In my previous blog I defined two types of capacity
management, operational and strategic.
The capacity management promoted by so many point tools for
technologies such as VMware is definitely operational. Performance metrics are collected and
analysed, usage of current capacity is assessed and then recommendations are
made. This could be a statement of how
many more VMs a host can support, or what workloads should be moved where to
avoid running out of capacity.
Operational capacity management sits much happier as a
silo-based activity. Each silo such as
VMware, networks or storage, benefit from tools developed and tuned to their
own environment.
Such tools enable small
and highly specific recommendations to be made to tune a system to avoid short
term capacity issues. Such tools are
more likely to integrate with that core silo technology, enabling automated
change or parameters or movement of workloads.
Cost savings will accrue in small amounts through many small actions.
Undoubtedly these are capacity issues. Also undoubtedly they are operational issues:
short term fixes to problems that are about to occur based on what is known of
the environment at that point in time.
This is valuable work and worthy of implementing specialist
solutions. Nowadays everyone has heard
people say ‘Well, think of the cost if the web site is down for a minute’. Operational capacity management tools are an
essential component in making sure such eventualities don’t happen.
Don’t be fooled into thinking that such point solutions are
a complete capacity management solution however. I will contrast them with strategic capacity
management solutions on Monday to illustrate why just
taking one approach, strategic or operational, is not enough.
In the meantime don't forget to register for our 'Data Correlation in Capacity Management' webinar http://www.metron-athene.com/services/webinars/index.html
Andrew Smith
Chief Executive Officer
No comments:
Post a Comment