Veritas™ Provisioning Manager

1. Veritas™ Provisioning Manager Technical Presentation

2. Agenda • Challenges in Data Center Operations • Improving Operational Practices • Data Center Automation - Opportunities for Application • Veritas Provisioning Manager • Applying Server Build Automation • Summary and Recommendations

3. The Expanding Datacenter Storage Databases AuthenticationApplications Applications Switches LOB Production Subnets Development, Test, Q&A Subnets LOB Production Subnets

4. Trends In IT Architecture • Number of “Servers” is growing • Scale out Linux/Windows = more servers • Scale up + partitioning = more instances • Definition of an “Application” is changing • Multi-tiered applications  SOA = greater complexity • More business critical applications = greater risk • Server virtualization emerging • Across all server platforms = more OS instances • Moving into production = greater exposure • Shared storage is ubiquitous • SAN/FC attached database servers = more dependencies • NAS/iSCSI attached middle tiers and web = more dependencies and complexity Environment is more distributed Environment is more complex Environment is more dynamic

5. Operational Consequences and Challenges • Reactive • Extemporized processes • Ad-hoc builds and configurations • Balkanized groups • System, network, application, directory administrators • Application code from many development teams • Every group has a tool • Jumpstart, Kickstart, NIM … • Scripts and more scripts and … • High error rates • No baseline for support • Everything takes longer • SLAs missed • Hard to maintain • Impossible to integrate • Hidden tribal knowledge

6. Why Automate Server Build, Rebuild, and Configuration? • Major source of costs, delays, errors, outages • Unmanageable environments • Frequent “out-of-band” changes = drift • Time and personnel sinks • A process to implement: • Create standard system definitions and templates • Capture best practices of application install and configuration • Define “approved” processes for server build, migration, and changes • Mandate “out-of-band” changes use standard practices and tools • Implement these processes and practices as “point-and-click” • Take single-system operations to multi-system operations

7. Select and Start Get coffee while… OS Install / Conf Network Conf Database … Applications … Apply revisions … :30 Automating a Process OS Install / Config hours Automated Provisioning and Configuration Handoff days Network Config hours Handoff days Database Install / Conf hours Handoff days Application(s) hours

8. OS Install / Config hours Handoff days Select and Start Get coffee while… OS Install / Conf Network Conf Database … Applications … Apply revisions … Network Config hours :30 Handoff days Database Install / Conf hours Handoff days Application(s) hours Scaling Automating a Process Automated Provisioning and Configuration x20 WEEKS MINUTES

9. Agenda • Challenges in Data Center Operations • Improving Operational Practices • Data Center Automation - Opportunities for Application • Veritas Provisioning Manager • Applying Server Build Automation • Summary and Recommendations

10. CONFIGURE NETWORK INSTALL OS/APPS IMAGE AND PERSONALIZE DISCOVER AND PROBE VPM Functional Summary INSTALL/CONFIGURE ADDTL. APPLICATIONS

11. Core Functions • Image-based deployment • Image/”snapshot” unattended installs • Personalization and configuration • Package/model-based deployment and configuration • Applications, firmware, BIOS, device operations • Models provide mechanism for custom configuration • Automate process of deployment and configuration of servers • Opscripts, jobs • Automated rule-based deployment • Integrated VLANs operation

12. VPM – How It Works VPM Master Server Managed Servers • Solaris • Windows • Red Hat Linux Web UI VPM Agents • Bare metal “agent” (AOS) • OS Agent (ITAP) • Windows, Red Hat, SUSE, Solaris, AIX Repositories Database • CIFS • NFS • Embedded, or • Oracle 9i, 10g

13. Key VPM Characteristics • Based on standard network protocols • No separate DHCP, tftp, or OS vendor servers required • Single web-based UI for all platforms • Bare-metal RAM OS (Active OS, Linux kernel for x86, Solaris for SPARC, AIX for Power) for snapshot/image save/deploy/compress and bare metal operation • ITAP agent for personalization, package deployment, server comparisons • Packages can do anything a command line or shell can do. • Plus parameterization (variables), file/registry edits, constraints… • Distributed repositories for speed and scalability • Fine-grained role-based administration • Automatic rule-driven and best-fit provisioning

14. Why Image-based Provisioning • Image “snapshots” • Typically ~15-20 minutes • AOS (Active OS) is an architecture-specific RAM-resident OS • AOS understands volumes and file system • File, smart-sector, sector-mode • AOS creates correct geometry, applies to new disk(s) • Volume, partition, filesystem information • Personalization “customizes” image for new environment • Each OS instructed to scan and reconfigure devices (implementation is OS-specific) • Hostname, IP address, other required network information • AOS takes a snapshot in multiple layers • Incremental snapshots • Fast, efficient, complete, portable across systems

15. VPM Software Packages and Models • Software deployment and configuration • Complements image snapshots • Powerful basis for extensible automation • Package construct contains software, scripts, data, • Model contains variable or parameterized information for installation instance • Attached to package

16. Provisioning Manager Software Packages and Models • Uses for package and models: • Install, uninstall and modify software, patches, any arbitrary entity • Repeat a common system management task • Issue any CLI commands or scripts • Perform any of the above on multiple servers simultaneously • A software package may contain: • CLI command, CLI script, executables, files • Anything you can think of • Attached Models • Models define parameters (variables) for software packages • Pre configuration commands (e.g. purge directories) • Parameters (typed and checked - INT, float, string, IP address, password, directory etc) • Can be mandatory, defaulted, prompted • Post configuration commands (e.g. start dependent programs) • Object modification (Any file, test files, XML,INI, INF, IIS DB, and registry) • Replaces manual edits and errors

17. Provisioning Manager – Leveraging Automation Console • Operations needs to install and reconfigure three application packages on fifty servers Web Server Provisioning Manager Servers Repositories

18. Provisioning Manager – Start Processes Console • Operator uses browser UI to select three software packages, then select fifty servers, clicks “Start” Web Server Provisioning Manager Servers Repositories

19. Provisioning Manager – Parallel Execution Begins Console • VPM automatically assembles task list and begins process on fifty systems Web Server CMD: “Deploy Packages XYZ” Provisioning Manager Servers Repositories

20. Provisioning Manager – Unattended Management Console • To fifty servers, in parallel: • READ packages XYZ • Perform edits • Perform configuration • Perform commands Web Server Provisioning Manager SW SW SW SW Servers Repositories

21. Capturing Processes in VPM • OpScripts and jobs • GUI created sequence of commands • Created by architect or administrator, used by operators • No coding or scripting!! • Can be auto-triggered: • Date and time • A VPM Event (Like “Start Up Server Successful” or “New Server Auto-discovered”) • An SNMP Trap • Combine with provisioning policies

22. VPM Major Components Web Browser Web-based Console Logic VPM Server Database Repository Execution and Logging Repository ITAP Agent ITAP Agent ITAP Agent Managed Assets Switches SPARC (Solaris) PowerPC (AIX) x86 (Windows/Linux)

23. Agenda • Challenges in Data Center Operations • Improving Operational Practices • Data Center Automation - Opportunities for Application • Veritas Provisioning Manager • Applying Server Build Automation • Summary and Recommendations

24. Test and Development Operations • Problem: • Constantly changing software configurations • Systems need to built and rebuilt continually • High sysadmin requirements to meet needs • Manual operation leads to high error rates • Lack of responsiveness impacts productivity • VPM functions: • Fast, simple, automated build and rebuild • Reduces admin workload for standardized tasks • Reduces errors and improves supportability • Increases developer productivity

25. VPM in Disaster Recovery Repurposing Operations • Problem: • Full replicated DR site is expensive • Building DR failover “on-the-fly” is slow and unreliable • VPM function: • Re-use your Test/Dev resources for DR. • Document and capture your best deployment practices, then on demand: • Snapshot current Test/Development suite • Deploy base production snapshots • Use VPM restore, SAN or NAS for application install • Attach to SAN, NAS, replicated mirrors, etc for volatile data • Go … • Many designs / scenarios are possible • Avoid replicated hardware suite costs • Improve response time and SLAs • Reduce errors and improve supportability

26. Operational Challenges in Redeploying Applications and Servers • Problem: • Moving applications from server to server is tedious, slow, error prone • Migration of data centers or deployment of new servers magnifies problem • Almost impossible to ensure ALL characteristicsof an application are captured and replicated • VPM function: • Pick up a snapshot and drop it on a different / new platform • Imaging technology + platform personalization + parameter-based customization = simple and complete re-deployment • Imaging is dramatically faster than script/media-based alternatives • Accuracy and completeness of migration • Reduce errors and improve supportability

27. Deploying or Reconfiguring Large Numbers of Applications • Problem: • What if you have 200+ SAP applications you need to keep updating? • Or constantly changing content that needs to be pushed to a hundred servers? • Slow, unresponsive, error prone, consumes resources… • VPM function: • Standardization and automation of deployment • Speed deployment, cut errors, reduce costs, improve supportability, improve responsiveness, meet SLA goals

28. More examples: • Create standardized “golden” server build and push to subsidiary sites • Known characteristics = supportable • Simple deployment = time saved • Rebuild 20 servers with X OS + Y patches + Z applications • Select and go • Q&A engineer needs to test: • OS version A, Service Pack B, Database C, Application D • Selects free asset, relevant snapshots and packages, click “go” • Test needs to run destructive test of multi-tiered application: • Snapshot all servers • Run tests • Restore snapshots • Minimal hands-on

29. Summary: • Current server build and configuration is: • Too complex, resource-intensive, slow, error-prone, no control / audit • Process, practice, tools exist to remediate server build and configuration problems • Examine process and practice, formally document them • Applicable VPM capabilities: • Image-based provisioning for speed and accuracy • Software packages and models for flexibility and customization • Opscripts and jobs for capture of best practices as process • Integrated VLAN control for single-step provisioning

30. Recommendations: • Implement simple snapshot provisioning and reprovisioning • VPM uniquely suited for quick implementation • Begin embedding processes in VPM operations • Architect specifies process • System administrator puts process in VPM using GUI tools • Operator uses VPM in day-to-day operation The Result: • Fast, low-overhead, efficient server build and configuration • Fixes the problem you have, not the theory • Avoids the overhead and failures of “lifecycle management”

31. Databases Middleware Applications Network Storage Servers Virtual Machines Practical Centralized Automation One Interface to All Platforms Simple to Implement Automated Provisioning Fast and Accurate Flexible and Extensible No Additional Specialized Servers Required

32. Thank you