Challenges with Cloud Migration

One of the biggest challenge in cloud adoption is moving the existing application to the cloud. I had the opportunity to do that with one of the existing applications. One of the most important aspect is to get the buy-in from the management and application management groups.

Once we had the will, the vision and commitment to do the move, we were able to get it done. Of course the path was not easy and filled with lot of challenges. One of the key factor is that most of the existing applications are not written with cloud in mind and do not follow the principles of service oriented architecture (SOA) or design. The key was also in understanding that at some point application will move to the next level with SOA model.

Challenges at hand were: move existing setup as is with minimal interruption to the cloud and plan out application phase – II to make it cloud ready application. Of course the second part was more of a business strategic decision but it definitely helped with pushing the first one.

While virtualized environment comes with its own benefits, there is also a loss of granular control for the application team for there are more regulations put into place and a requirement to keep the environment pristine. We used private cloud solution to limit the impact of moving the application from physical servers to the cloud hosted environment and although it does not represent cloud design and architecture it enables moving the applications as is into cloud helping out with overall view to move to cloud.

Key factors:

• Resistance to move to cloud environment by application team –> solve by getting buy-in from management team and vision of moving application to cloud architecture


• Rules around access are stricter and loss of granular control –> solve by showing the expertize received with hosted cloud environment, no more struggle for hardware maintenance and 99.9% uptime, done via cloud


• While physical machine setup was designed to meet uptime requirement by ensuring all servers are always up and running the cloud philosophy is that failures will happen so the more failure points we create the less chances of outage we have –> show how this will be beneficial with SOA application


• Learning curve on service management and uptime –> show how service dashboard, dedicated team especially in case of private cloud is very useful


• Difficulty working with layer – layers of services below own application –> show how this will be beneficial when newer version of SOA based application is developed


• Cloud scalability and flexibility are the key to get buy ins

Once all set it is all about planning, executing and monitoring the project to completion. Goals should be established with detailed task to take every steps with appropriate mitigation plan that will be custom based on the application in consideration.

Challenges with Cloud Migration

Our Pitaji

Pitaji over 90 years young

Aaj bathe bathe achanak Pita Ji ki yad aa gayi. Ankhen num ho gaien aur kisi tereh apne aap ko sambhala aur socha ki kuch unke bare mein likh kar apne bachon or rishetedaron se share karoon.

Pitaji was a towering personality – 6 feet tall with stout built and looked very tough. In fact he was like a coconut – hard from outside but very soft from inside. He was in Delhi Police and I have a very vivid memory of seeing him in uniform – he used to dress immaculately and looked a very smart person and I used to look at him with awe and thought that someday I too will become a Police Officer. But that was not to be. Nonetheless I came to work in the Ministry of Home Affairs in a senior position and dealt with matters relating to Delhi Police. By the time I had joined Home Ministry my dad had retired from Delhi Police. His colleagues, who used to come to me, always remembered him with respect.

When we were growing up, all we used to hear from the families of his colleagues was that he was an honest person. I think that his honesty was rewarded when all his children got well placed in Government jobs with their own efforts.

I never saw him losing his cool. Even if he was angry it never got reflected on his face. When annoyed, he was like boiling water – will never come out of the utensil – unlike milk; and kept the annoyance to himself. One characteristic about him which very few will know – he was a very good singer and I do remember him singing songs particularly when my mother was upset for some reason or the other. He was a very good communicator and always put across his view point effectively. He always was in jolly mood and used to say that keeping himself happy was the secret of his health.

I cannot help but narrate one incident that left a lasting mark in my memory. One day he was on his way to the Police Station on his Bullet Motorcycle. Suddenly from the opposite side a car hit his bike and he fell down. The driver of the car tried to run away but was prevented by the public. As he was trying to compose himself, a girl emerged from the car and with folded hands requested my father that they be allowed to go as she was getting late for annual university exam. Though the public was in mood to oblige, my father intervened and said that it is a question of her career and he allowed them to go. Later he was taken to the hospital where he realized that he had fractured his left arm. The owner of the car did come to the Police Station and asked forgiveness and offered compensation, which my father firmly refused. Since that day his stock in the eyes of his colleagues and family touched new heights.

He was a man with very strong will. He used to smoke hell of a lot. One day in the presence of his family he vowed not to smoke and believe me that day onward he never smoked. I really do not know any person with that strong will and character. There are very many stories like that and I will narrate them sometime later.

 

He led a very healthy and active life. He passed away peacefully on 7^th December, 2007 at the age of 96 years.

 

Our Pitaji

HYPOCRISY CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION – A CAGED PARROT AND INTELLIGENCE BUREAU – A ‘CHICKEN’

Only last week, while examining the affidavit filed by the Director, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), on  probe in coal scam, the Hon’ble Supreme court remarked: “CBI has become a caged parrot speaking in master’s voice,” and that it has many masters in the Government. The court taking note of the fact of sharing and alterations in draft probe report of the coal block allocation scam, observed that “It’s a sordid saga that there are many masters and one parrot.” 

 And now the Bangalore Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has cast serious aspersions on the functioning of the Intelligence Bureau.  Giving its ruling on the plea of a woman IPS Officer against her premature repatriation to her Cadre due to her ‘maladjustment or lack of  adjustment’ to the IB’s work culture; the Tribunal called IB a chicken and an Augean’s Stable requiring systematic clean up. The CAT observed that ‘IB is like a chicken. A bird? Yes. Can if fly?  No.’  Ruling in favour of the Petitioner,  the CAT also directed the Cabinet Secretary to head a nine-member panel to bring about integral competency and specific accountability of all intelligence services.

 The above two stinging remarks of the judiciary against the functioning of the government intelligence agencies say it all about the rotten system that has marred the functioning of these agencies over the decades.  However, rather than taking the remarks of the judiciary in the right spirit and to address the issues involved and put the right systems in place, the Congress Party has chosen to criticize the judiciary. Mr. Digvijay Singh of the Congress has expressed his unhappiness in no uncertain terms on the Supreme Court calling the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) a ‘caged parrot’ and the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) terming the Intelligence Bureau as a ‘Chicken’. He has questioned the apex court and CAT by saying – ‘Are we not belittling our Institutions. When pressed further for comments by TV Journalists, he had the audacity to say that they better get the comments of the apex court and the CAT who had made these remarks. 

          The remarks of Mr. Digvijay Singh need to be looked into in the backdrop of the kind tirade the entire Congress Party had launched against the Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG) of India,  particularly on his reports in the 2G and Coal Scams.  Where had the wisdom of Mr. Digvijay vanished when the entire Congress Party was belittling the institution of CAG.  It is only when the problem comes to your doorstep that you start talking about the respect for our Institutions. This is nothing but hypocrisy. 

HYPOCRISY CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION – A CAGED PARROT AND INTELLIGENCE BUREAU – A ‘CHICKEN’

DIVINE MOMENTS

reyanvideo

When I came to know that my daughter was expecting a third time, I was not very much excited. The time passed by and the little angel arrived last October. I, along with my wife spent some time with them around October.  In March 2013, we got a chance to be together in Mauritius.  When we arrived in the hotel in Mauritius, I saw the little one lying in pram and looking all around.  I came closer to the pram and he has had a close look at me and gave me a broad smile. I just cannot forget that moment – it was a million dollar smile that he gave me – in fact such moments cannot be weighed in monetary terms.  Such are the divine moments.  I called him and he instantly started shaking his hands and legs as if telling me that he wanted to hug me.  I took him in my lap and sat on a Chair.  I made be stand facing me and started talking to me – what I was talking I really do not remember.  The little angel started replying to my utterances in the same vein as I was talking to him.  I remember having asked him ‘India Chaloge’ – and you know what he started giggling chuckling and his repertoire of vowel-sound coos inspired everyone around.   Every time I repeated this question, he will laugh all the more loudly.  My daughter captured those moments in the camera and even today when I have nothing to do or am feeling low, I run that video and it gives me immense pleasure.

After being together for a week or so, we parted our ways – we came back to India and my daughter returned to Kenya.  We were carrying fond memories of our stay in Mauritius and uppermost in my mind was giggling sound of my grandson – Reyan.

After our return to India, my daughter and I were talking on Skype.  The little one was fast asleep.  However, when he heard me talking to his mother, he opened his eyes and started making noises as if he was seeking my attention.  The camera was focused on him and he looked at me and gave me broad smile and started shaking his hands and legs as if he wanted me to lift him.  That day onwards, I have made it a point to talk to him every day. Talking to him has become part and parcel of my daily routine.  It seems to me as if he also waits for me every day.  I do not know how he is going to react when he comes to India in July this year.  I am anxiously waiting for that DIVINE moment.

DIVINE MOMENTS

AMAZING BUT TRUE

A man with 39 wives, 94 children and 33 grandchildren live under one roof.

Mr Ziona lives in a four storied building with 100 rooms in the State of Mizoram.

And you know who all live in this 100 room building – the 66 years old Ziona with his 39 wives, 94 children and 33 grandchildren – a total of 167 persons live under one roof. The family consumes around 200lb of rice and more than 130lb of potatoes every day. And the gentleman has not yet called it a day and is willing to go to any extent to marry and expand his family.

The wives take turns cooking, while his daughters clean the house and do washing. The men do outdoor jobs like farming and taking care of livestock.

Mr. Ziona heads a local Christian religious sect, called the “Chana”, which allows polygamy. Formed in June 1942, the sect believes it will soon be ruling the world with Christ and has a membership of around 400 families.

AMAZING BUT TRUE

AMAZING FACTS ABOUT INDIA

• World’s largest, oldest, continuous civilization.


• World’s Largest democracy.


• Never invaded any country in her last 1000 years of history.


• Invented the number system. Zero was invented by Aryabhatta.


• Established Harappan culture in Sindhu Valley (Indus Valley Civilization) When many cultures were only nomadic forest dwellers over 5000 years ago.


• 300,000 active mosques in India, more than in any other country.


• Sanskrit is the mother of all the European Languages – is the most suitable language for computer software – a report in Forbes magzine July 1987.


• Chess (Shataranja or AshtaPada) was invented in India.


• Is one of the few countries in the world, which gained independence without violence.


• Second largest pool of Scientist and Engineers in the World.


• Largest English speaking nation in the world.


• Largest number of Post Offices in the world.


• Martial Arts were first created in India, and later spread to Asia by Buddhist missionaries.


• Yoga has its origins in India and has existed for over 5,000 years.

AMAZING FACTS ABOUT INDIA

SQL Server - Use T-SQL to delete files older than X days

Sometimes there is a need to delete backup files via tSQL. Here is a script that can do the trick.

– -d represents number of days, – 2 represents file older than 2 days set the parameter as needed

exec xp_CMDShell ‘Forfiles -p “C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\DATA” -s -m *.trc -d -2 -c “Cmd /C del @FILE”‘



enjoy!


SQL Server - Use T-SQL to delete files older than X days

Test Post from Exuberant India

Test Post from Exuberant India http://exuberantindia.com