Linux in the Enterprise:Directions, Demands,

and Decisions

David BoyesSine Nomine Associates

ISOTechNovember 12, 2002

Agenda

DirectionsCross-Platform API CompatibilityLicensingVirtualizationDistributed Design

Linux in the Enterprise:Who?What?Where?When?To What Extent?

What Impact Does This Have on Deployment and Design Decisions?

Linux in the Enterprise

Enterprise Linux not necessarily new:

Often introduced in utility function and spread based on functionSpreading to application servers with heavy investment from major hardware vendors (HP, IBM, Sun)Represents a workingcommon platform for enterprise tooling

Linux is:Standards-driven and standards-definingNot controlled by vendors or ISVsAvailable and serviceable from a number of vendors (not single-source)Widely accepted in technical and scientific community

Penetration into the Enterprise Marketplace

Gartner (2002):“Linux is the destabilizing technology for enterprise computing”

Giga (2002):“If the services requirements can be worked out, Linux stands a significant chance to change the landscape of enterprise computing.”

Fastest growing server OS in 2001, 2002

Gartner: 34% new installs vs 29% new Windows installs (2002)

Dramatic uptake in 2001-2002 for desktop

Out of 30 Wall St customers, 24 considering desktop Linux, and 18 already implementing pilots

Design Focus

InteroperabilityCompatibiltyCoexistanceService-oriented

Interoperability

Support for every major network protocol included at no acquisition cost

TCPIPXSNA/APPN

Major application services available

SambaDNSLDAPWWW services

In the last 5 years a majority of Internet RFC protocols and services appear and are tested on Linux first, then ported to other platforms.Growing library of commercial and non-commercial solutions to interact with or replace Microsoft infrastructure

Compatibility

IP-based services are de-facto standard.API is identical across 70+ distinct hardware architectures from Palm to IBM zSeries.

Applications and OS layout comply with POSIX, LSB, UNIX95Convergence on common file layout with recent releases and UnitedLinux projectEvolution of emulation APIs (Mono for .NET, Win/IX for Win32 API on Linux, conversion tooling, .ASP to open standards)

Coexistance

Not necessarily a replacement, but commonly an augmentationRapid deployment and prototyping on inexpensive hardware coupled with testing facilities (combine virtualization with interoperability tools)

Mainframe Linux provides clean data connectors and interfaces to host data w/o compromising security or integrityApplication augmenter (scaling/license discussion)

Service Orientation

Contrary to popular opinion, Linux is notfree at the enterprise level

Software serviceResponse SLAs

Services are not tied to a vendor or specific ISV.

Service vendors can be selected on merit, not by default.Choose on basis of best fit, best knowledge of industry or requirementsChange for economic or better match reasonsOften leader to greater involvement with a customer…

Application Acceptance

ISV acceptanceIndustry standardsSkills transfer

ISV Acceptance

Over 2200 vendors registered for Intel Linux aloneSince introduction of mainframe Linux in 2000, 297 ISVsrepresenting 1700 commercial applications

Diversity of open-source applications exeeds count (more than 18,000 packages available cross-architecture at no acquisition fee)“shared source” program at Microsoft vs “open source”

Skills Transfer

“In organizations with significant batch or Unix system presence, the ability of Linux to absorb and utilize the best of both management skills and automation and system operations disciplines argues strongly for Department use in operational support and information management roles”

-- US Department of DefenseCommittee on Open Source and Applications

Unix:Familiar tools and applicationsFamiliar processes

Large systems:Brings valuable discipline to system management and requirmentsOften more flexible than small systems personnel wrt adopting and combining new technology

Industry Standards

In many application areas, there are two choices, the Linux-based open source version and the Microsoft variationOpen source version is the de facto standard

“Linux is most often the platform where new developments and standards are incubated and grown to maturity”-- Giga Group, 2001

Design Implications

Hardware support is much broader for specific application deploymentIntegration points can be built where data livesHW and support investment much lower costIncreased reliability for end-user systems

Leverage for existing code and environments increasedAdvanced Web Services already a reality

HW Support

Typical multiuser environment requires P2 200, 64M or less.

Substantial leverage of existing hardware base (no forklift)Implies stabilization of desktop and migration toward controlled distribution of data.Compare to 600 Mhz, 256M Win XP requirement

Clear upsize/downsize capability across architecturesClean demarcation of application and operating systemClients interoperate with other systems (eg, Win Terminal Server)

Support Investment

Rollout and maintainability tools are very advanced and included in basic packageSupport contracts based on # and type of platform, not seats (in most cases)

Ownership of the source remains with you, the userRapid fix capabilityBuy vs build discussionOCO discussion

Integration Points/Reliability

Combination of virtual systems and Linux allows building access where data lives“fewer moving parts”

Migration becomes coexistanceLeverage of existing business logicCost management without complete reengineering“right tool, right job”

Advanced Services

SOAP/XML tools immediately available at low/no costBridge to existing systems w/o rebuild

Gateway for existing systems to new functionDesign goal: use all resources for their unique contribution

Directions

Distributed APIs and Resource Management

SOAPGridVirtualization/DR

Realtime rating and risk analysis

Enterprise Data Management ToolsChange to Services-based Entry

Virtualization/DR

Examples:IBM z/VM (S/390)VMWare (Intel)

DR process capable of being carried out on hardware completely unlike the original –dramatically simpler and cheaper

Divorce of physical hardware from simulated hardware presented to OSRemoves binding of OS to specific HW configuration

Why Do Multi-Architecture Clustering?

Building on top of the virtual server farm in a can idea, leverage other resources that are already presentBridge application availability on platforms where vendor has not yet certified or ported.

Begin building architecture for “task fitting” and workload management across:

Internal assetsCommercially purchased assetsCross-organization assets

MA Cluster Overview

Computational Cluster

Computational Cluster

Computational Cluster

Network

EnterpriseNetwork

Z Series

Overview

Common DiskPool

CommonTape Pool

Tooling

Elements from GridGlobus 2.0 & 2.2

GRAMMDSGridFTPGSS/MDS Integration

Other ToolsHeimdal KerberosEnterprise file system

AFSNFS v3/NIS

Globus Services

Info Svs

Mgmt

Data

MgmtResource

Mgmt

Common Toolkit Services (GSI, etc)

Resource Management

GRAMResource Specification LanguageResource Broker (Globus 2.2 and above)Local AND Global Resource AllocatorResource Coordinator API (DUROC)

Detail Descriptions: http://www.globus.org/gram/rsl_spec1.htm

http://www.globus.org/gram/

http://www.globus.org/duroc/frames.html

Info Svc Mgmt

MDSMDS uses the LDAP protocol as a uniform means of querying system information from a rich variety of system components, and for optionally constructing a uniform namespace for resource information across a system that may involve many organizations.

Data Mgmt Services

Currently concentrated on data transfer and locationArea for significant investigation

General System Services

GSI (General Security Infrastructure)The primary motivations behind the GSI are:

The need for secure communication (authenticated and perhaps confidential) between elements of a computational Grid. The need to support security across organizational boundaries, thus prohibiting a centrally-managed security system. The need to support "single sign-on" for users of the Grid, including delegation of credentials for computations that involve multiple resources and/or sites.

GSI Implementation

GSI is based on public key encryption, X.509 certificates, and the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) communication protocol. Extensions to these standards have been added for single sign-on and delegation. The Globus Toolkit's implementation of the GSI adheres to the Generic Security Service API (GSS-API) promoted by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).

MA Cluster Operation

Implications

No longer necessary to dedicate machines to applications.Detail documentation of resource utilization and expectationsPreamble to cross-platform WLM

Platform subsidiary to requirementsExtension of existing tools to new environmentsCooperative applications possible

Management and Control

Partially goal of ADSBut, lock-in to MS and MS strategy!

Characteristics of desirable tool:

Cross platformOpen sourceNo vendor lock-inIntegration with existing security and provisioning tools

Ganymede

UT Austin projectEnhanced classes for grid, CMS, Linux management, LDAP support, Linux virtual machine creation and deployment supplied by others

Open sourceJava based

Coordinates user and system deployment across multiple systems with multiple administratorsCross platform

Windows Domain and ADSNISCMSzOS (coming soon)OS/400 (coming soon)

GUI and command line interfaces providedTested at 350,000 managed objects

Login and Roles

User Attributes

Editing and Managing Users

Monitoring the Environment

Summary

Linux is real and readyLinux is about choices that enhance your options and ability to build cost-effective IT infrastructureThe future of Linux is accelerating into the enterprise space and should be in your design portfolio

Open Discussion

Contact Info

David BoyesSine Nomine Associatesinfo@sinenomine.net

+1 703 723 6673

Download presentation:http://www.sinenomine.net/downloads