Flex pod spring2013-slideshare

Editor's Notes

• #3: FlexPod is the most efficient way to make a successful journey to your next-generation data center.FlexPod accelerates the transformation from infrastructure silos to a virtualized, shared environment with pre-validated, standardized, scalable building blocks that leverage a next-generation data center solution from Cisco, NetApp, and leading OS and hypervisor partners.Unlike other solutions, FlexPod is a flexible platform—designed to fit many environments and handle mixed workloads. It can be easily tuned and optimized for your specific requirements. They are backed by easy-to-use tools that facilitate your design and sizing process—so you can add applications, and scale up and out as necessary.The solutions are integrated—so you can count on centralized and simplified management.And the solutions are pre-validated—so they facilitate rapid, repeatable deploymentBenefitsFlexibility: Future-proof platform to meet today’s challenges and scale for future needsBuilt-in data center efficiencies: lower TCO with simplified deployments, rapid provisioning of resources Reduce risk with prevalidated architecture with prescriptive sizing and design guides
• #4: MIKE: IT teams are evolving how they deploy and buy infrastructure, and are shifting to Converged Infrastructure or “CI”. One analyst said, “In a few years, we’ll move away from people buying [infrastructure] piece parts.”MIKE: Market adoption of CI is 4% of total IT spend, growing to 13% in 3 years. IT is adopting CI to accelerate the Traditional approach of months of planning, procuring, deploying and testing of equipment. Other big drivers include lowering cost, simplifying IT and reducing risk.MIKE: The FlexPod CI solution is the ‘Fast Forward button’ for IT Infrastructure.MIKE: Going forward, FlexPod is growing the portfolio of business applications that sit on top. We have 35 ref-archs in the hopper now. And are rolling out 8 in this current launch.MIKE: Of these 8 being announced, 4 of them are for Oracle! MIKE: So lets look at the Oracle news in detail….
• #5: Key point: FlexPod architecture scales fto support most enterprise environmentsFlexPod is a standard architecture that can be sized for small enterprises or very larger enterprises. The architecture is consistent from small to large with the same capabilities, technology and management tools. A company can scale a small environment to a very large environment without ever forklifting technology, changing management tools or methodologies. Transition One challenge with a unified architecture is that most applications have unique requirements….
• #6: Validated bare-metal OS: Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Hyper-V, RedHat Enterprise Linux, and VMware vSphereOptional security capabilities: secure separation and secure multi-tenancyValidated applications: MS Enterprise Applications, Citrix XenDesktop, VMware View, SAP, Oracle, and many moreNew FlexPod Application Validation: Cisco and NetApp are expanding solution coverage to add more mission-critical applications and private cloud solutions for the datacenter. Mission critical solutions include Oracle Database and applications, SAP BI and SAP HANA solutions and private cloud offerings include Microsoft Private Cloud and Citrix CloudPlatform. Over 30 Validated Architectures delivered to date. A half-dozen or more planned per quarter through 2014.
• #7: Key points; Flexible Pod design simplifies deploymentTo accelerate deployment of the FlexPod architecture, NetApp and Cisco have created a pod architecture. This pod architecture allows pre-built and pretested pods to arrive on the data center floor for quick implementation. To facilitate the wide variety of customer requirements we’ve made the pod sizes flexible. They can be sized to meet the specific workload in the customer environment. Advanced sizing tools characterize the application and data center requirements. The Pod elements can then be uniquely configured to meet those requirements. A VDI requirement can be configured that delivers high memory and high disk IOPs. A development and test environment can be configured with extensive compute but limited storage. TransitionThese pods are helpful reducing multiple aspects of the implementation process…The FlexPod unit is not a fixed configuration. It provides an excellent starting point as shared infrastructure for organizations that want to run mixed workloads. The starting point is the MS Productivity Applications, but the FlexPod architecture allows different resources to be scaled while maintaining the same design and implementations.The initial sizing guide covers the MS Applications (VDI Windows 7, MS Exchange 2010, SharePoint 2010, MS SQL Server 2008) and over time will cover many different applications.The total number of users or virtual desktops • The fraction of those users accessing the system, both on average and at peak usage • The nature of the user workloads (for example, a task worker profile versus a knowledge worker profile) • The nature of user data (working set size, random versus sequential, and so on) • The virtualized desktop OS in use (Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, and so on) • Duration of login period Organizations view desktop virtualization as a way to better control costs and use limited resources to flexibly manage large-scale desktop infrastructures while increasing security and deployment efficiency. Desktop virtualization software allows customers to deploy and manage desktop environments and applications centrally. The capability to provide user access to a virtual desktop over standard network infrastructure without affecting the users’ level of control over their desktop environments is vital in some businesses. However, many of the potential advantages of desktop virtualization can be limited by higher storage costs and inflexible infrastructure. One of the most significant challenges is handling peak loads created by the simultaneous action of hundreds of users. Traditional arrays exhibit slow performance and slow down the log-in or boot process, which dramatically impacts user performance. VDI enables organizations to increase corporate IT control, manageability, and flexibility of desktop resources while providing end users with a familiar desktop experience. VMware View is an enterprise-class solution to deliver corporate PC services to end users. VMware View 4 solution components might include but are not limited to: • Virtualization hypervisor (VMware ESX 4.0) • Tool for centralized management, automation, provisioning, and optimization (VMware vCenter, NetApp VSC 2.0, VMware View Composer) • Connection broker and desktop management (VMware View 4.5) • Virtualized desktop images (Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, and so on) • Enhanced Windows profile and data management solutions (for example, Liquidware Labs ProfileUnity and AppSense) • Thin client/PC (for example, Wyse, DevonIT) VMware View 4.5, based on the proven VMware vSphere virtualization platform, delivers unique desktop control and manageability, while providing end users with a familiar desktop experience without any modifications to the desktop environment or applications. [Insight Balance use cases]Monitor FlexPod performance using Insight Balance, with performance analytics to predict and identify performance capacity and performance headroom for a wide range of applications in physical and virtual environments.Starting out: cross-domain visibility to find performance issues, bottleneck and contention early; understand where your deployment is over/under provisioned, performance-wise; visibility and analysis of growing performance demands.VDI: Balance helps with guest level monitoring, cross-domain visibility from the guest to the storage; to make sure there are enough resources for all the VDI desktops as the number of desktops grow; make sure that no single power user becomes a bully and negatively impacts the performance of the other users of the VDI. Balance lets you use very high consolidation ratios to get the most out of the hardware that you have and push your infrastructure to the limits (have confidence about your performance capacity).Dev & Test: make sure there’s a balance between individual developers and test infrastructure, so developers can get work done… but tests can still be done in a timely manner. Monitor the dynamic nature of the test infrastructure to limit VM sprawl.Data Protection & Backup: make sure you meet your back up windows and limit application downtime, while maintaining optimal performance across your backup infrastructure  
• #10: New features – enhanced server virtualization, clustered storage, and converged server/network managementUpdated platform for new application-specific solutionsHeterogeneous workload consolidationEvolution from application-based dedicated hardware to a virtualized, shared infrastructure.Cloud (Private, Public, Hybrid)Virtualized, shared infrastructure consumed using an utility model – supporting customers transitioning to cloud.Hosted solutionsManaged service providers delivering application services using resources in a dedicated or shared fashion.FeaturesStandard, prevalidated, best-in-class converged platform:Virtualized and nonvirtualized environmentsFlexible: One platform scales up or out to fit many mixed workloads:Add applications and workloadBenefitsFlexibility: Future-proof platform to meet today’s challenges and scale for future needsBuilt-in data center efficiencies: Lower total cost of ownership (TCO) with simplified deployments and rapid provisioning of resources Reduced risk:Prevalidated architecture with prescriptive sizing and design guidesAnimal Payload detailHypervisor: VMware vSphere 5.1Server: Cisco UCS B & C Series M3 Servers, Cisco UCS 5108 chassisServer mgmt: Cisco UCS Manager 2.1 (1b)Network switch: Cisco Nexus 5548 switchOther networking: Cisco UCS 6248 fabric interconnect, Cisco Nexus 2232 fabric extender, Cisco UCS 2204XP fabric extender, Cisco Nexus 1000V v2.1 (optional), Cisco Nexus 1110-X (optional)Storage O/S: Data ONTAP 8.1.2 clustered and 7-modeStorage hardware: NetApp FAS 3250 arrays
• #11: Nexus 7000:ISSU & SSO Enables Zero Packet Loss upgradesUnified Port support for FCoEMultiHop solutions with UCS 2.1OTV & LISP provide DCI support for VM mobility across multiple Data Centers Availability: Access to director class DC Features with Nexus 7000 (ISSU,DCI..). Clustered Data ONTAP provides agile, non-disruptive storage foundation.Scalability: Highest Density 10/40/100GE in a modular chassis with integrated virtualization support through VDCsFlexPod with Nexus 7000 Series switches support the most advanced networking capabilities of any converged infrastructure.FlexPod availability and non-disruptive operations are further enhanced with Nexus 7000 Switches with support for Hitless “In-Service Software Upgrades” and other network resiliency features; for datacenters requiring 5-9s availability 5.26 minutes downtimeor 6-9s availability (31.5 seconds downtime)FlexPod with Nexus 7000 improves network efficiency with higher scalability and modularity in a single chassis, and enabling switch aggregation and flattening of the network through larger layer 2 fabrics.FlexPod with Nexus 7000 more easily supports advanced data center interconnect capabilities including long distance vMotion.OTV = overlay transport virtualization. Simplifies extending Layer 2 applications across distributed data centers. You can now deploy Data Center Interconnect (DCI) between sites without changing or reconfiguring your existing network design.LISP = Cisco Locator/ID Separation Protocol (LISP) is routing architecture that provides new semantics for IP addressing. The current IP routing and addressing architecture uses a single numbering space, the IP address, to express two pieces of information: Device identity, and the way the device attaches to the networkThe LISP routing architecture design separates the device identity, or endpoint identifier (EID), from its location, or routing locator (RLOC), into two different numbering spaces. Splitting EID and RLOC functions yields several advantages: Simplify Routing Operations, enabling enterprises and service providers to: Simplify multihomed routing, Facilitate scalable any-to-any WAN connectivity and Support data center virtual machine mobility.FabricPath = Cisco implementation of TRILL, a network protocol alternative to spanning tree that enables larger, flatter layer 2 networks Nexus 7000:ISSU & SSO Enables Zero Packet Loss upgradesUnified Port support for FCoEMultiHop solutions with UCS 2.1OTV & LISP provide DCI support for VM mobility across multiple Data Centers NetApp Clustered Data ONTAP:Non-disruptive OperationsOn-Demand FlexibilityOperational EfficiencyBenefitsChoiceAvailability: Access to director class DC Features with Nexus 7000 (ISSU,DCI..) and expanded NetApp storageScalability: Highest Density 10/40/100GE in a modular chassis with integrated virtualization support through VDCs
• #12: Validated architectures simplify and accelerate Microsoft private cloud and virtualization deploymentsReference architectures and enhancementsMicrosoft Private Cloud Fast Track 3.0 validation FlexPod with Microsoft Private Cloud Design guide FlexPod with Microsoft Private Cloud CVD (+60 days)ExpressPod with Windows Server 2012 Hyper-VComplimentary to FlexPod for MSB with <500 usersTwo new fixed configurations: small and mediumScales based on number of serversMicrosoft customers need to ease IT transformation to Microsoft Private Cloud based on FT3.0 with maximum efficiency, minimal risk, and increased flexibility. Solution comprised of best-of-breed elements – FAS storage with Cisco Unified Fabric and Unified Compute System – offering unmatched flexibility, operational efficiency and risk mitigation. Overlays the Msft Private Cloud solution on top of the FlexPod converged infrastructure solution, per Msft Private Cloud Fast Track program’s definitions. MS Private Cloud FT 3.0 on FlexPod components include NetApp unified storage systems, Cisco® Unified Computing System™ servers, and Cisco Nexus® fabric and MS Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V and System Center SP1. The FlexPod architecture can scale up or out, and can be optimized for a variety of mixed workloads in both virtualized and non-virtualized environments.Also ExpressPod with Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V, March 22
• #13: Oracle is the market share leader in RDBMS, an attractive Tier 1 application space, so we are increasing our commitment with FlexPod.FlexPod is a Pretested and validated Oracle Database building block for resellers and customers.The reference architectures for Oracle bring CI benefits to Oracle workloads.The 4 ref-archs being announced are:Oracle on FlexPod with VMware – a refreshOracle on FlexPod with JD Edwards – a new solution for Financial ServicesFlexPod with Oracle Linux baremetal, coming in June, and, FlexPod with OVM, later in the summer.There’s a large installed base that has been running on now outdated hardware architecture that often can no longer provide the level performance and availability customers require. This market has expanded with events that have cause the Itanium base to seek alternatives. Updated solution for Oracle DB, new solution for Financial industry (JD Edwards), validation of Oracle VMFlexPod is a pre-validated Oracle Database building block for pathway and customers.Quicker time to first customer with pre-validated and tested Oracle database infrastructure. Faster time to delivery & market; Repeatable, consistent.Easier manageability and future proofed.
• #14: Cisco, NetApp, and our FlexPod Partners have seen dramatic success since FlexPod was introduced in November of 2010.According to Gartner, FlexPod dominates the certified systems/converged infrastructure market with more than 80% share.IDC calls FlexPod “one of the most complete private cloud architectures available”And we have more FlexPod customers signing up as public references that just about any solution we’ve developed. Clearly, FlexPod has momentum.
• #15: https://fieldportal.netapp.com/Core/DownloadDoc.aspx?documentID=86213