Story: The virtual way to defeat real monsters
Posted by: Arthur B. (Tuesday 18 October 2005, 11:09 PM)
Errr, virtualization will only add extra complexity to the mix. Unless you expect that organizations instantly turn into knowledgeable and experienced experts that are fully aware of the finer details, do's and dont's, benefits and drawbacks that come with adding an extra layer of complexity into an already complex puzzle the moment the new stuff is brought in. No, there's this learning curve specific to your business and you can't outtask or outsource that. On paper maybe but not in reality.
Really, symptom fighting is not the way. Never is. Should only be used as a temporary fix soon followed-up by (root) cause analysis.
If you desire to be able to instantly restore machines to the last known good situation whenever you please then there are more ways of making that a possibility. In fact, if that's a requirement now then why didn't you implement it before? Also keep in mind that putting multiple virtualized servers on the same hardware makes them all dependable of that same hardware. Years of cost savings on paper can go up in smoke in minutes with a simple flip of a switch. And what about data-loss windows? What if you can easily restore a machine within a minute and all of the data changes of the last four hours are gone? Just a few examples to help you start thinking.
And which organizations need to pinpoint attack vectors and what not really? Isn't that why we have vendor support, support forums, communities, peers, patches and what not?
They focus on identifying bad things and making us aware of best practices and fixes.. We focus on keeping the business running. Different ball-game.
If you have a problem that needs to be resolved then why not try the proven method of symplifying first? After all, do you want to solve causes or fight symptoms? KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) wasn't brought to life because it looks great on paper or sales great. No, it works. If you adhere to its principles and don't fall for the old sales men trap. There's always more then meets the eye. The devil is in the details and usually long term.
In short. Adding complexity to the mix usually helps to get rid of one negative you're focused on while overlooking the nine positives you take for granted.
Think better safe then sorry. Simplifying complex environments usually helps to reach long-lasting cause solving problems (but takes longer). While symptom fighting usually leads to fast results (on paper) that usually don't last long and introduce new problems of their own.
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