Fujitsu Siemens Computers, the leading European IT provider, and Oracle announce FlexFrame for Oracle, the first end-to-end infrastructure for Oracle Grid Computing.
This offering is designed to automate all tasks across the Grid and to gain a single view of the entire server environment - which means all servers can be managed as if they were one - while saving valuable IT resources through optimised utilisation of the infrastructure. At the same time it meets the need for application availability, eliminating the slow-down or crash of corporate applications.
FlexFrame for Oracle brings together pre-configured and certified server, storage, and software components, along with automation, virtualisation and deployment technologies and related services in one grid offering. The combination of Fujitsu Siemens Computers Adaptive Services Control Center (ASCC) and specific virtualisation technologies coupled with Oracle 10g and Oracle Enterprise Manager Grid Control Monitoring make this a groundbreaking capability in the Dynamic Data Centre. FlexFrame for Oracle will be available from January 2006.
The handling of application and infrastructure availability, failover and load scenarios in a cost-effective way is one of the most challenging tasks IT directors face. FlexFrame for Oracle is targeted at organisations that operate business-critical applications, whose usage amounts vary dramatically over time and for whom continuous availability is essential. Usage peaks can appear at any time and may differ on seasonal (eg Christmas and back-to-school), promotional (eg a one-time offer to reduce inventory) or specific regular scheduled events (e.g. payroll or month-end accounting tasks). FlexFrame for Oracle is designed to address these specific issues and increase the overall service level in a more dynamic, effective and efficient manner than today`s normal solution of "server farms".
FlexFrame for Oracle will address the entire market of J2EE based applications, runs on blade servers and industry standard storage, and is an open platform which enables companies to virtualize the software stack and run application and database services on any server in a grid at any time.
"IT directors need infrastructures that enable them directly to address the needs of their business. FlexFrame for Oracle does just this and provides them with an answer that helps them on two fronts: it brings down costs and increases efficiency immediately and it fits into existing environments," says Rui de Oliveira, Product Manager Enterprise Computing. "Together with Oracle we provide an answer to their needs. Oracle`s very advanced grid technology in combination with our capabilities enables us to go to market with a compelling proposition for IT directors."
Grid Computing turns the conventional attitude to IT resources on its head. Traditionally, applications are installed on their own systems and then wait for their services to be requested. In a Grid Computing environment, IT components such as applications, storage and processors are dynamically allocated (provisioned) and freed again to serve other requests when they are not being used. This gives a particular harmony between Grid Computing and a services-oriented architecture, where an organisation`s business processes are orchestrated as IT services, any of which may demand system resources that a Grid Computing environment can allocate dynamically.
Key characteristics of Grid Computing are the separation of servers from data and the separation of servers from applications. The key technologies for Grid include: Virtualisation (no static installation on real components); Dynamic provisioning (mechanisms to allocate resources to tasks); and Automation (of administration and management of the Grid resulting in the Grid managing itself).
"Both Fujitsu Siemens Computers and Oracle see Grid Computing as a major step forward in the evolution of IT infrastructure," said Sergio Giacoletto, Executive Vice-President, Oracle Europe, Middle East and Africa. "The recent Oracle Grid Index shows that Grid Computing is on the verge of becoming mainstream, with growing scores for adoption. However, its other message is that we, as vendors, must continue to drive Grid Computing into the mainstream by offering whole solutions. No one vendor offers the whole piece, and so partnerships are vital - and the one between Fujitsu Siemens Computers and Oracle to create the FlexFrame for Oracle is one such. The key thing is that both companies bring unique contributions to a strategic partnership."
FlexFrame for Oracle components
Fujitsu Siemens Computers delivers the pre-configured building blocks; corresponding integration functions (interfaces) assure seamless interoperation.
* Oracle Application Server 10g and Oracle Database 10g with Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC) provide the basic software stack for the application and database services. The administration component Oracle Grid Control, part of Oracle Enterprise Manager 10g monitors these services.
* The ASCC (Adaptive Services Control Centre) is Fujitsu Siemens Computers` automation solution for automating server operation. The ASCC software runs on two clustered Intel-based servers (control nodes) and monitors all servers in a farm based on agents and standardized SNMP traps. Should changes in the farm occur, ie a server fails; this is noticed by the ASCC. The embedded decision engine now automatically triggers corrective actions according to rules that have been pre-defined by the administrators. For instance the ASCC can start RemoteDeploy to load a certain service on another server.
* Netboot is a tool for loading software images (of the operating system and application) to take PRIMERGY Blade servers into operation from a centralized location. All services, boot images, settings and database data are maintained in a centralised store. The service data can also be stored in an additional storage infrastructure - for example, in an NAS environment. The images can be adapted for each server as required (IP addresses or other server-related data).
* The FlexFrame for Oracle Gridpack V1.0A software has been specially developed for FlexFrame for Oracle to provide optimum harmonization and interworking of the components described above.
* PRIMERGY BX620 blade servers are an ideal platform in such setups as their hardware architecture allows an easy maintenance and scaling of server farms with reduced manual efforts. This also applies to the high interoperability with the PRIMERGY blade server management functions with RemoteDeploy and ASCC.
Configuration example
The configuration below describes a server farm consisting of a set of resources necessary to fulfil the set of service levels needed to support a dedicated business process. In this case, a set of dedicated applications and database services runs on a pool of PRIMERGY blade servers under Linux. Once the server farm is in operation the fail-save redundant ASCC permanently monitors the availability of the server farm via agents running on each server node over a special control network.
The business-critical applications on this configuration are realised within Oracle`s grid core technologies, Oracle Application Server and Oracle Real Application Clusters, permanently logically controlled from a special monitoring component, Oracle Grid Control (GC). In the event of abnormal situations (high load, insufficient response time, service not available, etc) the GC acts like an agent and sends respective traps to the ASCC. If an error condition is reported, the ASCC initiates a check in the corresponding inventory list for the failed server. Depending on the policies and actions that are defined for the failed system, it automatically triggers a corrective action. This action could result in a reboot of the same server or the provisioning and boot of a spare server with an identical image.
Customer benefits
Optimises resource utilisation by:
* Server and storage pooling
* Automatic, policy-based allocation of CPU power to application and database services
Guarantees defined service levels by:
* Continuously monitoring health and performance indicators and automatically revitalising failed services and allocating resources on demand
Minimises total cost of ownership by:
* Consolidating server resources
* Automating administrative tasks and thus reducing human interactions
* Offering an attractive software licensing model
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The Dynamic Data Centre
The Dynamic Data Centre (DDC) is a concept for a new-generation hardware and software architecture that focuses on end-user services and service level agreements (SLAs) which enables on-demand computing to become a reality. With the DDC Fujitsu Siemens Computers enables companies to move from system-related tier-IT structures into service-oriented architectures.
This means for example that computers and database resources can be dynamically aligned to applications and the result is increased flexibility and reliability, as well as considerable improvement in the cost-effectiveness of the IT infrastructure.
Fujitsu Siemens Computers
Fujitsu Siemens Computers is the leading European IT provider with a responsible strategic focus on next-generation mobility and business-critical computing products, services and solutions. With a portfolio of exceptional depth, our offering extends from handhelds through desktops to enterprise-class IT infrastructure solutions. Fujitsu Siemens Computers has a strong presence in all key markets across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Leveraging the strengths, innovation and global reach of our joint shareholders, Fujitsu Limited and Siemens AG, we make sure we meet the needs of customers: large corporations, small and medium enterprises and private users.
For further information about Fujitsu Siemens Computers, please visit: www.fujitsu-siemens.com.
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