The future of the data center is “Software Defined” – Computer Week

The trend towards SDI is unmistakable. Under this slogan – or even under SDX – all technologies for a unified, software-based control of a virtualized data center are summarized. In addition to a virtualized server environment to include virtualized storage (SDS: Software Defined Storage), virtualized network components (SDN: Software Defined Network) and automation and control mechanisms. From all together gives the Software Defined Datacenter (SDDC)

However, as with all young technologies that are still in progress, the terminology means uniform. Thus, various providers of SDX technologies often use different terms that some degree of divergence and not make the user the orientation easier. The basic idea of ​​SDX or SDDC they share nevertheless. The question of whether this is merely a temporary hype or a promising technology, which analysts have answered clearly by Gartner: SDDC is on the way as it ripens and becomes an essential, perhaps indispensable component of the data center architecture

Before transition Understanding Risks

And also the providers – of the major manufacturers to specialists for individual segments – present increased concepts and products that will advance the SDDC in the company. However, Gartner’s experts who are fundamentally convinced of the software-defined concept advise to not hasty to go into the new technology.

“Those responsible for the IT infrastructure should first thoroughly deal with it and the risks to understand, “Dave Russell, vice president, Gartner says. Also because he as not yet very highly assess the maturity of the available solutions and cross-vendor standards were still missing, SDDC is currently interesting rather for companies who already have knowledge and experience with flexible IT infrastructure and organization.

This could change quickly, however, because the advantages of Software Defined Infrastructures for companies are obvious: In a SDDC all resources – servers, storage and network – virtualized and can be used “as-a-service”. Basically it comes to transfer the highly successful concept of server virtualization to all other hardware resources in the data center, and this tie up with

automation mechanisms and in a central management.

What’s New dimension of agility

This will create an infrastructure that brings together all resources via an abstraction layer and a new level of agility allowed. Companies create optimal conditions for digitization with future topics such as dynamic cloud services, Big Data, the Internet of Things and Business Analytics

In addition, the SDDC a host of other benefits:. Centralized administration of resources, less and better-utilized physical servers with the same performance. That means less data center footprint, lower energy consumption for operation and cooling, and lower administration costs. Whether and which cost savings are, of course, must be calculated in each individual case. Not infrequently investments are used in SDDC solutions to simultaneously increase the computing power, storage capacity and flexibility of the infrastructure. The difficult economic calculations in the Before / After comparison, especially as the increasing dynamics and agility not so simple can be detected as pure performance monetarily

The introduction should always be preceded by meticulous planning. “You can not just an appropriate Buy in to any supplier of the rod SDDC solution, “says Gartner expert Russel. First must be clear what exactly is to be achieved with the use of one over it. Then it was a matter of the various components – often from different manufacturers -. Merge to a meaningful solution and orchestrate

adjustments to specific APIs necessary

It should be quite caution to to avoid vendor lock-in. While open-source standards or a cloud management platform could help from one supplier to reduce the dependency, completely exclude it but not could be so. Because there are no universal standards for infrastructure APIs, already meant the adaptation to specific APIs a degree of dependence. That is why it is even more important, the pros and cons of migration – both for beginners as well as for a possible subsequent withdrawal – carefully calculate, even before the decision for a manufacturer or a technology is made. “You have to realize that one in introducing SDDC solutions in a way, the hardware dependency for a software dependency eintauscht” says Russell, “you should first know all the facts and make that decision then aware.”

One thing is certain: With its current data center infrastructure, companies are unable to cope with the future challenges of digitization. Market researcher Crisp Research interviewed for the study “Digital Business Readiness” German IT decision makers about their strategies. Although after a majority of the German companies surveyed feels (72 percent) well prepared for the Digital Transformation. The necessary renovations and extensions of the IT infrastructure, however befänden still almost everywhere at an early stage.

investments necessary to remain competitive

Most of the money (about two-thirds of IT spending) will still spent on it to manage your existing IT infrastructure. Only 33 percent of the IT budget of companies surveyed currently invested in the expansion of so-called “next-generation infrastructures”, ie flexible and agile IT environments. “In relation to the past few years is an increase of about ten percentage points. This is an indicator that many companies have recognized the need to invest more in their IT infrastructures to make them fit for the digital age”, says Rene Büst, an analyst at Crisp Research.

Here, hold more than two thirds (68 percent) of respondents the data center infrastructure for the main block, so the director and leading actor of the digital transformation. “As part of the Next-Generation Infrastructure investments are großteilig in the data center infrastructure – such as cloud, SDN, automation, modularization and standardization – flowing,” says analyst Büst

The augurs of Gartner expect. that the IT landscape will dramatically change the future: “The SDDC is crucial for the long-term development of the agile data center,” said Gartner Vice President Russell. For companies, it was also important not to miss the boat. They “should therefore deal thoroughly with the issue, follow current developments and initiate thoughtful first steps,” advises the SDDC expert.