Archive

Cloud

Seven approaches to cloud integration during mergers and acquisitions

Cloud integration during M&As is the ideal time to streamline your IT environment. Why cloud integration should be a priority during restructuring Business restructurings like mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures are the perfect moment to take on cloud integration projects. Forbes reported that organizations allocate more than 30% of their cloud spending budget to underused or […]

Simplify mergers and acquisitions by upgrading to cloud networking

Of the many elements involved during mergers, acquisitions (M&As), and divestitures, technology is often a deal breaker. Fortunately, cloud networking provides a reliable solution to many of the challenges of M&As. A majority of M&As fail Research from McKinsey shows that 10% of mergers are called off annually. Additionally, many studies demonstrate that between 70% […]

Elevate user experience with a cloud contact center

Today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape forces organizations to constantly seek new ways to improve customer satisfaction and employee engagement. Cloud contact centers are transformational solutions that streamline communications and collaboration, empowering agents to deliver exceptional support. Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) helps organizations elevate communications without substantial investments in new infrastructure using serviced-based cloud […]

Modernize cloud applications to maximize success of mergers and acquisitions

However, the bright side of restructuring events is that they present an ideal moment to review and modernize an organization’s portfolio of applications. Many organizations seek mergers or acquisitions to update a legacy technology stack and stay competitive. The effort of updating apps and streamlining workflow is well worth the rewards—faster workflows and a game […]

Strategies for secure cloud migration with AWS managed services

Many companies have already adopted some of AWS’s numerous cloud service offerings. The challenge for most organizations will be not in adoption, but in streamlining AWS to adapt to existing workflows. As an AWS Advanced Consulting Partner with 80+ unique certifications, the OnX team is profoundly qualified to ensure successful migration projects and cloud-native workloads. […]

Nine advantages of a managed cloud environment from OnX

A third-party managed service provider does not supplant your IT department but transforms every department and adds value throughout your organization. It can also lead to a vital partnership that lets your team shift its focus to innovation. This blog will review the benefits of a managed cloud environment. 1. Cost efficiency Managed cloud saves […]

Top ten advantages of integrating your cloud-based contact center with UCaaS

A new trend in communications is integrating UCaaS and CCaaS tools into a single dashboard. However, it is not sufficient to rely only on integration. Applying APIs thoughtlessly leads to static and frustrating workflows. To ensure optimal results, enterprises need to seek out an integrator—an IT provider that can merge applications and Software as a […]

Seven core strategies for cloud disaster recovery solutions

“Disaster recovery”, or DR, and “backup” are sometimes used interchangeably—however, there is a critical difference between the two. A backup is a secure copy or copies of important data, whereas disaster recovery is the method by which backups are restored in the event of data loss. Organizations sometimes overlook creating a disaster recovery plan, but […]

Mass adoption of public clouds will boost market growth to $600 billion in 2023

The widespread adoption of public clouds like Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure signifies nothing less than a second digital revolution that provides companies across industries the ability to boost the efficiency of operations, migrate applications to the Cloud, and double down on security. Public clouds are much like a public utility company in […]

Three vital tactics for embedding cloud network security

To keep up with emerging security threats and vulnerabilities, the modern enterprise must implement both proactive and reactive cybersecurity protocols. Simply having a firewall at the edge and running a virus scan on your desktops is no longer enough. A business must utilize all the tools at its disposal to keep user and company data […]

Get ahead by migrating legacy applications to cloud environments

Core benefits of application migration While cost-effectiveness and savings are compelling reasons to embark on migration projects, other vital benefits include: Increased organizational adaptability High scalability Greater accessibility Boosted efficiency Enhanced customer experiences Lowered IT burdens Better service quality Strategically, a shift to cloud operations for critical applications means that IT expenses once reserved for […]

Meeting market demand through modernization of legacy technology

In this post, we will closely examine the implications of legacy technology modernization and how companies can take advantage of the process to encourage growth. The need for legacy technology modernization Since the beginning of the pandemic, many companies have shifted to a hybrid workforce environment. As a result, many businesses accelerated and adapted existing […]

Revolutionize your retail operations with cloud technology

However, these demands expose the limits of the older infrastructure that often powers retail technology. Even the most tech-savvy brands struggle to predict and meet shifting customer desires. The market for cloud-based retail technology will grow to nearly $40 billion globally by 2026. In addition, multi-cloud platforms (in which two or more cloud environments are […]

Strategize your cloud transformation for greater success

Updating and migrating legacy applications is daunting, with many IT departments at a loss of where to begin. Increasingly, cloud-based tools offer valuable solutions for companies that wish to modernize. More than ever, CIOs and IT teams across sectors have mobilized to generate cloud transformation strategies for their companies. A recent survey from IDG reports […]

IT Modernization for Canadian government agencies

Key advantages of IT modernization for government Governments worldwide are realizing the advantages of IT modernization through cloud technology. Those benefits include: Cost efficiency and predictable costs. Secure backups and disaster recovery. Continuous access to state-of-the-art technology through cloud providers. High scalability. Modernizing aging legacy applications. Faster deployment of new applications and systems. Advanced security […]

Embrace new technology innovations with the OnX implementation process

Across industries, companies struggle to maintain on-premises legacy IT systems. The constant upkeep is simply not a good use of IT personnel and budgets in the age of staffing shortages and persistent technological advances. As a result, many forward-thinking organizations are implementing new technology and migrating to the Cloud to optimize technology spending. It’s a […]

The transformative power of cloud computing for healthcare

Healthcare providers have relied heavily on MPLS systems in the past. However, legacy MPLS networks can no longer maintain the speeds and efficiency demanded by modern networking. In addition, the maintenance and upkeep of these systems require a lot of operational resources. Security is another area of grave concern because patient data is extremely sensitive. […]

Make the most of your cloud infrastructure with a data lake solution

What is a cloud data lake? A cloud data lake is a storage repository into which data currents can flow. Data lakes combine data from many different sources and collect them into a single depository. A unique feature of cloud data lakes is that the data compiled there can be formally structured or completely unstructured. […]

What is NaaS, and what can this solution do for my enterprise?

Table of Contents An ideal solution no matter the vertical or business size What is NaaS? A future-forward solution for your organization Implementing Cisco Meraki can improve your network Clients may ask: What is NaaS, and how can it benefit my enterprise? This OnX technology provides businesses with an easy-to-use means of supporting, maintaining, expanding, […]

Let OnX navigate your journey to AWS for government

Additionally, AWS provides commercial cloud capabilities for unclassified data, allowing governments to execute their goals with a common toolset and providing the flexibility to rapidly adapt to changing mission parameters. This blog will touch on how AWS—with OnX as a reliable provider—can meet the top IT challenges facing Canadian government organizations. Also read: The Road […]

Delivering a trustworthy cloud for government service

With assistance from OnX, government agencies are migrating from silo-laden, hardware-centric data centers to the virtual ecosystem of the cloud. Integrated cloud resources are compiled to meet the needs of specific workloads, meaning they can be easily returned to a common pool upon completion of a job. Consumption scales dynamically according to work volume, offering […]

Secure business growth with an AWS Well-Architected Framework

A public cloud managed by OnX Canada and powered by Amazon Web Services (AWS) Well-Architected Framework can help organizations achieve this transition while benefitting the bottom line. In a recent Magic Quadrant report, Gartner lauded AWS as a hyperscale provider boasting a portfolio of startups, SMBs, and large enterprises. With a proven certified partner like […]

How Microsoft Workloads on AWS can enhance your enterprise cloud

This blog will elaborate on how a partner like OnX can deliver on the promise of Microsoft Workloads on AWS. Also read: How to realize maximum benefits from migrating to the cloud AWS offers broad and exciting capabilities Boasting more than a decade of experience and enterprise adoption, AWS is the ideal cloud to run […]

How to prepare your enterprise with AWS cloud solutions

OnX public cloud, powered by Amazon Web Services (AWS), is based on a tiered model that matches your unique workloads to cloud functionalities. AWS cloud solutions manage your most demanding workloads, including serverless computing, which allows functions to be executed off-premises in the cloud. This article will illuminate how OnX and AWS cloud solutions help […]

Cloud-enabled security from OnX enhances your critical business applications

Check Point’s Harmony Connect and Harmony Email and Office are boosting key business applications at a time when employees are operating remotely. These technologies empower companies to make optimal network and application decisions without needing to secure a distributed system. Also read: Cloud delivered SD-WAN: 5 Solutions for defeating network challenges Creating a fully functional […]

Cloud delivered SD-WAN: 5 Solutions for defeating networking challenges

Network functions are following the migration of applications to the cloud. This is where cloud-delivered SD-WAN stands out. When companies move network operations to the cloud, they no longer need to manage their communications infrastructures at the local level. The migration also brings improved visibility and unmatched analytical insights. In the cloud, mission-critical applications can […]

Revolutionize the way you protect your enterprise with Cloud Disaster Recovery solutions that are documented, tested, and proven to work

When considering disaster recovery (DR) in the cloud, companies must rethink the complex and costly approaches they’ve grown accustomed to. The digital landscape has transformed to favor streamlined, easily managed virtual infrastructure that is ready to activate at a moment’s notice. Because of this, there is no better solution than the public cloud for disaster […]

What to look for in a cloud security partner

Empowering advanced enterprises with cutting-edge data security solutions is a vital part of the OnX identity, and it has been the OnX mission for more than 30 years. Security best practices are ingrained into everything OnX does daily. It’s also part of the OnX mission to meet clients where they are in their journey to […]

OnX Canada recognized as Technology Excellence Partner of the Year by Cisco

Since the development of the COVID-19 public health crisis earlier this year, the business world at large saw an exponential increase in demand for effective and streamlined remote work strategies and collaboration technology. OnX Canada is one of many influential solution providers working to meet this challenge head-on by advancing remote communication capabilities and delivering […]

How to leverage Bocada for better cloud data protection practices

Legacy data protection issues faced in cloud architectures While there are a variety of data protection challenges facing organizations moving to cloud architectures, three common issues frequently arise: Complexity: The more software and third-party solutions, the more complexity you bring into your environment. This includes everything from new GUIs and scripts to cross-platform data incompatibility […]

Tips for building a comprehensive cloud security program

If your organization is planning to attempt a cloud network migration, it pays to research these misconceptions and equip yourself with all the knowledge necessary to build a modern and effective cloud security program. Quality over quantity You may hear from time to time that the more cloud security tools your enterprise can bring to […]

Boost your IT modernization efforts with Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform

Forward-leaning automation Clearly, automation will have to play a larger role in the data center and in the cloud if the enterprise stands any chance of fulfilling the demands of an increasingly connected user base. Red Hat has taken a leadership position in IT automation with its Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform, delivering new levels […]

How to realize maximum benefits from migrating to the cloud

Laying the groundwork Since migrating to—and then operating—a cloud environment is an intricate process, the key to a successful outcome lies in establishing a firm foundation. Once an enterprise knows what it is after, it can take all the necessary steps to complete each step in the process quickly, efficiently, and with minimal risk. To […]

How to build an effective patch management program

Mapping of current network topology. Establishing a baseline of vulnerabilities. Application of all outstanding patches. Determining cadence of patch application. Review of ongoing critical patch escalation processes. In-depth quarterly reviews. Continuous, ongoing assessment and monitoring. Auditing and compliance analytics. When properly planned and executed, this process provides critical insight into the potential risks inherent in […]

Embracing the next generation of application and infrastructure modernization

OnX Canada is helping organizations embrace the next generation in digital transformation, even as many companies journeyed to the cloud years ago. Service provider clouds—along with public cloud leaders such as AWS, Azure, and GCP—marked the technology’s further evolution. Advancement in automation, containerization, orchestration, and digital disruption is allowing organizations to improve their application development […]

Why the Cloud is your key to application evolution

To avoid the many pitfalls an enterprise could encounter while moving its applications to the cloud, a thorough self-audit is needed before an attempt can be made to formulate and implement a comprehensive migration strategy. During this audit process, your entire application portfolio should be thoroughly reviewed and assessed to determine the readiness of your […]

SD-WAN: Roadmap for Software-Defined Networking

Our new reality means the future of networking lies in the cloud. As our clients’ on-premises data centers and servers become obsolete we find ourselves deploying more and more sensitive data migrations to the cloud. In conjunction, we’re delivering more cloud-based applications as a service. The applications are scalable and tailored to our clients’ business […]

Key Factors of Building a Remote Network with SD-WAN

1. Choosing an SD-WAN partner shouldn’t mean giving up control Replacing legacy infrastructure can bring countless roadblocks when attempted without the right support. With increasing pressure on IT departments to enable business outcomes in real-time, organizations often default to selecting an SD-WAN service provider who takes full control of the implementation and management of the […]

The cloud comes to the enterprise network’s rescue

It wasn’t always this way, of course. Years ago, networking was comparatively simple. Users mostly connected at fixed locations and the data flows were fairly predictable, although not always easily managed. In this day and age, however, organizations are switching to virtualized networks that promise to improve connectivity, reliability and a host of other aspects […]

Stepping up your UCaaS experience with SD-WAN

As a managed service, UCaaS also simplifies operations and allows users to focus less on maintaining multiple communications platforms and more on their bottom lines. It can also be easily scaled for growth as businesses expand their footprints, facilities, and teams. UCaaS has become a common solution for organizations that wish to utilize the ever-growing […]

Expert panel discuss remote team collaboration best practices

To examine the best practices for remote team collaboration, CBTS and OnX Canada recently hosted a panel discussion about the challenges facing companies during this period of instability. Greg Samuels, Senior Director of the Communications Practice at CBTS, moderated the panel, which included: To highlight the most effective strategies for remote team collaboration and communication, […]

Boost efficiency, cut costs, and enhance security with managed database

OnX Canada offers a wide range of cloud-based managed database services, including in-depth review and assessment of a client’s existing database environment, migration and configuration assistance, and 24×7 monitoring and management. Fully-managed database expertise By partnering with OnX, clients will gain access to 24×7 ongoing support from certified database administrators to ensure databases remain secure […]

Transform your application launch process with Red Hat OpenShift

A traditional, siloed approach to information technology operations can cause bottlenecks and delays, hamstring your development teams, and lead to sluggish releases and updates. To overcome the issues inherent in this strategy, companies have begun merging developers and operations into a single team headed toward common goals. Through this alignment, companies can scale their applications […]

The evolution of modern computing: serverless solutions versus containers

What is serverless computing? Serverless computing allows developers to create and run applications without thinking about server limitations such as provisioning, scaling, and managing. Functions are executed in a cloud environment and billed by the amount of time the process is running rather than by how long the server is up. A function is often […]

The rise of serverless computing and what it can mean for your business

The rise of serverless computing Serverless computing is a cloud-based execution model in which functions are typically executed off-premises in the cloud. Despite its name, serverless computing does not eliminate the need for a server. Rather, serverless computing outsources the software code to the cloud provider’s infrastructure, where the application is automatically run at scale […]

Why government agencies should move DevTest to the cloud

Like virtually every other data-driven enterprise today, Canadian government agencies face the perennial challenge of doing more with less to serve their constituents. And like the rest of the world, this is inevitably leading agencies to review how they are consuming IT and supporting applications, and if they are better off with a public cloud alternative for some workloads. Leading the list is DevTest operations that can take advantage of the cloud’s speed, agility, and cost-savings without leading to worries about data theft and security.

SD-WAN delivers better cloud app performance

Moving from MPLS to SD-WAN: It’s all about the apps The tremendous rise in cloud application usage has significantly impacted the performance of traditional networks like MPLS (multiprotocol label switching). For many years, MPLS networks have proven reliable for branch offices, but they require costly onsite configuration and management. Since the adoption of cloud-based apps […]

Building a better network to empower Canada’s mobile workforce

Together, OnX Canada and VeloCloud networking experts are traveling across Canada to meet with IT leaders at CIO Summit and Executive Briefing events to discuss the advantages of SD-WAN over the conventional enterprise WAN. During these meetings, we’ve learned from CIOs about the level of expectations within their organizations, and we use our collective expertise […]

Managed Disaster Recovery using Microsoft Azure

Take the case of a large Canadian privately-owned passenger transportation company. The transportation service provider is a long-time OnX Canada client, which is why they turned to us when it came time to streamline their DR infrastructure that supports more than 4,000 employees in four operating divisions located at numerous sites across Canada. Serious challenges […]

What’s the ROI of owning a data center vs. managed cloud services?

Budget constraints Embracing new technologies and changing behavior always comes with an initial cost. Some companies are hesitant to believe that they need new technology when their old technology has served them well in the past. Therefore, they do not think they will get a positive ROI from migrating to the cloud. However, this is […]

SD-WAN: Rethinking enterprise networks for Canada’s distributed, mobile workforce

The movement from conventional WAN to SD-WAN technology The exponential rise in cloud-based application use during the past few years has impacted the performance of the conventional enterprise WAN. With the bandwidth requirements of today’s cloud-based apps such as Microsoft Office 365, HubSpot, and Salesforce, along with a significant portion of the compute and storage […]

What Canadian Maritime businesses should look for in data protection and managed services solutions provider

OnX has been providing IT solutions to the Maritime Provinces for decades. As an industry leader, we’re sharing our advice for choosing the best cloud and data protection solution provider for your business. Select a provider who understands your individual business needs You want your provider to have extensive experience in both data protection, as […]

Common excuses that stop companies from migrating to the cloud

1. “I’m not sold on the cost savings.” At first glance, reducing costs is one of the most immediate and tangible results from the cloud. You get out of the data center business and pay a predictable monthly fee based on the resources you use. No more buying the whole server rack when you only […]

Top IT challenges facing Canadian government organizations

Tight budgets, high expectations The government of Canada acknowledges that citizens expect more digital services and have little patience for computer system crashes and balky IT performance. The federal government’s Strategic Plan for Information Management and Information Technology 2017 to 2021 spells this out in four central goals: Services should be simple, easy to access, […]

7 questions you should ask a prospective managed cloud provider

OnX has decades of experience designing, building, and managing cloud-enabled data centers in Canada and North America. That gives us a decided edge in the managed-cloud marketplace. We have learned that prospective customers need to ask at least seven crucial questions of potential managed cloud providers: 1. Do you offer multiple cloud platforms and infrastructures? […]

How getting out of the data center business delivers exponential return on investment

Switching from CapEx to OpEx Somebody has to pay for data center hardware, software, and support. But it doesn’t have to be you. That’s the fundamental appeal of shifting IT resources to the cloud. Cloud providers invest in designing, building, and provisioning powerful high availability, multi-tenant solutions of varying complexity. Clients cut costs and pay […]

CIO guide to disaster recovery: 5 lessons learned the hard way

1. Underplanning: Being reactive instead of proactive. An astonishing number of organizations lack a documented disaster recovery plan. A recent survey reported by CIOinsight.com found that 40 percent of the organizations queried admitted they did not have a documented disaster-recovery plan. The survey went out to more than 400 IT pros in firms with 50 […]

The CIO’s guide to finding your perfect fit for cloud computing

Public Private Hybrid Economical Flexible Global options Greater Control In-country Tighter security Most flexible Costs, speed, and security optimized for best business results Choosing your cloud environment starts with your business objectives, compliance needs, and current IT operations. Workloads and applications perform differently depending on the cloud platform you prefer. So, you have to map […]

A Smart Approach to Moving Workloads to the Hyperscale Cloud

A structured assessment of your IT workloads can help you identify the best match between your workload characteristics and the various hyperscale cloud providers. Additionally, it identifies where workloads have dependencies which must be addressed in making a transition to cloud. This information helps you develop a cloud architecture that dovetails into your wider business […]

Retail Commerce Makes a Giant Leap Forward

One of the key providers in this space is Salesforce’s Commerce Cloud, which the CRM giant developed after purchasing e-commerce specialist Demandware in 2016. This is a great option for retailers because they can avoid punishing up-front expenses for licensing and architecture. The unique revenue-sharing expense model to e-commerce is another welcome advance. As a […]

3 Common Mistakes of OpenStack Beginners

I’ve just co-authored a new book on OpenStack architecture. Part of my motivation for writing it was to help people avoid the most common mistakes when embarking on a new OpenStack initiative. First, I’ll talk about avoiding three of these errors, and then I’ll talk a bit about the new OpenStack book. Mistake 1: Failing […]

The Next Great Translation: Hyperscale Cloud

Moving and managing data centers is the core of our Managed Service business. Transitioning our clients to hyperscale cloud requires a different level of engineering, because much of what we do in the enterprise needs to be translated to Public Cloud. This translation does require some investment; however, once you’ve done it, the opportunities to accelerate […]

Does Your Cloud Environment Have Enough Protection?

Level One: Essential Protection Your first line of advanced support is built on a basic, straightforward foundation that’s easy to implement. Log manager and log review. This analyzes the huge volumes of data in your cloud. You can look for things like performance management, security incident response, and compliance requirements.   Fully managed intrusion detection. […]

Closing the gap between open-source technologies and enterprise-level IT

Why go with HPE Helion? For starters, it has the full backing of HP Enterprise, one of the biggest names in enterprise IT. But what really matters is how HPE Helion takes advantage of the flexibility, scalability and cost benefits of the OpenStack cloud computing infrastructure, which allows customers to transform their operations into a […]

Simple Steps to Secure Applications in the Cloud

Deploy the application to the users Let’s start with a web application deployed on a single virtual instance. Most cloud providers will auto assign a public IP from a shared pool. Traffic to these IPs are considered unfiltered without any logical isolation of traffic. Firewalls and Filtering Depending on your cloud provider the features provided […]

Encouraging CFOs to think differently about cloud computing

“With the cloud, CFOs have the opportunity to stimulate growth throughout the organization while managing costs. By being strategic partners with the rest of the business, they can play a key role in driving the success of their organization.” Read More About Our Thoughts on Cloud Computing. Find out more about how OnX helps companies […]

OpenStack is NOT an Enterprise Cloud Platform

Imagine if the auto industry had an “Open Automotive Foundation” that gave you access to all of the tools and secrets for building a car. And what if that foundation released an “Open Car Framework,” with the design templates, hardware specs and free software to build your own new car platform? Wouldn’t you choose to build a custom […]

Monitoring and Management of Our Architectures and the Brass Ring

Cross-Platform Management Comes of Age The evolution of monitoring and management tools introduced third-party software built to specifications using SNMP traps and APIs. The great thing about these tools was that they were no longer specific to a particular manufacturer. That gave IT staff greater control and expanded their ability to monitor hardware for faults and alert to high […]

And then there was hyper-convergence

HC market is heating up, and so is competitive pressure. Leaders in the HC space, dedicated HC vendors, Nutanix (Virtual Compute Platform) and SimpliVity (OmniCube), continue to release more capable HC platforms, while also enabling  customer adoption of their software through other compute vendors’ hardware (Nutanix with Dell, SimpliVity with Cisco). We have recently seen […]

Good management goes a long way in the hybrid cloud

Managing a heterogeneous hybrid cloud environment requires a different set of tools than those designed only for on-prem resources. While the vCloud Suite should continue to function as the foundation of your private cloud, a solution like vRealize Suite is necessary to provide unified management capabilities as you extend your datacenter to the public cloud.  […]

A successful VMworld 2014 for OnX

VMware’s Stephane Asselin and I received great feedback on our presentation “EUC1289 – What’s New in End User Computing: Full Desktop Automation and Self-Service,” which carries on the great work our OnX team is doing with our customers. We had over 370 people attend the talk. Not only was our session well attended, but also […]

Should I stay or should I go?

“I’ll be here till the end of time…” Well, software comes in a variety of flavors – running the spectrum from homegrown to “commercial off the shelf/COTs” and anywhere in between. The value of the software must be analyzed within your organization, along with the costs to run it. Think about the following criteria when […]

2 ways to learn what’s new in end user computing

In addition to Stephane, we were able to work together with our original good cop/bad cop publishing team; Joan Murray, Ellie Brue from VMware Press (I won’t tell you who the good cop or the bad cop was.) They are, and continue to be very supportive of our thoughts and ideas. Our technical editors were […]

The value of expertise

Everything went well and I was proud that I was able to fix such a complicated gear system without having to pay an expensive expert. We had several nice days of boating during July, but on the fourth trip out the engine alarm went off due to overheating. I was dead in the water and […]

What do you want to be when you grow up?

This change is also driving change in the governance structure of the IT organizations I meet with. CIO’s are looking for IT Service Management experience in their employees and partners. There’s more time spent on the relationship with a supplier instead of just commodity pricing. Governance meetings are driven by metrics and dashboards, not change […]

The benefits of deploying a converged infrastructure

There are many offerings of converged infrastructure solutions out there.  It can be overwhelming wading through the vast quantities of information available from the manufacturers to determine which implementation of CI will best solve your business needs.  Engaging an experienced IT Solution Provider who understands the CI landscape will allow a faster time to solution […]

Capacity planning in the cloud

This becomes even more complex when you start building cloud platforms.  Typically, the first question to ask when sizing a new environment is “What are you running” along with “What are the performance and capacity requirements of your workloads”. This poses a great difficulty when you are building a shared cloud service, whether it is […]

Location, location, location…

Another factor is the transformation of a work force that doesn’t need to be “in an office” to be productive.  With remote access getting easier and easier, the need for a desktop computer is becoming obsolete.  Without desktops, the question becomes whether or not the data center needs to be located in the office?  This […]

Partnering for your HEALTH

The strategic relationships of the OnX Healthcare Practice are positioned to be responsive to current healthcare industry demands. Challenged by fiscal constraints, increased service demand, data requirements and consumer expectations, the Healthcare Practice remains focused on client solutions that will improve operational efficiency and clinical outcomes. In response, OnX forged a strategic partnership with MEDSEEK […]

Enterprise UNIX – How it became the strategic platform of choice

In the late 1997, for example, UNIX was just coming in to its own, LINUX still have the moniker of the new guy on the block, and the big two vendors in the business space were SUN and HP, with their SOLARIS and HP-UX offerings. UNIX adoption was assisted by the fast growing adoption of […]

Cloud rumblings from Canada

OnX has recently provisioned clients onto our Federated Cloud platform and in several cases the clients were launching new applications and didn’t really know what kind of capacity they were going to require and didn’t want to deploy a large dedicated hardware environment, so the cloud was a perfect solution.  In two cases we had […]

What really is a cloud?

If you agree that D is the correct answer then you should also agree that there are many elements to defining a cloud strategy that should be considered before you buy any cloud management tools. No matter what method that you subscribe to for planning (an example – the PDCA Deming cycle) one of the […]

Cloud readiness assessment

After completing our Discovery Workshop, the answer is “yes”. The technology environments of both customers already have the baseline building blocks for developing a private cloud; virtualization and abstraction technologies in place to separate the Service of IT from traditional IT Services. As a result, the change to cloud is an incremental one from an […]

How to keep up with data recovery requirements

In order to meet the required performance and availability data access services expected within production environments, enterprise cloud services’ providers will extend a portion of their storage cloud service assets on the client’s premises for handling both active data sets and connecting data replication technologies to their offsite clouds in order to meet geographic requirements […]

Crossing roles in the IT environments

In the distributed model datacenter, most of the single purpose servers are attached to the network with a small number of simple single segment connections (most often one), and either use local storage or are connected into the SAN fabric as simple consumers of storage. This is not to say that there are no complex […]

Why consider Cisco UCS for hosting your XenDesktop cloud?

Improved ROI Historically, the component on blade servers that has most limited the number of virtual desktops you can run has been the amount of RAM. The UCS B250 blades support up to 384 GB of memory (or if you are reducing cost you can use 4GB chips instead of 8GB for a total of […]