Mark Vaughn's Weblog

Weblog of Mark Vaughn, and IT professional and vExpert specializing in Enterprise Architecture, virtualization, web architecture and general technology evangelism

Tag: Virtualization (Page 3 of 3)

Java abstraction and virtualization

May 21, 2010 / / 0 Comments

The last few weeks have been very active with a steady stream of press releases related to java in virtualization and java in cloud computing:

It is interesting to see the technology circle of life return to java, as java did so much to first introduce abstraction into mainstream technology.  By abstracting the application from the OS, java made great stride in turning our attention towards the application and away from the OS. Hypervisors then turned out attention away from the hardware, and now the two are being used in conjunction to truly enable us to focus on what matters…providing services.

To read more on this, check out my latest article on SearchServerVirtualization at: http://searchservervirtualization.techtarget.com/news/column/0,294698,sid94_gci1512553,00.html

Death of the OS

May 10, 2010 / / 0 Comments

I wouldn’t begin the funeral procession just yet, but the server OS may have to come to grips with its own mortality soon. As virtual appliances progress, they are returning the focus to the application and moving the OS from the role of a maintenance burden to one of a service enabler.

Case in point, I used to run a 486 workstation my home router. It ran Linux and had two NICs, with the ipchains and ipfwd services providing my firewall and routing. I loved building that, I even had the entire thing running DSL Linux and booting form a write-protected floppy at one point. Over time, that server’s value diminished. For $30, I could by a wireless router that did much more, and did not require hours of messing with NE1000 NIC drivers every time I did a kernel upgrade. The home router appliance removed the administrative concerns of the OS, actually locking it away from my meddling fingers. I no longer know or care what distribution of Linux it uses, what rev of drivers are in use, or even what the hardware components are. I turn it on, answer a few questions from my web browser and walk away. Aside from the occasional firmware updates, I forget it is even there…and that is of tremendous value to me.

When your server OS requires more maintenance than the application or service being delivered, your priorities are out of alignment with your business needs. Virtual appliances are seeking to return a healthy balance to the data center, turning the attention back toward the service. To read more of my thoughts on this, read my latest TechTarget article, “JeOS: Death of the operating system“.

As always, your feedback is welcome.

Evolution of the Virtual Appliance

April 15, 2010 / / 0 Comments

Back in 2007, I was fortunate enough to beta test one of the early virtual appliances, BEA Systems’ WebLogic Server Virtual Edition, and speak about it at both the BEAWorld and VMworld conferences. Unfortunately, the marketplace did not embrace the cutting-edge technology of virtual appliances three years ago. Since then, however, the virtual appliance marketplace has become more mature.

In my latest article for searchservervirtualization.techtarget.com, I take a look back at the pioneering work by leaders like Guy Churchward (led development of BEA’s WebLogic Server Virtual edition), and today’s innovators like John Gannon (with VMTurbo, distributing their products as virtual appliances). This is a technology who’s time has come, and will only gain a more broad acceptance as technologies like vApp from VMware continue to reshape the application delivery landscape.

Read the full article at:
http://searchservervirtualization.techtarget.com/news/column/0,294698,sid94_gci1509878,00.html

What impact will virtual appliances have on how the operating system is traditionally viewed? Be looking for my next article that will take a look at this topic.

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