IBM leverages cloud computing resources to automate configuration of servers

The latest series of campaigns suggests that the blue giant is taking big strides on the road to perfecting the cloud computing technology platform. While recently releasing a system-level software--VM control that can help users manage cross-platform virtual servers more efficiently and reduce data center costs, IBM revealed that a more high-performance Power7 processor is also scheduled to be launched early next year. In addition, new products such as rational Insight and Mcif, published at the annual IBM Rational Software Development Forum and based on the theory of "software Economics", also help companies deploy software delivery platforms in cloud environments.

IBM has launched software development and testing tools for both public and private cloud environments. Rational Software Delivery services include a range of development and testing software that can be applied to application lifecycle management tools. Sellers claim that the product can reduce the cost by reducing the test time.

In addition, IBM has launched a free public cloud beta version of software development that can provide intelligent business development and testing. This service delivers computing and storage services online, as well as using rational to deliver software online delivery services and WebSphere and information management software. IBM has also launched a website where developers can apply for a free beta version of the site.

IBM's Rational Software Delivery service also leverages the existing infrastructure to serve the user's private cloud, according to IBM. These services can be obtained on the basis of the use of the client's firewall, which also provides private cloud software for deploying and customizing other aspects.

Like other IT companies, IBM has expanded its investment in cloud computing to explore ways to reduce user fees for license purchases, product deployment, and maintenance by providing on-demand software.

Last month, IBM launched a series of hardware, software, and services to help businesses build a private storage cloud. Cloud storage is broadly applicable to a variety of commonly used storage systems, highly scalable, and can be used internally or externally by users. These systems typically use some form of cluster or grid storage.

IBM's private cloud storage solution, including its storage virtualization Tools XIV, blade servers, and common parallel file systems. The Data Environment it supports includes text, audio, video, and so on in a single global namespace.

In terms of cloud computing, IBM's rivals include companies like Amazon, while IBM's system management programs used in the cloud include VMware and Xen platforms, while supporting multiple operating systems, including Red Hat, Fedora, CentOS, Debian, Ubuntu, Arch and Gentoo.

The price of the server provided by IBM is 1.5 cents/hour for the reliability of the service provided, including 256MB of RAM and 10GB of disk space.

"To make the most of the resources in cloud computing, you must have the ability to automatically adjust and configure the server automatically." Only virtualization can do that. "Virtualization is the foundation of cloud computing," says Ian Jarman, IBM Global power system software manager. ”

IBM launched the virtualization software POWERVM for SMEs last February to help users virtualize IBM's system and system P-series servers. However, Jarman points out that virtualization should include storage virtualization in addition to server virtualization. This is the value of the IBM BAE Director series software that VM control belongs to-"The software manages IBM servers, storage, and networks, and provides automatic lookups with the ability to monitor and update physical and virtual resources." ”

Jarman introduces, in terms of virtualization itself, the process of its application is about three steps. The first step, integration. The primary goal of virtualization is to integrate many individual minicomputer into a single virtual large server. The second step is dynamic virtualization. such as active zoning technology. The third step is to automate the configuration. Ability to automate deployment and management based on the size of the load, helping organizations reduce the cost of architecture and reduce server sprawl. For now, most of the small and medium-sized enterprises still remain in the first step.

"From the initial mainframe to today's power systems, IBM has more than 40 years of history in the development of virtualization technology, which makes us stand a step further." "We are convinced that in order to achieve cloud computing, we must build a common management platform for minicomputer, X86, Linux, mainframe and so on, so that we can gain the advantages of different technology platforms at the same time under a unified management interface," Jarman said. New software can help us achieve this. ”

Jarman This trip also brings the message that IBM will release the latest generation of Power architecture processor Power7 next year, especially the processor's support for virtualization technology. The 8-core processor, which employs 45nm, is said to be able to implement collaborative updates of different technical components, including firmware and system software, and customers can even consolidate up to 1,000 virtual machines on each system.

In addition to the technology directly related to cloud computing hardware, IBM is also striding forward on related software technologies. For example, the rational Insight, mcif (measured Capability improvement Framework), which was recently released at the IBM Rational Developers Forum in Shanghai. Daniel Sabbah, general manager of IBM Software group, presented a theory of "software Economics" at the conference, emphasizing how to deploy software delivery platform services in a cloud environment to help companies achieve stronger software project status visibility and related investment monitoring capabilities, thus reducing costs and avoiding risk.

Sabbah said that although there is no direct link between the above scheme and cloud computing, it is an indispensable complement to the latter. As IBM expands on cloud computing capabilities, new rational services can help design, test, and deploy software assets to the cloud. Rational delivery services will have the added advantage of instant scalability, lower total cost of ownership, faster deployment, higher productivity, and cloud virtualization and flexible pricing. "It supports the cloud environment in all its aspects. "Sabbah said.