Disqus - Latest Comments for thehotaisle

Re: Gaging the Length of a Data Center’s Useful Life

thehotaisle — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 14:21:42 -0000

The truth of it is that we cannot even begin to predict the usage of our data centres in a decade, far less two decades from now. Anyone who looks to a depreciation cycle of 25 years is probably an accountant who by definition hasn't got a clue.

Re: Eco4Cloud and Docker: better together

thehotaisle — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 07:38:28 -0000

This is such a smart approach to autonomic container automation and optimisation. Drive machine utilisation into the 80% plus range and switch the unused machines off. Fewer physical machines, less data centre space (potentially), less power and cooling. Great work

Re: Which enterprise technology startups have the most promising technologies?

thehotaisle — Sat, 23 Nov 2013 20:42:41 -0000

Thank you - did the edits in a rush and then didn't test all the links - more haste, less speed. Thank you very much

Steve

Re: What is App.net and Why Does It Matter?

thehotaisle — Sat, 11 May 2013 08:17:55 -0000

What is the value? Sounds like another scam

Re: Why do we try to solve backup when restore is the problem?

thehotaisle — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 02:15:14 -0000

Hi Sean,

Here is my insight. If one is never going to recover, then why bother backing up? Backing up is a pain AND HAS NO VALUE OF ITSELF except to enable some form of recovery.

Re: Every silver cloud and all that - Lifestyle, Frontpage - Independent.ie

thehotaisle — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 15:59:00 -0000

Golliwogs like White sheets and crosses are not inherently racist (bad taste they may be) until they are used by the KKK as a uniform, set on fire in public or deliberately put in a window to cause fear in people with black skin. When does one put a stop to racist bullying, when the anonymous hate mail arrives or maybe the petrol bombs?

When ones daughter is in tears and too frightened to play with her puppy in the garden, is that time to ask for help or should we just shut up and take it? A baseball bat attack is something one can defend against, even take the temporary pain. An insidious attack on ones family that undermines their self confidence and causes lasting fear is indefensible.

For me, I am glad that the UK Police take these matter seriously and nip problems in the bud.

Re: Analysis: Violin Memory Gearing Up For IPO? | TechInsidr

thehotaisle — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 18:59:25 -0000

The winners in the solid state storage array business will have the cash to execute as a significant competitive advantage. Although Violin has managed to raise in excess of $250M in debt and equity, the liquidity of public markets is essential to creating a winning strategy.

The prise is ownership of the top end of the new storage business, which will be almost exclusively flash and trash (SATA drives) in 60 months. The onset of 3 bit MLC early next year will drive the price point of flash below that of FC and SAS disks.

This is a gamble with the most enormous upside, hence the dash to public sources of risk capital to execute.

Steve O'Donnell

Re: IPO-bound GlassHouse fueled by Citrix investment - Mass High Tech Business News

thehotaisle — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 12:48:43 -0000

This is a unique professional and managed services firm that just gets infrastructure consulting right. Great methodologies, strong team.

Re: Coffee chains fall short on social responsibility

thehotaisle — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 21:28:12 -0000

I really can't believe that these major brands are quite so naive in their handling of this issue. Firstly why are they taking so much risk with their brand that they don't report on sustainability and won't or can't answer simple questions? As for Starbucks they ought to know better - a global brand that can't isolate UK numbers.

A real shocker.

Steve

Re: Coffee chains fall short on social responsibility

thehotaisle — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 17:28:12 -0000

A real shocker.

Steve

Re: Coffee chains fall short on social responsibility

thehotaisle — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 17:28:12 -0000

A real shocker.

Steve

Re: Status Quo Is The Enemy

thehotaisle — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 16:46:27 -0000

Jim, Status Quo == Risk Aversion (same thing) - all change decisions are based on triangle of Risk - Cost - Business Agility (AKA Cycle Time).

To push out risk it is necessary to offer reduced cost or improved business agility or both.

There is the science of it.

Steve @stephenodonnell

Re: I can't believe how bollocks HSBC's credit card fraud system is

thehotaisle — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:13:15 -0000

Ewan

I got to the same situation with another bank to the point I actually opened a US account to avoid the situation. You might consider an Amex, their customer service is pretty cool and they are used to folks who spend big bucks abroad.

Re: I just signed up for an o2 Money prepay debit card

thehotaisle — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:46:52 -0000

Ewan isn't it a prepay card rather than a debit card?

Re: SpinVox: Quick industry opinion via Twitter

thehotaisle — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 08:49:21 -0000

I think James has been a bit of a dickhead and really handled this very badly.

Re: SpinVox’s James Whatley set the record straight

thehotaisle — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 19:05:32 -0000

I love Spinvox and would struggle to operate effectively without it. Frankly if a bunch of guys or gals in a call center somewhere are making a living from texting that my dinner is in the dog then I feel I have contributed to slowing world hunger. :-)

Steve

Re: Is software licensing for virtualization fair?

thehotaisle — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 16:10:45 -0000

David,

Had a look at the the blog and see that there is a requirement for on-line connections - how does this work when the Internet is not available or possible?

Steve

Re: Is software licensing for virtualization fair?

thehotaisle — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 16:09:15 -0000

Really good comment. Now the vendors must get on with working this out plus we should be voting with our feet and refusing stupid licensing terms.

Steve

Re: Data Center Scale Computing

thehotaisle — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 18:02:13 -0000

I just received a very interesting reply from HDS reporting that Hitachi Ltd have launched their own Data Center Scale computing product in the domestic Japan market. IT really adds some value to the debate - thank you.

Here is what Alec Selvon-Bruce has to say:

I have been analysing this market for our colleagues at Hitachi Ltd (in April 09 Hitachi launched Module Type Data Centre in the domestic Japan market)

I have differentiated two categories (1) Pre-fabricated modulate data centres (2) Container based data centres

PRE-FABRICATED MODULE TYPE DCs: Available from 100m2 to 500m2 module configurations adapted for Tier 1/2/3/4 requirements with different UPS and AHU options
- GALILEO CONNECT DATA PODS
- RED VISTA RV-MDC (First installation of RV-MDC at London City airport)
- IBM MODULE DATA CENTRE – marketed by the Site & Facilities team and primarily based on AST’s Smartshelter solution

CONTAINER MODULE TYPE DCS: Stackable systems built into standard sea 30 ft containers. Market advanced by Microsoft data centre strategy 07/08 competitive tender
- SUN BLACKBOX
- RACKABLE ICE-CUBES
- VERARI FOREST
- HP PODS
- ALTRON OPTISTRUCTURE (Czech HQ ICT company with long history of container deployments)

Regards,

Alec Selvon-Bruce
EMEA Eco-Solutions Champion

Alec Selvon-Bruce
EMEA Ecosolutions Champion
HITACHI DATA SYSTEMS LIMITED

Re: The Oracle Application Stack – One Support Model

thehotaisle — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 17:51:32 -0000

Randy

Thanks as always for your feedback.

My sense is that Oracle VM's current sweet spot is in hosting Oracle applications, ERP, Peoplesoft, Databases etc.. As Adam told us, the Oracle applications set was a big enough set of low hanging fruit right now. Oracle is good at absorbing aquisitions and Virtual Iron will add some value as will Sun when that is finalized. Adam was very tight lipped about the Sun deal as one would expect pre closure.

As I said in the article technology is not the current adoption driver but don't expect that to stay the same for long.

Steve

Re: Watch out Cisco

thehotaisle — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 07:33:25 -0000

Thank you for your reply, informative and useful.

Steve

Re: Data Center Scale Computing

thehotaisle — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:50:23 -0000

Jake - why don't you share this very interesting idea about Motherboard designs with the other readers of the hot aisle.

Steve

Re: Are mobile calls as secure as you think?

thehotaisle — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 11:33:04 -0000

Ewan

I thought that the News of the Screws had managed to get Private Investigators to break into voicemail rather than tap calls. I had understood that the hack involved stupid people not putting a PIN on their Mailbox.

Is there anything else we know about the means of entry and advice for us who try not to be stupid?

Steve

Re: Data Center Scale Computing

thehotaisle — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:05:08 -0000

Google's book - The Data Center as Computer

Abstract

As computation continues to move into the cloud, the computing platform of interest no longer resembles a pizza box or a refrigerator, but a warehouse full of computers. These new large datacenters are quite different from traditional hosting facilities of earlier times and cannot be viewed simply as a collection of co- located servers. Large portions of the hardware and software resources
in these facilities must work in concert to efficiently deliver good levels of Internet service performance, something that can only be achieved by a holistic approach to their design and deployment. In other words, we must treat the datacenter itself as one massive warehouse-scale computer (WSC). We describe the architecture of WSCs the main factors influencing their design, operation, and cost structure, and the characteristics of their software base. We hope it
will be useful to architects and programmers of today's WSCs, as well as those of future many-core platforms which may one day implement the equivalent of today's WSCs on a single board.

Full text available on-line

http://dx.doi.org/10.2200/S...

Steve

Re: Data Center Scale Computing

thehotaisle — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 06:51:10 -0000

Hi Martin

Good question and one that there has been much debate about on this site. Small switched mode power units such as those used in servers are actually not too bad, achieving between 92% and 96% efficiency at full load. Remember that they are never run at full load as to provide resillience the PSUs can never get past 50% to work in an N+N pair. Sometimes there are three or four PSUs in a blade chassis and these can get to 60% or 70% loading.

Large scale DC power supplies can achieve very good efficiencies but one could argue about the 2-3% difference as being too insignificant to measure (frankly I agree). The real saving in capital and operational costs is in missing out the UPS stage. The efficency loss of converting from DC off the batteries back to AC again can be as much as 15%. Remember that UPS kit also has to be run in resillient configuration of N+N or N+1 so cannot run at full efficency and full load.

Thanks

Steve