Network infrastructure upgrades can ease the transition to the cloud
Upgrading network infrastructure can be instrumental to supporting cloud computing initiatives.
By Max BurkhalterDecember 16, 2011
Cloud computing is disrupting enterprise IT departments, allowing them to operate less expensively and with significantly less overhead. It is also creating major complications in terms of networking, as delivering applications, infrastructure and storage through the internet can overwhelm the bandwidth capacities of many corporate networks. However, businesses can meet the networking needs created by the cloud by upgrading their existing data center connectivity options, according to a recent Network World report.
Industry expert Joe Weinman told the news source services that deal with latency issues, optimize bandwidth and provide quality of service management are all already popular among many businesses. These same technologies can serve organizations when they migrate to cloud computing. Organizations simply need to upgrade their infrastructure and other systems to enhance the impact existing network technologies already have and prepare for the demands of cloud computing infrastructure.
Investing in already existing networking technologies, including multi-protocol label switching, virtual private LAN services and dense wavelength division multiplexing, can help businesses fully recognize the cost benefits associated with cloud computing. These advantages are often gained in a hybrid cloud environment, which is heavily dependent on the network, Weinman told the news source.
"When people talk about the business benefits of cloud the first thing that they always talk about is cost reduction, and that leads you inevitably to a hybrid architecture of enterprise data center with service-provider cloud resources being economically optimal," Weinman told Network World.
Weinman went on to say that cost-efficient nature of hybrid cloud architectures may make transitioning to the new model all but inevitable in the coming months. As a result, organizations need to move quickly to upgrade their networking systems in an effort to support the rising demands created by cloud computing infrastructure.
While making some of the investments suggested by Weinman can make it easier to meet the bandwidth and performance requirements of the cloud, it can also create complex network environments. According to a recent Data Center Knowledge report, there are a number of ways businesses can simplify their networks to ensure cloud-related needs are met without excessive complexity. One of those is to converge port and cabling infrastructure by using a smaller number of high-performance connections instead of a large number of aggregated ports.
Perle’s serial to Ethernet converters connect serial based equipment across an Ethernet network. The Perle IOLAN range of Console Servers, Device Servers and Terminal Servers feature built-in support for IPv6 along with a broad range of authentication methods and encryption technologies.
Industry expert Joe Weinman told the news source services that deal with latency issues, optimize bandwidth and provide quality of service management are all already popular among many businesses. These same technologies can serve organizations when they migrate to cloud computing. Organizations simply need to upgrade their infrastructure and other systems to enhance the impact existing network technologies already have and prepare for the demands of cloud computing infrastructure.
Investing in already existing networking technologies, including multi-protocol label switching, virtual private LAN services and dense wavelength division multiplexing, can help businesses fully recognize the cost benefits associated with cloud computing. These advantages are often gained in a hybrid cloud environment, which is heavily dependent on the network, Weinman told the news source.
"When people talk about the business benefits of cloud the first thing that they always talk about is cost reduction, and that leads you inevitably to a hybrid architecture of enterprise data center with service-provider cloud resources being economically optimal," Weinman told Network World.
Weinman went on to say that cost-efficient nature of hybrid cloud architectures may make transitioning to the new model all but inevitable in the coming months. As a result, organizations need to move quickly to upgrade their networking systems in an effort to support the rising demands created by cloud computing infrastructure.
While making some of the investments suggested by Weinman can make it easier to meet the bandwidth and performance requirements of the cloud, it can also create complex network environments. According to a recent Data Center Knowledge report, there are a number of ways businesses can simplify their networks to ensure cloud-related needs are met without excessive complexity. One of those is to converge port and cabling infrastructure by using a smaller number of high-performance connections instead of a large number of aggregated ports.
Perle’s serial to Ethernet converters connect serial based equipment across an Ethernet network. The Perle IOLAN range of Console Servers, Device Servers and Terminal Servers feature built-in support for IPv6 along with a broad range of authentication methods and encryption technologies.
