“Virtualization Management and Trends” a CA Study by Forrester Consulting

I read “Virtualization Management and Trends” a CA commissioned study by Forrester Consulting. The study was to evaluate the impact, challenges, and requirements around the operational aspects of virtualization. The report had seven key findings:

1. Capacity management is top operational concern
2. Moving to internal cloud requires process and automation
3. Comprehensive domain coverage is critical
4. Need a top-down application approach
5. Cloud based offerings are in demand
6. Operational control moving to day to day administrator
7. Virtualization is very positive to operation

The study confirms the explosive growth of virtualization and the overall shift to management automation. The essence being, that as a businesses moves to a virtual environment it is extremely important to have well planned and managed infrastructure. This is clearly cutting CAs own grass as a supplier of virtualization automation tools but this is in line with industry best practices. Management software and tools have often been shelfware in the past. Virtualization is driving the adoption and implementation of management tools and is forcing a more efficient managed infrastrtucture.

“Virtualization Management and Trends” a CA commissioned study by Forrester Consulting:
http://www.ca.com/us/analysts/reports/collateral.aspx?CID=227749

Virtualization and Security

Virtualization continues to grow at a rapid rate as a result of the compelling ROI. Although the average consolidation rate is less than 10:1 the latest hardware and virtualization software enables companies to implement upwards of 20:1 and 30:1 consolidation. The challenge is getting the expertise to implement, secure and manage the virtualized infrastructure.

Most IT leaders recognize the challenge to grow virtualization skills. We are investing heavily in developing deep technical skills around virtualization. Gartner in their recent report is estimating that 60% of servers are less secure in a virtualized environment versus physical enviornment. This will continue through 2012 and slowly decrease to 30% by 2015. The reason they contribute less security in virtual environment is the lack of IT expertise around virtualization.

"Virtualization is not inherently insecure," says Gartner vice president Neil MacDonald. "However, most virtualized workloads are being deployed insecurely. The latter is a result of the immaturity of tools and processes and the limited training of staff, resellers and consultants."

We will continue to invest in growing and recruiting the best virtualization experts to meet the challenge head on. We are committed to implementing secure virtualized infrastructures. We are developing air lift programs to help our clients in later stages of their virtualization implementations to take their skills to the next level. The case for virtualization is extremely compelling and growing fast so it will demand diligence and commitment from internal IT and consultants.

Gartner Report "Addressing the Most Common Security Risks in Data Center Virtualization Projects":
http://www.gartner.com/DisplayDocument?ref=clientFriendlyUrl&id=1288115

Leadership and Management Lessons from "Undercover Boss"

I read this article by Meridith Levinson in CIO Magazine about the new CBS TV Show “Undercover Boss”. The show takes CEOs of very large companies and has them go in the field and work as a helper with the front line workers. There is something intrinsically funny about the CEO of a very large waste management company getting in the field cleaning bathrooms! The article has some youtube videos of segments from a couple of episodes of the show and they are great. I think the show is interesting and reveals great insight into how some policies cause pain. It also demonstrates how taking genuine interest and appreciation of employees goes a long way.

Link to the article:

http://www.cio.com/article/565064/Leadership_and_Management_Lessons_from_Undercover_Boss_

2010 Prediction

I sense an increase in business activity. Personally, I have noticed higher levels of activity at Nortec as well as in office real estate that I own. The stock market continues to show recovery. Everything I read is pointing to 2010 being a growth year. The growth is predicted to be increasing from one quarter to the next starting slowly – at least that is the prediction in information technology industry. The only area that I think has not turned the corner is residential real estate.

Overall attitude of most people should improve. Recruiting and retaining top professionals will get harder – not that that ever seemed to get easier. Overall businesses and individuals will do well.

This is long needed positive news. Although the wave is not entirely upon us, I can hear the rumble and see some foam in front of it.