Posted on October 25th, 2011
by Bill Kleyman |
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Managing a data center’s hardware lifecycle is an ongoing process in constant need of updating. Since the economic downturn, IT administrators have seen their budgets become much leaner, forcing IT to get more value from hardware investments. This usually means extending the technology refresh cycle and getting more service life from servers.
A typical server service life is about three to five years, but that number can now be as long as eight years. Some data centers are so strapped for cash that servers must run even longer than that. Machines wear down, break and often require increased maintenance as they get older. But this boosts data center costs. So the question becomes, how can data center engineers extend the life of their machines while keeping everything cost effective?
**Read more by clicking on the TechTarget link below!**
Bill Kleyman
Virtualization Solutions Architect
MTM Technologies
Posted on September 8th, 2011
by Bill Kleyman |
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It seems like server technology is changing faster than we’re able to keep track. Before you know it, IT pros are behind the eight ball, scrambling to understand and deploy important new technologies that they’ve overlooked. Sometimes, you just want to know how your data center stacks up against the industry overall.
Earlier this year, SearchDataCenter.com released its Data Center Decisions survey, designed to collect information about hardware and operating systems, virtualization and the cloud, facilities, and data center management. We’ve compiled the data, observed the trends and released the results in our State of the Data Center: 2011 special report.
In this podcast, Stephen Bigelow, senior technology editor with SearchDataCenter.com, sits down with Bill Kleyman, virtualization architect with MTM Technologies Inc., to talk about some of the results and what they mean for IT professionals.
Posted on September 29th, 2010
by rbrumpton |
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There’s a lot of talk about how your company can benefit from storage virtualization. There are operational improvement opportunities, expense reductions and ways to mitigate IT risk. And, we all know intuitively that this can make life a lot better in the datacenter … but to what extent? Getting an IT investment approved is always a numbers game, and you’ll need some clear facts to help you win over your CFO.
So, to help you explain the potential impact of storage virtualization on your organization numerically, here are a few stats to keep in your back pocket:
Posted on September 22nd, 2010
by rbrumpton |
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Heterogeneous infrastructures are inherently costly and difficult to manage. The need to integrate different systems, maintain a wide spectrum of skill sets and engage multiple teams to diagnose and resolve problems requires a considerable investment in management and coordination. Simply marshaling the necessary resources can cut the time allowed for repair under your SLAs.
1. Internal consistency: Enhance IT operational efficiency throughout your datacenter with a unified solution that facilitates system integration and management, allowing you to alleviate IT team workloads and reallocate team members to higher-impact initiatives.
Posted on September 20th, 2010
by Chris Chrobocinski |
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When you adopt a managed infrastructure, you want to know that your systems will be available even if the worst of catastrophes strikes. There is no substitute for system access, and lost time translates to lost money. So, you need to be completely satisfied that your managed services provider has the capabilities in place to meet your specific requirements. Ask questions – a lot of them. Make sure your company is comfortable with what is provided.
Posted on September 6th, 2010
by rbrumpton |
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The Citrix line of FIPS-compliant NetScaler appliances, which can be upgraded via the company’s “Pay as you Grow” plan may have more features than you realize. Think beyond the hardware, though. The software can help an IT administrator gain an edge by using NetSclaer MPX FIPS equipment. According to Citrix, here are seven key features that can help you.
Posted on August 30th, 2010
by rbrumpton |
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How can virtualizing your server infrastructure help your business development team? Sure, there are clear business benefits to server virtualization, but to draw a straight line to sales and client activity may not seem possible. Step back for a moment and consider how your clients interact with your business, though, and it doesn’t take long to understand how your servers can make a profound difference in your top line.
In just about every business, it’s your existing clients that have the greatest potential for new revenue. New client acquisition is extremely valuable, but it’s also hard-won and far more expensive than engaging your existing client base for new business opportunities. So, if you can deliver a superior experience to your clients, especially if they interact directly or indirectly (e.g., through a call center) with your systems, the IT department has a profound opportunity to influence overall business performance.
Posted on August 25th, 2010
by admin |
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The lure of cloud computing is multidimensional. Doubtless, it provides a high degree of datacenter agility and helps you extend the value of investments you’ve made in your infrastructure. The cost savings and flexibility, however, can be crucial to startups, where the importance of every dollar is magnified. Traditional cloud computing models may not be sufficient for some startups, though, especially if they are in sensitive or highly regulated industries. In these situations, a hybrid cloud computing model may be most appropriate.
Posted on August 11th, 2010
by admin |
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Few storage solutions have benefits as easy to quantify as data deduplication. Further, few are able to deliver such impressive returns, making the business case powerful and somewhat easier for the executive suite to approve.
The premise behind data deduplication is pretty straightforward. You have more data taking up space in your infrastructure than you need to store. Duplicates are all over the place. Find and remove the dupes, and you can defer additional equipment expenses and derive more value from your previous technology investments.
Posted on August 4th, 2010
by admin |
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A lot of letters are getting thrown about, as they always do in the IT business, but there are really only three that matter to you: ROI. Unless you can get a return on your IT investment, there isn’t much point to implementing a solution. Well, to get to ROI, a good place to start is with three other letters: UCS. The Cisco Unified Computing System streamlines your datacenter, making it easier for your organization to gain more value from existing staff and equipment.
Cisco UCS makes your infrastructure easier to manage and your team more efficient. Rather than pull together and integrate a variety of “best of breed” solutions – a process that entails a considerable amount of project and operational risk – UCS brings computing, networking, storage access and virtualization into a cohesive system. As a result, you can scale your infrastructure easily without having to add complexity at the same time.
Rich Brumpton is an High impact Systems Consultant and Trainer well versed in Citrix, Microsoft, EMC, Cisco, VMware, and other technologies. Interested in helping the customer create the best solutions or their business needs at the lowest TCO. Emphasis on cutting edge solutions based on current and emerging products in areas such as Application Delivery, Information Lifecycle Management, Virtual Desktop Infrastructure, and Virtualization. Enjoys assembling and presenting information to small, medium, and large groups related to highly technical subjects in a easy to understand format. He has presented to CIO's, helpdesk operators, application developers and many other audiences. Recently presented in a series of Windows IT Pro Magazine - Windows Server 2008 roadshows.
Chris Chrobocinski has over 20 Years in the IT service management field. Chris has been with MTM Technologies since 1994, and has held several service leadership positions during his 15 years with the company.
Today Chris is the VP of Managed Services. In his current role he has responsibility for sales, operation and delivery of the managed service portfolio. To contact Chris, email: chrisc@mtm.com or call: 203-321-1700.
Bill Kleyman, MBA, MISM, is an avid technologist with experience in network infrastructure management. His engineering work includes large virtualization deployments as well as business network design and implementation. Currently, he is a Virtualization Solutions Architect working out of the MTM Chicago office.
