virtual Server which will support Linux as well! So do they know what the final destination is? No way. Well great then, I know eventually it will all end up in chaos in the corporate world. We eventually will all stand out as professionals or just plain old people atop our towers doing great stuff. That meaning, that the power is going to get back to the users as it was meant to be!
Well finally we're all getting it! You want something, you make it yourself. Period! Self sufficiency! We are entering an age where all our activities we indulge in and end up paying so much is JUST A MEANS TO AN END! C'mon look at internet, why would I pay huge amounts per month just to hang out on the web? My hanging out on the web is the place where I want you to (if I like you) get interested in me. So spare me all the talk about all the time and money that we're going to spend because someone else needs to get richer.
Anyways I don't want to take you guys off tangents and get you right on the spot!
Situation: You're a ISP/Web Hoster and have millions of users and several hundred thousands users are advanced users who want to do all kinds of stuff like run a JSP ( I still have difficulty finding a proper web hoster who will host to my tastes!), ASP, PHP (Funny wikipedia had even a logo for PHP, imagine it's that popular!), building clusters (be it on Linux,Unix,Windows), doing (Virtual) Storage tests (I'm sure you've also heard of the APERI ), Building and Running Clustered databases . As you see the list is endless.
OK so I think we've spoken enough as far as my vision is concerned.
Solution: Virtualization software like VMware on your massive servers who are rusting and the hard disks (with unused terabytes) yawning (waiting to be taken for a ride)!
All you have to do is give your users some disk space , like packages which would look like this 50Gb/1CPU/2Gb Ram, 200Gb/2CPU/4Gb RAM, 400Gb/4CPU/8bG RAM, 1Tb/8CPU/16Gb RAM ,10Tb/16CPU/32Gb RAM, 50Tb/32CPU/64Gb RAM and going upwards. Well as you can see, you're looking at a massive wave of consolidation where even Small to Mid Range companies will be knocking at your doorstep. Hey I'm sure some biggies too might just get interested!
An Example: Well the following examples will show that an end user can get on doing his job as if he had the OS and whatever s/he wants to do with it, be it streaming video, organize web conferences, run gaming server or any other thing!
Step 1: You get a url from your ISP and you log on to the VMware Management Console
Login!
Create the OS of your choice today!
Call it freeBSD
Add some memory!
You're changing everything on the remote machine which could be anywhere in the world (if not in space(yet)).
Change to ISO which you upload to the ISP's site.
Add devices , everything via your browser, you aren't touching anything. Really! I mean Virtually!
Get and install the remote console!
Log on to the remote server!
And you're on! (as if you were doing it on your pc!!!)
Conclusion: Technologies like these have been around for quite some time. Companies are scrambling for breathing space ,trying to stay afloat, outsourcing stuff with the hope of saving some cash and god knows what not! And let me tell you the competition is only going to get HARDER AND HARDER! Virtualization is not just out there, it's out there for you to embrace it before it passes you by and you're left high and dry. There are different versions of visions and I personally see VMware, with it's real geek culture, from top down (or bottom up), staying up and keeping up it's reputation as a market leader.
My Verdict: The Web is here and virtualization is for keeps.
PS: See full print screens on my site here.
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