Simon Hamilton's Blog

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• Reduce desktop TCO by centralizing and simplifying desktop management across the entire desktop lifecycle.
• Reduce desktop configuration time by dynamically provisioning user desktops in real time.
• Respond quickly to desktop issues by proactively monitoring system performance and availability.
• Give users up-to-date desktops and applications that are managed and updated centrally in the datacenter.

Agenda

09:00 – 09:30       Breakfast Tea & Coffee
09:30 – 09:40       Welcome & Introductions
09:40 – 10:10       XenDesktop Overview
10:10 – 11:00       Demo of Citrix XenDesktop
11:00 – 11:15       Tea/Coffee Break
11:15 – 12:30       Real World Novosco Deployments: Notes from  the field
12:30 – 13:30       Buffet Lunch

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Posted in: Events

At VMworld 2008, VMware announced VMware FT, their solution for continuous availability (zero downtime on hardware component failures – different from HA. HA is a crash and reboot). This will stack up nicely against the likes of Marathon Technologies and Stratus who have been doing this for a while.  And since everyone and their granny are rolling out a VMware based infrastructure, they will be best positioned to take advantage of it.

Stratus is currently a hardware based solution and Marathon’s is software, running on Windows Server 2003. Both of these companies have enjoyed a certain level of exclusivity but that of course will not last. I have very little info on where Stratus is going other than it can run ESX on its FT kit. Marathon have embraced the Xen hypervisor and have jumped in bed with Citrix, helping Citrix initially provide a host based XenServer HA solution (on a per VM basis!), along with their on HA solution for XenServer adding component level HA. And eventually in Q1 2009, their XenServer based FT solution will be released.

What this means, is that we will still have a choice about which hypervisor to use across all availability levels: Marathon on XenServer and VMware.  This is good!

After reading a blog post from Marathon about VMware FT and some retort from a VMware supporter, I thought I’d throw in my 2p, as there appeared to be some problems with these arguments.

Firstly, the comparison is Marathon’s existing FT product that only runs on Windows against VMware’s that only runs on VMware’s hypervisor. This is a pointless comparison as they dont compare like for like and  VMware’s product has not been released and wont be until some time in 2009. It would be a much fairer comparison to pitch Marathon’s new XenServer based FT against VMware’s FT…when they both arrive.

Secondly, Marathon argued against the requirement for shared storage with the VMware FT solution and the VMware guy stated that where you’d want to use FT you’ll likely have a SAN in place anyway. I have a slight issue with this. Quite often, FT solutions are used for critical production lines, health systems and emergency services. These systems may not run anywhere near a SAN, nor require one. It would be a considerable expense to require a SAN just for a 2 node FT solution. Also consider the site that has two data centres connected via fiber. We have Marathon FT systems running like this, which would allow for the likes of a site failure. This kind of setup requires that the writes are done to each system and that shared storage just doesn’t work in all cases.

Judging by the review of the FT session at VMworld by Scott Lowe, VMware may change their minds about the need for shared storage for FT. I hope so.  I think it’s great that VMware is getting into this game.  We have a lot of VMware sites that would be reluctant to add another virtualisation platform into the mix at this time. Being the pioneers and market leaders of server virtualisation gives them a big advantage. It widens their scope and will certainly provide decent competition for Citrix and Marathon. But, Marathon have been in the FT game for a long time too and know the problems and limitations that can be encountered in FT land. I wouldn’t underestimate them either.

Posted in: Technology Tags: Citrix, fault-tolerant, Marathon, virtualisation, VMware, Xen

A couple of days late, but I wanted to wait a while just in case it was an April Fool.  Citrix have just announced a new “per server” pricing model for XenServer – not per socket or per core, just per physical server.

This is interesting for a couple of reasons: It will increase the size of servers being purchased – a 4U powerhouse can do much more than a blade, in terms of capacity.  So what becomes the expensive part, the license or the rackspace? The other reason, is that it puts it on a par with Microsoft Windows and Hyper-V, since the pricing model is the same.  I’m sure VMware will have an answer to this, otherwise the competition might start to get some traction.  Either way, competition like this is always good for the customer and will only ensure that virtualisation get’s further entrenched into IT infrastructures and datacentres that bit quicker.  And when the pricing differences become negligible, it will be all down to capabilities, that’s when we’ll really start to see some innovation…hopefully!

Posted in: Technology Tags: Citrix, Microsoft, VMware, Xen

Yesterday saw the official launch of Novosco in the Baby Grand in the Grand Opera House, Belfast. The day proved to be a huge success with almost 100 attendees from the combined RTSL and 4sol customer base. We had 2 guest speakers, Donal Durkan from Invest NI and Guy Levine from Search Engine Optmisation. Also in attendance were Citrix, EMC, Microsoft, Riverbed and VMware.

The core Novosco message of Virtualisation and reducing energy consumption was very well received by the audience and press. In fact, Patrick McAliskey, our Managing Director was quoted on the radio alongside HP Group Manager, Brad Kirby who was hosting another event at the Waterfront on the same day.

Listen here

Mentioned on Belfast City Beat and Downtown.

Below are a selection photographs taken on the day.

Posted in: News, Novosco Tags: launch, Novosco, podcasts, press

No, this is not advice on how best to do the above-mentioned.  It’s a link to a blog I found from a Dutch guy documenting his way through a VMware VI3 upgrade.

From the site, “This blog was formed as an external documentation hub for the implementation of a VMWare Virtual Infrastructure. The implementation is an actual project that has been in preparation for a couple of months, mostly figuring out what we would like to do and with what kind of equipment and software while participating in the beta of VMWare ESX Server 3 and VirtualCenter 2. It is this experience and our future experiences with the actual migration that I want to share through this blog. ”

It’s quite an interesting blog.  He even got support from Platespin!

Posted in: Technology Tags: virtualisation, VMware

Merger of two leading IT companies creates a unique Irish IT Offering

20 New Hi tech jobs to be created

Two of Ireland’s most successful indigenous IT companies, Real Time Systems Ltd (RTSL) and 4sol Ltd. today (Tuesday 1 May 2007) announced the merger of their business operations. This merger will create Ireland’s leading partner for Citrix, Microsoft and VMware.

Left to right: John Lennon, Managing Director at 4sol, Anne Hughes, Operations Director at RTSL, Simon Hamilton, Operations Director at 4sol, Patrick McAliskey, Managing Director at RTSL and Rosi Kirker, Business Development Director at RTSL

Business operations are due to move to new purpose-built premises in the coming months and staff numbers will increase from 40 to 60 within 12 months. The new company will be rebranded under a new identity and will be supported by a business strategy providing continued growth on an all-Ireland basis.

Commenting on the merger, RTSL’s Managing Director, Patrick McAliskey said, “In line with our vision, this merger enables us to deliver unique business value to our existing and potential customers. Both companies are perfectly aligned, have a common vision and share the same tradition of excellence. I am very excited about the merger and the opportunities this will bring to all our stakeholders”.

John Lennon, Managing Director at 4sol, commented, “The skill-set of the new company will create an unrivalled capability to deliver leading edge solutions in the Irish market place. This merger will allow us to provide solutions to customers who truly believe that technology is an asset”.

John continued by saying “This is a very exciting move for all of us and I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate both sets of staff, who have responded very positively to the news and I very much look forward to working with them all in developing our business.”

It is anticipated that 20 new hi tech jobs will be created as a result of this merger. At present staffing numbers total 40 but will increase to 60 within the next 12 months.

About RTSL

RTSL is one of Northern Ireland’s premier access infrastructure solutions providers based in Carryduff. RTSL employs 24 highly skilled and experienced staff and is Northern Ireland’s only Citrix Platinum Partner. RTSL first began business in 1994 and was founded by Patrick McAliskey and David Hughes. During this time the company has worked hard to establish itself and has enjoyed steady market growth as a result. In 2006, and for the seventh consecutive year, Real Time Systems Limited (RTSL) was named in the Fast 50 list of Ireland’s fastest-growing technology companies. The company has an impressive list of customers across Ireland, ranging from SME’s to household brands in the private sector, to major central government and security departments.

About 4sol

4sol is a technology solutions company with offices in Belfast and Dublin and is the highest certified indigenous Microsoft Gold Partner in Ireland. 4sol employs 16 highly skilled staff members responsible for delivering a range of infrastructure and business intelligence solutions. 4sol was founded in 2002 by John Lennon and Simon Hamilton and to date has enjoyed great success within the public and private sector. The company has worked with many of the world’s largest corporate organisations on a variety of projects.

For more information (press only), please contact
Northern Ireland: Kieran Donnelly or Gareth Colhoun, Morrow Communications, Tel: +44 (0) 28 9039 3837
Ireland: Jillian Godsil, Practice PR, Tel: +353 (0) 53 9429676

Posted in: Press Releases