Reduce app/OS size
- TAGS:FastScale, server provisioning
- IT TOPICS:Applications, Data Center, Emerging Technology, Operating Systems
Lynn LeBlanc wants you to rethink the way you provision software. Think small.
The CEO of FastScale Technology Inc. in Santa Clara, Calif. says there's no reason to load an entire operating system when an application won't use but a fraction of its resources. With the FastScale Composer Suite you create dynamic application bundles, or DABs, that are up to 95% smaller in size than a full app/OS combination, but give you all the functions you want.
The way it works is you load your OS and app into FastScale's repository and the tool analyzes what part of the OS your app needs, strips out the rest and then provisions your servers accordingly. LeBlanc claims the process takes only a few minutes.
Today the company is releasing version 2.1 of its suite, adding support for Windows Server 2003. Previously DABs could only be made for Linux apps. In addition, FastScale now can provision only those parts you need for a packaged app, such as WebLogic, and leave out the rest. However, if a workload calls for a function previously removed, FastScale is smart enough to grab it from the software's repository so it can execute.
The software works for physical servers as well as those using VMware. Support for Xen and HyperV will come if there's customer demand, says LeBlanc.
She says DABs don't need as much memory to run, so you can often load the entire app and OS in RAM to greatly improve performance.
Pricing starts at $30,000.
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