What do Virtualization Capacity Management and Hollywood have in common?

Many individuals within an organization look at Virtualization Capacity Management as a “Black Art” or something only “Techies” understand. 

In reality Virtualization Capacity Management is more of a business practice with the technical data used to show the effect on the enterprise. The objective of introducing virtualization into an enterprise is to provide an increased efficiency of resources.

I am a Big Bang Theory fan and Sheldon is always speaking over many of the characters heads with his knowledge and technical ‘dribble drabble’, as Penny calls it.  There is one particular episode in which Penny asks Sheldon to teach her what physics is so she can talk to Leonard about the subject http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Um7SttlM8fI

In his own inimitable way, Sheldon finally gives Penny the words that help her understand physics

With this in mind Hollywood and the way top TV shows and blockbuster movies capture a person’s attention can be used in relation to Capacity Management.  What are the five key ingredients that make for a successful movie?

·         it makes you ask questions

·         it keeps you engaged and holds your attention

·         it is told in story format and there is a relationship created with the viewer

·         The end of the movie or show relates to the beginning and often you have that “Ah Ha” moment

·         There are one or more items that the viewer remembers in detail afterwards

How do we take these ingredients and show Capacity Management in a way that benefits both the technical staff and the business user? 

When speaking of Virtualization Capacity Management, the capacity manager performs the function of director and weaves the presentation via reports through the script to tell a story.  The final outcome is an ending that you hope resonates with the audience and shows how it affects that individual. 

On Thursday, November 21, I’ll be hosting a webinar “Virtualization Capacity Management and Hollywood” which will cover:

•    How various functions within capacity management can relate to Hollywood movies
•    The technical information that spans all the various virtualization technologies
•     Discuss the Virtualization Capacity Management challenges
•    Show various sample reports to use to show the information
•     How to end the presentation on a high note for the viewer

Register for your place now http://www.metron-athene.com/services/training/webinars/index.html

Charles Johnson

Principal Consultant

Virtualization Capacity Management and Hollywood

Capacity Management as an integral component within an Enterprise has its challenges. 

Capacity Managers need to look at ways to acquire the buy-in from both business and technical areas. Virtualization Capacity Management and Hollywood, not something you would normally connect together. So how can the items that make a Hollywood film successful assist you as the Capacity Manager?

The main components of a successful Hollywood film are that it:

• Makes you ask questions
• Keeps your attention
• Unfolds a story that you can relate to in some way
• Ends in a way that relates to the beginning

You need to incorporate these components when presenting your Capacity Management story. 

At my next webinar, November 21, I'll be discussing the top areas of concern for Virtualization Capacity Management, how they relate to the business, and how to introduce business metrics into the process. 

I'll also be suggesting ways that you can tell your story, encourage your audience to ask questions and look at how the outcome affects the initial scope.

Register for your free place now http://www.metron-athene.com/services/training/webinars/index.html and I look forward to seeing you there.

Charles Johnson

Principal Consultant

Data Data Everywhere and not a bit to use

There are many topics presented for capacity management which involve the best ways to display and distribute capacity information to the business. 

However, with the arrival of the cloud, and business focus on service based reporting, capturing the correct data in order to produce those reports has never been more important. A key prerequisite for effective capacity management has to be making sure good quality data is available for the capacity analyst or planner to use.

Relevant data for capacity management is often available from many sources within the organization.  The challenge is not so much about knowing where the data you want can be found.  

Often, the real challenge involves understanding the technicalities of how you can get hold of the data.  This can be hard enough in your own environment with teams sometimes reluctant to allow access to their systems, but when we start to look at public cloud a new challenge presents itself.

I'll be hosting a free webinar this week where I'll be discussing the challenges of capturing the sorts of data required for 360° capacity management, and the additional challenges encountered when cloud PaaS is introduced.

The topics I'll be covering are:

• Capture Techniques
• APM data
• The PaaS challenge
• How others get data

Come along this Thursday November 7th http://www.metron-athene.com/services/training/webinars/index.html

Phil Bell 

Consultant