The datacenter is undergoing a tremendous shift. Additional abstraction layers, changes to virtualization frameworks, the rise of containers, the proliferation of policy based management, and increasing infrastructure extensibility are creating tremendous automation capabilities for datacenters of all sizes. The mission to enable the apps is the same, but the ways we do that are starting to change. In this session we'll discuss these new paradigms and the tools and methodologies that have sprung up to support them.

1. Josh Atwell
Cloud Architect, SolidFire
Connecticut VMUG UserCon
#CTVMUG @Josh_Atwell
Automating The Next Generation Datacenter

2. Josh.Atwell@SolidFire.com
@josh_atwell

4. Back in my day…
• Smaller server:admin ratios
• More manual processes
• Limited scripting/automation tools
• Minimal automation targets
• Fewer Layers

5. Physical Hardware
Operating System
AppApp
In the beginning…
.bat
.vbs
bash
expect

6. Physical Hardware
Operating System
AppApp
Virtualization
Operating System
vCenter Server
Then there was…

7. Physical Hardware
Operating System
App
Virtualization
VAAI
VAIO
VASA
NSX
ACI
vCenter Server
vRealize Suite
Automation Orchestrator Log Insight Business
Operating System
App App
VIO
3rd Party
Tools
3rd Party
Tools

9. Talking points
• Infrastructure Extensibility
• Policy based management
• The Software Defined Datacenter
• New Tools/Methods
• Will we stop scripting?
• Tomorrow’s Skills

10. Infrastructure Extensibility

11. Infrastructure Extensibility
• APIs and SDKs to manage
• Integration with common tools
• Agility to change programmatically
• Maximum feature availability

12. Policy Based Management

13. Policy Based Management
• Policies define identity and behavior

14. Policy Based Management
• Policies define identity and behavior
• Policies can be one to many

15. Policy Based Management
• Policies define identity and behavior
• Policies can be one to many
• Consistent and flexible
• Control and monitor configuration drift

16. For Example…

17. Granular Control
OS
Basic
Performance
QoS Profile
Min: 1000
Max: 2000
Burst: 5000
QoS Profile
Min: 3000
Max: 5000
Burst: 10000
QoS Profile
Min: 3000
Max: 8000
Burst: 15000
App
Higher
Performance
Data/DB
Specific
Performance
Storage Policy Based Management

18. • Software component developed by
Storage Array Vendors
• ESX and vCenter Server connect to
VASA Provider
• Provides Storage awareness
services
• Single VASA Provider can manage
multiple arrays
• Supports VASA APIs exported by
ESX
• VASA Provider can be implemented
within the array’s management
server or firmware
• Responsible for creating Virtual
Volumes
SAN / NAS
Virtual Datastore
Data
Path
Protocol Endpoint PE
vSphere
Virtual Volumes
Storage Container
Vendor Provider
(VASA)
Control
Path
Control
Path
VASA Provider

19. Capability Profile
enables SPBMv1
(Dynamic vs Tags)
Block Device
Storage DRS
(Report
Yes/No)
IO Stats
Events
Alarms
VASA v2
vSphere 6.x
Non-VVOLs
VASA v2
vSphere 6.x
VVOLs
VASA v1
vSphere
5.5
VVOLs Profile
VVOLs Management
SPBM v2
Unmap
VMFS VVOLs
VASA Provider Evolution

20. SPBM – Dynamic Capabilities

21. vRealize Automation

22. Desired State Tools
• Create identity for application, server, or
infrastructure.
• Configuration drift management
• 1:1 and 1:Many deployments
DSC

24. Software Defined
• IT as a Service - SLAs
• Requires infrastructure
extensibility
• Leverages policies
• Adapts based on active
conditions

25. For Example…
• Virus identified
• VM tagged as high risk
• VM Network policy changes
to protect
• Once sanitized it can return
to normal policy
• Or you can kill it and create
a new VM

26. New Tools and Methods
• DevOps Culture
• Disposable app instances
• Containers
• Cloudy stuff
• Version Control
New Challenges to automate!!

27. Version Control

28. Version Control
• GitHub (Git)
• BitBucket
• CodePlex
• Subversion
• FlowGrab (vRO)
DO IT!!

30. Keep on Scripting
• Increased extensibility = more scripting
• Bridge to Software Defined
• Gather info not presented in tools
• Ad-Hoc FTW!

31. Next Generation Skills
• Must understand all the application needs
• Work to enable self-service
• DevOps is not tools, it’s culture
• Rise of the Infrastructure Developer