How to Address Data Center Operations Challenges

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How to Address Data Center Operations Challenges

• Jon Oltsik
• Principal, Hype-Free
• June 4, 2003

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How many industry analysts does it take to change
a light bulb?

• Answer This may seem like a simple question but
  it has extensive ramifications. Therefore,
  answers are best handled on a firm-by-firm basis.
  

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Industry Analyst Responses

• IDC 7 billion light bulbs worldwide, CAGR 4
• Meta Define light bulb transformation business
  process
• Forrester The Holistic Internet Illumination
  Voyage (Giga will cover IT impact)
• Gartner
• New nanotechnologies will make light bulbs
  obsolete by 2028 (0.8 Probability)

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Data Center Futures
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Data Center Management Operations
Billy Gates, Manager, Data Center Operations
Scotty McNealy, Manager, Security Operations
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Billys Challenges

• People
• IT organized around technology not business
• In constant fire-fighting mode
• Process
• Lack of defined policies
• Too many manual processes
• Technology
• 37 annual device growth
• Too many point tools

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Scottys Challenges

• People
• Limited security group
• Limited security knowledge and training
• Process
• Lack of enterprise security policies
• Limited security preparation
• Technology
• Too many point tools
• No end-to-end security picture

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Addressing The Issues

• IT Governance
• Organizational Model
• Data Center Operations
• Security

Common
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IT Governance

• Definition
• A standard set of policies and procedures for all
  IT operations activities
• Models
• IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL). Developed in
  UK.
• Defines best practices in 24 IT disciplines.
• Control Objective for Information and Related
  Technology (CobiT).
• Four domains, planning and organization,
  acquisition and implementation, delivery and
  support, and monitoring
• Caveats
• Phased approach
• Must be supported by Business Governance

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Success Stories

• Global adoption of ITIL, 1997
• Savings of over 500 million in first 4 years
• 6 to 8 cut in operating costs
• 15 to 20 reduction in technology staff
• When IT processes are done by 5,000 people
  consistently across one company, service
  management can deliver tremendous savings.
  Morton Cohen, Manager, Global Service Management

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IT Organization

• Issues
• Hierarchy of services
• Staffing
• Accountability
• Compensation
• Communications
• Wells Fargo Bank
• Internet Banking

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Improving Billys World

• Rely on IT Governance to cope with scale
• Support with tools as necessary
• Provide a solid baseline
• Service chain
• Set standards Thresholds, data. . .
• Build management into applications
• Measure and communicate

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Scottys World
900M
120,000
World-wide Attacks
800M
Blended Threats (CodeRed, Nimda, Slammer)
100,000

• SQL Slammer, 1/24/2003
• Effected over 200k servers
• Infected servers doubled
• every 8.5 seconds
• BOA, Continental Airlines,
• Microsoft, City of Seattle
• Over 1 billion in damages

700M
600M
80,000
Denial of Service (Yahoo!, eBay)
500M
Infection Attempts
60,000
Network Intrusion Attempts
Mass Mailer Viruses (Love Letter/Melissa)
400M
Malicious Code
Infection Attempts
300M
40,000
Zombies
200M
Network Intrusion Attempts
20,000
Polymorphic Viruses (Tequila)
100M
0
0
Analysis by Symantec Security Response using
data from Symantec, IDC ICSA 2002 estimated
Source CERT
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Typical Response
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Improving Scottys World

• Appoint CSO
• Reports to CEO
• Combine security groups
• Physical and Infosec
• Training
• Employees
• IT
• Communications

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Improving Scottys World
World-class Security Organization
Phased approach through facilitated workshops
Direction
Company-specific requirements
Industry-specific requirements

• GLBA
• HIPAA

• ISO 17799
• CISSP CBK
• NIST 800-37

Security Policies and Procedures

• ITIL
• ITSM
• CobiT

IT Governance
Source Hype-Free Consulting Treadstone71
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Improving Scottys World

• Defense-in-depth
• Understand security service chain
• Review constantly
• Designate a response plan and team
• IT business team
• Design acceptable plan by service
• Practice, practice, practice

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Summary

• Big issues with
• IT Operations
• Security
• Fix processes with strong IT governance
• Fix organization to bridge the business and IT
• Address technology issues last

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Thank You

• Jon Oltsik
• Principal, Hype-Free
• 978.263.6974
• joltsik_at_hype-free.com