I had a little epiphany the other day following a conversation with James McMahon from services company Atos Origin. The company tested Intel Solid State Drives (SSD) to establish whether they offered a viable alternative to traditional spinning hard drives. And they did - in a striking way.
McMahon said a three month pilot revealed that each year the company could save 540 unproductive user and engineering hours, disk crashes could be reduced by factor of three and 2,000 unproductive hours could be saved from fewer disk crashes simply by replacing hard drives in laptops with SSDs.
For me the realisation was that we're so used to to many computing components we rarely question their validity - even when new technologies may supersede them. It seems to be a case of conventional wisdom always being accepted, rather than sometimes questioned.
But progress across all areas of human endeavour is characterised by a willingness to ask questions and roll back accepted boundaries. Its not widely known but Intel is a leader in developing SSD drives and the development of memory products is a little known aspect of Intel's history, for instance the Schottky bipolar random access memory (RAM) back in 1969.
We've come a long way since then - and long may progress continue.
Wind farm developer assesses sites 20 times faster and cuts power use by around 75 percentwith Dell blade cluster using Intel Xeon processor technology.
Read Jim Henrys’ answers to your questions during Tuesday’s Virtualisation round table discussion.
Q: Dan Robinson: How would laptop users fit into a virtualised desktop (VDI) environment?
A:Looking ahead… in theory once a desktop is instantiated as an x86 virtual machine it can be moved from a server to a client device (as VMs can today be moved from server to server in dynamic resource pools); thus a desktop in a VDI environment can be migrate to a client device where it can then be used in both connected and disconnected states.
Q: Manek Dubash - How important is flexibility of device at the desktop - should all be locked down or should end users get to choose their own devices?
A: In today’s environment a standardized “one size fits all” approach has been adopted to make the image build & validation process & support model one which is manageable. This approach is somewhat device centric. Looking forward, virtualization offers us a way to become more user centric. For example, an individual in the enterprise may be using multiple devices for IT purposes – be it laptop, netbook or one of the emerging MID devices – and they want to access the same IT from each device. Virtualization offers the potential to virtualize an individual’s desktop/profile to a standardized x86 machine which can then migrate from device to device effectively “following them around”. As IT would only have to concern them about validating an image for standard Virtual Machine it offers, again potentially, greater flexibility of device and form factor. Client side hypervisors, the missing ingredient needed to make this happen should become available in during 2010.
Q: Manek Dubash: What's the impact of so-called green computing on desktop virtualisation?
A: Proponents of server side desktop virtualization would argue that a Thin Client device used to access a virtual desktop is consumes less power than a traditional PC. The thin client advocates will often use old, unmanaged desktops in power comparisons, which naturally paint PC-based computing in the most unfavorable light. Also, beware of vendors that use the PC’s maximum power to calculate its power consumption. PCs operate at maximum power only under peak workloads, such as video encoding, and spend most of their time at idle power. Further, you must look at power consumption of the complete end-2-end solution, not just the end point. Hence, to get a true picture the data center PUE and virtual desktops that can be hosted per server also need to be factored in.
Q: Chris - How can virtualization help startups from the word go, and would it be advisable to develop for it?
A: If starting up a new business today how would provision IT? There are vendors providing Software as a Service SaaS (e.g. salesforce.com), Platform as a Service PaaS (eg. Azure) and Infrastructure as a Service SAAS (e.g. Amazon EC2) with PaaS and SaaS models often based on server virtualization to be dynamically provisioned and scaled. With the advent of Client Virtualization the opportunity arises to provide Desktop as a Service – something for the SI community to explore. What will be interesting is seeing as a startup matures at which point it starts to bring key IT functions in-house as it is something that gives a competitive advantage; likewise when does an enterprise look to outsource non-competitive advantage IT functions?
Q: Anon - does the hardware make a difference? I see a lot of technology now having to be built into the thin client to compensate for graphics across the network, surely a PC still is better for this
A:Yes, the hardware makes a big difference to both the user experience and to IT. From the user side the advent of rich content such as Unified Communications (voice, video, collaboration); visualization (the emergence of the 3D internet) and rich applications (sliverlight, flash) which improve productivity need the powerful client side compute capabilities. Network load and graphics processing server-side can cause significant negative impact on the infrastructure – hence thin vendors have started looking at need for hardware acceleration technologies. Further, the Thin Client vendors have “thin clients” with 1GHz+ CPUs and embedded Windows XP operating systems to deal with these types of scenarios… begs the question “how thin is thin?” From the IT perspective Intel has a suite of capabilities that fall under the Intel vPro badge that improve/secure client side virtualization. Namely VT technology to ensure near native performance (to optimize and reduce the load of the overhead needed to run a hypervisor) and Trusted Execution Technology that can protect client side virtual machines from security threats.
Rick Echevarria, vice president of Intel’s Architecture Group has outlined some key points in the thinking behind the forthcoming vPro Core family of processors. At last week’s virtual launch, Echevarria repeated the phrase “no compromise” but what does this mean in real terms?
“VPro is the result of meeting users’ wishes for greater freedom,” he said. “The market is demanding a leap in power and performance but IT has rising concerns too about security, manageability, cost efficiency and better ROI.”
Much of the thinking is based on the demands of IT managers. Echevarria claimed that it has been Intel’s intention to remove processor power as one of the barriers to productivity. The built-in Turbo Boost technology adapts to the individual demands of PC users, recognising when the processor is not at capacity and increasing clockspeed where possible to boost performance for active cores. For notebook users this also means extending battery life through improved power management features.
OK, so a processor maker introducing a more powerful and faster range of processors is to be expected but adding built-in security and anti-theft technology as well as massively improving on power management is a leap in chip design. As Brad Anderson at Microsoft suggested, “vPro has enhanced Intel’s reputation as an innovator,” but Echevarria would argue that this innovation has been driven by the demands of users. This is not Intel pushing but the market pulling.
Echevarria pointed to the record number of independent software vendors supporting the vPro as testimony to its achievement. Over 500 ISVs are signed up with Intel to support vPro compared with less than 200 ISVs in 2008. This will create, according to Echevarria, an eco-system that will front the next drive in business computing, enabling moves to virtualisation and giving IOT managers the power and flexibility to cope with increased mobility and the consumerisation of technology.
“Users are doing more than ever with their PC - multitasking with numerous apps, collaborating in realtime with high definition video and VoIP, creating and sharing media rich graphics, mining data rich business apps and increasingly demanding greater mobility and remote access capabilities. With vPro this is possible. No compromise.”
IT Manager III: Unseen Forces brings you another new technology. Raise your game with Core Intelligence, brought to you by all new 2010 Intel® Core™ Processor Family.
See some exciting features of the upgrade below:
Core Intelligence delivers performance on demand, making your employees more efficient, whatever application they run. Just apply it and watch their bozon count fall. And that’s not all. Thanks to the dynamic power management feature of Core Intelligence, when your employees nip to the café for a sandwich, their machines’ running cost is reduced to zero.
The energy efficient fabrication process behind the technology also means that, when you apply Core Intelligence to a PC or laptop, you get all the benefits of Eco-tech III as well.
Want to gain a strategic advantage over other players? We have incorporated a secret level (well, a secret floor, actually) into this update. Find it, figure out the little puzzle and you could get access to Core Intelligence long before your rivals.
Make full use of the technology and you’ll also be invited to join The Order of Core Intelligence (yes, that means there’s a new medal to collect, too).
If you have any comments or feedback about the game, leave something below.
The Best Choice for Business PCs: Notebook and desktop PCs powered by Intel® Core 2 processors and Windows 7 - increase PC responsiveness for greater productivity while driving down management costs. On average, a four-year-old PC can cost 59% more to support than it did in its first year. Notebook and desktop PCs with Intel® Core 2 processors with vPro technology and Windows 7 provide the tools to meet business needs while driving down IT costs.
Notebook & desktop PCs powered by Intel® Core 2 processors with vPro technology are specifically designed for businesses, providing greater IT control and cost savings with Intel’s most advanced security and manageability technologies. Windows 7 Professional works the way you want for your business, helping you get more done while safeguarding your work. Together, these technologies bring increased PC responsiveness while driving down management costs.
Get More Done
Notebook PCs with Intel® Core 2 Duo processors with vPro technology and Windows 7 deliver over 30% faster multitasking performance than a 3 year old PC.
Desktop PCs with Intel® Core 2 Duo processors with vPro technology and Windows 7 deliver up to 2.6X faster multitasking performance than a 3 year old PC.
Works the Way You Want
Minimize employee disruptions by remotely upgrading notebook and desktop PCs with Intel® Core 2 processors with vPro technology to Windows 7 during off hours.
When Intel® Virtualization Technology is enabled on notebook and desktop PCs with Intel® Core 2 processors with vPro technology and Windows* 7, you can also run many older Windows XP productivity applications with Windows XP Mode or Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualisation.
Help Safeguard Your Work
Help protect notebook and desktop PCs against malware, data loss and other security threats with the advanced security features of Intel® Core 2 processors with vPro technology and Windows 7.
Intel designed Core processors for great performance and energy efficiency. Windows 7 is designed to make your PC simpler and the things you do every day easier. Imagine how they can work together to help you get things done faster.
Powerful
Get fast and powerful performance for multitasking, multimedia and gaming with an Intel® Core™ family processor and Windows 7 in your next PC.
• Encode a 4 minute home video for upload to Facebook in just one minute - that’s over 3X faster than with a 4 year old PC. (Intel® Core™2 Duo processor)
• Encode a 7 minute home video for upload to Facebook in just one minute - that’s over 6X faster than with a 4 year old PC. (Intel® Core™ i5 processor)
Simple
Complete your everyday tasks quickly and easily with an Intel® Core™ family processor and Windows 7 in your next PC.
• Prepare 64 photos for sharing online with your friends in just one minute - that’s 3X faster than with a 4 year old PC. (Intel® Core™2 Duo processor)
• Prepare 118 photos for sharing online with your friends in just one minute - that’s over 5X faster than with a 4 year old PC. (Intel® Core™ i5 processor)
Entertaining
Enjoy TV, photos, and videos like never before with an Intel® Core™ family processor and Windows 7 in your next PC.
So if you are thinking about running Windows 7 on your 4 year old PC think again – the performance improvements to be gained by buying a new PC with Intel® Core™ processors is up to 6 times faster!
What have you found faster and better with Windows 7 versus what you had previously?
If you are thinking of buying a new Windows 7 based PC for your business read my blog tomorrow to find out why you should consider vPro technology as an essential purchase.
"With Windows 7 ready to bite, the recession drawing to a close - maybe - and a certain optimism crossing the land, we’ll soon enter the season for desktop upgrades. But seriously, what’s the rationale for keeping an up-to-date desktop environment?"
A very 'current' question asked in arecent article by The Register, and one that Intel's Rob Sheppard will be answering - LIVE - in a webcast session on 3rd November.
"Many organisations today are considering the case for refreshing their desktop estate. In the current climate it is even more important to position the refresh rationale in terms of cost and benefit. Join The Register Live Webcast on Nov 3rd at 10am BST to hear practical advice for organisations looking to make decisions about desktop upgrades." Rob Sheppard, EMEA Business Client Marketing Manager, Intel.
07-09 October, 10.30am | Earls Court, London | Stand 716, IBM Theatre
VM 09 returns for it's 2nd year to exhibit the most up-to-date virtualisation technologies, and with one emphasis that we are delighted about - Server Virtualisation.
According to IP Expo "The event will include keynote presentations, a seminar programme running over both days and hands-on demonstrations, which will help visitors to address the issues currently dominating this fast-growing market." (Source: http://www.ipexpo.co.uk/IP-Expo/Virtualisation/)
Our very own Business Solutions Director, Steve Shakespeare, will be hosting a seminar in association with IBM titled'More performance, less power: The server nirvana'.
Where?
Server Virtualisation Theatre - IBM
Synopsis: Breakthroughs in processor performance are transforming the way IT organizations utilise and improve data centre productivity and energy efficiency. Intel® Xeon® processors based on Intel® Core™ microarchitecture integrate hardware for virtualization into all key server components including Intel® Virtualization Technology helping IT organizations consolidate more applications and heavier workloads on each server to improve flexibility, reliability, and total cost of ownership (TCO). As the basis of Intel's most advanced –Intelligent- server technology, Intel Core microarchitecture improves virtualization performance across every part of the server platform
Malcolm Hay will also be hosting a seminar, in association with DELL - titled'Next Generation Client Computing Models'.
Where?
Data centre Management Theatre - DELL
Synopsis: Learn how the new developments in client side virtualization will enable new levels of client manageability and security without compromise to the end user mobility and performance experience.
Our virtualisation guru, Alan Priestly, has written several blogs on cloud computing. Check one out! Alan will also be blogging LIVE from the clouds on the day of VM 09.
If you required any further information, please visit IP Expo. We look forward to seeing you there.
One of the biggest things Intel will be pushing this year is the “Thin Is in” message. For of you who may not be aware; “Thin is In” is all about the arrival of Intel’s new ultra thin and ultra power efficient CPUs.
With these new CPUs we hope to bring sexy, thin, ultra power efficient notebooks to the mainstream. Where before they occupied the £1k upwards price bracket, we will probably see Mac Book Air like notebooks arriving for around the £499 mark!
So I have a simple question which I hope will spark off some discussion…is thin really in?? Are ultra light, ultra power efficient and ultra thin notebooks the next big thing since the mighty intel Atom CPU?
There is no doubt they look good, and I am sure it’s a matter of time until the other big computer manufacturers arrive with versions of their own – but – are they the ones you’re waiting for – or are there other brands that you think are worth waiting for? Please do share your thoughts as I think this going to be one the hotly watched segments this year.
