PERSPECTIVE

The Datacenter of the Future

Moving Towards Virtualization and Trends in the Datacenter

Landscape
Virtualized and Cloud computing are quickly becoming the way to go for
organizations seeking to optimize their IT infrastructure. Benefits such as cost
effectiveness, scalability on demand, moving from a CAPEX to OPEX model and
increased returns on investments have made virtualization a lucrative datacenter
option. The latest trends in the Internet Data Center (IDC) market show a marked
change from the point of view of CFOs and CIOs which has led more
organizations to move towards virtualization. Here is a look at several such trends
that have emerged in recent times.

Organizations are opting to move from the classic server based cost model to
application based cost models as multiple applications being hosted on a single
server through virtualization is helping to drive the metrics for datacenters.

Multiple Virtual Machines (VMs) being hosted on a single server has led to
reduced application based costs. Organizations are now looking to increase
VM density per server.

Banking on the growing trend of VM density, OEM providers are now creating
virtualization ready servers with added memory that facilitate deployment and
maintenance of VMs and decrease virtualization costs.

Organizations make massive savings on hardware and equipment by utilization
a cloud based pool of resources such as networks, servers, storage and
computing.

Customers are witnessing high levels of scalability as bandwidth is available on
demand on a virtualized cloud computing environment.

Cross training of staff has resulted in optimum utilization of human capital.

Estimates show that building a collocation based IDC costs anywhere between
USD 10 million to USD 35 Million, making organizations turn to third party IDC
providers. However, organizations are looking for short, 12-24 months
contracts as they expect IDC collocation prices to decline in the near future.

Software as a Service (SaaS) for IT management is expected to grow further
as companies avoid spending on cost heavy IT management frameworks.

With pressure mounting on companies from governments to map their carbon
footprint, organizations, especially in the US, are looking towards the low
energy utilization of third party IDCs in order to build a more eco-friendly
repute.

Raised floors for racks are now considered obsolete as IDCs look to reduce
capital costs by building denser facility carved into zones.

Moving Towards Effective Virtualization

A virtualized IT environment needs to be carefully planned in order for it to be
effective. To begin with, a company should be able to clearly identify its business
goals and the objectives it aims to fulfill through virtualization. Plans have to be
made keeping in mind future contingencies. The basic framework would consider
LAN/SAN convergence, layering of networks, tier switches in each layer and the
management process of cloud computing and virtualization. A virtualized IDC also
has to consider physical hardware, compliance and governance regulation models

December 2010 CtrlS Insight 1

 PERSPECTIVE
and other management related policies. In
all, the make up of a virtualized IDC can
be classified as follows:

Physical Components: This includes
acquiring the right hardware,
configuring the hardware as well as
software including operating system in
addition to provisioning for regular
maintenance through updates and
patches.

Virtual Components: This includes
the virtual machines and hyper visors.

Application Components: As the
name suggests, this includes the
virtualization of applications to make
them available to multiple users without
having to install/uninstall or upgrade at
each access point.

Model Component: A model is
basically the framework that is to be
followed while deploying applications
so as to standardize the process.

Management Component: These are
tools that help manage all the other
components as well as support a
heterogeneous environment.
Once an organization has set its goals and
objectives and a virtualization strategy has
been devised, careful implementation of
the plan is necessary for the process to be
effective. The following steps can be taken
towards virtualization of the IT
environment:

The first step would be to evaluate the
existing infrastructure, especially
servers, classify applications and
devise an appropriate virtualization
strategy.

Servers should be capable of enabling
virtualization. If not, then either a
compatible new server should be
bought. However, wherever possible,
compatibility components should be
bought as buying a whole new server
will be expensive.
A virtualized environment has both direct
and indirect impacts on a business and its
functioning. Any organization that has a
2 CtrlS Insight December 2010
virtualized IT environment has the administrative resources by migrating to a
following characteristics: Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model.
When they add in faster deployment times

Alignment: A virtualized IT
for new applications and services while
environment is always in tandem with
ensuring 24×7 reliability, organizations
organizational goals and business
have a compelling business case for
objectives. It is dynamic and can easily
virtualization and cloud computing
expand to accommodate alterations in
in the datacenter. At some point in the
both the IT set up as well as operational
future, this type of highly virtualized,
processes and objectives.
services-on-demand delivery model

Adaptability: The virtualized system is
enabled through cloud computing will be
malleable to change and can easily be
the IT gold standard.
adjusted to bring in new technologies
without having to compromise existing Before this transition occurs, however, the
infrastructure. underlying network architecture must

Efficiency: Organizations have provide for greater availability,
stringent IT budgets and should not end performance, and security while
up investing in technology that will not simplifying datacenter operations.
be utilized 100%. A virtual environment Datacenters will need network
should optimize the use of resources. architectures that support more virtualized

People Compatible: A virtual environments and cloud operations
environment should be able to provide models that reduce the time to deploy new
uniformity and convenience to users applications.
across departments and functions,
The industry is showing a fast growing
enabling them to use infrastructure and
trend towards virtualization, realizing the
access information, on demand, with
benefits of a virtualized IT environment
little or no assistance.
and cloud computing. While organizations
may chose to have their own IDC set up,
An organization may already be having
relying on an expert third party virtualized
varied levels of virtualization in its IT set
IDC partner like CtrlS often proves to be a
up. The strategy towards virtualization
more practical and cost effective option.
should be paced at a rate that does not
burden the company’s resources and
budgets, at the same time giving enough
leverage for plans to be executed
efficiently, with no errors. Once the
virtualization of IT is in place, it is
advisable that the organization run a
complete set of test scenarios to validate
the functionality of the virtualized
environment. This will facilitate the
rectification of errors before the virtual
environment goes live for all users, thus
eradicating any risks of performance being
effected by down time of applications.
Conclusion
In most cases, organizations can reduce
datacenter costs by moving more
applications onto fewer servers and can
reduce software licensing fees and
CREATING VALUE
Value Added World-Class
Services
The CtrlS A dvantage
The ITES sector has seen some major growth in recent
times. As more companies offering a similar range of
products emerge, the market is threatened with saturation.
What is the way forward? How do you make an impact in the
market, how do you ensure a loyal customer base?
According to P. Sridhar Reddy, CEO - CtrlS, the key to
staying competitive in the marketplace and retaining
customers is to introduce innovative value added services,
reinforcing customer trust and your brand worth.
CtrlS, India’s only Tier IV datacenter offers its customers
world-class datacenter solutions and beyond
unmatched value added services. With a wide range of
datacenter services on offer, the company provides its clients
with a value proposition that not only enables it to retain
existing client base but add key national as well as
international accounts to its robust clientele.
A One Stop Shop for Datacenter Services
CtrlS understands and acknowledges that each of its clients
is different and will have unique Internet Data Center (IDC)
requirements. The services provided by CtrlS cover every
nook and corner of datacenter requirements for our clients.
Services included in this one stop datacenter shop are:

Virtual Threat Protection: CtrlS offers its clients a
bouquet of security services to choose from. These
include intrusion detection and prevention systems,
firewall, virus and spyware filtration along with security
design and implementation.

Physical Security of Data: CtrlS an impenetrable trade
mark Six Zone Security system that includes gunmen at
all entrances and exit gates, three levels of bio-metric
access control at the server area, CCTV surveillance
across the office space, man trap at datacenter entrance,
only escorted entry at the datacenter, Photo ID verification
and restricted access to any visitors in addition to 24/7
security across the datacenter. The datacenter is also fire
proof which can detect smoke particles as minute as 5
micron, which means its FM200 gas will eliminate any
fires even before smoke is visible.

Infrastructure on Demand: CtrlS plans
unprecedented 20000 racks across its locations in India.
Clients have the option of taking up a caged rack which is
secured by the bio-metric system mentioned earlier. A
choice of three different bandwidth billing models gives
clients the liberty to select a plan best fit for their individual
business needs.

Custom Built Datacenters: Perpetually stocked with
equipment and empty office space where custom built
IDCs can be created within 4 weeks, CtrlS offers its
clients the choice of selecting their own combination of
hardware, software, and operating systems as part of
CtrlS’ dedicated hosting services which include three
customized Managed Hosting products and a
‘Pay-per-Use’ model.

Hosted Exchange: Email management with secure data
storage, protection against spam and viruses, scalable
mailbox, dedicated network and collaboration services.

Network Services: Design and implementation,
performance management, bandwidth provisioning, load
balancing, VPN management, DNS.

OS Management: Design and implementation,
hardening and performance management, server
monitoring.
that,

Database Management: Design and implementation,
performance management, availability management,
resource management, capacity planning, backup.

Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Plans.
Higher Value for Client Investments
CtrlS’ approach towards clients is based on three key values
- Dependability, Innovation, and Responsibility. The main
focus areas for its services are business continuity, cost
savings, and high uptimes. CtrlS is India’s first and only
Tier IV IDC which means it is capable of providing its clients
with unparalleled redundancies when it comes to cooling,
power, generators, UPS, and network connectivity. It is also
the reason why CtrlS can boast an SLA of 99.995% uptime
in a market where other companies promise 99.50%.
Through its commitment to excellence and innovation, CtrlS
is able to directly impact a client’s bottom line and provide
cost savings of up to 40%. On-demand IT Security from CtrlS
is OPEX model based, which enables clients to cut capital
expenditure and increase cash flow.
The CtrlS Edge
When a client engages CtrlS as an IT services partner, they
pass on the expenditure and responsibility associated with
running an in-house IDC. The hassles of software licensing,
acquiring of equipment, hiring and training of staff, and
constant upkeep are completely and expertly handled by
CtrlS leading to reduced costs, economies of scale, and SLA
standards that are above industry levels. While other IDC
an
providers can only claim to be advanced, CtrlS is certified
through ISO 20000, ISO 27001, BS 25999, and TIA Tier IV.
Unparalleled service offerings, more value for worth, and
focused dedication towards excellence gives CtrlS a
competitive edge that is passed on the form of business
gains to its clients.
December 2010 CtrlS Insight 3
 Case study

Kirby finds the ideal IT partner with CtrlS and ability to provide a fully furnished and

its state of the art datacenter facilities and on equipped office space on location to house
Kirby’s 90+ employees. CtrlS also gave
location office space Kirby the advantage of world-class
distributed or cloud computing
Overview The Case
environment with security governed by
The Client Challenges international standards of compliance.
Kirby Building Systems India Ltd. is a Kirby Building System India Ltd. is a Kirby’s vast networks are now
subsidiary of Alghanim Industries, subsidiary of the multi-billion dollar professionally managed by CtrlS,
providing metal based building systems. conglomerate Alghanim Industries. Kirby leveraging its state of the art technology
is a leading manufacturer of custom and industry leading expertise. A
Objective
made, high quality metal building systems dedicated 24/7 help desk manned by
Managed hosting of mission critical
for non-residential purposes which include expert personnel was also provided to
applications and servers and on location
industries, recreation, education, tackle any IT related issue. To top it all,
office space for employees.
commercial and other specialized CtrlS provided advanced automated data
Challenges applications. Kirby boasts global giants back up and storage facilities for improved
 Dedicated furnished office space for General Motors, Coca Cola, PepsiCo and disaster recovery and business continuity
over 90 employees AT&T amongst its clients along with plans.
 Reliable hosting of applications and Ministries of Defence, Oil and Gas
Benefits
servers companies and Petrochemical projects
Utilizing CtrlS cutting edge, highly scalable
 Implementation and management of not only in India but across the GCC
20000 rack datacenter infrastructure gave
networks and computing environment (Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Qatar
Kirby the ideal cost optimized and flexible
 Swift resolution of incidents and IT and Bahrain), the Middle East and Far
solution it needed to meet its application
issues East. With businesses spread over such a
and SAP server hosting requirements.
large geographical area and a vast client
Solution The ready to use office space for over 90
base, Kirby needed its mission critical
Partner with an external IT solutions employees was delivered in a record time
applications and SAP servers to be
provider with ready to use office space of 2 weeks, leading to near instant
available round the clock. In addition,
and to professionally manage IT functioning of its business resulting in
Kirby looked to place over 90 employees
environment. further business gains through savings in
in a ready to use facility at the same
cost and time. With CtrlS experts
Key benefits location. Maintaining high performance
managing its networks, Kirby was able to
 Time and cost savings through fully levels being vital, it also required its IT
focus its resources and human capital on
functional rented office space issues and incidents to be handled swiftly
core business, facilitating a more focused
 Hosting of mission critical applications and competently. Reliability and efficiency
growth. CtrlS enabled a cloud-based
and SAP servers on multiple rack ranked high on its priorities.
automated data storage and backup set
system improving uptime and
Solution up, giving Kirby the freedom of on-demand
availability
Its impeccable market repute as a space for the DR and BCP. Finally, with a
 Professional management of networks
trustable IT partner and extensive industry round the clock IT help desk manned by
and distributed computing
experience made CtrlS the ideal choice for the best personnel in the industry, CtrlS
environment leads to focus on core
Kirby Building Systems India Ltd. CtrlS assured Kirby of swift resolution of issues
business
boasts of a massive datacenter resulting high performance levels and an
 Dedicated 24/7 helpdesk facilitates
infrastructure which was best suited to industry leading 99.995% uptime.
near instant resolution of issues
host Kirby’s mission critical applications
 Additional automated data backup and
and SAP servers. CtrlS had the unique
storage for efficient DR and BCP

CtrlS takes its marketing very seriously. In Q2 of 2010, it participated in over 25 events and sponsored 6, generating over 40 leads, 15
of which are from the top 50 companies in India! The highlight event of Q2 was Leadership Golf which was co-sponsored by KPMG.
Attended 170 CXOs, the event was widely covered in the media (Print, television as well as the internet) and provided CtrlS with massive
exposure, aiding it to connect with people that count. Other events include the IBA Secure Banking (Target: CIOs& IT Heads), Enterprise
Awards & IT Managers Conference (Target: Enterprise Heads & IT Managers), CFO Network Hyderabad (Target: CFOs & Finance
Heads) and a conference organized by IDRBT for BFSI IT Heads.

4 CtrlS Insight December 2010

NEWS @ CtrlS
Ctrl S & iCONGO (Indian Confederation of NGOs) present the
Annual Karmaveer Puruskar
Mr. P Sridhar Reddy & Mr.Jeroninio Almeida
Ctrl S & iCONGO (Indian Confederation of NGOs) presented the
5th Annual KARMAVEER PURASKAAR recognizing
INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS who are pivotal in leading a change,
beyond their business, by being committed at individual levels to
work on social issues. The event took place on November 26,
2010 at New Delhi. Mrs. Meera Sanyal, Mr. Pradeep Gupta, and
Mr. T K Mathew were the guests of honour at the award
ceremony.
This year’s jury comprised of some of the most respected
individuals from various sectors along with some past awardees,
who conducted thorough assessment and research under the
vigilance of the founders and audit and process partners. This
year the Jury included Dr. Jayashree Pandaya, Dr. Lalit Kumar,
Mallika Dutt, Armando Gonsalves, and Dr. Chinkholal
Thangsing. The Karmaveer Puraskaar 2010 saw 59 responsible
and caring citizens in 20 (final number) categories across
sectors including Corporate, Media, Government, Civil Society,
Art, Fashion, Artistes, Kids and many more. A special Courage
of Conviction award was given out this year and from next year
onwards this category will be instituted in honour of Ms. Neerja
Bhanot, who sacrificed her life trying to save the passengers at
the ill fated Pan Am flight.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Jeroninio Almeida, Founder and
Chief Volunteer, iCONGO said, “The awards venerate the efforts
of individual citizens who have contributed to social justice &
action by going beyond BUSINESS as USUAL and being the
change that they want to see in the world. THE UNSUNG
HEROES who believe in action against apathy and choose to
light the proverbial candle.”
Mr .P Sridhar Reddy, Chairman & Managing Director, CtrlS
Datacenters Ltd, who was present at the occasion, said “The
sole objective of CtrlS is to provide protection to the most
important assets of this knowledge economy, Data. We rely on
people with high levels of Integrity and a sound value system to
deliver fool proof data protection to our clients apart from Tier IV
infrastructure. For all of us at CtrlS Karmaveer awardees are the
role models and we are proud of encouraging them thru this
initiative. We thank the awardees and other responsible Indians
and wish them the very best in their future endeavors. We look
forward to many great things from them in the coming years.”
Karmaveer Puraskaar is the peoples’ award instituted by
iCONGO - Confederation of NGOs- and has been supported by
sectors and partners like TISS, BCCI, CMS, NECCI, NASSCOM
FOUNDATION, PHDCCI, FISME, RAI, AIESEC, Open Space,
ISS, UNODC, GTZ and SDA and many more.
December 2010 CtrlS Insight 5
NEWS @ CtrlS
CtrlS brings DR on Demand, a first-of-its-kind
solution in India
CtrlS, the leading data center solution provider, recently
launched an innovative, first-of-its-kind solution in India:
Disaster Recovery on Demand. CtrlS’s ‘DR on Demand
framework’ is built to align to enterprises’- large and medium-
DR strategy by offering a robust Disaster recovery solution at a
cost that suits their budget. CtrlS is using “scalable, ready to
deploy private cloud architecture” for this framework.
DR on Demand is a fresh, innovative solution from CtrlS that
offers a unique valuable proposition to organizations big and
small. Enterprises can now implement a comprehensive DR
solution at a fraction of the cost.
The DR on Demand framework is a pioneering concept that will
change the way enterprises look at DR. DR on Demand
ensures the same benefits as that of a complete DR site, at a
fraction of the cost. This offering extends the following benefits:

Zero CAPEX

Organizations can get customized DR plans based on their
requirements and pay only when they use the DR solution

Customer gets the best DR solution from a data center with
BS 25999 certification, and

Importantly, organizations can save up to 40% of the costs
associated
According to Mr. Sridhar, CMD, CtrlS Datacenters, “DR on
Demand is a revolutionary concept and a solution which will
impact the technology landscape positively. I am confident and
excited that DR on Demand will be the answer to Large and
Medium Enterprises who are looking for a robust, yet, cost
effective solution that will help them spring back in the event of
disaster”.
www.ctrls.in
Please feel free to send your feedback/suggestions to response@ctrls.in
‘This document is for informational purpose only. Ctrls makes no warranties, expressed or implied in this document. Copyright 2010 CtrlS Datacenters Ltd. All rights reserved.’
Nothing but the best from CtrlS
IT companies can now partner with India's largest datacenter
CtrlS to handle hardware and software issues.
The IT landscape is changing. The explosion of affordable
bandwidth, availability of last mile, MPLS, cloud technologies
have made this possible worldwide. Companies today need not
invest in expensive hardware, software licenses and have
teams to manage them. Instead they can partner with India's
largest datacenter CtrlS to handle the same. According to P.
Sridhar Reddy, MD CtrlS, the company has pioneered this
model in India successfully and numerous organisations have
realized tremendous benefits.
ClrlS offers a range of services including datacenter
infrastructure as per Tier IV standards, IT infrastructure,
Managed services, Generic Applications, and Internet
connectivity. By outsourcing IT to CtrlS, over 250 companies
have increased the availability of their mission critical
applications. This was possible mainly because CtrlS has
committed over 400 crore in developing India's only Tier IV
certified datacenters. Added to this, their "total ownership-
approach" ensures that customers expectations are not only
met but exceeded.
CtrlS six zone security system ensures significantly better
security than the customer's own premises. Since the facilities
are certified as Tier IV and BS, it follows that the facilities are
audited by experts for over 200 sub systems including site
selection, perimeter protection and so on. CtrlS private data
suites will provide similar rights to that of customer's own space
plus the six zone security advantage. This is ideal for
government and financial institutions.
With CtrlS, Sridhar is sure that Indian enterprises will find the
solution for highest uptime, security, availability, and a world
class datacenter.