Dynamic infrastructure

Dynamic Infrastructure is an information technology paradigm concerning the design of data centers so that the underlying hardware and software can respond dynamically to changing levels of demand in more fundamental and efficient ways than before. The paradigm is also known as Infrastructure 2.0 and Next Generation Data Center.Virtualized applications can reduce the cost of testing, packaging and supporting an application by 60%, and they reduced overall TCO by 5% to 7% in our model.– Source: Gartner – 'TCO of Traditional Software Distribution vs. Application Virtualization' / Michael A Silver, Terrence Cosgrove, Mark A Margevicious, Brian Gammage / 16 April 2008While green issues are a primary driver in 10% of current data center outsourcing and hosting initiatives, cost reductions initiatives are a driver 47% of the time and are now aligned well with green goals. Combining the two means that at least 57% of data center outsourcing and hosting initiatives are driven by green.– Source: Gartner – 'Green IT Services as a Catalyst for Cost Optimization.' / Kurt Potter / 4 December 2008'By 2013, more than 50% of midsize organizations and more than 75% of large enterprises will implement layered recovery architectures.'– Source: Gartner – 'Predicts 2009: Business Continuity Management Juggles Standardization, Cost and Outsourcing Risk'). / Roberta J Witty, John P Morency, Dave Russell, Donna Scott, Rober Desisto / 28 January 2009 Dynamic Infrastructure is an information technology paradigm concerning the design of data centers so that the underlying hardware and software can respond dynamically to changing levels of demand in more fundamental and efficient ways than before. The paradigm is also known as Infrastructure 2.0 and Next Generation Data Center. Some vendors promoting dynamic infrastructures include IBM, Microsoft, Sun, Fujitsu, HP, Dell, and Bright Computing. The basic premise of dynamic infrastructures is to leverage pooled IT resources to provide flexible IT capacity, enabling the allocation of resources in line with demand from business processes. This is achieved by using server virtualization technology to pool computing resources wherever possible, and allocating these resources on-demand using automated tools. This allows for load balancing and is a more efficient approach than keeping massive computing resources in reserve to run tasks that take place, for example, once a month, but are otherwise under-utilized. Early examples of server-level dynamic infrastructures are the FlexFrame for SAP and FlexFrame for Oracle introduced by Fujitsu Siemens Computers (now Fujitsu) in 2003. The FlexFrame approach was to dynamically assign servers to applications on demand, leveling peaks and enabling organizations to maximize the benefit from their IT investments. Dynamic Infrastructures may also be used to provide security and data protection when workloads are moved during migrations, provisioning, enhancing performance or building co-location facilities. Dynamic infrastructures were promoted to enhance performance, scalability, system availability and uptime, increasing server utilization and the ability to perform routine maintenance on either physical or virtual systems all while minimizing interruption to business operations and reducing cost for IT. Dynamic infrastructures also provide the fundamental business continuity and high availability requirements to facilitate cloud or grid computing. For networking companies, infrastructure 2.0 refers to the ability of networks to keep up with the movement and scale requirements of new enterprise IT initiatives, especially virtualization and cloud computing. According to companies like Cisco, F5 Networks and Infoblox, network automation and connectivity intelligence between networks, applications and endpoints will be required to reap the full benefits of virtualization and many types of cloud computing. This will require network management and infrastructure to be consolidated, enabling higher levels of dynamic control and connectivity between networks, systems and endpoints.