GNESS

The Tipping Point for Network Automation

Jeff:

Its amazing what IBM has accomplished. I remember the WSJ article from the 80s that said that they were on a one way track to an unglamorous end... and look how far they've come given the sea change in computing. Amazing.

Thanks for the comments
Greg

The Tipping Point for Network Automation

Phil:

Excellent comment! Yet many of the networking vendors have been slow to embrace network automation. DNS, for example is offered as freeware that needs manual spreadhseet updates. The CIO needs for hte network what hte CFO has for the business: real time status of everything connected, etc.

Thanks,
Greg

The Tipping Point for Network Automation

User 240577:

If you go back far enough plenty of the ideas/concepts in virtualization and cloud can be traced back to mainframes. I think who you see as havoing better offerings will depend on your needs, apps, etc. If you're at home or in an SMB chances are you're thrilled about cloud services; and if you're in the enterprise for the most part much less thrilled.

As soon as Amazon and Google start showing material revenue, sharing availability and security information and deliver robust apps suitable for the enterprise I'll take them more seriously from an enterprise standpoint.

They are, indeed, creating a huge amount of interest. At the end of the day they are impacting everyone's expectations. Just how those expectations are fulfilled (as a business) will shape how fast cloud is adopted.

Thanks for the comment.

Greg

The Tipping Point for Network Automation

Lightway:

I'm extremely sympathetic to the situation thet network administrators are in, hence the emphasis on automation. Yet there are admins who prefer to keep their spreadsheets because it has been what they did for years. Every market has late adopters.

The issue is about DNS/DHCP, IPAM, NTP, RADIUS and other services as well as manual configuration of various types uf network gear. I think cloud is more than a repackaging of the mainframe etc but rather a new approach to IT service delivery... scale, efficiency, flexibility, cost etc are all elements.

Thaks for an excellent cooment.

Greg

The Tipping Point for Network Automation

User:

Our household portfolio has stock in Cisco as disclosed. We may have some VMW. That's about it as I recall. I do tend to invest and write about stocks I like but I'm not offering any investment advice, mere thoughts about bigger picture tech trends and who could win or lose.

G

Bringing Cloud Computing Down to Planet Earth

Mani:

Agreed. I think automation has thus far been focused on systems versus networks and that will make all the difference as virtualization and cloud spread.

Thanks for the comment.

Greg

The Dawn of Network Infrastructure 2.0

I think IBM may have an interest in some of SUNs technologies in addition to hardware. What's next? Will Cisco launch a branded OEM netbook? lol

Greg

The Dawn of Network Infrastructure 2.0

Thanks Jack. I also liked Larry Dignan's piece in case you haven't seen it: seekingalpha.com/artic...

G

Cloud Computing: Its Evolution Depends on Economics

Thanks Mario:

Cisco's Doug Gourlay recently shared data with me about the state of legacy data center infrastructure and the massive opportunity for leaps in economy, efficiency, energy savings etc. In addition to the obvious motive to invest in new infrastructure to address the demands of endpoint growth and network complexity and the emergence of VMotion he made a great case for bringing our installed IT infrastructure up-todate. That of course means automation and additional capacity.

CIOs will need to take a step back and a fresh look at how their IT is deployed and the extent of recurring costs (from electricity to labor and process delay) in addition to addressing the network effects of VMotion and cloud. Thanks for the comment.

Greg

Cloud Computing: Its Evolution Depends on Economics

Stephen:

Good point. Clearly there was huge growth in endpoints before the netbook. I just think that:1) the netbook will put disproportionately more strain on the network; 2) its yet another mobile device; and 3) it could eventually outsell PCs with hard drives.

Thanks,
Greg

Cloud Computing: Its Evolution Depends on Economics

Stephen:

Thanks for your comments and the points you raised about infrastructure and scale. Its interesting that more PC demands seem to be related to browsers versus hard drive-installed software these days. With netbook sales taking off one has to wonder if we'll see another even larger explosion in endpoints. Cisco has predicted about 10 billion I recall by 2010... and I wonder if they took netbooks into account.

Thanks,
Greg

Cloud Computing: Its Evolution Depends on Economics

Teutonic:

Thanks for asking. Infoblox solutions automate the core network services that TCP/IP networks utilize, thus making networks more resilient and more able to keep up with growth and an increased velocity of change. Virtualization increases the ease of change and cloud implies changes/movment over larger areas. I think it will be challenging, risky and costly for enterprises to deploy new automation initiatives (virtualization, RFID/supply chain, cloud) without automating core network services. Ultimately I see collaborations between Infoblox and others leading to other breakthroughs (including IF-MAP).

I joined Infoblox as Blue Lane was in the acquisition process. I was attracted by their sales success and the strategic role I perceived them playing in dynamic infrastructure. In a way, I saw once boring technology becoming strategic to most of the significant enterprise IT initiatives in an up or down economy.

Thx
Greg

Cloud Computing: Its Evolution Depends on Economics

Thanks Jeff. I think that core network service automation would certainly be on a shortlist... automating some of the kludge and reducing the expense of the network.

Greg

The Coming Network Revolution

Teutonic:

I think they are two distinct ideas with very similar perspectives. One is about the emergence of network intelligence based on enhanced application, endpoint and network feedback loops (e.g. this application and VM has moved to a new location and the security policy needs to remain in place, etc); the other seems more about a more sophisticated form of pattern recognition and analysis for web content. I'm not a Semantic Web expert but that is my best guess. Thanks for the comment and question.

Greg

The Coming Network Revolution

Richard:

That would be tough. I think Cisco may be in a more commanding position in the network at this point in time versus Microsoft in the cloud. Yet potential developments in the next 12-18 months pose multiple wild cards. I do like Cisco's recent moves with VMware, which suggest that they understand the network opportunity better than perhaps their peers. Microsoft has an uincredible footprint in the market and massive software expertise, not to mention server clout. For me... its a toss up or a question of who could monetize better...

Thanks
Greg