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are speaking about virtual machine software and virtualized environments as if it is a revolution. Since much of the technology has been seen in mainframes and midrange systems for almost three decades, this is not likely to be true. The infrastructure of most organizations is a chronological layer cake oftechnologies making revolutionary changes problematic. Virtualization, when added to the mix, can be either a wonderful thing or something that Will magnify current issues. Most organizations follow the “Golden Rules of IV’ when adopting new technology.
THEGOLDENRULESOFIT Most IT executives understand that maintenance is a very large part of their budget. Since they’re facing the task of keeping everything running, they tend to be “very prudent” making major changes. Over time, a set of unspoken rules has come to guide decisions about new technology and the adoption process. Here’s a quick summao,’ ofthose rules: 1) If itls not broken, don’t fix it. Most organizations simply don’t have the time, the resources or the funds to re-implement things that are currently working.
Dont touch it, you’ll break It. Most organizations of any size are sing a complex mix of systems that were developed over several decades. Changing working systems that SV’ipe to klew next page -lal Studia that are based upon older technologies, older architectures and older methodologies has to be done very carefully if the intended results and only the intended results are to be achieved. fyou touched it and it broke, it Will take longer to fix and, in all Ilkelihood, cost more than you think to fix.
Most of today’s systems are a complex mix of technology. Ifthe organization is going to be updating part of that tower of software, IT executives ust be prepared for unexpected consequences. See Rule 2. Good enough is good enough. Although it would be nice to have the luxury of unlimited amounts of time, resources and funding and be able to develop every conceivable feature, most IT executives know that they are only going to be allowed the time, the resources and the funding to satisfy roughly 50% to 60% of requests for new capabilities.
The rest oftheir resources are focused on maintaining the status quo. Don’t make major changes unless people are screaming! If the user population isn’t screaming, IT executives focus their attention on Rule good nough is good enough. If the user population is merely asking for changes, IT executives focus on Rule 2, don’t touch it, you’ll break it, and Rule 3, if you touched it and broke it, it Will take longer to fix than you think.
Ifthey begin screamlng, IT executives know that they’ll have to do something to respond- They do their best to “touch things very lightly. ” 2) 3) 4) 5) Document respond. They do their best to “touch things very lightly. ” Document #20071205 The Kusnetzky Group C 2007 The Kusnetzky Group is an independent supplier of marketing ervices to suppliers end user organizations and suppliers in the systems, virtualization and open source technology markets. Suppliers of hardware, software and virtualization technology are among those organizations.
The opinions presented in this document are based upon our research, our personal experiences and actual use of technology regardless of whether this document or the supporting research were sponsored by one or more of the Kusnetzky Group’s clients. This document may not be copied in whole or in part without the written permission of the Kusnetzky Group. 6) Embrace your “]erkdom. ” Everyone knows that the organization’s IT infrastructure has to move fonaard and embrace new technology. The organization must be as efficient and successful as possible.
In short IT executives know that they must do the best they can with the resources, the time and the funding available and accept the fact that many years from now someone Will look at what was done and come to the conclusion that what was done was insufficient i or didn’t properly forecast 3 What they know then rather than based upon What was known when the decisions were made. Some IT suppliers, however, seem unaware of these rules and often believe that organizations Will abandon years of investment in arder to rush to their newest offerings.
In their enthusiasm for their products and their strong desire to make a quick sale, they forget that IT executives are more interested in prudently managing and fully exploiting the technology they already have In their datacenters than abandoning their current investments. T EXECUTIVESDON’TTHROWANYTHINGAWAY Ifwe took a tour through the datacenters of most organization, it would quickly become clear that they’re chronological layer akes or museums of technology. Each layer uses the results of the supporting layer and does something that was never thought, wasn’t possible with the available technology or wasn’t a priority at that time.
Lets look at each layer in turn. At the bottom of the stack, there are systems that were architected nearly 30 years ago and have been supporting the organization’s IT strategy ever since. It is quite Iikely that this layer is made up of mainframes running well-established transaction processing and database software. On top of that layer, there are systems that were rchitected 20 years ago. This layer is commonly made up of midrange systems running a single vendors proprietary operating system or UNIX.
These systems acces systems running a single vendors proprietary operating system or UNIX. These systems access the data and applications in first layer and offer added value based upon that layer. Ten years ago, new systems were installed that accessed the data and functions offered by layer 2 that offered new added value. These systems were typically industry standard systems running Windows, UNIX or Linux. At some point, personal computing echnology as added to the mix to provide a more graphical user interface and to do some local computing functions.
Over time, these systems have taken on more and more functions and have become an additional layer of computing. Web-based applications were added sometime after the personal computer layer was installed. Often this layer was added to make it possible for customers, partners and consultants to access a segment ofthe organization’s systems. HOWDOESSLOW Y! THEITINFRASTRUCTURECH ANGE? It’s easy to see that changing something at the bottom layer of his chronological layer cake is likely to cause havoc in higher layers.
Removing or changing a middle layer Will also create problems for those whose job it is to keep things going. Most organizations change their IT infrastructure very slowly to prevent important systems from “going dark” unexpectedly. New technoloy is typically applied to new applications rather than being used to uproot and replace older applications. Older applicatio S new applications rather than being used to uproot and replace older applications. Older applications are revised to use new echology only when it appears prudent and safe.
Furthermore, IT executives won’t move unless it is clear that new technology Will fit comfortably in the environment and can be managed using their selected tools #20071205 The Kusnetzky Group @ 2007 Page 2 and frameworks. The recent advances in virtualization technology for industry standard systems are no different. SUM MARY It’s very important for IT executives to see today’s technology from the broadest possible viewpoint and take the Golden Rules of IT into account before rushing forward. New technology should e brought into the infrastructure in a nondisruptive way.
Key questions, such as: “Where is the organization going to be 5 years from now? ‘, “What Will the organization’s priorities be 5 years from now? ‘,and “What types of staff expertise are available todav should be completey addressed. Making sure that new technology can be efectively managed by currently-installed tools using the expertise that is available today is another important consideration. It’s very important to keep something Lawrence Peter once said “Ifyou don’t know where you’re gong, you Will probably end up somewhere else. ” Page 3