MADE IN HEAVEN
Server virtualization makes most IT pros think consolidation, and it's easy to see why: One machine taking over tasks that previously required two or four or 10 equals powerful cost savings, both in hardware and in management, heating, and cooling. But consolidation is only the first step. The greatest benefit of virtualization will come from increased flexibility realized by chopping up servers into smaller units of resources like CPUs, memory, and disk space, which are then pooled and allocated to apps on demand.
What virtualization does for hardware, SOA does for software. Programmers need no longer develop each application separately; SOA lets them build apps from simple services that can be used over and over. Those programmers are, increasingly, business analysts who use model-based development environments and never have to write a line of code.
Problem is, the reuse that makes application development much faster also may strain the underlying hardware. When a service is reused, the server it runs on demands a lot more computing capacity.
Virtualization is an obvious solution, simplifying SOA by easing provisioning of new hardware resources. Unfortunately, obstacles abound. SOA's variable loads require server allocations that vary from a small fraction of one server's capabilities to the need for many servers to provide the service. On the virtualization side, most of the industry is still at the consolidation stage, focused on splitting a single server among multiple operating systems. Pooling the resources of multiple servers requires moving in the opposite direction, toward something closer to grid computing or clustering than what VMware and Xen offer today.
Subsea cable alternatives can provide a level of comfort for those concerned about disruptions. Realistically, they will continue to play a small, but critical role in the short term.
Maintaining existing network infrastructures often incurs huge technical debt before newer technologies are adopted over time.
Amid ongoing regional uncertainties, telecom infrastructure in the Middle East has expand to include terrestrial low-latency network infrastructure, which offers resilience and agility in navigating political complexities without relying solely on undersea networks.
