email us at amarts@artifact3.com

Name: Amin Marts. No worries if you mispronounce the first name, I’ll correct you.

What I’m interested in: Simply, finding solutions for problems, excuse me, challenges.

What I bring to the table: Big picture thinking. Ruthless execution. The ability to distill complex topics into bite-sized and easy to digest contextual stories.

Turn On’s: Smart design. Simple solutions to complex problems. Billboards that make me stop, think, and take a picture to share with you. Jargon. Most of all, flowy singletrack.

Turn Off’s: Jargon. Overly complex solutions that don’t scale. Ambiguous messages. Unintelligible handwriting. Skiers who wear Starter jackets.

My Favorite Tools: iPad, Keynote, Mindmeister, DropBox, old skool whiteboards, OmniFocus, Glenn Beck.

Things I (admit) I read: HBR, Economist, anything Seth Godin writes, WSJ, on occasion the International Herald, when feeling snarky The New Yorker.

January’s Wish: To lose the twang I’ve developed from watching too much CMT during Christmas.

Best way to contact me: Through my twitter or email. I’m easy to find.

Author Archive

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04.07.2011

Solve The “Mobile Backup” Challenge with Desktop Virtualization

In the March 2011 issue of Storage Magazine there is an article by industry guru Curtis Preston on “mobile backup”. The scenarios outline data protection scenarios for laptops and ROBOs (remote offices branch offices). Preston nails the caveats associated with ROBO backup. He’s spot on and there’s little I’d add to his arguments, management suggestions and thought process. On the topic of protecting the mobile user specifically, he missed.

Preston correctly asserts, as users have become dispersed they’ve taken data with them on their laptops, away from the core. This (migration away from the corporate LAN) makes it difficult to backup and protect local data. A common and easy method for ensuring locally created data is saved back to a centrally backed-up file server is by mapping local directories to a central file server. The file server in this case is part of the enterprise backup scheme. This works brilliantly when the user is on the LAN but falls short when they’re disconnected or the file sever isn’t accessible. Moreover, if the user saves data to a local directory that isn’t mapped to a file server he might as well be on the moon.

To mitigate the risk of IP dying on mobile endpoints, there are products such as Carbonite, Mozy and SmartSync which backup local data to either the cloud or the data center. These products work well as tactical point-and-shoot solutions but this is 2011 and you can do so much better. Think strategically.

Enter the distributed desktop. This is not a conversation on desktop virtualization per se, however a core capability of the concept is enduser environment protection. Note, I’m saying “environment protection” opposed to “data protection”. “Data Protection” is what you’re used to. It’s synonymous with flat files, such as Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, images, pdf’s, etc. “Environment Protection” encompasses the aforementioned in addition to applications, end user customizations to the operating system, and the operating system itself. This is accomplished via block level snapshots which are then transmitted back to a centralized server at specified intervals. To preserve bandwidth on the WAN or LAN only the deltas are transferred.

Native user data backup and restore capabilities coupled with smarter, granular and faster provisioning, and enhanced security makes the distributed desktop the go to concept for “mobile backup”.

 

Posted by on 04.07.2011 at 4:08am   Tags: , , , , , ,
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03.30.2011

Client Virtualization…….Everybody Is Doing It

Client virtualization is all the buzz for small and large enterprises alike. Regardless of the vertical, it manages to sneak into most of my conversations with prospects. Typically the immediate questions are:

  • What exactly is it?
  • What can it do for me?
  • How do I sell the benefits to my boss?
  • Should I apply a centralized or distributed approach?
  • Should I host my desktops in the cloud?

There are a number of considerations to think through when determining the right approach but let’s focus on the last two questions:

  • Should I apply a centralized or distributed approach?
  • Should I host my desktops in the cloud?

Fundamentally, the workload, endpoint type and location of the end-user help to determine whether to adopt a centralized or distributed approach. The distributed model is the way to go if:

  • Users are mobile
  • Storage and computing resources are silo’d
  • Virtualization hasn’t been adopted in the datacenter
  • Network bandwidth is limited

As it pertains to moving desktops to the cloud, that can mean a number of things. It could mean you want to stream the desktop to an endpoint device, in which case the backend server is processing the workload. It could also mean you want to store the (desktop) image in the cloud, push it to the endpoint as needed, and have the endpoint process the workload. Either case is technically viable. The caveat for the first being this approach is exceptionally expensive, complex and it doesn’t address the needs of mobile users very well. The second of the two is substantially less complex, infinitely more flexible and it caters to disparate users quite well.

Regardless of your choice, the applications endusers require must be considered as well. Can your must have or line-of-business (LOB) applications be accessed via a browser? Are they client server based? Can they be streamed? Should they be streamed? Are they supported by the vendor if they are virtualized? There are no right or wrong answers. Moreover conducting this exercise aids in the evaluation of dueling approaches and solutions.

As you can tell, there’s lots to think about. No worries if your head is spinning, I’ll fix that shortly. In the upcoming days and weeks I’ll talk through more of the tech and the process for deciding which is right for you. Till then, follow me on twitter for the buzz on client virtualization and the cloud overall. Cheers.

 

Posted by on 03.30.2011 at 6:20pm   Tags: ,
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03.26.2011

Backup Your iPad….or not

In a recent meeting I was asked,

“How do you backup data created on your iPad?”

It’s a great question that isn’t asked often enough. Much like Web 2.0 collaboration apps, adoption of tablets, namely the iPad has been driven by the enduser first and the business second. Lately, conversations surrounding how to protect data on the iPad have centered on application security more so than insuring the recoverability of data created on the device. The reasons for this stem from the device’s architecture, which dictates that (most) applications have their own silo’d file space. This presents a road block for any backup agent since it would need access to this protected file space to backup a file or subset of files. Following suit, the most efficient means for extracting the target data would be over a private wireless network or over the Internet. Not impossible however the native backup functionality of iTunes backs up the base OS and your customized settings. Second, most applications designed for the iPad have native sync capabilities.

Enterprises should evaluate off-the-shelf applications for their ability to customize the sync location. Two evaluator’s questions should be:

  • Where is the default sync location?
  • Is the location configureable?

More times than not the sync location is either the cloud or the desktop where the full client resides. My needs are hardly enterprise class but I’ve settled on using Dropbox to make available and synchronize documents between my desktop (which I protect with Mozy) and my iPad. I also use Evernote for note taking and it syncs to the cloud, which give me access to my notes via the iPad app, the desktop client or through a browser. Regardless of location or device I’m able to access my documents and notes. All I need is an Internet connection.

Posted by on 03.26.2011 at 4:54pm   Tags: , , , ,
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02.09.2011

It’s Sales Kickoff Time: Are you Ready?

Sales kickoffs mark the beginning of the new year. New budgets, refreshed expectations and in some cases, a new organizational structure to accommodate the aforementioned. Often they’re dreaded and categorized as colossal wastes of time. There can be a number of real and ‘religious’ reasons, however the two biggies are a fear of the unknown and, frankly, shitty (excuse me!) mundane content.

Apprehension surrounding what one can’t see is a very human trait. Over coming it is challenging but not impossible. Don’t believe me? Then read Switch by the Heath brothers. They are the guys who wrote Made to Stick, and Switch, like the previous, is on point.

Since the Heaths have covered conquering the unknown, let’s talk about your content, flow and agenda. I’ll be talking to small to medium organizations. You big guys can listen in as well however you’re not the focal point.

Beginning at the beginning, build your kickoff like an effective demo. Effective demos, especially in the technical space don’t start with the setup of the technology. They start with the feature or set of capabilities that most interest the audience. In other words, start with the sizzle and end with the steak. Begin with your goal. Your goal is not your numbers from last year. Your goal is a location. It’s an oasis. It’s where you intend to end up at the end of the year. Make it tangible. Make it concrete. Make it something that can be measured without requiring an MBA in Accounting. Accounting isn’t sexy nor is it inspiring especially when we all know numbers can be made to say anything.

Financial numbers are fairly ambiguous unless the intention is to increase them by orders of magnitude. Increasing revenue by 10-15% is not a goal, it’s a fundamental part of doing business. Announcing cuts or a reduction in spending by “n” percentage is not a goal. It’s a means to an end but it’s certainly not something you’ll want to lead with. Effective goals come from a place of:

  • Taking market share
  • Beating the competition
  • Increasing revenue by orders of magnitude
  • Decreasing spending by orders of magnitude

In general, exclaiming any of these will meet with grumbles but they are also enablers. Accomplishing them forces new methods of thinking and behaving. In a word they enable innovation. Innovation is a differentiator. If it were easy everyone would be rich and successful. Business is Darwinian by nature. The global recession taught us that. Moreover, innovation is inspiring. Talk to Guy Kawasaki if you’re skeptical. He’s probably more successful than you, so I suggest you listen.

We’ve got the beginning nailed. Set a goal that is tangible, aggressive and measurable. Be sure to measure this goal frequently and honestly. In your kickoff, communicate the strategy that makes this goal achievable and how it will be measured (continually).

“A Relevant Story”

Early in my career I worked for David Schultz @ Media Logic. He’s the president. While working there, an annual staff meeting set the tone for the year and to communicate what was expected of us. The meeting was an event. There were teasers leading up to it, almost like a movie. The theme was communicated before the kickoff so that we could get our minds around it, discuss it, and generally poke and prod it. The event itself was off-site to avoid the temptation of distraction. Once at the kickoff, we were educated and workshop-ed into understanding the relevance, purpose and attainability of the goals. After the meeting there were monthly staff meetings where our goals were analyzed. Are we going to fall short? Are we on target? What do we have to do as a team to achieve our goal(s)? In short, tangible metrics communicating our proximity to achieving or failing were on display for all.

The transparent communication style David used empowered each employee to affect change. Moreover understanding the goal helped to align decision making across departments and responsibilities. The net benefit —  a unified organization where the employees felt empowered and integral to the organization’s success.

In closing, Media Logic’s sales kickoff’s were effective because:

  • Clear goals were set
  • Goals were articulated through what they meant to the business
  • Milestones with associated metrics were communicated
  • Workshops to gain our buy-in were used liberally
  • PowerPoint wasn’t the communication tool of choice
  • Questions were invited and answered candidly on the spot
  • Everyone was included in the process

Posted by on 02.09.2011 at 8:00am   Tags: , , , , , ,
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01.31.2011

Cloud Computing – Private, Public, Hybrid….Who Cares

The Cloud is finally in reach of the masses. It is no longer something only the largest enterprises can afford to use. The challenges to adoption for most organizations aren’t technical. Rather they are challenges in understanding what is it? How to define it and how to determine which delivery model is the right one for a particular use case?

First things first, generally, what is the cloud? The cloud is a service model that enables an organization to obtain compute resources ad hoc. These resources range in complexity and workload type. They can be storage resources, development platforms, applications (CRM, Salesforce, Google Docs), or computing horsepower generally. Commonly, the delivery model for any of these resources is the Internet which makes them endlessly accessible and incredibly flexible. Generally, they are billed as utilities. In other words, you pay for what you use.

Popularly the cloud is segmented into 3 service levels: Public, Private and Hybrid. The categorization of public and private cloud models is largely an excerise in semantics pulled off by the marketing teams of service providers. Public is largely communicated as resources which are available to the general public and smaller enterprises for free or at a nominal cost. Whereas Private cloud resources are sold at a premium and are targeted at medium to larger enterprises. Lastly, the Hybrid model focuses on workload location. In this case the working set of data remains local while the archival portion of the data resides in the cloud or offsite.

It’s best not to think in terms of Public or Private. Rather think of the cloud categories in terms of the workload type, complexity of the workload and where it resides. When thought of in this manner the cloud can be broken into the following more descriptive categorizations :

  • Productivity
  • Development and Delivery of Applications
  • Customizable Computing Resources

Productivity encompasses workloads such as email, work processing and collaboration. Products commonly located here are, CRM solutions like SalesForce as well as Google Docs, Zimbra, Jive Software and Hosted Exchange. The users of these workloads are task and knowledge workers. Think sales teams, some marketing folks, clerks, etc.

Development and Delivery of Applications, encompasses workloads such as Red Hat’s JBOSS Middleware Suite. Think SaaS (software as a service) and PaaS (platform as a service). The users of workloads that reside here are developers. Moreover these are the folks that develop software that run in the cloud or locally on a “physical” server. Regardless, the target group is development staff.

The enabler of the Productivity and Development & Delivery of Application tiers is the Customizable Computing Resources category. It enables the ad hoc allocation of backend compute resources such as virtual networking, storage and virtual machines.

Posted by on 01.31.2011 at 7:28am   Tags: , , , , , ,
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01.18.2011

iPad: Apps To Get You Started

I recently added an iPad to my quiver of solo-preneur  tools. The thought process behind the purchase was simple. I needed a tool that would allow me to both, take notes and display ideas to small groups. Previously sharing complex ideas required a trek to the whiteboard or a slide deck. Now I can easily share slides I’ve previously created then shift back to note taking mode without disrupting the flow of the meeting with an impromptu trip to the whiteboard and without hiding behind a laptop screen.

The beauty of the iPad is its broad ecosystem of supportive applications. The list seems endless but there’s a hot few you should certainly consider if you’re keen on making the most of your iPad.

Dropbox:

Free if you require under 2GB of storage. The use case is simple. You have files that you need access to regardless of your location or device (iPad, iPhone, laptop). More likely than not you’re going to want to share those files with friends and business partners as well. Dropbox enables this with a set of simple to install and use clients that work on all of your devices.

Keynote:

You know it, I know it, everyone knows it. The “PowerPoint” like linear presentation sucks, but it’s integral to sharing ideas with your peers. Keynote is a functional $9.99 substitution that turns the iPad in a presentation machine. The iPad app version lacks some font support in addition to certain animation combinations. What this means; keep you presentations simple. Presenting from an iPad at a conference table is different that standing in-front of a room.

Evernote:

Free. Evernote, provides me a medium to capture notes offline and synchronize them with all of my devices (iPad, iPhone, laptop). Additionally, Evernote has a huge ecosystem of companies who have built applications that take advantage of Evernote’s baseline functionality (multi-device synchronization).

Posted by on 01.18.2011 at 8:00am   Tags: , , , ,
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01.03.2011

A Visual Look at Desktop Virtualization – Part 1

Desktop virtualization has been a point of interest for many SMBs of late. Like most newer concepts, it started as a cool idea but it’s moving steadily to an enterprise ‘must have’. An enterprise ‘must-have’ if you’re concerned with increasing efficiencies, enhancing security and protecting data, all from a common platform.

Over the next 2 posts I’ll walk through:

  • What desktop virtualization is
  • Challenges it solves
  • Enterprise benefits realized
  • Who the market leaders are and how they differ

Take a peek below of market landscape. We’ll talk it out in just a moment.

Posted by on 01.03.2011 at 8:30am   Tags: , , , , , , ,
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11.07.2010

Your Social Media Strategy is Bulls*%t

I’ve seen many organizations attempt to use social media as a crutch for ineffective marketing. Simply, if you’re lacking a sound foundation in traditional marketing (demand gen, lead scoring, content generation) you’re delusional to think your social marketing strategy will yield success.

Mike Volpe of Hubspot, which I suggest you follow if you have anything to do with marketing, encapsulates my earlier sentiments in a resent presentation. Check it out here. It’s worth a quick peruse.

Posted by on 11.07.2010 at 3:43pm   Tags: , , , ,
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11.01.2010

Terabytes of Storage Dirt Cheap…Go to Staples

In a recent conversation the question was proposed; why is enterprise storage so expensive? There’s a lot that went into the answer however I thought the baseline of the conversation was interesting.

Disks are getting faster however their mechanical architecture has remained largely unchanged. Beginning with the mechanics, envision a record player. There’s a platter where data resides and an arm with a head that reads and writes information. As the actuator arm slides across the media a two-dimensional map is created. Three-dimensional data storage exists however it’s not mainstream, the use cases are limited, it’s widely unsupported by traditional file systems and it’s crazy expensive so we’re not going to talk about it here. Back to the real world, the platters spin at a constant rate. Constant spin rate means the edge passes under the heads faster than the data at the center (of the platter) which creates a diacritical curve in read/write performance.

Performance degradation is mitigated by modern files systems by grouping data sequentially, writing individual files contiguously and by leveraging radial placement. Radial placement is the process of placing active data on the (fast) edge of the disk and slower less active data closer to the center. The prevailing theme is reduced seek time which can also limit head thrashing which can reduce drive life.

Due in part to the inherent dismal performance of disk in comparison to processor and memory performance and the capabilities derived from virtualization, how would you increase the aggregate performance of disk? Simple, add more spindles. Enter RAID. RAID is fundamental when talking fault tolerance in addition to being an elemental component of overcoming the limitations of disk.

In a nutshell, adding disk spindles moreover aggregating spindles for particular workloads (e.g. email, database, file sharing, application performance) is more readily applicable than adding faster spindles. RAID in conjunction with the spreading of I/O across multiple hard disks in concert with striping and mirroring is at the heart of that expensive array humming in your data center. The aforementioned is not at the heart of your multi-terabyte USB drive that sits on your desk. Moreover, when it comes to housing line-of-business applications and data, a good chunk of what you’re paying for is performance.

Posted by on 11.01.2010 at 6:45am   Tags: , , ,
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09.09.2010

Data Protection Conversation Starters

Shared storage and virtualization form the computing foundation for many mid-sized and most larger enterprises. Migrating the storage footprint from direct attached storage (DAS) to a shared storage model often includes virtualization at some level. This migration requires modernizing your data protection methodology.

Although organizations differ in their line-of-business (LOB) applications, data storage size and backup method of choice, some commonalities exist. I’ve compiled a short list of the thought process you should work through on your way to modernizing your data protection capabilities

1. Standardize:

When possible, invest in the same data protection technology for both your physical and virtual environments. Doing so will ease management as well as reduce the costs associated with licensing and training.

2. Invite conversation:

Organizations aren’t static. The impact on computing resources certain business units have on storage continually change. Has your data protection policy evolved to account for SharePoint, ERP, CRM or other new LOB applications? Has your organization acquired another organization who is now a business unit with niche compliance pressures?

3. RPO’s & RTO’s (Oh My)

What are you recovery-point objectives (RPO) and recovery-time-objectives (RTO)? As your business changes, so do the expectations associated with what is an acceptable amount of data loss following a ‘disaster’. In lockstep with defining the RPO is the RTO. Unlike RPO, which is a technical capability, RTO resides in the realm of business process. RTO speaks to the service level agreements that define when data will be available post-disaster or disruption to the affected entity be it the business, a department or knowledge worker.

4. Crash-Consistent vs. Application-Consistent Recovery

Virtualization has a profound affect on not only the required back-end infrastructure, but also the incumbent data recovery application and methodology. Simply taking a point in time snapshot of the virtual machine does not leave you with a viable backup of the server and application. In some cases a snapshot of the virtual machine will only provide you with a crash-consistent copy of the server. The unaware application (running on the server) will be out of sync and thus requires special handling. This special handling is unique to the application, however it must be taken into account with modernizing your data protection policy.

Specifically, the question that requires an answer is:

“What special handling is required of my application to synchronize it with the snapshot of the virtual machine?”

This synchronization between the virtual machine and application is referred to as being application-consistent. Special handling is not always essential, however you’ll need to be aware of when crash-consistent recoveries and application-consistent recoveries are appropriate.

Posted by on 09.09.2010 at 9:52am   Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
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