Amazon Cloud Cost Comparison Revealed
December 28, 2012
Deep Value, purveyor of respected stock-trading algorithms, is dissatisfied with its Amazon Cloud Services investment. The company’s blog declares, “EC2 is 380% More Expensive than Internal Cluster.” Deep Value was using Amazon’s EC2 cluster with Hadoop to run simulations, but the bill kept increasing month by month. Their managing director of technology, Paul Haefele, says he performed some “back of the envelope” calculations that suggested there was a better way. He writes:
“Tiger Direct will sell you a Seagate 3 terabyte drive for $154. For the same storage on S3 for 2 years, I would pay (1,000 * 0.125 + 2,000 * 0.11) * 12 mths * 2 yrs1 = $8,232 at the standard rates. Buying our own drive was 2% of the cost of using EC2, so this certainly seemed worth investigating.”
Haefele’s team deployed a Hadoop cluster with the data-center company Telx, whose rates they found reasonable. They invested in 20 Linux servers running the open-source CentOS and a couple of switches. They factored in hosting costs, then ran some simulations. See the article for the technical details; Haefele summarizes his conclusions:
“If we compared just on what we are getting in terms of compute and storage, our cluster is costing us $12,700 per month versus $48,564 (33,599+15,965) for EC2.
“EC2 is thus costing us over 3.8 time more per month.
“Whatever way we slice this, either by storage cost or by compute, it seems clear that using your own data center rather than EC2 makes sense for us. For one-off peaks EC2 makes sense, but given the ongoing nature of our simulated analysis, moving to our own datacenter is a very clear winner.”
So, sometimes DIY is worth the effort, as this extreme example shows. Thanks to Deep Value for sharing this important information. I wonder—how many businesses will take advantage of it?
Cynthia Murrell, December 28, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Rackspace Unveils Cloud Database as a Service
December 27, 2012
Rackspace has made a name for itself providing Cloud infrastructure. The future is definitely in the Cloud, as security becomes less of an issue and price continues to drop. Rackspace’s newest offering is Cloudant, a Cloud database as service. Read the full details in the CRN.com story, “Rackspace Unveils Cloud Database as a Service with Cloudant.”
The article begins:
“Cloud infrastructure provider Rackspace is offering a database as a service for developers of Web and mobile applications in its Cloud Tools program. The NoSQL database as a service is provided by Cloudant through its Data Layer, a collection of database clusters hosted in Rackspace’s worldwide data centers. Cloudant’s Data Layer offers a CouchDB-compatible, RESTful JSON API; a MapReduce engine; and built-in full-text search, based on Apache Lucene, which is a Java-based, open-source information retrieval library.”
Apache Lucene is a powerful base on which to build. LucidWorks also uses the power of Lucene as its source. LucidWorks offers a different type of product, primarily search and Big Data solutions for the enterprise. The emergence of such popular and effective solutions based on open source infrastructure is proof that the future is in open source, and that organizations need to stay in tune with the latest technology in order to stay relevant and effective.
Emily Rae Aldridge, December 27, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Google Maneuvers in the Cloud
December 27, 2012
Google wants to be more like Amazon. InformationWeek reveals, “Google Adds Cloud Infrastructure Muscle vs. Amazon.” Let’s hope Google search does not emulate the aging A9 system.
Actually, Google is making several changes to its cloud services that it hopes will help it compete with Amazon’s successful Web Services. The beta version of Google’s Compute Engine was launched in June of this year, and has received good reviews, according to Google’s Shailesh Rao. There is no word on when, exactly, the product will be generally available. Writer Charles Babcock shares these details:
“The new server configurations come much closer to matching the wide variety of options found on Amazon Web Services, with virtual machines with more CPU power and larger random access memory. Google’s previous entry level — a ‘standard’ virtual server with one ‘core’ (equal to half a 2011 Intel Sandy Bridge CPU core), plus 3.75 GB of RAM and 420 GB of disk space — was priced at $0.145 an hour. With the price reduction, it’s now, $0.138 an hour.
“Rao said Google is trying to be competitive in its pricing, which appears to position a slightly heftier virtual server next to a similar Amazon offering at a slightly lower price.”
Google also offers options that supply much more memory and storage for users willing to pay the higher price. On the other end of the cost scale, low key users can opt for “reduced availability” at a reduced price. Then there’s the persistent disk snapshotting service, which can send snapshots to a customer-designated backup location. Of course, customers also get access to Google’s lightning-fast data centers.
The article notes that Google admits it will probably not win over existing Amazon customers at this time, but that it is really going after the startup market right now. Interesting move.
Cynthia Murrell, December 27, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Strong Infrastructure and Flexible Computing Options Has Enterprises Flying High on Search
December 24, 2012
Companies are looking for the most economical way to increase ROI and the right software can easily provide the solution. The problem then comes to choosing the right software for your business?
CIO’s utilizing the cloud combined with enterprise search are literally floating on cloud nine, according to Wall Street Journal’s article “Oracle Earnings Show CIO Preference for Cloud and Systems”. Oracle’s shares exceeded analyst expectations by 3 cents per share, and credit is given to the cloud combined with search software:
“CIOs are embracing cloud software because of lower initial costs and other benefits, such as the ability to increase their usage of software, upgrade applications without the disruptions that come with traditional on-premise applications and the positive financial impact of being able to take cloud services as an expense rather than having to capitalize software and hardware purchases. Companies are investing in technology rather than in employees. That’s not good news for people who are unemployed, but it is good news for employees who are getting technology in their hands that can make them more productive.”
Cloud solutions combined with integrated infrastructure such as the partnership demonstrated by IBM Pure and Intrafind make for a good investment. The word hybrid comes to mind. This partnerships combines the stability and strength of IBM with the ever evolving enterprise search development that comes from a well established open source foundation. The result is more accessible, more secure and more usable enterprise information. Companies that choose the cloud combined with proven enterprise search software will be floating on their own cloud nine with Oracle and the other successful businesses.
Jennifer Shockley, December 24, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Hybrid Cloud with Cloning Capability May Not Bode Well for Cloud Platform Developers
December 17, 2012
The introduction of hybrid technology comes as no surprise, but one has to wonder how current developers will feel about being cloned in the future. TechCrunch’s article “CloudVelocity Launches With $5M from Mayfield to Bring the Hybrid Cloud to the Enterprise” discusses the introduction of a hybrid cloud and its growing potential, along with its cloud cloning ability.
This new technology could save companies a bundle off initial investments, but smart platform designers may take precautions against cloning in the future. One has to wonder what preparations have already been made, if any. Investors want to be certain the risk of this approach is worth the effort.
“One Hybrid Cloud platform, aims to extend the enterprise data center to the public cloud, by enabling multi-tier applications to run without modification in the cloud and access services that reside in the enterprise data center. In a nutshell, the startup allows enterprises to get the benefits of private clouds in the public cloud. Users can discover, blueprint, clone, and migrate applications between data centers and public clouds. Currently, CloudVelocity supports full server, networking, security and storage integration with AWS but plans to integrate other public clouds.”
The excitement around startups and cloud solutions is great but corporations are reluctant to take chances with sensitive data. Those enterprises seeking stability in the growing hybrid cloud universe may find some assurance in relying on a mature, capable enterprise provider. Intrafind offers consultative solutions and reliable cloud solutions with secure access.
Jennifer Shockley, December 17, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
HP Moves Printing Into Next Generation
December 13, 2012
Who does not like to hear that offices can increase productivity, decrease costs and improve efficiency? HP is making all three even easier with new technologies discussed in their news release, “HP Unveils New Printing Innovations That Digitize the Office; Help Reduce Costs.” For the enterprise, the most exciting aspect is that data access will be simplified.
Take the HP flow MFPs, for example. This can be integrated with content management solutions from software vendor Autonomy, an HP Company. It could be done either on-site or through the cloud.
We also learned about another notable new innovation:
“The HP Flow CM Professional brings enterprise-class content management to growing businesses, with security features that also support leading banks, legal firms and stock exchanges. The cloud-based offering increases collaboration and productivity by easily capturing, indexing, storing, searching and retrieving documents through a unique user-friendly interface designed with the customer in mind.”
New printers also be added in to their arsenal of offerings geared to shake up productivity. We just wonder if we’ve hit the time where snapping in IDOL will become a job like changing a toner cartridge. Only time will tell.
Megan Feil, December 13, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
X1 Discovery and NW3C Offer Social Discovery Class
December 13, 2012
We’ve made a discovery regarding eDiscovery. The National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C) has teamed up with X1 Discovery to offer some social media eDiscovery training. So far, their “X1SD Class List” is quite short, with one low-profile event scheduled to be held in Dec 2012 in New York City. The class description reads:
“This course provides ‘hands-on’ training designed specifically to address the needs of social media investigators. Participants will develop the practical skills, insights, and knowledge necessary to successfully gather data from Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedln in a manner and form conducive to an investigation, whether that investigation is civil or criminal in nature.
“X1 Social Discovery Training will:
- Familiarize students with Facebook, Twitter and Linkedln;
- Teach Students how to use X1 Discovery to address social media content and information:
- Teach Students how to collect and authenticate information relevant to their investigations;
- Teach Students how to prepare reports; and
- Provide the students with practical exercises to enhance their skills.”
A central resource for state and local agencies fighting economic and high-tech crime, NW3C began in 1978 as the Leviticus Project, and was originally devoted to a specific multi-state investigation. In 1991, its mission was expanded to providing training, maintaining databases, and providing analytical services to agencies in all 50 states. Renamed the following year, the Center has vastly expanded its membership throughout the U.S. and into fifteen other countries.
Not surprisingly, X1 Discovery focuses on eDiscovery, with a current emphasis on social media and cloud-based data. The company designs its eDiscovery and enterprise search solutions specifically for IT and legal professionals. Originally founded by Idealab in 2011, X1 is based in Pasadena, California.
Cynthia Murrell, December 13, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Amazon CloudSearch Features and Pricing Explained
November 29, 2012
Amazon Web Services Blog aims to bring tools to the table that helps build powerful Web sites and applications with little time and cost. In “Amazon CloudSearch – Start Searching in One Hour for Less Than $100 / Month,” the author explains the importance of Web site search and Amazon CloudSearch capabilities. This is given about search challenges:
Search plays a major role in many web sites and other types of online applications. The basic model is seemingly simple…Needless to say, things can get very complex very quickly…We know that scaling a search system is non-trivial. There are lots of moving parts, all of which must be designed, implemented, instantiated, scaled, monitored, and maintained. As you scale, algorithmic complexity often comes in to play; you soon learn that algorithms and techniques which were practical at the beginning aren’t always practical at scale.
The author also highlights Amazon CloudSearch’s advanced searching and programming features. And while Amazon CloudSearch touts search scaling capabilities, it is hard to overlook the complex pricing model based on the number of running search instances, hourly costs, batch upload charges, and per Gigabyte prices. You might first want to take advantage of the Mindbreeze InSite free trial for a truly powerful search feature with no install required. In addition, their pricing model is straight-forward.
Philip West, November 29, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
PolySpot Adds In Connector to Social Technology Giant Blue Kiwi
November 28, 2012
Productivity is the name of the game for enterprise infrastructure software vendor PolySpot. Now, they have added in another connector to their list spanning over 100. The article “The Blue Kiwi Connector for PolySpot is Ready!” tells us more about this forward-thinking move.
Since BlueKiwi is Europe’s largest cloud based enterprise social software solution, it was a no-brainer for PolySpot to develop a connector and add it to their library.
The author states in his post on the subject:
“But beyond collaboration and co-creation, what good is creating, or co-creating information if the fruit of the collective intelligence of employees can not be quickly found? Thus, to offer the use of our converging technologies, the R&D department at PolySpot has developed a BlueKiwi connector for PolySpot. With BlueKiwi and PolySpot, employees would enjoy a productive environment, strengthening collaborative and social innovation, expertise finding and sharing.”
What is productivity without social? This is the question users do not have to learn the hard way that social technologies do in fact fuel productivity. Thanks to PolySpot’s Information At Work, the social power of BlueKiwi is now a part of the picture.
Megan Feil, November 28, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
EPiServer Adds an SEO Manager Tool to Product Suite
November 27, 2012
In “EPiServer Gets SEO Manager Add-On for Web CMS,” Anthony Myers discusses the recent release from EPiServer to add to its Web content management suite of offerings. SEO Manager as a commercial add-on for EPiServer CMS is now available. The new tool is explained:
URL management in particular can be tricky because it has to be done on the server side for things like changing page names, changing section names and moving pages around a website.
SEO Manager is the tool that optimizes a site’s URL’s, one of the things many Web properties lose sight of while focusing on keywords, headings and content (see: Content Strategy: The Perils of Search Engine Optimization). Those are obviously key to improving on search results, but more is needed to bump that all important Google ranking.
New features include renaming pages without rank loss, URL history memory, and optimized results in Google Analytics. The new tool may be worth looking at for SEO. But it doesn’t take away the need for good content and a user friendly Web site. InSite illuminates all of your information from documents to Web pages to social media networks with the power of semantic search for your Web site visitors.
Philip West, November 27, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
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