VMware vCenter users can now dynamically compose servers on which to run virtual machine (VM) workloads with a Liqid software plug-in.
Traditionally vCenter users create virtual machines which run on physical server hardware configurations. Such servers are virtualized by VMware and run VMs inside an ESXi hypervisor environment. Now the underlying physical servers themselves can be dynamically composed by Liqid’s Matrix CDI software using a vCenter plugin. This capability was first explored in June.
Sumit Puri, CEO & Cofounder, Liqid, put out a somewhat contentious statement: “The static nature of traditional server architecture is the primary driver for countless companies moving to the cloud.” Others might say: “No it’s not. It’s the lower cost and faster deployment in the cloud.”
His next point is more realistic: “We compliment VMware nicely in that we accelerate host deployments and scaling so customers can deliver their virtualised systems faster and more efficiently. … Liqid’s composable software features can be managed in vCenter via a single pane of glass, enabling IT to dynamically create and manage both virtual machines and the bare metal hosts they reside on, maximising efficiency
Matrix CDI composes a server configuration from elements including a processor and DRAM, GPUs, FPGAs, and NVMe storage which are connected across a PCIe or other fabric. The aim of this is to increase the utilisation of these resources because fixed physical server configurations can have some of their resources under- or over-utilised — stranded, as it were.
Liqid’s composability software makes dynamically software-configured servers out of resource elements, which can then be treated as bare metal servers on which to run ESXi and virtual machines. Liqid and VMware say these software-defined servers can better match the resource requirements of VM workloads. Such software-defined servers can be set up and deployed in minutes, contrasting with the days or even weeks needed for a new physical server acquisition and deployment.
The Liqid vCenter Plug-in for vCenter Server provides a web-based tool integrated with the vSphere Web Client UI that allows customers to compose bare-metal hosts, add and remove resources, and view configuration information in vCenter. Liqid’s software fits into the existing VMware server environment, making its adoption straightforward.
