Creating Smart Virtual Appliances With The Ibm Image Construction And Composition Tool

Creating Smart Virtual Appliances with IBM Image Construction and Composition Tool

In a traditional deployment model, software is installed on a physical server, and it is configured for the particular data center environment. The cloud deployment model requires that the dependency on a specific hardware configuration is severed. This IBM® Redbooks® publication guides you through the transition from the traditional application deployment model to the cloud-friendly deployment model. It explains how to achieve these goals by packaging the software stacks into industry standard virtual appliances. A key part of this transition involves using the IBM Image Construction and Composition Tool. This tool is the IBM tool for creating virtualized workloads that target several private cloud deployment platforms, including platforms from IBM and not from IBM. In fact, this tool is unique in its ability to support such a wide range of cloud offerings. It is also the only tool in the marketplace that can create virtual appliances for both x86 and IBM Power hardware architectures. This book provides an in-depth look at the capabilities and internal workings of Image Construction and Composition Tool. It focuses on the capabilities of this tool, which target the virtualization and cloud offerings of IBM Systems and Technology Group. These offerings include IBM Systems Director VMControlTM, IBM SmartCloud® Entry, and IBM PureFlexTM System with IBM Flex System ManagerTM appliance. The Image Construction and Composition Tool also has a much richer set of capabilities. Specifically, it supports IBM Workload Deployer, IBM PureApplicationTM Systems, and IBM SmartCloud Provisioning. This publication targets software architects, cloud solutions architects, and cloud administrators. Its goal is to provide you with the expert-level skills required to package the existing and newly created applications into self-configurable, smart virtual appliances. Related publication: Smart Virtual Appliances Made Easy with IBM Image Construction and Composition Tool, TIPS1037

Creating Smart Virtual Appliances with the IBM Image Construction and Composition Tool

Cloud Computing Patterns of Expertise

This IBM® RedpaperTM publication explains the business and technical value of emerging patterns of expertise in cloud computing, with specific applicability to IBM PureApplicationTM System, IBM Workload Deployer, IBM SmartCloud® Orchestrator, and IBM SmartCloud Application Services. It explains how patterns help companies use the different cloud environments that IBM offers. Also included are some preferred practices for helping to ensure pattern portability. The pattern-based approach is a response to the need to reduce complexity in IT environments, where various skills are required to design, test, configure, and maintain integrated solutions, including clouds. IT managers spend most of their time maintaining applications and application environments, leaving little time to focus on new business needs or to adopt new technologies. As a result, businesses can lack the agility that is needed to be successful in fast-paced, competitive markets. Pattern of expertise are designed to deliver the following benefits: Faster time-to-value Reduced costs and resource demands Fewer errors and, therefore, lower risk Patterns make full use of the unique nature of clouds, both private or public. When they are used in the cloud, patterns allow for the dynamic and efficient use of IT resources to achieve consistent results, even when complex solutions are built. In this way, patterns help save time, money, and resources. This Redpaper aims to show the value that patterns bring to IT managers and the business as a whole.