Arraya Insights

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vsphere 6.0 end of support vmware

On March 12, 2020, VMware will officially conclude support for vSphere 6.0, marking the end of the line for the roughly half-decade old virtualization platform. Once that happens, organizations that haven’t moved to a more modern alternative will be left to carry on without the benefit of security patches or performances fixes. Avoiding concerns like those is incentive enough to pursue an upgrade – but it’s not the only reason. Recent versions (vSphere 6.5 and 6.7) include new and enhanced capabilities that more than make the upgrade a trip worth taking.

Here are four advanced abilities (plus a few bonus observations) that could ultimately make it easier for organizations to leave vSphere 6.0 behind.

  • Streamlined, intelligent administrative experience: Admins are famously short on time and bandwidth – something more recent versions of vSphere seek to change. In 6.5, REST-styled APIs power time-saving automation while predictive load balancing uses historical patterns and analytics to adjust accordingly to ensure high performance without significant hands-on admin intervention. As for 6.7, this version realizes operational efficiency through machine learning, Big Data collection and more.
  • Goodbye to the Flash interface: Following up on that topic, we made this point in our post covering vSphere 6.7’s debut at VMware Empower back in 2018, but it bears repeating. Admins have long waited for the end of vSphere’s Flash-based interface. The farewell process began with 6.5, which introduced vSphere’s HTML5-based client. With 6.7 comes full feature parity between the Flash client and the new HTML5 client. The Flash client remains in support of plug-ins that demand it, however, feel free to use it as little as possible.  
  • Revamped VMware vCenter Server Appliance: Regardless of whether organizations land on vSphere 6.5 or 6.7, they’ll find an enhanced version of VMware vCenter Server Appliance waiting for them. The 6.5 version boasts performance and scale capabilities 2-3x greater than its predecessor. Additionally, it offers built-in file-based backup and recovery and host management and patching. As for 6.7, this version of VMware vCenter Server Appliance will let admins connect and manage multiple vCenters seamlessly via its embedded platform services controller.
  • Greater overall security preparedness: Newer versions of vSphere are inherently more secure than 6.0 as they’ll continue receiving patches and updates for the foreseeable future. These versions also have an advanced collection of baked-in security features. For example, 6.5 supports policy-informed encryption at the VM-level for data at-rest and in-motion. Beyond that, digital signatures ensure only authorized OS software runs on a VM. Then there’s forensic insights, which allows admins to get to the root of malicious activity more quickly. The latest version of vSphere, 6.7, builds on those capabilities by adding in new support for TPM 2.0-enabled devices.

These are just four of the new abilities powered by vSphere 6.5 and 6.7. A few other highlights worth pointing out? In vSphere 6.7, admins can enjoy a seamless hybrid cloud experience driven by vCenter Server Hybrid Linked Mode. This utility allows admins to have a seamless view of the entirety of their on-prem and cloud-based vSphere environments. Those moving to 6.5 will still be able to enjoy the Proactive High Availability feature. This can sense hardware failures before they happen and adjust workflows accordingly. Another feature of note introduced in 6.5 is Host Profile Management. It leverages the policies put in place by IT to keep an organization’s virtual environment compliant with established regulations.

Next Steps: Prepare your organizations for vSphere 6.0 end of support

Interested in learning more about any of the above features – or discussing how you can prepare for vSphere 6.0’s approaching end of support date? Connect with our virtualization and data center experts today by visiting: https://www.arrayasolutions.com//contact-us/.

We want to hear from you! Let us know what you think of this blog by way of social media. Arraya can be found on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. While you’re there, follow us to stay up to date with our industry insights and unique IT events.

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Azure Automation Cloud

Part of the appeal of the cloud is that it’s such a low maintenance solution. Of course, that doesn’t mean it’s a no-maintenance solution. While cloud-based and hybrid data sets require less attention than those housed solely in corporate owned and/or managed data centers, there’s still work to be done. In order for organizations to achieve the peak efficiency potential of the cloud without sacrificing that low-maintenance appeal, they may need to introduce another one of the business world’s current favorite buzzwords: automation.    

One solution that unites these buzzy – and powerful – technologies is Microsoft’s Azure Automation. Azure Automation is a cloud-based automation and configuration service that promises to save time, reduce costs and prevent the errors that haunt manual on-prem and cloud-based workload management processes. Let’s explore the three instances where Azure Automation can have the greatest impact:

  • VM management – Azure Automation can make VM management more hands-free, saving time and lessening the risk of errors associated with executing these tasks by hand. Azure Automation works in conjunction with development tools like Azure DevOps to streamline VM builds. Then, when it comes time to deploy those newly-created VMs, Azure Automation leverages runbooks and Azure Resource Management in order to put them to work across hybrid environments.
  • Change management – Not all changes work out the way admins intended. Azure Automation is able to track changes made to environments or to specified user devices. Should something go wrong, Azure Automation can help identify the offending change and begin the remediation process. Should remediation prove difficult, the solution can also escalate the issue to the correct resource.
  • Cyber Security management – Quick action is key to keeping a cyber security incident from spiraling out of control. Azure Automation can be an essential part of an organization’s rapid response capabilities. Should a VM exhibit signs of malicious activity or compromise, Azure Automation can quarantine it to prevent potential issues from spreading. Beyond quarantining suspicious VMs, Azure can also deploy role-based access controls to limit the risk posed by internal sources, both well-intentioned and not.

Next steps: Get up close with Microsoft Azure Automation

Want to experience for yourself how Azure Automation makes it easier to manage workloads in the cloud and on-prem? Join us on September 24th at the Microsoft Technology Center in Malvern, PA for our Microsoft Azure Automation Workshop. This full-day event will seek to answer a variety of questions, including: What is Azure Automation? How can it help streamline IT’s daily tasks? What impact can it have on on-premises environments? Additionally, the afternoon will session will be headlined by a fully-interactive lab experience. Attendees will be able to try their hand at using Azure Automation to create custom runbooks and deploy scheduled tasks.

If you have a question or concern you want addressed prior to the event, feel free to reach out to our Cloud and Workspace team at any time. Simply visit https://www.arrayasolutions.com//contact-us/ to open up a dialogue with them today.

Have some thoughts you’d like to share about this post? We want to hear from you! Leave us a comment on this or any of our blog posts through social media. Arraya can be found on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. While you’re there, follow us to stay updated on our industry insights and unique IT events.

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disaster recovery test

When’s the last time your organization put its disaster recovery strategy to the test? For some, it may have been a while. It’s understandable. After all, testing necessitates a commitment of time and resources that IT teams can’t always readily afford. Yet, in our experience, the benefits of testing a disaster recovery plan are absolutely worth the temporary hardships.  

Let’s take a look at four of the most pressing reasons to test your organization’s disaster recovery plan ASAP.

Reason #1: Testing minimizes the business impact of a disaster. It’s hard to predict exactly how much the unexpected downtime of a critical application could cost an organization. Factors such as industry, organizational maturity and the role of the application among others must be weighed to begin putting a number on it. While the cost of downtime may be unique from organization to organization, one thing is certain. Organizations that prioritize disaster recovery preparedness experience shorter incidents of downtime. Shorter incidents mean happier customers and end users and, generally, less lost revenue. This makes recovery testing less of an expense and more of an investment.        

Reason #2: Testing makes your disaster recovery plan better. It’s probably not a controversial statement to say that on-paper and in-practice are two different things. A disaster recovery plan that looks good on the page may hold some unpleasant surprises when it’s actually put to use. The numbers back up that claim. One study suggests that disaster recovery plans subjected to regular testing are 132% more successful than those that go untested. Given the increasing likelihood of digital disasters, that kind of success (and confidence) boost seems like something any organization would want on its side.       

Reason #3: Successful testing doesn’t come down to dollars and cents. It isn’t just testing either. Disaster recovery success itself isn’t predicated on cost. Research shows that simply wielding a large budget and having the ability to perform big, expensive tests doesn’t automatically make an organization’s disaster recovery plan better. Instead, testing is more about process and mindset. With the right process and participants who are fully engaged, a series of smaller, less expensive tests can be far more meaningful than a costly one where the opposite is true.

Reason #4: IT doesn’t stand still and neither should your disaster recovery plan. Organizational IT environments are constantly evolving to continue to meet the needs of end users and customers alike. As such, a disaster recovery plan created, say, three data center iterations ago may not do much good given an environment’s present state. Regular, routine testing ensures that an organization’s disaster recovery strategy is tuned to its technology environment as presently constructed. Should it be called into action, organizations can rest easy knowing their plan won’t be disrupted by surprise gaps created by technology upgrades.

Next Steps: Know your disaster recovery plan is ready for anything

Disaster recovery plans shouldn’t be set and then set aside. Instead, they need to constantly evolve to not only keep up with changing IT environments but with shifting threat landscapes. The only way a plan can stay in line with both the technologies and the threats around it is with regular testing. Just knowing the importance of disaster recovery testing doesn’t make it suddenly easy to devote time and resources to the cause. That’s where Arraya can help.

Arraya’s Disaster Recovery Validation services can help organizations ensure their disaster recovery plans are ready for the worst that hackers, Mother Nature and everything in between can throw their way. Our team will leave participants with the documentation, procedures, and technical recommendations needed to keep data and workloads safe and available. Want to learn more about our Disaster Recovery Validation services? Visit https://www.arrayasolutions.com//contact-us/ to connect with our team today.

Have some thoughts about this post? We want to hear from you! Leave us a comment on this or any of our blog posts through social media. Arraya can be found on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. While you’re there, follow us to stay updated on our industry insights and unique IT events.

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VMworld 2019 recap

Recently, over 23,000 technology professionals from around the world came together in San Francisco for VMworld 2019 so they could get a look at the latest from VMware.  With more than 1,000 sessions scheduled over the course of 4 days, there were a number of exciting announcements during one of the year’s largest IT conferences. 

The key takeaways from the event can be broken down into three focus areas. First is massive growth in technological capability through acquisition. Then, there’s maintaining a strategic focus on Kubernetes as a major component of application delivery. Finally, there was trying to own the build, run, and manage elements of all workloads from virtual machines to containers with a security framework that is consistent across hybrid and multi cloud deployments.  At the end of the conference, it was clear VMware will continue to push forward their vision of delivering any application, on any device, on any cloud. 

VMware acquisitions take center stage

A consistent theme throughout the conference was how VMware is planning to incorporate nine acquisitions into their product portfolio.  Below is a list of the acquisitions so far this year:

  • Pivotal offers tools to help developers build better software and a platform to run apps on any cloud.  This will be a critical piece in VMware’s Kubernetes vision and cloud native application lifecycle management. 
  • Bitnami lets VMware deliver hundreds of popular software packages in a variety of formats, such as containers or virtual machines. This platform will enhance VMware’s cloud native strategy, especially in the build component of workload management. 
  • Carbon Black provides the platform and the insights needed to consolidate security and keep endpoints safe, all using a single lightweight agent.  VMware could implement this security tool into several layers of the stack.
  • Avi Networks – Avi Vantage (the company’s primary platform) runs on any x86 server (VMs, bare metal, or containers) and scales automatically and on-demand in response to application traffic.  VMware plans to leverage this technology to enhance their load balancing services currently available in NSX, giving deeper insights and capabilities into L4-L7 application load balancing.
  • Bitfusion.io delivers the industry’s first AI Infrastructure disaggregation platform for GPUs and FPGAs.  As VMware moves further into AI and ML workloads, this acquisition figures to be a big part of that strategy.
  • Intrinsic is an application security startup that offers an application runtime security technology for Node.js. VMware’s focus on being able to have “intrinsic” security throughout the stack sure lines up well with this company’s name and vision.
  • Veriflow brings verification to network infrastructure, continuously ensuring the network operates as intended. Also, the company is a leader in intent-based networking analysis.
  • Uhana has built a real-time deep learning engine that is being used to optimize network operations and application quality of experience.
  • AetherPal, a remote control platform for mobile devices, is likely to help VMware augment their Workspace One support capabilities.

It will be fun to watch how VMware handles the integration of all of this technology into their product offerings.  At VMworld 2019, it was great to get a first glimpse at how this technology will be integrated into its products and services. 

Kubernetes is Strategic

During the first morning keynote, VMware CEO Pat Gelsinger made three large announcements around Kubernetes and VMware’s strategy to make deploying, running, and managing those workloads a focal point of their application delivery strategy. 

The first announcement concerned VMware Tanzu, a portfolio of products and services to transform the way the world builds modern applications.  Tanzu is being positioned as a platform that will help customers build cloud native applications and bring developers and IT infrastructure teams closer together.  Through integrations from Bitnami, developers will be able to build off the shelf applications easily through a catalog of over 180 applications, including things like WordPress, PHP, MySQL, to create customized application stacks.  Tanzu will also leverage Pivotal integrations to help bring enterprise cloud native application development to VMware customers. 

A tech preview of Project Pacific was also unveiled, showcasing Kubernetes being embedded within vSphere.  This is one of the biggest changes to the hypervisor since vSAN, and might be more impactful in the long run.  ESXi will be able to run Kubernetes natively, and will be integrated into the vSphere UI and APIs.  This gives enterprises running vSphere access to easy Kubernetes deployment and management.  It is just a future vSphere release away!

Lastly on the major Kubernetes news front, was the announcement of Tanzu Mission Control, which will provide incredible operational efficiency with an enterprise console.  With VMware Tanzu Mission Control, customers will be able to provision, secure, and manage all of their Kubernetes clusters from a single point of control, providing greater independence for developers and consistency and scalability for cloud operators. 

Hybrid/Multi Cloud Announcements

CloudHealth Hybrid – CloudHealth Hybrid was announced to help customers gain control over their hybrid cloud costs and compliance. CloudHealth Hybrid will build on the foundation of CloudHealth Data Center and will offer new capabilities for multi cloud and hybrid cloud environments, including detailed cost benchmarks, VMC on AWS support, Migration Assessment, policies and governance.

VMware Cloud on Dell EMC Available Now – Announced as Project Dimension at VMworld 2018, VMC on Dell EMC is now available to order.  This is effectively a fully managed service from VMware who will be partnering with Dell EMC to fully manage the solution, from deployment to management of the infrastructure.  It currently is only offered in a single node type, but they plan to expand the portfolio in the future.  It will include a single rack, with a management switch, two top of rack switches, 3-5 VXRail nodes, 2 SD-WAN appliances, and PDUs and a UPS.  Customers will only need to provide power and uplink networking. 

VMware Cloud on AWS – New VMware HCX capabilities enable push-button migration and interconnectivity between VMware Cloud on AWS SDDCs running in different AWS Regions. New Elastic vSAN support further improves storage scaling.  In the future, users will be able to enrich existing applications and power new modern enterprise applications, including AI, machine learning and data analytics workflows, through high-end GPU acceleration services and innovative technology such as Bitfusion and partnerships with NVIDIA.

Next Steps: Keep the VMworld 2019 conversation going

Want to learn more about the announcements made at VMworld 2019, including how they can help your company achieve its technological vision? Arraya’s Data Center team can help. Connect with them by visiting https://www.arrayasolutions.com//contact-us/.

We want to hear from you! Leave us a comment on this or any of our blog posts through social media. Arraya can be found on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. While you’re there, follow us to stay updated on our industry insights and unique IT events.

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dangerous SMB cyber security blindspots

No entity, no matter the size, can afford cyber security blind spots. The recent string of ransomware attacks targeting local governments has underscored that point. Hackers have gone after major cities like Baltimore and they’ve hit places the average person is less familiar with, like Lake City, FL. Despite the risks, many small-to-midsized municipalities, businesses, etc. count on their size to keep them safe, leaving dangerous security gaps open in the process.

Work-from-home policies are one such gap. SMBs have been overwhelmingly open to this trend, with 83% of owners allowing employees to work remotely according to Nationwide’s fifth annual Business Owner Survey, released earlier this year. Popularity aside, remote work is a security hazard for many of the SMBs that have embraced it. Nationwide found only half of SMBs have updated their work-from-home security policies in the last year. Today’s threat landscape changes fast. Regular review and revision of these policies keeps a company from inviting in needless risk by allowing employees to work remotely. 

Maintaining policies around remote workers isn’t the only facet of cyber security in which SMBs seem to be struggling. Nationwide found just 4% of SMBs have fully deployed the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) list of cyber security best practices and recommendations.   

Cyber Security best practices for SMBs

What makes this so concerning? The SBA’s list isn’t a collection of cutting-edge solutions or complex strategies designed to push already-elite cyber security environments to the next level. Just the opposite. The items on it are fundamental. They’re the kinds of things businesses of all sizes need to do to stay safe. Let’s review some of what’s there and how SMBs can incorporate these recommendations into their cyber security strategy.     

  • Deploy endpoint protection solutions (and keep them updated). It isn’t enough to roll out technology to stop malware, spyware, or any other malicious code attackers dream up. These solutions (and all others) must be kept updated and patched to ensure devices don’t become a liability. If onsite IT doesn’t have the time or resources to keep up, an outside partner makes an excellent alternative.  
  • Build up network defenses. Solutions such as firewalls and encryption are only one part of what must be done to keep networks safe. To start, organizations must take stock of what exists on their network and be sure that current builds allow for easy, secure growth alongside of the company itself.    
  • Set policies protecting high-risk information. Hackers will often take whatever they can get their hands on, but they’re predominantly after big-ticket data pertaining to health or finance. SMBs must create (and enforce) policies governing how staffers, contractors, vendors, etc. handle and store their most sought after, at-risk data. 
  • Educate employees about the threat landscape. Employees need to know what they’re up against. SMBs must allocate for proper security training around all aspects of the workday, including something as mundane as social media usage. Cyber criminals see employees either as a weak point or as a treasure trove of exploitable information. Proper training can turn them into a security strength. 
  • Implement password best practices. What defines a “password best practice” in 2019 is up for debate. Some swear by forcing end users to change their passwords regularly. Others point out that this breeds bad habits. Complex passwords that aren’t shared with others and are supported by multifactor authentication is an approach no one would question. 
  • Make regular backups a habit. A ransomware attack can force an SMB to close up shop for good. Regular backups to a separate server or to the cloud are an SMB’s best chance to survive such an attack. In its list, the SBA sets a low bar, urging backups “at least weekly.” Despite the “at least” qualifier, a week’s worth of data can be a devastating loss. 
  • Limit device and network access. Some of this pertains to physical access, like keeping data centers locked down. Another part ties back in to passwords. Administrator credentials should be issued selectively and their activity tracked to make for easier audits.    
  • Secure on-the-go employees. Back to the topic of remote work, SMBs need encryption to help protect data when it’s on the go. They must also retain control over that data even if the physical device belongs to the user. Anything less is could mean a data leak is just a lost phone away.  

Next Steps: Empower a security-focused organizational culture

These pointers are things every SMB – and, really, every organization, should implement. The consequences of doing anything less are too great. If your organization is struggling with any of part of the above list – or some other piece of its cyber security environment – Arraya can help. Connect with our team of experts by visiting https://www.arrayasolutions.com//contact-us/.

Have some thoughts about this post? We want to hear from you! Leave us a comment on this or any of our blog posts through social media. Arraya can be found on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. While you’re there, follow us to stay updated on our industry insights and unique IT events.

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Microsoft cyber security

Raise your hand if you’ve heard someone describe Microsoft as a “security company” at some point in the last few years. We can’t say for sure – maybe because your Microsoft desktop is so secure – but we’re guessing there are plenty of hands in the air. We get it. Given cyber security’s status as a tiptop of mind issue, it’s easy to dismiss that kind of positioning as mere marketing hype. So, we sat down with our Cloud and Workspace team to look at some of the more recent examples of what Microsoft is doing to earn that reputation.

Are the days really, finally numbered for passwords?

Saying that the end is nigh for passwords is almost as big of a cliché as calling Microsoft a security company. So, we won’t say with certainty that passwords are on their way out. What we will say is that Microsoft has introduced innovations recently that will allow passwords to transition into more of a support role. 

For instance, earlier this summer, Microsoft finally deleted the concept of regular, mandatory password resets from its list of suggested security baselines. Forcing users to change their passwords after a set amount of time has long been pitched as a way to boost security, even though the habits it inspires do just the opposite. Typically, instead of thinking up exceedingly complex new passwords every 90 days, users pick an easy-to-remember theme and beat it into the ground. Or, they reuse passwords from other accounts. Either option is a clear cyber security worst practice.

Microsoft has also promoted the cause of single sign-on by enabling application access across its Azure and Office environments (and beyond) with a single password. In this case, beyond means extending this capability to many popular SaaS apps under the direction of Azure Active Directory. Included on this list are leading third party tools such as Workday, Box, and Concur. This flexibility even extends into the Oracle Cloud thanks to the brand new partnership between the two companies. Now, organizations can run an app in either cloud or across clouds if needed. Keep in mind that the app in question can be accessed using a single set of credentials.   

Finally on the password front, in the latest version of Windows, Microsoft has given users the ability to forgo them entirely. Users can now take advantage of alternatives like the Microsoft Authenticator app, phone numbers, and the recently FIDO2-certified Windows Hello (and any number of biometric options all integrated in Windows Hello). These features can preserve security while enabling a level of user-friendly ease of access.

Microsoft security updates beyond passwords

Passwords have been a big deal for Microsoft as of late, but they haven’t been its only focus. Here are just a few of the other projects Microsoft has undertaken in the hopes of furthering its reputation as a security company:

  • Microsoft Secure Score: Security can sometimes be a tough thing to measure. Secure Score assigns organizations a number grade so they can better grasp where they stand with security – and how their efforts stack up. Security-friendly activities such as enabling multi-factor authentication or viewing reports earn organizations points, upping their score. There’s not much value in a grade without context, so admins are able to compare scores against other companies and track their own score over time. 
  • DMARC Monitoring: Domain-Based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance (DMARC) is a mouth-full, but it can also help combat two of today’s toughest cyber security challenges: shadow IT and phishing scams. DMARC enforcement involves leveraging quarantine and reject policies to gain greater control over its email domain. This solution is now a free part of the Office 365 environment, however, rolling it out can require a hand from an outside partner.
  • Microsoft Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP): Threats pounce at lightning speed and organizations must be able to respond in kind. Microsoft Defender ATP allows for real-time threat response. When Microsoft Defender ATP encounters an unknown file, it forwards its metadata (or the file itself) into the cloud for analysis. Microsoft Defender ATP pulls together a variety of protection engines, including meta-based, behavior-based, reputation-based, and more, to detect and stop threats that seemingly grow more complex by the day.    

Next Steps: Put Microsoft’s security advances to work for you

Want to learn more about how you can leverage these advances and more to keep your organization’s data safe? Connect with our Cloud and Workspace team by visiting https://www.arrayasolutions.com//contact-us/.

Did we get something wrong? How about something right? Let us know! Leave us a comment on this or any of our blog posts through our social media accounts. Arraya can be found on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. While you’re there, follow us to stay up to date on our industry insights and unique IT learning opportunities.

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Skype for Business retirement

It’s official: On July 31, 2021, the Skype for Business Online era will officially come to an end. Microsoft announced the roughly five-year old communication platform’s retirement date last month, although the process has been in the works for some time. Once that date hits, Teams will stand alone at the center of Microsoft’s communication and collaboration universe. However, there’s still plenty of time left and work to be done before the last Skype for Business call or message is sent.

Here’s everything you need to know about Skype for Business Online’s impending retirement:

  • Existing Office 365 customers are good until July 31, 2021. On that day, the service will no longer be available. If you’re an existing Office 365 customer, you will be able to continue using Skype for Business Online as you always have up until that point. That includes connecting with co-workers, adding in new users, etc.
  • New Office 365 customers might skip Skype for Business Online. If your organization enters the Office 365 fold on or after September 1, 2019, you will be on-boarded directly into Teams for chat, calls, and so on. This will allow you to bypass both Skype for Business Online and that July 31, 2021 ticking clock.
  • Not all of Skype is going away. It’s worth noting that Skype Consumer and Skype for Business Server will both be unaffected by this change. Both services will continue running as usual up through and beyond July 31, 2021. 
  • Teams hasn’t stopped evolving. Microsoft isn’t going to sit back and take it easy with Teams. Instead, the tech giant has big ideas on how to make its communication and collaboration top dog even stronger. Planned upgrades to Teams include:
    • Dynamic 9-1-1 – This feature uses a caller’s location to automatically route 9-1-1 calls to the appropriate local emergency personal. Microsoft plans to roll out Dynamic 9-1-1 in Teams by the end of this year.    
    • Reduced Retention Periods – With this update, your organization will be able to drop channel and chat retention limits all the way down to a single day. It will also ensure that, when data is deleted, it will be wiped clean from the Teams service and its supporting servers. This change is also set for release at the end of this year.
    • Teams and Skype Consumer Interoperability – This addition will allow your users to call and chat with others across the Teams and Skype Consumer services. This feature is set to debut during the first quarter of 2020.  
    • Enhanced Contact Center and Compliance Partnerships – In recent weeks, Microsoft has announced a slew of partnerships intended to boost Teams’ position as a Contact Center solution. Other partnerships have also been announced that will enhance Teams’ compliance recording capabilities.  

Next Steps: Prepare for the end of the Skype for Business Online era

There’s still time before July 31, 2021 and the end of the Skype for Business Online era. That doesn’t mean you should simply file this news away. The sooner your organization introduces Teams, the more time Skype for Business Online users will have to adjust gradually.

If you’d like to learn more about Microsoft Teams and where it could fit into your organization’s communication and collaboration environment, reach out to our Cloud and Workspace experts today! We can assist with the migration and provide the training needed to facilitate a seamless transition. Head to https://www.arrayasolutions.com//contact-us/ to get the conversation started.

Have some thoughts about this post? We want to hear from you! Leave us a comment on this or any of our blog posts through our social media accounts. Arraya can be found on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. While you’re there, follow us to stay up to date on our industry insights and unique IT learning opportunities.

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SmartCloud Notes, end of life

Earlier this summer, IBM and HCL Technologies completed a deal that has, no pun intended, left many organizations’ cloud futures up in the air. Under the deal, which began making headlines last December, HCL purchased a chunk of IBM’s collaboration, commerce, digital experience, and security software portfolio, including its Notes and Domino services. Initially, customers hoped the move meant a brighter future for Notes and Domino. Instead, HCL announced that, as of July 2020, it would no longer support several of these newly acquired technologies, including SmartCloud Notes.

Come July 2020, SmartCloud Notes will hit end of life, leaving organizations without a cloud-based tool for their email, calendar, and directory needs among other things. This means a migration is in store for those currently calling SmartCloud Notes home.

First, let’s consider what that migration should entail. Then, we’ll look at the possible landing spaces available in a post-SmartCloud Notes world.    

Plotting a course away from SmartCloud Notes

Wherever workloads are set to land, getting them there from SmartCloud Notes won’t be as simple as flipping a switch. Here’s how our Data Center and our Cloud & Workspace teams typically handle these projects:

  • Discovery – It’s important to take time to review the basics. Those overseeing a migration should understand what exactly is in an environment, who’s using what, and how they’re using it. This not only ensures a complete and orderly move, but it reduces the negative impact on end users and operations.
  • Design – Changes can make users at all levels of the organization uneasy. The best way to avoid this is to make them part of the process early and often. Representatives from across the organization can help draw up plans for a new home that makes sense for their team and for the company as a whole.
  • Cost Analysis – Those leaving SmartCloud Notes already know how cloud pricing works and how to keep it in check. A move to a new cloud home likely won’t hold many surprises, though it will be worth reviewing the differences between the two. Moving to any other home, however, brings with it a host of newfound expenses, all of which will need to be addressed and budgeted for accordingly.
  • Migration Planning – As mentioned, wherever workloads and mailboxes are destined to live, it takes time getting them there, particularly in larger organizations. Organizations must develop a phased approach, one in which their current SmartCloud Notes environment plays nicely with a future home. A methodical approach, backed by reliable interoperability, allows the day-to-day efforts of an organization to continue unimpeded.   
  • Deployment – Even with meticulous planning, migrations can always throw a curveball to those managing them. Organizations will need to make sure they have resources with the time and skill needed to address any such issue as it crops up in order to keep a migration on track.

Where to move before SmartCloud Notes goes end of life   

So, what are organizations leaving SmartCloud Notes behind for, exactly? Probably the simplest and more highly adopted choice is to look for another cloud-based home for their applications, email, calendars, etc. One such option is Microsoft 365. This platform unites Microsoft’s industry-leading Office 365 productivity platform with advanced security and device management capabilities. In short, it does everything organizations relied upon SmartCloud Notes for with a heightened emphasis on security.    

Moving to Microsoft 365 and staying in the cloud allows organizations to replicate – and even enhance – the work environment they were most used to prior to HCL’s decision to pull the plug on SmartCloud Notes. However, it’s not the only option. Organizations can also choose to move on from the cloud and bring their workflows back to Earth, so to speak, either in-house or to a co-lo site. Doing so will require a substantial investment for the hardware and software needed to handle the influx of repatriated data. There are also expenses like cooling the new equipment and hiring additional resources to manage it to consider.

Still, for some, bringing their SmartCloud Notes workloads back on-prem or into a co-lo site will ultimately make the most sense for them. It’s just a matter of weighing organizational needs against the pros and cons of each option. 

Next Steps: Let us help you plan your post-SmartCloud Notes future

Need help deciding the right course for your organization prior to SmartCloud Notes’ July 2020 end of life date? Arraya can help. Our Data Center and Cloud & Workspace teams have the experience and insight needed to plan, architect and execute a post-SmartCloud Notes strategy designed for your objectives. Start a dialogue with them by visiting https://www.arrayasolutions.com//contact-us/.

We want to hear from you! Let us know what you think of this blog by way of social media. Arraya can be found on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. While you’re there, follow us to stay up to date with our industry insights and unique IT events.

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Arraya Insights Radio

Episode 16: SD-WAN: How to Find the Right Solution for Your Business

SD-WAN may just be five little letters, but it’s made a huge impact on the business world. With so many providers in the marketplace and so many solutions on the shelves, it’s not easy to find the right choice for your organization’s needs. On this episode of Arraya Insights Radio, Thomas York, Senior Director of IT Operations, and Doug Guth, Director, Infrastructure Solutions & IoT, set out to help listeners get their footing in this increasingly complex world to find the solutions that make the most sense for their organization.

Host: Thomas York (Senior Director, IT Operations)

Guest: Doug Guth (Director, Infrastructure Solutions & IoT)

Further Reading:

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Does your organization have Cisco 5508 Wireless LAN Controllers (WLCs) deployed in its environment? If so, connectivity problems could be on the Cisco 5508 WLC and AP Disruption horizon. With the help of our Network and Security team, let’s explore the root cause of this issue. Then, we can turn to how to prevent it.

The basic rundown goes like this: Cisco APs and WLCs have Manufacturer-Installed Certificates (MICs) that are valid for 10 years. With the default configuration, if either MIC (AP or WLC) is not valid, the APs won’t be able to register to the controller. Care to take a guess when Cisco first began manufacturing the 5508 WLCs? Just a little over ten years ago, back in May 2009.

We actually covered the other side of this problem, involving expiring AP certificates, in a previous post on this blog. However, now it’s the WLCs’ turn. If your WLC MIC is expired, you may have a situation where your APs are working now, but if they were to reboot they wouldn’t be able to join the controller. In other words, they won’t work.

Cisco delivers a workaround: Will it work for you?

The good news is that Cisco has provided a workaround that will allow the AP to ignore the MIC expiration. To implement this workaround, issue the following command:

config ap cert-expiry-ignore mic enable

This allows your APs to join no matter which MIC is expired (AP or WLC). On the downside, there are some situations where this workaround will not be enough. For example:

  1. You have AP models 1800/2800/3800, AND
  2. You are running WLC code prior to 8.5, AND
  3. Your 5508 WLC MIC is expired or about to expire.

In this specific case, the workaround will not work. Those APs require 8.5 code for the workaround. If this is your situation, then upgrade the WLC to 8.5.151.0. Note: As of the time of writing, this is the code we recommend. Once the upgrade is complete, you can configure the workaround. Refer to this Bug ID for more info: https://bst.cloudapps.cisco.com/bugsearch/bug/CSCvb93909/.

If you have legacy APs, such as the 1142 model, in addition to meeting each of the three above conditions, you’re going to run into a different problem. It’s worth noting that 8.5 may not support legacy apps, forcing you to do one of two things:

  1. Invest in new APs, or
  2. Reach out to Cisco TAC and hope they can provide you with the fix in 8.3 code for your no-longer-supported APs.

Next Steps: Let Arraya help keep your Cisco 5508 APs running

There is one other question we need to address in this post: How can you tell when your WLC MIC will expire? This is a pretty easy one to address. Simply issue the command “show certificate all” and look for the Validity End date for the “Cisco SHA1 device cert.” This will provide you with the info you need to move forward.

If you have any questions about APs, WLCs, or any of the topics covered in this post, please reach out to your account manager at Arraya or visit us online at https://www.arrayasolutions.com//contact-us/. Arraya’s Network and Security team can help guide you through this process to make sure you don’t have any AP downtime due to this cert expiry.