Skill Experience: What is the preparation for a private cloud?

When talking about cloud computing, everyone sees it as an alternative to traditional computing patterns. But many are wary of handing the company's data to the public cloud service provider. As a result, companies that want to adopt cloud architectures are starting to build their own private cloud environments. So what is the definition of a private cloud architecture compared to a traditional datacenter? Can you just claim that the existing data center is a private cloud?

Actually, it's not that simple. Private cloud means that companies are managing themselves and deploying data centers that are used separately, reflecting several features that are different from traditional data centers, including:

-High scalability: should be able to dynamically add or reduce available resources on demand

-High Availability: Cloud architecture ensures maximum service uptime and shortest service outage time

-Cost monitoring model: cloud resource consumption can be monitored and calculated for user sharing costs

-Self-service: Users can make requests and get the corresponding cloud resources

-Automation: data-processing processes in the cloud architecture should be as automated as possible to ensure timely delivery to users

Also, evaluate the maturity of the existing enterprise environment migrating to the private cloud. Virtualization is one of the prerequisites for building a cloud architecture, so first determine whether the existing virtual environment meets the needs of the cloud architecture--and if not, what changes need to be made.

Because the cloud environment is dynamic and flexible, they must be able to cope with a surge in load-not just the average load. So the most likely thing to do is add functionality to the virtual environment to improve availability, automation, measurement of resource allocation utilization, and the ability to provide self-service.

Private Cloud Architecture Products

The above mentioned functions can sometimes be obtained from the system management program manufacturer, which is sold as a supporting product or a premium customized version. For example, the VMware vsphere version provides features such as dynamic resource management, VMotion, high availability, and fault tolerance, which help balance host resources and provide continuous high availability for virtual machines. The VMware vcenter Server product line also has Lifecycle Manager, Orches-trator, and chargeback available to manage virtualization and automation.

In addition, there are a number of third-party vendors that can provide the relevant functionality of the private cloud architecture. Vkernel has a product for Microsoft Hyper-V and VMware platforms called capacity Analyzer, At the same time, there are chargeback products that serve the Vmware.akorri company's Balancepoint while supporting both Hyper-V and VMware platforms. Akorri also supports physical servers--to prevent a part of the cloud architecture from being virtualized.

Private clouds will pay an expensive price if the storage system virtualization is not mature enough to purchase. Similarly, when it comes to networking, you have to consider the maximum redundancy and sufficient bandwidth to ensure the high availability of the cloud.

Private cloud storage and network virtualization

For a private cloud, there is more than just server virtualization, and attention should be given to deploying storage and network virtualization to ensure maximum synergy among the layers of the private cloud.

Storage virtualization combines a variety of storage devices into a single resource, reducing the complexity of the backend and simplifying visual effects. In addition, many storage products are integrated directly with the server virtual platform to automate, intelligent multipath, and fail-aid, which is beneficial to the cloud architecture.

Network virtualization combines physical and virtual networks, making it possible to operate as if you were only managing one network. Products such as Cisco Nexus 1000v extend the advanced performance common on general physical switches to virtual environments, enabling higher levels of security, better management, and quality of service in a private cloud environment.

What parts of a private cloud environment do not need virtualization

The last thing to consider is whether to virtualize in a private cloud environment. Cloud applications are often multi-level, so you need to consider whether you want to virtualize all levels to meet the requirements of cloud applications.

The nature of the cloud may require certain levels to suddenly increase resources when needed, but may not require all levels to meet this standard. Determine which applications will benefit the most from virtualization and which may not require virtualization.

Even if virtualization produces some of the benefits unrelated to cloud computing, it may be pointless to virtualize all existing applications-especially those that are expensive.

On the other hand, however, not all levels of virtualization increase the difficulty of chargeback deductions because resources are spanning virtual and physical servers. In the early stages of planning, assessing requirements and conditions is a key factor in determining which of the cloud applications is virtual and which is not.

The overall architecture must be considered in the analysis. servers, storage, and networks have their own specific requirements and dependencies, and ignoring any one aspect can negatively affect other parts.