Even as we conquer one technology and discover all the different ways we can bend it to our will, another comes along and the cycle begins anew. For today’s enterprises edge computing represents a great leap forward in data processing.

In this article, we’ll offer a high-level overview of the edge, explain why your enterprise should take advantage of the benefits of edge computing, and three tips to help you get your edge strategy started.

What Is Edge Computing?

Understanding exactly what the edge encompasses is the first step to devising your own edge strategy. That said, the definition of edge computing is a bit nebulous, with organizations often defining exactly what constitutes as “the edge” based on their own computing environments and their specific organizations.

That said, the fundamental principle of edge computing remains the same: Bringing computation and data storage closer to the sources of data, which is turns speeds up processing time and improves data-related productivity.

In a recent report commissioned by Dell, the technology was described as:

“Edge computing” is a term that encompasses a broad array of execution venues, including devices and equipment with embedded compute, adjacent computing devices that augment compute-constrained endpoints, gateways to legacy equipment, and proximate compute resources in closets, cages and within the network operator infrastructure. Edge computing also includes hyperconverged infrastructure that integrates and virtualizes key components of IT infrastructure including storage, networking and compute.”

The bottom line is that while the exact definition and application of the edge can differ, enterprises are all searching for the same things when they utilize it: increased agility, productivity, and a reduction in the time spent processing data before it can be properly utilized.

Why Your Enterprise Needs To Embrace Edge Computing

Now that we’ve explained what the edge is, let’s delve into why enterprises are so keen on employing their own edge strategies.

Some of the motivation can be attributed to seeking a competitive advantage, the same reason any new technology is adopted once it’s been proven to be effective.

Other reasons enterprises are seeking out edge computing are the specific benefits offered by the edge.

As shared by Dell, these benefits include:

• Reduced latency – Through edge computing, the latency inherent to physical distance can be overcome.
• Bandwidth conservation – The locations that need the edge the most often have limited WAN bandwidth. By processing data locally, enterprises can extract the maximum business value from it.
• Operational technology (OT) connectivity – Enterprises in some industries require specific compute devices in order to acquire data and pass control information. Edge computing can help support the needs of these businesses.
• Business process availability – Critical tasks undertaken at the edge need to be able to continue even during network outages or other crisis situations. Edge computing can ensure that these locations, whether a factory, retail location, or hospital, can continue to operate even during outages.
• Data sovereignty – Depending on the industry and location, the movement of some types of data may be restricted. Edge computing can help enterprises overcome these restrictions and still leverage the data produced.

3 Tips for Building Your Edge Computing Strategy

Once it’s decided that an enterprise should move forward in adopting an edge strategy, the next step to plot the path forward. Like any other technology, adopting it without a proper plan in place can reduce the technology’s effectiveness in the long-term. So, what do enterprises need to keep in mind for their edge strategy?

1. Plan your strategy around your specific business goals. Every enterprise is different and edge strategies are not one size fits all. Keep your specific targeted business outcomes in mind when designing your strategy and you can ensure that your edge strategy will drive your business forward.
2. Be efficient when designing your infrastructure. The edge is all about consolidating and looking for opportunities to save on resources to improve agility and productivity. By integrating your data streams, your edge infrastructure can also take advantage of the existing edge data.
3. Keep the future in mind. Your edge strategy shouldn’t just be planned for the here and now, it should also take the future into consideration. Consider what the growth of your enterprise will mean for your edge strategy and plan accordingly. Planning now will pay dividends down the line.

Do You Need Help on Your Journey to the Edge?

is committed to helping enterprises transform the way they do business. To support this, Dell offers a broad range of applicable for a variety of industries and that can meet the unique requirements of your enterprise. The best part? You can leverage WEI’s expertise across Dell’s portfolio of infrastructure solutions to help determine the best solution for your business. WEI is here to help set you up for success with your edge computing strategy.

NEXT STEPS: Adoption of hyperconverged infrastructure solutions are on the rise as more and more enterprise businesses see the benefits first hand. Check out our tech brief below that features several of the reasons our customers choose VxRail for HCI. (No forms required!)

The post 3 Tips For Your Edge Computing Strategy appeared first on IT Solutions Provider - IT Consulting - Technology Solutions.

After being popularized and exploding onto the IT scene almost a decade ago, the usage and management of containers is still evolving as new and more efficient organization strategies and tools are developed.

is one such tool. It was released in 2014 and over the last several years, has grown to be one of the most frequently utilized container management platforms.

That said, its popularity does nothing to simplify its core concepts and for executives, even those with an IT background, it can be hard to understand just how important and useful Kubernetes really is.

To make the conversation easier, we’ve pulled the top four things enterprise leadership should know about Kubernetes from ‘s Kubernetes for Executives report and other sources, and shared them in the article below.

1. What is Kubernetes?

The first step to understanding the benefits of Kubernetes (Koo-burr-NET-eez) is to actually learn what it is. This is typically the part that creates the most confusion for non-technical members of leadership teams.

As described on , “Kubernetes is a portable, extensible, open-source platform for managing containerized workloads and services, that facilitates both declarative configuration and automation.”

Depending on your own technical knowledge, that explanation might seem pretty simple or it may require further explanation. To start with, what is a container and what are they used for?

In VMware’s words, “ encapsulate applications and make them portable.” Essentially, containers provide a way to keep software running under identical conditions when it is moved from one computing environment to another. As an example, this might be migrating an application from a test environment into production.

For today’s enterprises, containers offer a sort of “plug and play” method for administration, development, and distribution of applications and their relevant dependencies.

Kubernetes goes one step further and offers scalable, automatic management and administration for distributed systems at the container level and serves as a starting platform for developers, while also preserving user choice and flexibility.

2. What are the benefits?

At its core, Kubernetes is an API-based, scalable and extensible solution, supported in all major public clouds and with a growing community of open-source solutions that complement its essential features.

Among its other benefits, Kubernetes offers the following, :

• Service discovery and load balancing
• Storage orchestration
• Automated rollouts and rollbacks
• Automatic bin packing
• Self-healing
• Secret and configuration management

For a non-technical audience, Kubernetes can best be described as an automated system that eliminates many of the manual provisioning and other tasks required for container management.

Its components, which are easily replaceable to allow the system to be extended to new requirements and environments, work together to coordinate activities and react to events.

3. Why Your Enterprise Needs Kubernetes

As shared by VMware, Kubernetes benefits the enterprise at multiple levels, from the IT teams that administer the digital environment, to application developers, and all the way up to CIOs.

The bottom line is:

• Kubernetes reduces the amount of time administrators need to spend on container management, allowing them to focus on more complex and beneficial tasks.
• It allows enterprises to deliver new software and products more quickly.
• Kubernetes improves infrastructure and application availability, resulting in increased productivity at every level of the enterprise.
• It improves security by allowing application developers to play an active role in designing securable application.

4. How To Get Started With Kubernetes

Starting your journey to Kubernetes adoption can seem daunting, especially for those enterprises that have yet to fully embrace cloud computing technologies. However, the rewards of taking the leap are undeniable, especially for those enterprises the prioritize software development.

If you aren’t sure where to get started, VMware and can help you pave your way forward.

Are Your Looking For A Partner On Your Journey To Kubernetes?

VMware offers enterprises solutions that will help them manage and run consistent infrastructure, across on-premises data centers and public clouds, improving user experience and overall business operations. Their innovative approach to container orchestration offers architecture that is easy to deploy and manage, increasing enterprise agility and flexibility.

NEXT STEPS: Is your organization using containers?

Click below to grab your copy of our FREE EBOOK, “The IT Leader’s Guide to Using Containers in Today’s Digital World.”

The post 4 Things Executives Need To Know About Kubernetes appeared first on IT Solutions Provider - IT Consulting - Technology Solutions.

Batman and Superman. Iron Man and Captain America. Everyone loves when two giants in their own right come together for the common good. Simply put, everyone loves a superhero team up. Enter and .

Each offers a variety of solutions that propel enterprises through digital transformation and modernization efforts, including key cloud computing solutions. Through their partnership, HPE and Nutanix have gone one step further by offering enterprises a complete private cloud infrastructure integrated with software.

HPE And Nutanix Are Helping Enterprises Take Control Of The Cloud

As previously mentioned, HPE and Nutanix each stand in their own right when it comes to cloud computing.

In one corner you have , a fully managed, scalable IT infrastructure service, which offers enterprises a cloud-like consumption model for on-premises infrastructure. With GreenLake, HPE has cast aside the one-size-fits-all approach to supported technology by allowing enterprises to choose the most appropriate supported HPE or third-party technology. HPE also offers flexible pay-as-go models and makes it easy for enterprises to scale to their exact needs.

In the other corner is the Nutanix Enterprise Cloud Platform, a complete IT infrastructure which has the agility, scalability, and simplicity of the cloud, and the security, performance, and cost predictability of traditional on-premises infrastructure. Nutanix Enterprise Cloud offers additional benefit by spreading all data and processes across the entire cluster, which improves resource utilization, scalability, and performance predictability.

HPE And Nutanix Combined

Together, Nutanix and HPE are reinventing the way IT organizations build cloud infrastructure by combining the best of public cloud with the security and control of private cloud.

First up is , which feature built in integration with Nutanix software. Engineered to provide an infrastructure stack which is delivered either as an up-front purchase or as-a-service, this joint venture offers support for (VDI), built-in data protection, and additional third-party integrations right out of the box.

In terms of VDI, HPE ProLiant DX systems offer improved user performance and scalability, without the burden of high capital costs. IT organizations also have full remote replication capabilities, as well as backup to local systems, a remote site, or to the cloud.

In addition to the ProLiant DX systems, HPE and Nutanix have also collaborated to offer , which expands HPE GreenLake to run the Nutanix Enterprise Cloud as-a-service to support key areas.

For databases, HPE GreenLake with Nutanix mitigates common management challenges that come about due to the use of traditional infrastructure to support high-performance database operations. By streamlining database deployment, management, and operations, HPE GreenLake frees IT up for more complex and strategic projects.

Amongst its numerous other benefits, offers enterprises faster and easier deployment and management of VDI, as well as desktop-as-a-service (DaaS) infrastructure. HPE GreenLake with Nutanix also simplifies bring-your-own-device and choose-your-own-device programs through the distribution of applications through SaaS models.

Additionally, the focus on private cloud infrastructure, supported by hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI), allows enterprises to consolidate siloed workloads into just one management platform. HPE GreenLake with Nutanix also offers one-click database deployment, management, and operations, simplifying the management process even further.

[Featured Video]
The Hype is Real with Hyperconverged Infrastructure

Overall, HPE GreenLake with Nutanix and the ProLiant DX family of systems are offering enterprises additional flexibility, security, and efficiency when it comes to cloud computing, as well as flexible billing options and support for remote workforces.

Ready to Master The Cloud With HPE And Nutanix?

While many enterprises have made moves to adopt cloud computing, truly mastering the cloud is another thing entirely. HPE and Nutanix are both leading the charge in the development of cloud software and through their partnership, they are offering the cloud solutions enterprises need to succeed in today’s digital world. If you’re ready to make the change now, contact WEI to begin building a custom solution for your business.

[Featured Video]
Real Tech with WEI – Episode 1: HPE ProLiant Gen 10 Servers

Take a closer look at the HPE ProLiant family of servers and find out why the HPE Gen10 rack servers have earned the title of “World’s Most Secure Industry Standard Servers” in this episode of Real Tech with WEI featuring WEI Solutions Architect, Jay Cardin.

The post HPE and Nutanix – The IT Modernization Dream Team appeared first on IT Solutions Provider - IT Consulting - Technology Solutions.

Unless your enterprise’s WAN is optimized, the users located across your field offices won’t be able to take advantage of the transformation process, and it’s these users who are on the front lines of demand fluctuations and disruptions in real time. This is why we’re talking about the power and potential of the software defined WAN (SD-WAN). While software defining the data center is vital, the WAN is the final barrier holding enterprises back from fully utilizing their digital transformation.

What Exactly Is SD-WAN?

Designing and provisioning networks in a cloud-based world would be easy if everyone in your organization worked from the same location. Unfortunately, reality is far more complicated. SDN integrates in order to steer and prioritize application traffic so that critical traffic always presides, and application performance is guaranteed for users.

SD-WAN is based on the same principle of in that the control plane and data planes are abstracted from one another. This allows the WAN, including all branch edges, to be centrally managed without the need for an onsite network or security admin. Traffic flows are routed according to established policies that analyze route availability and congestion in real time. Internet and SaaS traffic are allowed to exit at their earliest convenience while HR and finance-based traffic traverse encrypted through VPN tunnels to corporate.

Technically, SD-WAN is not reinventing technology. It simply incorporates the modern value-driven technologies that your enterprise already implements within your data center and disperses them throughout your WAN. It may not recreate the wheel, but SD-WAN does ensure that all of your users, regardless of location, enjoy the same level of performance and security that your corporate users already benefit from.

The Benefits of SD-WAN

Just like server hardware, you’re paying for bandwidth whether you use it all or not, and maximizing your bandwidth use means maximizing your investment costs.

By segregating your traffic patterns, traffic flows are more evenly dispersed through your WAN, bottlenecks are eliminated, and application delivery is improved. Through virtualization, SD-WAN solutions can aggregate WAN circuits of any type, from any provider, providing the flexibility to enforce load balancing and true redundancy. And with a single, central interface pane, one admin can control the entire SD-WAN at each location.

Industry Leaders in SD-WAN

Cisco

Cisco has been providing solutions since its early beginnings, devising its architecture and functionality to conquer the same challenges faced by the modern WAN. Cisco offers the following benefits:

• Network optimized for public cloud and SaaS
• SaaS response times four times faster
• Seamless connectivity to public cloud for complex workflows
• Predictable application SLA
• No app outages due to networking

VMware

VMware applies its proven data center virtualization technologies to the WAN. Enterprises need WANs that are both reliable and scalable. VMware set out to simplify the process of adding bandwidth links, aggregating them into a seamless congruent pipe system, and routing appropriate application traffic through policy assigned avenues. Like other leading SD-WAN solutions, its NSX SD-WAN solution provides the following benefits:

• Virtualizes the network
• Enables a secure overlay
• Simplifies services delivery
• Provides interoperability
• Leverages cost effective hardware
• Supports automation with business policy framework
• Monitors usage and performance
• Supports interoperable and open networking

Aruba

Aruba’s SD-Branch serves as a Branch Gateway that operates as a central policy enforcement point that consolidates broad functionality into a single branch appliance.

Aruba leveraged its knowledge and portfolio of security, analytical solutions, and wireless networking, and set out to design a new product from the ground up. SD-Branch is not a retrofit product, but a solution specifically designed to meet the needs of today’s branch-based networks, and supports broadband, MPLS, and LTE WAN connections. SD-Branch allows for central policy enforcement at all points of the enterprise, allowing admins to manage application traffic and security for multiple locations.

Contact WEI About SD-WAN

Are you interested in exploring options for SD-WAN? Contact our networking experts to start a discussion.

The post Boost Performance And Security With An SD-WAN Solution appeared first on IT Solutions Provider - IT Consulting - Technology Solutions.

Software defined storage (SDS) has the potential to revolutionize your business processes and drive extraordinary value. However, storage isn’t just measured by capacity. In our previous blog post, we laid out the example of thinking of your organization’s storage infrastructure like a virtual city: there are specific places designated for each type of data, from highly-utilized information to archives. Because of this, there is a true need for segmenting your resources; today, SDS is finally allocating true Automated Storage Tiering (AST) for enterprises. AST has created a natural and timely partnership with flash storage to offer the speed and performance that personal computing devices have enjoyed for years and many organizations are now considering all-flash based arrays to meet the demands of server virtualization.

The Case for Tier Separation

The from $1,409.7 million in 2014 to $6,217.6 million by 2019, at an estimated compound annual growth rate of 34.6 percent from 2014 to 2019. Your organization creates and demands all types of data, and each of these data classes summons different demands from your storage infrastructure. To meet these needs, your data infrastructure should be separated into multiple tiers.

For example, one type of data may require (and justify) incredibly high performance, no matter the cost, while other data classes only require modest performance at a reasonable cost. On the other end of the spectrum, long-term retention data and archived information can settle for minimum levels of performance.

A possible example of an Automated Storage Tiering design could look like this:

• Tier 0: Flash Storage.
• Tier 1: Production storage (prior to Flash storage, this used to be the top tier). High value data that is regularly utilized should reside here.
• Tier 2: Intermittent storage. Low cost/performance disks can be implemented for data that is only accessed every so often.
• Tier 3: Tape storage, which is necessary for required archives with strict government and industry regulations.

The idea of Automated Storage Tiering in an SDS environment is nothing new; it has been around for decades, but has previously lacked the intelligence mechanism to optimally implement it. Up until now, storage was assigned by age or some similar determinate that provided a best guess at tier assignments. Today, SDS systems use sophisticated algorithms that calculate usage and relative demand of data chunks. Then, data can be elevated or demoted between the available tiers.

Cloud Computing Makes Automated Storage Tiering Possible

The cloud is creating even greater opportunities for AST as more organizations are employing cloud-based storage. Cloud service providers and vendors are now offering storage devices that serve as a front-end storage appliance for the cloud. Rather than moving data between different physical hardware, these appliances shuffle data between local direct attached storage (DAS) locations and the cloud. They can also provide large caching depositories for data that is being saved off-premise.

The decisions organizations make are only as good as the data that is used to formulate them. We are in an era where the value of a company can be directly attributed not only to the value of its data, but the ease of its accessibility, and the capability and aptitude to analyze and process it. The decoupling of software from hardware is opening the door for new innovations and is giving IT managers the levels of data management and cost control that up until recently was only imaginable.

The benefits and value of SDS is being recognized by top industry leaders and future tech disruptors. Do you think it’s time for your organization to embrace SDS as well?

Read the white paper, to learn more, then to discuss which SDS solution is right for your business.

The post The Value of Automated Storage Tiering with Software Defined Storage appeared first on IT Solutions Provider - IT Consulting - Technology Solutions.

Software Defined Systems Benefits, The 5 A’s

1. Accuracy – In transitioning to a software driven enterprise, the network framework will become programmable and automated, thus eliminating human (or even machine) error. Think about the implications of this: no longer will the traffic traversing your network be dependent upon the hardware you are running. Rather, the traffic will be routed intelligently, via software that is smarter than a switch or router. The application, once the gravy on top of the meal, now becomes the entire meal itself. It knows what it needs to do, and it takes the most efficient path to get there, allowing for intelligent accuracy that reduces the need for constant babysitting of your network by IT staff, as well as cuts your costs and improves your operating efficiency.

2. Adaptability – No more reliance on hardware vendors who have you locked in, with big capital expenditures for upgrades that you cannot afford. Your network or data storage will now be software-enabled or virtualized so that you can easily switch from environment to environment without the hassle of a “rip and replace” initiative or hiring extra staff to manage an environment change. This allows your company to scale on a very low margin, saving you time and money (and of course, headaches.)

3. Agility – Agility is the ease in which your organization’s data computation can navigate complex environments quickly, and according to your enterprise’s specific needs. According to an article on Infoworld.com, “Business agility is the new currency for valuing technology in the enterprise and increased agility is what virtualization delivered and compute clouds promise.”

With software defined systems, you can move between one system and another, switching environments whenever you choose. You can set up your applications instantly over a software defined system, and you can take them down instantly as well. This agile environment optimizes the user experience while greatly reducing costs.

4. Alignment – All of your resources within your infrastructure will be completely aligned, rather than disparate hardware and software that requires intensive (and costly) IT maintenance. In fact, the alignment benefit from software defined technology will be a driving factor in IT innovation.

Rather than incurring a huge expense for IT staff dedicated to support a mismatch of vendors, equipment, and software, IT will be looked upon to innovate, driving profitability with a more strategic approach. The role of IT will be elevated to oversee infrastructure that is driven by business policies and priorities, rather than being consumed with fixing problems and putting out fires. Software defined systems enable IT to be proactive, rather than reactive.

5. Assurance – Every organization has policy and compliance requirements that must be in place and monitored. With software defined systems in place, your organization will have a much higher degree of confidence that your entire infrastructure is compliant with the standards and regulations that your organization must adhere to.

As you can see, software defined systems provide benefits to your enterprise that are crucial in the very fabric of your business. These 5 A’s guide you toward a congruent, optimally working infrastructure that promises to propel your organization into the next generation of software defined technology with ease.

Learn more about the benefits and how they can impact your business processes in a positive way by downloading our whitepaper, .

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