My Experiences with A Private Cloud

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My Experiences with A Private Cloud by Mind Map: My Experiences with A Private Cloud

1. Experiment Log

1.1. Set up Fresh Windows Laptop

1.2. Installed VMWare Workstation

1.3. Installed Windows 7 in a VM

1.3.1. Expectation was to use Windows 7 as primary execution container for Knowledge Work Desktops

1.3.2. Several unclean shutdowns and a few hours of questionable browsing later, Windows 7 is panting. The performance graph on task manager stays stuck at 100% most of the time, Firefox takes minutes to open a web page on a fast internet connection and Office 2007 refuses to install from an ISO that works cheerfully everywhere else

1.3.3. I contemplate using Windows XP again. The thought is pleasant. Windows 7 is pretty, but I wish it worked better. And I have options! I dont have a corporate policy against Windows XP!

1.3.4. It appears that Windows 7 will require the helping hand of a changing Corporate IT Policy to gain the adoption level of Windows XP. I could be wrong. it could be just happiness at losing Vista that might do the trick.

1.4. I copy over a Windows XP VM from another machine. I clone it. I'm finally using a Linked Clone!!!

1.5. I boot up XP and start installing Office 2007. Things look happy on XP so far

1.6. XP is behaving well after several hours and installations.

1.6.1. I wonder if its because of the protection at the base OS level, or is Windows XP truly more stable.

1.7. Data Fragmentation starts to strike.

1.7.1. Leads to some learnings about myself as a compute consumer

1.7.1.1. Clearly I am lacking in the discipline required to work in a private cloud

1.7.1.2. I have no respect for folder structures

1.7.1.3. Much as I like to keep my data separate, it mixes

1.7.1.4. This reeks of enforced group policy

1.7.1.4.1. Or a clever way to isolate data transparently

1.8. To combat my data fragmentation issues, I look to "cloud storage" providers

1.9. I return to writing this after a while

1.10. In the interim, I've given up trying to isolate my data and move it around. I'm just to busy to do that

1.11. I combat this by just having access to all my machines all the time!

1.12. The idea is to leave the data where it is right now and still be able to consume it from wherever I am

1.12.1. Says something for adoption. If Im having trouble moving around maybe 100 GB of data, organizations with petabytes are going to either need to do a forklift operation to move data around or find a way to leave data where it is.

1.12.2. Still, there are some critical data elements that I need access to no matter what, irrespective of whether Im online or offline. Those bits I replicate.

2. Goal

2.1. Isolate my execution containers by function

2.1.1. Lab gateways

2.1.2. Demo Gateways

2.1.3. Lab VMs

2.1.4. Demo VMs

2.1.5. Knowledge Work Desktops

2.1.6. Internet Browsing Desktops

2.2. Classify and isolate my datasets

2.2.1. Lab Data

2.2.2. Demo Data

2.2.3. Documents

2.2.3.1. Mindmaps

2.2.4. Movies

2.2.5. Music

3. What's in the cloud?

3.1. Storage

3.1.1. DropBox

3.1.1.1. +

3.1.1.1.1. Merges seamlessly (almost) with the desktop by adding a shared folder

3.1.1.1.2. Syncing seems almost instant for small files (~x00 KB)

3.1.1.2. -

3.1.1.2.1. Only 2 GB free

3.1.1.2.2. Lost all my files one day, without warning!

3.1.2. Box.net

3.1.2.1. +

3.1.2.1.1. -

3.1.2.2. -

3.1.2.2.1. Tedious

3.2. Execution

3.2.1. VMWare Workstation

3.2.1.1. +

3.2.1.1.1. Supports almost all local hardware and presents it to the VM

3.2.1.2. -

3.2.2. ESX 3i

3.2.2.1. +

3.2.2.2. -

3.2.3. vSphere

3.2.3.1. +

3.2.3.1.1. Hypervisor personality

3.2.3.1.2. Can virtualize itself!

3.2.3.1.3. Performance!

3.2.3.2. -

3.2.3.2.1. Minor irritants like double clicking a datastore now shifts to the Datastore view. MY muscle memory doesnt like it

3.2.3.2.2. Doesnt pick up the display name for the VM from inside the VMX file any more. Needs to be told.

3.3. Access

3.3.1. LogMeIn

3.3.1.1. +

3.3.1.1.1. Does not rely on a VPN!

3.3.1.1.2. Simple to install

3.3.1.2. -

3.3.1.2.1. Sometimes freezes up

3.3.2. SonicWall Global VPN

3.3.2.1. +

3.3.2.1.1. Fast

3.3.2.2. -

3.3.3. RDP

3.3.3.1. +

3.3.3.1.1. Built into Windows

3.3.3.2. -

3.3.3.2.1. Latency intolerant

3.4. Productivity

3.4.1. Delicious

3.4.1.1. +

3.4.1.1.1. Instant access to all my bookmarks all the time

3.4.1.1.2. Works on any browser that I can think of

3.4.1.2. -