Tier 3 has launched the Environment Engine, which is a platform specific agnostic toolset utilized for the automation of the design and deployment of intricate applications and environments onto the Tier 3 Enterprise Cloud.
New IT self service delivery models have been introduced in the toolset, which take upon themselves the task of converting complex environments into optimised, reusable ‘Blueprints’. The toolset works through the network layer, storage layer and also the entire operating system. Apart from the toolset, Tier 3 has announced the availability of a first set of cross-platform Blueprints for the customers using the Enterprise Cloud Platform.
The Environment Engine is capable of interfacing with all levels of the cloud platform, including, upper level namely application deployment, platform stack and the lower layer namely server image configuring level. It consists of a Blueprint Library, Blueprint Builder and a Blueprint Designer which together provide uninterrupted workflow automation for the discovery and deployment of configurations. The CTO of Tier 3 explained that automation of the complex environments eliminates errors and at the same time is a cost effective alternative. The Blueprint Designer helps to script the building blocks of the environment for all types of host configuration, firewalls and their rules and sequenced events based on the task lists. This is uploaded into the Blueprint Library, from where users can choose the Blueprint that fits into their requirement with the help of categorisation, keyword search etc in the Library. With the Blueprint Builder, tool users will be able to configure pre-defined variables in the Blueprint of their choice in order to set up optimised environments in a very short span of time.
Using the Environment Engine the users are able to onboard complex environments into the Enterprise Cloud. Some of the used cases demonstrate the capabilities of the Engine as providing quicker responses, enhanced adaptive service and cost reduction. The tool is expected to be available from October this year. Some of the enterprises for which the Blueprint will be available are Microsoft SharePoint Server, Microsoft SQL Server 2008, ASP.NET and SQL Web App:Single Node Team Foundation services and Lamp Stack.
Source: http://www.tier3.com