IBM SmartCloud Entry for Power Systems

IBM SmartCloud Entry for Power Systems is an entry level private cloud offering that is simple to deploy and easy to use. It works with a client's existing Power Systems infrastructure, leveraging Power Systems enterprise security, availability and reliability for cloud without risk. IBM SmartCloud Entry for Power Systems increases efficiency through heterogeneous cloud management across both Power and System x environments and enables data center managers to quickly deploy self-service provisioning of virtualized workloads. A simple, intuitive interface provides oversight while increasing IT efficiency and lowering administration costs. Key features include:

• Self-service portal for workload provisioning (create/replicate assets, manage deployments and monitor activity).
• Virtualized image management with library for standardized images.
• Administrative controls for secure operation of a persistent cloud.
• Basic metering to support a ‘pay-per-use’ business model (automated collection of resource usage metrics).
• Security through authentication and authorization.

IBM SmartCloud Entry for Power Systems builds upon IBM PowerVM virtualization and IBM Systems Director VMControl. It enables rapid scalability by allowing additional servers or blades to be added to the cloud infrastructure and clients can move from an entry cloud to IBM's more advanced cloud offerings such as IBM Service Delivery Manager.

SmartCloud Entry allows Power Systems clients to quickly and easily start the transition to a cloud-based infrastructure and prove the benefits of a cloud delivery model by enabling:

• Fast time to value with a solution that is simple to deploy, easy to use and works with an existing, heterogeneous infrastructure.
• Accelerated infrastructure delivery and service deployment to quickly respond to changing business needs.
• Increased IT efficiency through workload standardization, automation and lower operational costs.
• Scalability as needed to support more workloads and meet demand with increased availability.

For organizations beginning to build a virtualization foundation for cloud on Power, the SmartCloud Entry for Power bundle includes SmartCloud Entry and the Power platform pre-requisites in an easily orderable and discounted package, enabling all Power clients to quickly and easily start the transition to a cloud-based infrastructure and prove the benefits of a cloud delivery model.

IBM SmartCloud Entry can also be included with each of the PureFlex System offerings enabling customers to leverage the virtualized, expert integrated system to quickly create and deploy a private cloud with simple self-service and cloud administration.

The IBM entry cloud configuration for SAP solutions on Power provides an easy entry point for starting an SAP private cloud environment. This solution is a proven and prescriptive software configuration and hardware architecture that enables customers to quickly and easily execute basic scenarios, such as SAP instant provisioning, SAP rename and SAP post processing.

IBM SmartCloud Entry capabilities

Create Images — Simplify storage of thousands of images:

• Easily create new ‘golden master’ images and software appliances using corporate standard operating system/application versions, technology levels and security patches.
• Reliably track images to ensure compliance and minimize security risks.
• Optimize resources, reducing the number of virtualized images and the storage required for them.

Deploy VMs — Slash time to value for new workloads from months to a few days:

• Deployment of application images across compute and storage resources for both Power and x86 platforms.
• End user self-service for improved responsiveness.
• Ensure security through VM isolation, project-level user access controls.
• Easy to use – no need to know all the details of the infrastructure.
• Investment protection from full support of existing virtualized environments.
• Optimize performance on IBM systems with dynamic scaling, expansive capacity and continuous operation.

Operate a private cloud — Cut costs with efficient operation:

• Delegate provisioning to authorized users to improve productivity.
• Maintain full oversight to ensure an optimally running and safe Cloud through automated approval/rejection.
• Standardize deployment and configuration to improve compliance and reduce errors by setting policies, defaults and templates.
• Simplify administration with an intuitive interface for cross-platform management of projects, users, workloads, resources, billing, approvals and metering.

IBM SmartCloud Entry demo

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  Watch video demonstrating how our entry private cloud offering is simple to deploy and easy to use

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Reference configurations

• Implementing IBM SmartCloud Entry on Power Systems using the IBM PureFlex System (13.8MB)
• Entry Cloud Configuration for SAP solutions on Power (1.75MB)
• Implementing IBM SmartCloud Entry on Power Systems PS703 Reference Configuration (11.7MB)
• Implementing IBM SmartCloud Entry on Power 740 Express Reference Configuration (9.9MB)

Additional information

• Cloud computing
• Cloud computing for developers
• Power Systems
• Virtualization
• Automated management
• Financing