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Volume 5, Issue 5 - May, 2010 - © 2010 by Moose Logic, All Rights Reserved
Cover Story: Will You Be Upgrading This Year?
This Month In History
Summer Safety for your Dog
Tell Us How You Want to Receive This Newsletter
The History of Cinco de Mayo
Moose Logic Coming Events
May Recommended Reading
(Moose Views is a monthly newsletter prepared by Moose Logic to bring you information and tips on maintaining a trouble-free network)
Will You Be Upgrading This Year?
Perhaps you’re one of the organizations that decided, because of economic conditions, to squeeze
another year or two out of their existing servers and/or workstations.
Of course, refresh cycles simply can’t be put off forever. Systems do fail more often as they age, and Murphy’s Law says that those failures will accelerate as your Warranties start to expire. And you may find that, increasingly, the older systems just don’t have the horsepower to handle the applications you need to throw at them today.
So a lot of the companies that did delay their hardware refresh cycles are planning to start them up again this year. If you’re among them, here are some things we believe you should be thinking of.
Server Virtualization
If you haven’t begun to virtualize your servers yet, why not? The fact is that virtualization is now a proven, mainstream technology—not just something that was suitable for lab and test environments.
And it’s not just for large enterprises, either. We’ve done several virtualization projects for companies that had only a half-dozen or so servers. Many small– and medium-sized enterprises can save on hardware and end up with a more flexible and resilient infrastructure through virtualization.
Finally, virtualization software is no longer going to blow up your budget. Not with both Citrix XenServer and Microsoft Hyper-V being essentially free.
If you’re going to be buying new servers this year, you’ll be doing yourself a disservice if you don’t seriously consider virtualizing them.
Storage Virtualization
There is simply no reason anymore to have dedicated storage on a server-by-server basis. Not when companies like DataCore have SAN software available that can offer full high availability mirroring and disaster recovery replication in sizes as small as 500 Gb.
DataCore, as long-time Moose Views readers know, is a software iSCSI SAN product that runs on top of the Windows Server operating system. It’s licensed based on the amount of storage you want to manage, and the cool thing is that when your needs outgrow your licensed capacity, you pay only the difference between the license you have and the license you need. There is no cost penalty because you didn’t initially buy more than you needed.
Because it’s iSCSI technology, you don’t have to learn how to manage another kind of network infrastructure. Everything connects through standard gigabit Ethernet switches rather than requiring new fibre channel hardware.
And SAN technology enables some of the most attractive features of server virtualization, such as “live motion” - the ability to move a running server from one virtualization host to another with no interruption in service.
And using SAN replication to move copies of your virtual servers and data to an off-site location makes it much easier to bring them back on line in the event of a disaster.
Desktop Virtualization
The industry is buzzing over VDI. It will be buzzing even more in a couple of weeks, after the announcements Citrix is sure to make at their Synergy conference in San Francisco.
As many industry experts have pointed out, it doesn’t make sense at this point to go through a desktop refresh cycle and still end up running Windows XP. It’s old, it is simply not as secure as Windows 7, and once you get used to the features of Win7 you’ll never want to go back. And it doesn’t make sense to move forward with a new Windows 7 deployment and still end up managing your desktops the old way.
With the introduction of XenClient (about which we will have much more to say when we get back from Synergy) finally making it possible to gracefully and efficiently push a centrally-managed virtual desktop to a laptop that you can then disconnect from the network and take on the road, the last major barrier to wide-spread adoption of VDI will fall.
If you want to know more about these technologies, keep reading Moose Views, and check out the Moose Logic Blog. We’ve written extensively about all of them, and will continue to do so.
And if you want some guidance or assistance in your virtualization project, you know who to call: Moose Logic—your Pacific Northwest virtualization experts.
Of course, refresh cycles simply can’t be put off forever. Systems do fail more often as they age, and Murphy’s Law says that those failures will accelerate as your Warranties start to expire. And you may find that, increasingly, the older systems just don’t have the horsepower to handle the applications you need to throw at them today.
So a lot of the companies that did delay their hardware refresh cycles are planning to start them up again this year. If you’re among them, here are some things we believe you should be thinking of.
Server Virtualization
If you haven’t begun to virtualize your servers yet, why not? The fact is that virtualization is now a proven, mainstream technology—not just something that was suitable for lab and test environments.
And it’s not just for large enterprises, either. We’ve done several virtualization projects for companies that had only a half-dozen or so servers. Many small– and medium-sized enterprises can save on hardware and end up with a more flexible and resilient infrastructure through virtualization.
Finally, virtualization software is no longer going to blow up your budget. Not with both Citrix XenServer and Microsoft Hyper-V being essentially free.
If you’re going to be buying new servers this year, you’ll be doing yourself a disservice if you don’t seriously consider virtualizing them.
Storage Virtualization
There is simply no reason anymore to have dedicated storage on a server-by-server basis. Not when companies like DataCore have SAN software available that can offer full high availability mirroring and disaster recovery replication in sizes as small as 500 Gb.
DataCore, as long-time Moose Views readers know, is a software iSCSI SAN product that runs on top of the Windows Server operating system. It’s licensed based on the amount of storage you want to manage, and the cool thing is that when your needs outgrow your licensed capacity, you pay only the difference between the license you have and the license you need. There is no cost penalty because you didn’t initially buy more than you needed.
Because it’s iSCSI technology, you don’t have to learn how to manage another kind of network infrastructure. Everything connects through standard gigabit Ethernet switches rather than requiring new fibre channel hardware.
And SAN technology enables some of the most attractive features of server virtualization, such as “live motion” - the ability to move a running server from one virtualization host to another with no interruption in service.
And using SAN replication to move copies of your virtual servers and data to an off-site location makes it much easier to bring them back on line in the event of a disaster.
Desktop Virtualization
The industry is buzzing over VDI. It will be buzzing even more in a couple of weeks, after the announcements Citrix is sure to make at their Synergy conference in San Francisco.
As many industry experts have pointed out, it doesn’t make sense at this point to go through a desktop refresh cycle and still end up running Windows XP. It’s old, it is simply not as secure as Windows 7, and once you get used to the features of Win7 you’ll never want to go back. And it doesn’t make sense to move forward with a new Windows 7 deployment and still end up managing your desktops the old way.
With the introduction of XenClient (about which we will have much more to say when we get back from Synergy) finally making it possible to gracefully and efficiently push a centrally-managed virtual desktop to a laptop that you can then disconnect from the network and take on the road, the last major barrier to wide-spread adoption of VDI will fall.
If you want to know more about these technologies, keep reading Moose Views, and check out the Moose Logic Blog. We’ve written extensively about all of them, and will continue to do so.
And if you want some guidance or assistance in your virtualization project, you know who to call: Moose Logic—your Pacific Northwest virtualization experts.
This Month In History
May 1, 1939 — Batman appeared for the first time in “Detective Comics #27”May 2, 1611 — The King James Bible was published
May 3, 1851 — San Francisco caught fire for the seventh time in four years
May 4, 1970 — Four students were killed by National Guardsmen at Kent State Univ.
May 5, 1904 — Cy Young pitched the first recorded perfect baseball game
May 6, 1915 — Babe Ruth hit his first major league home run
May 7, 1824 — Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony was performed for the first time
May 8, 1945 — V-E Day (the Allied victory in Europe in WWII)
May 9, 1754 — Benjamin Franklin published the first newspaper cartoon
May 10, 1869 — The “Golden Spike” was driven into the tracks at Promontory Point, UT, marking the completion of the first transcontinental railroad.
May 11, 1910 — Glacier National Park was established
May 12, 1949 — The Soviet Union lifted its blockade of West Berlin
May 13, 1607 — The Jamestown colony was established in Virginia
May 14, 1804 — The Lewis & Clark Expedition left St. Louis, MO
May 15, 1930 — Ellen Church, the first flight attendant, worked a United Airlines flight from San Francisco to Cheyenne, Wyoming.
May 16, 1866 — The first U.S. nickel was minted
May 17, 1792 — The establishment of what is now the New York Stock Exchange
May 19, 1936 — Gone With the Wind was published
May 20, 1506 — Christopher Columbus died in Valladolid, Spain
May 21, 1881 — Clara Barton established the American Red Cross
May 22, 1967 — ”Mr. Rogers Neighborhood” premiered on PBS
May 23, 1934 — Bonnie and Clyde were shot to death in Gibsland, Louisiana
May 24, 1935 — The first night baseball game was played in Cincinnati, Ohio
Summer Safety for your Dog
Sometime this month, we’ll probably see the weather start to get warmer. There’s no guarantee that
we’ll have a summer as outstanding as last year’s, but those of us who are dog owners are likely to
be out and about with them whenever weather (and our other obligations) permits. So keep these tips
in mind while you’re out and about with your best friend:- Keep hydrated. Warm weather and lots of exercise can cause your dog to become overheated. Dehydration and heatstroke are real dangers to your pet's life. Make sure that you have access to plenty of fresh, cool drinking water for your dog. If you are not sure that water will be available, bring bottled water and a clean bowl for your dog to use.
- Watch for sunburn. Yes, even dogs can get sunburned. You can apply a layer of sunscreen on your dog anywhere that his fur is thin. You should also apply sunscreen to his nose, ears, and any sensitive areas that lack pigment. Remember to reapply if you are out in the sun for longer than two hours.
- Park safely. It is never ok to leave your dog in a parked car when it is warm outside. On a hot day, the temperature inside a car can reach over 160 degrees F (71 degrees C) in less than five minutes. Cracking a window or parking in the shade does not really help, as the temperature in your car can still quickly reach life-threatening levels. Take your dog with you when you park your car, or leave him at home if that is not an option.
- Watch the feet. Hot sidewalks, asphalt, or even sand can burn the bottom of your dog's feet. The pads may seem tough, but when they contact an extremely hot surface, they can quickly burn. Avoid these types of surfaces during the hottest part of the day.
- Take care in the water. Not all dogs are great swimmers. If your dog will be around water, consider a life preserver or vest. This is especially important if your dog has any underlying health problems, such as heart disease or obesity. A life jacket can save your dog's life in the event of a sudden storm, if he is knocked off the boat, or if he is tired from cold and choppy water.
- Check out the vets. If you are traveling this summer, check ahead of time for a veterinary clinic or hospital in the area that you will be visiting. It is good to do this before the need arises and to know what your options are in the event of a health emergency.
- Hiking with your dog. We love to hike with Zeke (that's his handsome face at the beginning of the article), and he loves the woods. But remember that other hikers don’t know how sweet your dog is. Keep him leashed, and be sure to pick up after him. Consider buying him some doggie saddlebags. Not only will it be more convenient for you if your dog packs his own stuff, but it makes him look like an experienced hiker, and therefore less threatening to others on the trail.
Tell Us How You Want to Receive This Newsletter
As we stated in last month’s issue, we are now providing both email and printed versions of this newsletter. We would really like to know which you prefer, or if you’d prefer both, that’s OK as well. In fact, if you don’t select a preference, we’ll continue to send you both (if we have your email address) until you tell us otherwise.If you didn’t get an email version of the April or May issue, that means that either we don’t have your email address, or it ended up in your spam filter. So if you’d prefer to get the email version, you’re going to have to help us out a little.
The email version of the newsletter contains a link that will allow you to opt out or select a different preference. You can also let us know your preference by simply dropping us a line at sales@mooselogic.com.
Our objective is to keep bringing you content that you will find both useful and entertaining. If you have any suggestions for how we can make Moose Views better, please let us know!
Thank you for being a Moose Views subscriber!
The History of Cinco de Mayo
Contrary
to what you may hear, Cinco de Mayo is not “Mexico’s Independence Day.” In fact, it is
much more widely celebrated in the United States than it is in Mexico.It is a commemoration of the Mexican Army’s unlikely victory over the French—who had invaded Mexico to force payment of financial debts—at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Unfortunately, the victory only delayed the ultimate occupation of Mexico by France, which installed Emperor Maximilian I to rule Mexico in 1864. France ultimately withdrew from Mexico in 1867, largely as the result of pressure from the United States, and Maximilian was deposed and executed.
According to a paper published in 2007 by UCLA’s Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture, Cinco de Mayo was first celebrated in California in 1863 in response to Mexico’s resistance to the French, and has been observed continuously in that State ever since. In Mexico, it is primarily a regional holiday celebrated in the state of Puebla.
In the United States, Cinco de Mayo has become a date to celebrate the culture and experiences of Americans of Mexican ancestry, just as we celebrate America’s Irish heritage on St. Patrick’s Day, or our German heritage at Oktoberfest.
And, of course, we also celebrate an excuse to enjoy Mexican food and various adult beverages. (But, please, enjoy them responsibly!)
