Technical Overview Abstract A technical overview detailing the architectural design, capabilities, benefits and features of CloudBolt Command and Control (C2), the Next-Generation Cloud Manager. CloudBolt C2 Cloud Management technology layers a fully integrated, and customizable private cloud that enables hybrid cloud capabilities across multiple cloud platforms and frameworks, including software-defined networking (SDN) products such as network virtualization platform (NVP) technology. CloudBolt C2 addresses an enterprise organization’s requirements with regards to a scalable shared IT infrastructure using a common enterprise model that can deploy IT and networks as a service, increase agility, and remain sustainable in the face of rapid changes in IT requirements. 51 Monroe Street, Suite 805, Rockville, MD 20850 P: 703-665-1060 • F: 703-665-1061 www.cloudboltsoftware.com CLOUDBOLTA CLOUDBOLT • TECHNICAL WHITE OVERVIEW PAPER Contents Cloud CIO: Own The Disruption Introduction 3 1.0 How Deploying CloudBolt C2 Impacts IT Operations 5 1.1 Centralized Point of Command and Control over IT Configuration, Utilization, Management and Delivery of Services in a Single Pane of Glass 5 1.2 Integration of Data Centers 6 1.3 Innovativeness 6 1.4 Uniqueness 6 2.0 Technical Synopsis 8 2.1 Overview of CloudBolt C2 Architectural Design 8 2.2 Technical Objectives for a CloudBolt C2 Implementation 11 2.2.1 Installation Prerequisites 11 2.2.2 User Authentication 11 2.2.3 Integration with Existing Resources 11 2.2.4 Network Virtualization Platform (NVP) Technology Integration 11 2.2.5 Modeling of Groups and Environments 12 2.2.6 Automated Self-service Provisioning 12 2.3 Comparison to the State of the Art 14 2.4 Degree of New and Innovative Research 14 3.0 Benefits 15 3.1 Seamless Resource Management 15 3.2 Present and Future Scalability 15 3.3 Centralized Point of IT Control via a Unified User Interface 15 3.4 Secure 16 3.5 Agility 17 3.6 Vendor Agnostic and Agentless = Upgrade Safe and Sustainable 17 3.7 Leverage and Manage Capacity 17 3.8 Manage Software Licenses and Track Data Analytics 18 3.9 Maintain Existing Policies and Procedures 18 3.10 Configure Parameters 19 4.0 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) 20 4.1 Improved Efficiencies 20 4.2 Increased Productivity 20 4.3 Reduction in Costs 20 5.0 Stage of Development 22 6.0 Technical Approach for Installation 23 6.1 CloudBolt C2 Virtualization Edition 23 6.2 CloudBolt C2 Enterprise Edition 23 7.0 Potential Risks of Product Implementation 25 © 2013 CloudBolt Software, Inc. | www.CloudBoltSoftware.com 2 CLOUDBOLT • TECHNICAL OVERVIEW Introduction Cloud computing is about enabling cost-effective business by sharing the compute power of resources; however, if metrics don’t translate into a measurable gain in productivity, return on investment from existing investments in IT, and cost savings that increase profit margins, a cloud solution can become just another weight burdening the IT infrastructure. Enterprise organizations that have made significant investments in virtualized IT and are constrained by them are especially concerned with what cost benefits and business capabilities are achieved on implementation of a cloud computing platform. Historically, managing and maintaining IT investments in hardware vested an organization in an infrastructure that required considerable capital and operating expenditures to keep up. Many enterprise organizations moved quickly to embrace the commoditization of proprietary hardware with virtualization in order to reduce those costs. Virtualization effectively decouples computing power from physical hardware. Resources can be managed better and virtual machines can be spun up as needed, but virtualization is not cloud. Even though network and server virtualization effectively decouples computing power from physical hardware and shifts this burden closer to the end-user, virtualized workloads still need management. A secure Cloud Manager can organize these resources, and provide a way to manage capacity that delivers access to these resources as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). Managing capacity and successfully delivering IaaS requires effective management of IT resources and infrastructure across multiple platforms, tools, public clouds and cloud frameworks using a common management solution on a cloud platform. CloudBolt C2 provides a Cloud Manager that delivers an IT resource management technology solution and a means to deliver IaaS with the flexibility to evolve with an organization’s IT business strategy, and successfully control costs to ensure business growth. CloudBolt C2 technology significantly simplifies and changes the way virtualized IT resources and networks are configured, managed and delivered by standardizing the automation of workloads. A single unified user interface provides a view of the entirety of IT and a centralized point of control, making it possible to build, manage and support highly scalable and secure single and multi-tenant environments without regard for how the underlying physical infrastructure is designed and deployed. Enterprise organizations maintain and operate a wide range of IT resources and technologies to meet rapidly changing requirements and strategies. IT admins have severely limited abilities to deliver these resources for end user needs at scale, and on-demand. At present, the two most difficult and time-consuming system delivery operations are the configuration and delivery of servers, networks and storage. Configuration and delivery functions require highly skilled personnel who are oftentimes challenged with an overwhelming number of requests to fulfill. CloudBolt C2 enables the sharing and complete utilization of the compute power of resources across multiple platforms and clouds by rapidly deploying an on-premise private cloud that enables hybrid cloud capabilities. With functionality across multiple platforms, resource management tools and cloud frameworks, CloudBolt C2 makes it possible to leverage and manage the entirety of IT resources using a single resource management tool. That translates into rapid responses to changes in requirements that are securely controlled by IT admin, significantly increasing efficiencies and productivity. End users access to data, resources, environments and © 2013 CloudBolt Software, Inc. | www.CloudBoltSoftware.com 3 © CloudBolt Software, 2012 • CloudBolt Publication v.20121204 CLOUDBOLT • TECHNICAL OVERVIEW networks is controlled by IT admin with highly configurable role based privileges and permissions that may be restricted or granted with just a few clicks. On deployment, CloudBolt C2 makes IT resources highly visible and presents them as cloud. The innovative design of CloudBolt C2 architecture opens the door to exceptional functionality, both as a resource management tool with extensive metering and reporting features, and as a cloud solution. It layers on top of IT resources and makes them available as cloud without altering the resource pool or attaching itself to IT, making it future proof and upgrade safe. As it is agentless and vendor agnostic, it can be integrated with products from multiple vendors, including Network Virtualization Platform (NVP) such as VMware network virtualization (formally known as Nicira), as well as proprietary software applications without attaching itself to any part of the installation. New technologies can be rapidly integrated into the existing pool of resources for configuration of environments, or phased out. These capabilities are on-demand and without ripping or replacing any existing IT. CloudBolt C2 makes it possible to create solutions that can free up an enterprise organization’s internal business units to focus on their core business, and move forward with new strategies that aren’t tied to IT restrictions. © 2013 CloudBolt Software, Inc. | www.CloudBoltSoftware.com 4 CLOUDBOLT • TECHNICAL OVERVIEW 1.0 How Deploying CloudBolt C2 Impacts IT Operations Figure 1: CloudBolt C2 Impact on IT Operations (in Enterprise Environments) CloudBolt C2 provides key capabilities in a virtualized enterprise environment by facilitating: Fully transparent IT presented as cloud via a unified user interface that provides command and control over the management, maintenance, delivery and utilization of IT from a centralized point of access Rapid integration and interoperability of existing IT assets in multiple data centers Scalable shared IT infrastructure using a common enterprise model that can manage capacity and deploy IaaS across multiple cloud frameworks and platforms Increased agility in meeting strategic and operational IT goals On-demand deployment of shared, customized environments on-demand, restricting or granting end users access to data, resources and environments with highly configurable role based privileges Sustainable IT resources even as requirements and technologies change Agentless and vendor agnostic, making it possible to implement strategies of services in any environment or data center(s) and support the adoption or phasing out of technologies on- demand Management of software licenses Automated workflows for provisioning, maintaining and managing IT Enables long-term strategic planning of IT and operational goals that isn’t tied to restrictions from IT 1.1 Centralized Point of Command and Control over IT Configuration, Utilization, Management and Delivery of Services in a Single Pane of Glass Managing utilization of complex IT resources is becoming increasingly difficult to effectively coordinate. 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