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Automation for the Application Lifecycle

FabricServerSelf-Service Application Infrastructure

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Can self-service make it simpler and less expensive to architect and build enterprise applications?

Self-Service

Examples of applying technology and automation to enable users to complete complex tasks without

any assistance or human intervention

Online Banking Airport Check-In ATM Machines In-Store Checkout

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Benefits of Self-Service

For Users:

• Simplify complex tasks - transfer bank funds, book an airline ticket, etc..

• Efficient use of time – shop online at your own leisure, visit an ATM at midnight, etc..

• Great user experience – customer controls how they interact with providers

For Providers:

• Huge cost savings – by moving to check-in kiosks in airports, airlines reduced the cost of check-in by 95%

• Attract more users – lowering the barrier to entry for complex tasks widens addressable markets

• Command and control - providers control what services can are offered, how they are rationed, and when they are upgraded

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Necessary Conditions for Self Service

Strong Business Case - solution drives considerable cost savings, with an opportunity for increased revenue

Automatable Process - clear path for process to be automated, controlled, and managed by technology

Simple Interface - user interface must be appropriate for intended audience

Easy to Adopt - user experience that is superior to status quo, users will clearly transition to new approach

Service Gap- Gap between what the user wants or needs versus what the

provider is currently delivering- Consumers want to be more self sufficient and the

providers want relief from demanding users- Tension between the consumer and supplier which often

result in dissatisfaction by both parties

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Is there a “Service Gap” for Application Infrastructure?

ApplicationDeveloper

IT Operations

I need to build a new web app, how do I get a development environment set up?

Where are you located? What group do you work for? Do you have a development lab?

I have a lab, but I need WebLogic 10.3, can your team set that up for me in the development lab?

Well we have a backlog of requests, we can get to that in about two weeks, how does that sound?

Isn’t there some development portal that I can just go and set up a new dev environment?

Unfortunately there is not , but that is a great idea !

Service Gap?

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IT Operations - Service Gap

• Pressure to meet deadlines

• Multiple projects and application releases

• Dependence on other teams to support their systems and infrastructure requirements

• Lack of control of their own project schedules and processes

Application Developer I T Operations

• Hundreds (thousands ?) of users to support, often geographically distributed

• Numerous applications and infrastructure configurations required

• Frequent software revisions, limited staff, tools and equipment

• Manual processes

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Closing the Gap – Self Service Application Infrastructure

Self-Service Capabilities

DataSynapse FabricServer

Application Developer I T Operations

Role-based, online access to application infrastructure:

- Easily request new application infrastructure

- Deploy on-demand to development environment

- Save configuration changes or updates for sharing between users or environments

Minimal operating involvement – Maximum organization control:

- Define, build and share standard application infrastructure templates

- Easily manage which users can access which templates

- Track and manage how infrastructure gets deployed, shared, re-used

Benefits to IT Organization

• Lower cost development

• Less set-up time for application infrastructure

• Increased standardization

• Drive virtualization & cloud adoption

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Key Features

FabricServerSelf-Service Application Infrastructure

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ApplicationDeveloper

Infrastructure Architect

IT Operations

Self Service Application Infrastructure –Roles and Responsibilities

• Designs and packages standard application infrastructure templates

• Supports production applications and infrastructure for datacenter operations

• Builds business applications based on standards application infrastructure templates

Roles and Responsibility

Typical Titles

Examples and Handoffs

• JEE web cluster

• Admin / deployment server

• JMS queuing service

• Receives self contained packages

• Deploys to distributed runtime

• Support live environment

• WebLogic 10.1

• Online application with back-office integration

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FabricServer - Basics

FabricServer

Package Once

FabricServer provides tools and templates required to build

self-contained, runnable packages of applications and platforms

Platforms Packaged Legacy

Tools

Self-ContainedPackages

ConfigurationInformation

FabricServer

Run Anywhere

FabricServer manages those packages and can activate on any runtime

environment (physical, virtual, cloud)

CloudsVirtualPhysical

Automated Deployment

ServiceRepository

Run-TimeBroker

PolicyEngine

Manage Runtime

FabricServer allows production support teams to create policies for how applications will be managed at

run time

CloudsVirtualPhysical CloudsVirtualPhysical

FabricServerService

Repository

Run-TimeBroker

PolicyEngine

FabricServerService

Repository

Run-TimeBroker

PolicyEngine

Closed Loop Policy-Based

Allocationof Infrastructure

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Key Terms

Terms- User: a business application developer that uses the self-service portal to instantiate and

configure standard application architectures- Template: packaged baseline application architecture (e.g., clustered java application server, an

ESB, a database driven web application)- Environment: a shared datacenter resource pool (virtual or physical) managed by FabricServer- Image: a set of artifacts which when started comprises a multi-tiered, distributed application- Platform Tools: vendor-provided configuration tooling, e.g., WebSphere Deployment Manager

Actions- Create Image: assembles and deploys a baseline set of artifacts from an installed template to a

target environment- Start Image: activates the image on target environment- Capture Image: constructs a new image out of a live configured, running application - Save Image: copies the image from the target environment to the self-service database, so it can

be shared between users or environments- Copy Image: moves a copy of a saved application image to a new environment

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FabricServerBroker

FabricServerBroker

FabricServerBroker

FabricServerBroker

Shared Resources Shared Resources

CreateCreate Image From Template

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Start Image

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Environment 1

4Capture

modified Image

Environment 2

FabricServerBroker

FabricServerBroker

Self-Service Application Infrastructure – Detailed View

Shared Resources

Developer (User)

2 4

Self-Service Portal

Images Templates

UsersEnvironments

Browser access for registered users

Database

5Save / Save As modified Image

6

1

11

1

1

Configure runningImage with

platform tools

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PlatformTools 1

Copy saved Imageto target Environment

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Packaging Templates in FabricServer

FabricServer provides tools and templates required to build self-contained packages of enterprise applications:

FabricServer

Distributions

Containers

Configuration Data

…

… SDK

…

• Architect uses the pre-built containers and distros that correspond to the components and services of his architecture

• He adds in the specific configuration information for his architecture

• Uses build capabilities in DataSynapse Studio to create a new template

• Templates are stored in FabricServer

Application Architecture

JEE Web Cluster

Templates

JMS Server

…

Infrastructure Architect

Studio

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Bare Metal Server

ApplicationPlatform

Operating System

DataSynapseEngine

Virtual Machine – VMware

App SpecificConfiguration

Application Code

Capturing Configuration Changes

• Developers use their standard deployment tools to deploy and configure application

• Utility captures all configuration changes and generates self contained package

• FabricServer manages the package and can provision it to any runtime environment (physical, virtual, cloud)

StandardTemplates

JMS Service

Admin Server

JEE Web Cluster

FabricServer

Run-TimeBroker

PolicyEngine

ServiceRepository

ApplicationDeveloper

Self-Contained Package

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Image Image Description Notes to Developers

ChargebackInformation

WebLogic Cluster - Physical WebLogic 10.3, clustered (2 nodes, plus admin server), optimized for physical server (x86), for RedHat Enterprise Linux version 5

For more info Click for more

WebLogic Cluster – Virtual WebLogic 10.3, clustered (2 nodes, plus admin server), optimized for VMware ESX Server running RedHat Enterprise Linux version 5

For more info Click for more

WebLogic Standalone WebLogic 10.3 Standalone For more info Click for more

WebSphere Cluster – Physical WebSphere 6.1, clustered (2 nodes, plus admin server), optimized for physical server (x86), for RedHat Enterprise Linux version 5

For more info Click for more

WebSphere Cluster– Virtual WebSphere 6.1, clustered (2 nodes, plus admin server), optimized for VMware ESX Server running RedHat Enterprise Linux version 5

For more info Click for more

WebSphere Standalone WebSphere Standalone For more info Click for more

View All Create Start Save Save As Copy Advanced

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User Interface Model

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Benefits of Self-Service - Application Infrastructure

For Users:

• Simplify complex tasks – setting up application infrastructure for a complex app is “1-click” on web page

• Efficient use of time – developers don’t need to concern themselves with where to get software, setting it up, configuring

• Great user experience – easy to use, web interface, automated deployment

For Providers:

• Huge cost savings – automating manual process will reduce time and costs for application projects

• Attract more users – developers will want to use self-service, overall customers a

• Command and control - providers control all aspects of application infrastructure:

- Standards - Access- Provisioning- Versioning

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Automation for the Application Lifecycle

FabricServerSelf-Service Application Infrastructure