... sometimes the result is an overdose of coolness.
Saw a promo go out for an upcoming EMC LIVE event about using Application Discovery Manager in VMware environments.
If VMware is my #1 favorite cool technology, then Smarts ADM is right behind it. And an event showing how these two things work together has got to be one of the better tech webinars from EMC.
What's An EMC LIVE event?
No, we're not fooling around with Second Life or anything.
It's a straight-ahead online tech demo for hardcore practitioners and EMC engineers, with a bit of Q+A. I like them because the marketing fluff is (usually) kept to an absolute minimum.
We All Know Why VMware Is Cool ...
... so I won't bore you any more.
But moving to VMware can create some interesting challenges, especially in larger environments.
Like knowing exactly what you've got on the floor: servers, databases, software, patch levels, networks, config files, microcode, firmware, etc. -- all the little bits and pieces that you need to know before you can plan and implement a migration.
And, if you're going to migrate over time, there's configuration drift. Things change in the landscape while you're doing the work. Maybe it was configured one way a few weeks ago, but someone had to change it.
And, of course, no one ever changes anything in IT without following rigorous change control processes, and notifying all affected parties, right?
The ability to discover -- and model -- the entire environment, without agents, in reasonable high-def, track changes, etc. -- that's be useful, especially if you were considering a larger migration.
Not only as a starting point for your planning work, but to monitor configs while the migration is going on.
And You Might Know Why Smarts ADM Is Cool ...
If I'm ranting, my apologies in advance.
Application Discovery Manager (ADM) is actually a misnomer. It discovers applications, relationships, databases, operating systems, servers, networks, storage, HBAs, etc. etc. -- more like a "what do I have right now, and how does it all relate?" discover manager.
It does this by cracking packets on the network, looking for application fingerprints, and then "walking back" to all the actors, progressively probing using standard interfaces to ascertain what you've got, how it's configured, and how it all relates.
It has got to be one of the coolest demos I've ever seen.
OK, my first VMware hot-move demo was more impressive, but definitely in the same league.
And it builds a model. You might think it's just another CMDB (comomon management data base) -- which is technically true -- but the model captures much more than just a garden-variety CMDB can.
Now the fun starts. Of course the model can be used to visualize. Pick a point of interest, and everything pivots around. Relationships are intuitive.
Of course, you can create a bazillion different reports, some standard, or go customized.
But it also has the ability to spot deltas over time. Got an idealized config? You can find the gaps quickly. Someone changed something and didn't tell you? There it is -- before it causes major headaches.
Sweet.
But I Think There's More
I can't prove it, but I am dead sure that VMware environments are inherently more dynamic than physical server environments. New VM images come and go more frequently. DRS (if implemented) is moving things around.
That's part of the value of a VMware farm. But how do you discover / visualize / change manage it?
Well, you can take your tools you had from the physical world, but I bet you won't be happy with them. They'll use agents -- yuch. Or they just won't understand this new beast called a virtual machine, or ESX. Or they won't be updating frequently enough to be of much use.
Or you can write your own scripts. That's always an (unpleasant) option.
VMware's VirtualCenter can tell you about the VMware environment itself, but that's only a part of the picture, isn't it?
What about databases? Applications? Networks? Guest OSes? Storage? You get the picture.
Or you can take a look at Smarts ADM, and get the real picture, in near-real-time.
I think you're going to want to consider that option, especially if you're going to be accountable for delivering decent service levels from your VMware environment, or it's large, or both.
But There's A Bigger Theme Here ...
More and more people are looking at their VMware build-out as an opportunity to improve the surrounding infrastructure and processes at the same time.
When I moved my residence recently, we took some time to throw away stuff, sell some stuff off, etc. before the move. We also put some thought into our new house, how it'd be organized, what sorts of things we'd like to put in before we brought all our stuff.
We didn't just move all of our c**p over without some serious thought.
And I meet more and more customers that are less interested in bringing over their last-gen technologies from the physical world, and more interested in starting fresh with new, modern stuff that's architected with virtualization in mind, and not just bolted on as yet another marketing feature.
I think this applies to backup, specifically EMC Avamar. I think this applies to replication, specifically EMC RecoverPoint. And for discovery / visualization / change management, I haven't heard of a slicker approach than Smarts ADM.
I hope you agree ...
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