Explore Cloud World in mixed cloud migration

Cloud computing is one of the hottest nouns in the industry, and has been the subject of widespread concern and popularity. In such a situation, the concept of mixed cloud computing is also slowly entering the eyes of people.

Although mixed cloud computing is not an entirely new concept, conceived on the basis of cloud computing, many vendors continue to instill in IT managers the idea of effectively migrating and managing mixed environments. The constant presence of new suppliers makes the overall assessment of the manufacturer difficult, and if you are ready to implement cloud computing, it is up to me to accept the right steps to use mixed cloud computing.

First, you need to know all the right infrastructure from your cloud vendor, especially when it comes to using a virtual private network to split up into a series of virtual LANs and set up (or dismantle) instances of virtual machines (VMS) in the cloud. As more and more servers start migrating to the cloud, you will be looking for more and more convenient ways to implement the migration effort. For some vendors, using a Web browser to click a few mouse clicks on their portal can replicate an existing virtual server and let it run. Amazon has the auto scaling and elastic Load balance feature that can be used to add or reduce computing resources, and Appistry Cloudiq servers can help you adjust your cloud server size.

Figure 1:appistry Cloudiq (click to view larger image)

"Everything starts with design," said Bryan Doerr, CTO of Savvis, "Be sure to understand the performance and security features of cloud computing so that you can achieve the level you expect." ”

"There is also a need to understand the possible support in cloud computing," Doerr said. If you don't monitor performance through your own team, you may need to get your service provider to do the job. ”

Second, you should be very cautious about your bandwidth and latency requirements. "Make sure your existing network is ready to migrate to cloud computing, the internal network is fast enough, and there is a high-speed Internet connection," said Dave Cutler, general manager of slalom Consulting, a national consultancy in Chicago, saying: "You need to have enough Internet access to support your users, So they don't feel any use performance degradation. ”

You also need to have a secure way to access your server and data. Most vendors provide a VPN for this access. For example, Amazon offers virtual private cloud computing services, while Vyatta provides an application that allows virtual segmentation of the network.

Figure 2: Using Vyatta split Network (click to view larger image)

Other cloud computing providers use only a limited range of secure HTTP browsers, Remote Desktop connections, or SSH terminal sessions. This segmentation tool can enhance your security status and make it easier to manage as the cloud progresses.

It is also important to determine the level of granularity provided and what is required to access cloud computing resources. Some vendors make access an all or nothing proposition. Look for more granularity and options that limit normal user rights, such as preventing them from stopping or starting a virtual server or changing your virtual infrastructure.

Finally, consider a phased approach to your cloud migration effort, especially to help your team adapt to its operations. This is the approach of Presidio Tiyatien in San Francisco.

Presidio Tiyatien implement mixed cloud record

"Presidio has to deal with a 16 times-fold increase in data over a year and replace some of the aging hardware," said CTO Thomas Gregory. "We don't want to have a lot of capital spending, we want a safe and risk-reducing environment." ”

Healthcare software providers have adopted a multi-stage cloud computing strategy to keep their data in their data centers at this stage and migrate applications into the cloud. "We can increase our computing power by 70% without increasing our IT budget." "Gregory said.

The next phase migrates its data to the cloud.

"The first step in implementing a hybrid cloud is more complex, but it has accumulated valuable experience in dealing with cloud applications and understanding security implications," Gregory said. "When we migrate the front end, it's easy to put back-end servers in our cabinets." In any case, most cloud computing environments deal with front-end interfaces, and the result gives us more time to work. ”

The company uses an Open-source software appistry based on Eclipse and spring to handle cloud services management and hosting services located in Sacramento Stratascale.

"I hope to have a supplier who is close to us in an emergency, but not in the same affected zone as our company," he said. "Gregory said.

Such a successful two-phase strategy is completed before the entire project has been planned. "You need to spend time analyzing the resources you have," Gregory said, "and find a solution that will allow you to expand and make the necessary adjustments." ”

For more specific recommendations, see other recommended tools for managing private clouds. This is very helpful and necessary for those who consider implementing a hybrid cloud computing migration.