vcloud

vCloud Solutions Architect

Duncan Epping · May 1, 2009 ·

VMware is looking for a vCloud Solutions Architect for EMEA. This is probably one of the most challenging jobs within VMware at the moment… time for a change? Looking for a new challenge? Here you go:

Virtualization is the technology that is poised to change the way we think about computing. VMware (NYSE: VMW) is the global leader in virtualization solutions from the desktop to the datacenter. Customers of all sizes rely on VMware to reduce capital and operating expenses, ensure business continuity, strengthen security and go green. With 2008 revenues of $1.9 billion, more than 130,000 customers and more than 22,000 partners, VMware is one of the fastest-growing public software companies. VMware’s award-winning technology, market-leading position and culture of excellence provide the more than 6,600 passionate people we employ in 40 locations worldwide with a platform for professional growth and the excitement of being an early-stage innovator.

The vCloud Solutions Architect will be responsible for providing deep technical expertise with regards to vCloud opportunities involving VMware customers and partners. The individual will interface directly with the customer as well as being the technical liaison with VMware’s partners in designing and validating vCloud solutions and architectures. In addition to technical architecture support, the vCloud Solutions Architect will collaborate with Product Management and Engineering as the field representative on the support and development of current and future vCloud initiatives.

Responsibilities:

Present VMware vCloud vision, strategy and product roadmaps to executives and technical management

Provide expert technical architectural support and guidance for vCloud opportunities, including integration into existing management and monitoring systems

Assist in technically managing initial vCloud implementations including proof-of-concepts and pilots

Maintain deep technical and business knowledge of cloud hosting industry directions and trends

Work collaboratively with Product Management and Engineering during the development, launch and continuing refinement of VMware vCloud products

Document best practices & architectural references in developing and deploying VMware vCloud solutions

Requirements:

Multiple years of infrastructure architecture experience with significant depth around designing, implementing, and managing critical cross-functional integration projects at hosting providers. Engagement experience should include IT strategy initiatives, middleware implementations, and leveraging overall technical architecture knowledge across multiple industries

The individual should have extensive architectural skills dealing with infrastructure solutions such as systems management and business continuity. Expert level knowledge of x86 operating systems, advanced networking, storage architectures and programming experience is desirable

Enthusiastic, self-starter with a charismatic personality

Proven track record of selling services as part of a solution

Ability to see and present “the big picture” and offer solutions to make it better

Strong customer facing and relationship building skills

Must be effective in working both independently and in a team setting

Strong listening and question based selling skills

Ability to uncover business challenges and develop a custom solution to solve those challenges

Excellent communication skills, both written and oral are required

A Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, related field or equivalent experience

Drop me an email if you’re interested…

VMware Cloud strategy

Duncan Epping · Sep 26, 2008 ·

Lately I’ve been reading all these blog and news articles that deal about the key message of VMworld: Cloud Computing. A lot of the journalists and blog writers didn’t pay attention during the Keynotes because they keep coming back to the fact that a lot of companies want to keep control of their data. Companies don’t want to have all their data floating around in a “cloud”.

So what’s Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing is Internet based development and use of computer technology. The cloud is a metaphor for the Internet and is an abstraction for the complex infrastructure it conceals. It is a style of computing where IT-related capabilities are provided “as a service”, allowing users to access technology-enabled services from the Internet without knowledge of, expertise with, or control over the technology infrastructure that supports them. (source wikipedia)

So this is where people get confused, in the first sentence it says “Internet”. So this must mean that my data isn’t secure and out of my hands… And VMware thinks everyone will be doing this in the future?
A bit further down the same wikipedia page it states:

The majority of cloud computing infrastructure currently consists of reliable services delivered through next-generation data centers that are built on compute and storage virtualization technologies. The services are accessible anywhere in the world, with The Cloud appearing as a single point of access for all the computing needs of consumers. Commercial offerings need to meet the quality of service requirements of customers and typically offer service level agreements. Open standards and open source software are also critical to the growth of cloud computing.

So the services(and data) are accessible anywhere in the world, with a single point of access. It doesn’t state that your services are out in the open. There is a thing called “internal” cloud and you can find a great explanation on the internal cloud on VINF.NET. Keep in mind that they wrote this article before VMware announced the vCloud initiative.

Although the word cloud was used a lot of times during the keynote I don’t think that’s what the keynote was actually about. The keynote was about new VMware technology.

These new technologies seem to revolve around one thing, delivering your services with a certain SLA. And to be able to do this, one has to have a heavily optimized and automated environment, preferably virtualized. That is what the keynote was actually about in my opinion, the integration of all these new and existing products into the Virtual DataCenter OS to enable SLA-driven effective usage of resources for an optimal user experience.

Another day…

Duncan Epping · Sep 17, 2008 ·

And more cool stuff announced. I know I have to stay objective and try not to sound like a cheerleader… but man did you see the latest announcements? It’s hard not to get excited, it’s hard not to be enthusiastic, the hell with it I’m not even gonna try it.

And why not one might ask? Well because VMware just announced the fact that vCenter Server will be released as a linux virtual appliance in the future and the vCenter client will be cross platform available. So all you linux minded or mac minded sysadmins out there, keep an eye out for the beta program. This is also a great reason for me to ditch XP on my laptop and start installing Ubuntu, well as soon as it’s available that is! But is definitely one of the best announcements this week in my opinion. I’ve been asked this question, when will VC (client) be available for linux, very very often. Well I still can’t give an answer but it’s on the roadmap! Getting the MS requirement out of the Virtual Environment or should I say vCloud is important for a lot of customers and (most important) SysAdmins.

But that’s not it, the new “limitations” that Dr. Stephen Herrod announced today are overwhelming, 64 nodes in a cluster, 4096 processor cores and 64 TB of RAM. So my question is … what about the current 2TB limitation for LUN’s. Let’s hope that one will be gone soon… And let’s hope VMFS also get’s a make over, no that it’s not functioning at the moment but a VMFS resize option would be nice for instance. Well we will just have to wait and see I guess. But it would fit into the new vStorage initiative. Which, as Chad explained, is also an API where hardware vendors can take advantage off! Like for instance the vCenter SAN Snapshot integration that NetApp, Dell/EQL and EMC announced yesterday.

Well I can rewrite Scott’s entire blog but that just isn’t very useful… So click here and read one of the most extensive live blogs on the VMworld Day 2 Keynote. These were just some random thoughts, I’m going for a walk, just to clear up my mind… a lot of information in a short amount of time.