DCML and network design

1
DCML and network design

• Format of lecture
• DCML what is it?
• Examples
• How can we use it for Albion
• Summary

2
The design challenge

• Lack of a standard way of documenting a design or
  build of an network infrastructure
• Approaches we can take
• Come up with our own
• Look at universal techniques for doing the job
• It is important that we communicate our design in
  a document which can be audited and agreed upon

3
Data Centre what is it?

• A data center is a centralised repository, either
  physical or virtual, for the storage, management,
  and dissemination of data and information
  organised around a particular body of knowledge
  or pertaining to a particular business

4
DCML what is it?

• An industry standard that promotes
  interoperability among disparate data center
  components, management tools and automation
  systems that govern their use
• achieve interoperability and render proprietary
  approaches irrelevant by providing a systematic,
  vendor-neutral way to describe the data center
  environment and policies governing the management
  of the environment a fundamental requirement
  for utility computing which is?
• Utility computing is a service provisioning model
  in which a service provider makes computing
  resources and infrastructure management available
  to the customer as needed, and charges them for
  specific usage rather than a flat rate.

5
DCML why?

• Ref EDS Ltd

6
DCML why?

• which describes all elements of the data center
  and how to build them, including descriptions of
  sequential procedures, required versions, patches
  and more.

7
How is DCML built

• Based on XML (Extensible Markup Language), DCML
  provides a common format for sharing information
  about the status of hardware and software
  components. The information is read by systems
  management applications that can then take a wide
  variety of actions based on what is needed. Those
  actions might include activating a new processor
  or switching to a backup server.

8

• Data Center Markup Language Framework
  Specification
• Draft
• Version 0.11
• May 5, 2004, 2004

9
DCML in the news

• http//www.dcml.org
• See first article in the news column

10
Where now with the design?

• Now that you have completed the initial look at
  the core network you are at a stage to consider
  the bigger picture for the design of the network
  as a Data centre
• What do we want to achieve for Albion?

11
Design pressure points

• Pressures on the IT infrastructure?
• Integration
• Availability, scalability and performance
• Security
• Strategy
• Flexibility and speed
• Internet access remote access

12
The Data Centre

• Over the next few weeks we start to review the
  following in the module
• Storage on demand
• Virtualisation
• Utility computing / grid computing
• To achieve on-demand, real-time infrastructure or
  organic IT and an adaptive university network

13
Problem

• Software Vendor VendorCo, requests for an audit
  of Customer CustomerCos usage of its server
  based application ServApp.
• VendorCo claims that CustomerCo currently uses
  more licenses than purchased and hence should
  purchase more licenses.
• Ref Use Case UC002 at http//dcml.blogspot.com/

14
CustomerCo

• CIO of CustomerCo is IT/best-practices savvy
• CIO has implemented DCML and ITIL in the
  organization over a year ago
• CMDB reflects the current state of the
  organization

15
DCML Architecture
16
Step 1

• VendorCo requests an audit
• Requests a list of all instances of ServApp,
  running on BSD
• Request made via DCML DIX format.

17
Sample Request

• ltdcml version1.0gt
• ltactiongtaudit_requestlt/actiongt
• ltmessage_idgt1234lt/message_idgt
• ltrequestorgtVendorColt/requestorgt
• ltvendor_idgt10032lt/vendor_idgt lt! used for
  identification ?
• ltrequest_dategtMarch 23, 2005lt/request-dategt
• ltrespond_by_dategtMarch 31,
  2005lt/respond_by_dategt
• ltapplicationgt
• ltapplication_namegtServAppltapplication_na
  megt
• ltapplication_name/gt
• ltversiongt6.2lt/versiongt
• ltapplication_platformgtBSDlt/application_p
  latformgt
• lt/applicationgt lt! One or more instances of
  application ?
• lt/dcmlgt

18
Sample Response

• Message checksum checked
• Request acknowledged
• ltdcml version1.0gt
• ltactiongtrequest_acknowledgementlt/actiongt
• ltmessage_idgt1234lt/message_idgt
• ltsendergtCustomerColt/sendergt
• ltvendor_idgt10032lt/vendor_idgt lt! used for
  identification ?
• lt/dcmlgt

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Step 2 Audit Initiated

• DCML Processor generates query for CMDB
• ltdcml version1.0gt
• ltmessage_idgt312lt/message_idgt
• ltactiongtcmdb_querylt/actiongt
• ltquerygtlistlt/typegt
• lt/dcmlgt

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Step 3 CMDB Response

• ltdcml version1.0gt
• ltmessage_idgt435lt/message_idgt
• ltrequest_idgt312lt/request_idgt
• ltactiongtcmdb_query_resultlt/actiongt
• ltresponsegt
• ltcategorygtnotebookslt/categorygt
• ltcategorygtdesktopslt/categorygt
• ltcategorygtserverslt/categorygt
• ltcategorygtnetwork_hardwarelt/categorygt
• ltcategorygttelco_hardwarelt/categorygt
• ltcategorygtPIMlt/categorygt
• ltcategorygtMiscellaneouslt/categorygt
• lt/responsegt
• lt/dcmlgt

21
Step 4 DCML PROC. gt CMDB

• ltdcml version1.0gt
• ltmessage_idgt313lt/message_idgt
• ltactiongtcmdb_querylt/actiongt
• ltquerygt
• ltsearch categoryservergtBSDlt/searchgt
• ltsearch categoryapplicationgtServApplt/s
  earchgt
• ltsearch categoryversiongt6.2.lt/searchgt
  
• lt/querygt
• lt/dcmlgt

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Step 5 CMDB Response

• ltdcml version1.0gt
• ltmessage_idgt436lt/message_idgt
• ltrequest_idgt313lt/request_idgt
• ltactiongtcmdb_query_resultlt/actiongt
• ltresponsegt
• ltresultsgt208lt/resultsgt
• ltfieldgtVendor lttypegtstringlt/typegtlt/fieldgt
  
• ltfieldgtVersionlt/fieldgt
• ltfieldgtLanguagelt/fieldgt
• ltfieldgtService Packlt/fieldgt
• ltfieldgtPatch Versionlt/fieldgt
• ltfieldgtBuild Versionslt/fieldgt
• ltfieldgtInstall Locationlt/fieldgt
• ltfieldgtIP Addresslt/fieldgt
• ltfieldgtLicense Keylt/fieldgt
• ltfieldgtSerial Numberlt/fieldgt
• ltfieldgtInstall Datelt/fieldgt
• ltfieldgtNumber of Useslt/fieldgt

ltfieldgtInstall Datelt/fieldgt
ltfieldgtNumber of Useslt/fieldgt
ltfieldgtUser Nameltfieldgt ltfieldgtPart Of
Suitelt/fieldgt ltfieldgtDate of Last
Uselt/fieldgt ltfieldgtLicense Keylt/fieldgt
ltfieldgtSerial Numberlt/fieldgt
ltfieldgtInstall Datelt/fieldgt
ltfieldgtNumber of Useslt/fieldgt
ltfieldgtUser Nameltfieldgt ltfieldgtPart Of
Suitelt/fieldgt lt/responsegt lt/dcmlgt
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Step 6 DCML PROC. gt CMDB

• ltdcml version1.0gt
• ltmessage_idgt314lt/message_idgt
• ltactiongtcmdb_querylt/actiongt
• ltquerygt
• ltsearch_handlegt313lt/search_handlegt
• ltfieldsgt
• ltfieldgtIP Addresslt/fieldgt
• ltfieldgtUser Namelt/fieldgt
• ltfieldgtDate of Last Uselt/fieldgt
• ltfieldgtNumber of Useslt/fieldgt
• ltfieldgtSerial Numberlt/fieldgt
• ltfieldgtLicense Keylt/fieldgt
• lt/fieldsgt
• lt/querygt
• lt/dcmlgt

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Step 7 CMDB Response

• ltdcml version1.0gt
• ltmessage_idgt437lt/message_idgt
• ltrequest_idgt314lt/request_idgt
• ltactiongtcmdb_query_resultlt/actiongt
• ltresponsegt
• ltresultsgt208lt/resultsgt
• ltrowgt
• ltvaluegt192.168.1.1lt/valuegt
• ltvaluegtjdoelt/valuegt
• ltvaluegtMarch 22, 2005lt/valuegt
• ..
• lt/rowgt
• lt/responsegt
• lt/dcmlgt

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Step 8 Verification of keys

• DCML Processor verifies each license key against
  CMDB and DSL
• License keys are also checked against invoices
  and receipts (available via CMDB)
• DCML Processor seeks clarification from DCML
  agents and users via DCML DIX and auto-generated
  XUL/XForms forms
• CMDB is updated, with findings.

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Step 9 Completion of Audit

• DCML Processor generates audit reports
• Internal workflow engine routes report to CIO for
  approval and digital signatures
• Approved report is dispatched to VendorCo, in DIX
  format.

27
Step 10 Post Audit Assessment

• CIO has data regarding ServApp usage
• CIO can negotiate better pricing for licenses,
  using data available from DCML/CMDB
• CIO can reallocate unused/sparingly used
  licenses.
• CIO can minimize/eliminate upgrade fees for
  unused (but installed) instances.

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Advantages

• Accuracy of information
• Real-time updates
• Quicker turnarounds
• Cost savings
• BSA/SIIA compliance

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Advantages (contd)

• Reports Display by cost center/department/site
• Resellers can bid, based on internal usage data
  (DCML/CMDB PartnerNet)
• Powerful reporting (includes historical data)