Network Transformation for Digital Pursuit
SPEAKERS:
Manish Kakkar, Business Head – Network Services, Sify Technologies Limited
DATE:
October 15, 2020 | 11.00 AM
DESCRIPTION:
In today’s era, the Cloud-First Strategy is the new normal, with business being distributed. Mobile and Cloud adoption is imperative for agility, flexibility, and choices. Whilst, the organisations are realizing the necessity of Cloud technology around reliability, scalability, performance, cost-effectiveness, and security, they are either adopting or have already moved to the Cloud. As organizations increasingly drive digital transformation initiatives and adopt hybrid multi-cloud, the network must be rearchitected to support new age topologies. Hence, Network Transformation gains predominance.
Sify’s network services for modern businesses are designed to help customers harness the true potential of cutting-edge cloud, digital, and network technologies to help them accomplish transformation goals and meet dynamic business requirements capably. With Sify as your partner, you are well-positioned to achieve key business objectives of availability, scalability, security, and resilience.
Empowering Enterprises with Hybrid IT Ready DC & Cloud Connect
SPEAKERS:
Sushant Purushan, Business Head – Data Centre & Cloud Services, Sify Technologies Limited
Vijay Bellam, Vice President – Global Service Delivery, Sify Technologies Limited
DATE:
September 23, 2020 | 6.00 PM
DESCRIPTION:
As cloud computing becomes an integral part of IT, it exerts a greater influence on enterprises, starting from infrastructure and business strategy to design and location. Selection of data center technologies and providers to complement public clouds have become critical to retain agility, flexibility, scalability and choices.
For hybrid cloud deployments, cloud-adjacent or near-cloud data centers with high-performance, secure cloud interconnects are vital for various application configurations, resiliency, availability and to meet expected SLAs. It is important in this context of having a data center and cloud interconnect with minimum latency and flexible bandwidth.
A professionally run data center with all the above capabilities offers peace of mind and stability by way of robust security and compliance to a business during these troubled times and, thereby, allowing them to focus on their transformational objectives.
In an insightful web session, organized by ETCIO.com and Sify, industry experts will throw more light on how enterprises can leverage hybrid IT-ready data centers and cloud interconnect for business growth.
Cyxtera partners with Sify Technologies in India
Cyxtera (NASDAQ: CYXT), a global leader in data center colocation and interconnection services, today announced it will begin offering colocation solutions in India through a strategic partnership with Sify Technologies Limited (NASDAQ: SIFY), one of India’s leading digital ICT solutions providers. Cyxtera can now provide colocation services to customers in five additional markets in one of the most important and fastest growing global economies. As part of the partnership, Sify will also resell Cyxtera’s full suite of solutions across markets in North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific to its more than 10,000 customers.
SAP Migrations to AWS Cloud using Cloud Endure Migration Tool
Enterprises migrating SAP workloads to AWS are looking for an as-is migration solution that are readily available. Earlier, enterprises used the traditional method of SAP backup and restore for migration or AWS-native tools such as AWS Server Migration Service to perform this type of migration. CloudEndure Migration is a new AWS-native migration tool for SAP customers.
Enterprises looking to host a large number of SAP systems onto AWS can use CloudEndure Migration without worrying about compatibility, performance disruption or long cutover windows. You can perform any re-architecture after your systems start running on AWS.
Solution Overview
CloudEndure Migration simplifies, expedites and reduces the cost of such migrations by offering a highly automated as-is migration solution. This blog demonstrates how easy it is to set up CloudEndure Migration and the steps involved in migrating SAP systems from source to AWS environment.
CloudEndure Migration Architecture
The following diagram shows the CloudEndure Migration architecture for migrating SAP systems.
Major steps for this migration are as below:
- Agent Installation
- Continuous Replication
- Testing and Cutover
CloudEndure helps you overcome the following migration challenges effectively:
- Diverse infrastructure and OS type
- Legacy application
- Complex database
- Busy continuously changing workloads
- Machine compatibility issues
- Expensive cloud skills required
- Downtime and performance disruptions
- Tight project timelines and limited budget
Use Cases
The most common uses cases for CloudEndure Migration are:
- Lift and Shift, then optimize
- Vast majority of Windows/Linux servers when agent can be installed on source machine
- Replicating Block Storage devices like SAN, iSCSI, Physical, EBS, VMDK, VHD
- Replicating full machine/volume
Benefits
Access to advanced technology
Simplify operations and get better insights with AWS Application Migration Services integration with AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM), Amazon CloudWatch, AWS CloudTrail, and other AWS Services.
Minimal downtime during migration
With AWS Application Migration Service, you can maintain normal business operations throughout the replication process. It continuously replicates source servers, which means little to no performance impact. Continuous replication also makes it easy to conduct non-disruptive tests and shortens cutover windows.
Reduced costs
AWS Application Migration Service reduces overall migration costs as there is no need to invest in multiple migration solutions, specialized cloud development, or application-specific skills. This is because it can be used to lift and shift any application from any source infrastructure that runs supported operating systems (OS).
Conclusion
This blog discussed how Sify can help its SAP customers migrating to AWS Cloud using CloudEndure tool. Sify would be glad to help your organization as your AWS Managed Services Partner for a tailor-made solution involving seamless cloud migration experience and for your Cloud Infrastructure management thereafter.
CloudEndure Migration software doesn’t charge anything as a license fee to perform automated migration to AWS. Each free CloudEndure Migration license allows for 90 days of use following agent installation. During this period, you can start the replication of your source machines, launch target machines, conduct unlimited tests, and perform a scheduled cutover to complete your migration.
Automated Recovery of SAP HANA Database using AWS native options
This blog exclusively covers the options available in AWS to recover SAP HANA Database with low cost and without using native HSR tool of SAP. With a focus on low costs, Sify recommends choosing a cloud native solution leveraging EC2 Auto Scaling and AWS EBS snapshots that are not feasible in an on-premises setup.
Solution Overview
The Restore process leveraging Auto Scaling and EBS snapshots works across availability zones in a region. Snapshots provide a fast backup process, independent of the database size. They are stored in Amazon S3 and replicated across Availability Zones automatically, meaning we can create a new volume out of a snapshot in another Availability Zone. In addition, Amazon EBS snapshots are incremental by default and only the delta changes are stored since the last snapshot. To create a resilient highly available architecture, automation is key. All steps to recover the database must be automated in case something fails or goes wrong.
Autoscaling Architecture
The following diagram shows the Auto Scaling architecture for systems in AWS.
Use Case
EBS Snapshots
Prior to enabling EBS snapshots we must ensure the destination of log backups are written to an EFS folder which is available across Availability Zones.
Create a script prior to the command to be executed for an EBS snapshot. By using the system username and password, we make an entry into the HANA backup catalog to ensure that the database is aware of the snapshot backup. We use the snapshot feature to take a point in time and crash consistent snapshot across multiple EBS volumes without a manual I/O freeze. It is recommended to take the snapshot every 8-12 hours.
Now the log backups are stored in EFS and full backups as EBS snapshots in S3 and both sets are available across AZs. Both storage locations can be accessed across AZs in a region and are independent of an AZ.
EC2 Auto Scaling
Next, we create an Auto Scaling group with a minimum and maximum of one instance. In case of an issue with the instance, the Auto Scaling group will create an alternative instance out of the same AMI as the original instance.
We first create a golden AMI for the Auto Scaling group and the AMI is used in a launch configuration with the desired instance type. With a shell script in the user data, upon launch of the instance, new volumes are created out of the latest EBS snapshot and attached to the instance. We can use the EBS fast snapshot restore feature to reduce the initialization time of the newly created volumes.
If the database is started now (recently), it would have a crash consistent state. In order to restore it to the latest state, we can leverage the log backup stored in EFS which is automatically mounted by the AMI. Additional Care to be taken so that the SAP application server is aware of the new IP of the restored SAP HANA database server.
Benefits
- Better fault tolerance – Amazon EC2 Auto Scaling can detect when an instance is unhealthy, terminate it, and launch an instance to replace it. Amazon EC2 Auto Scaling can also be configured to use multiple Availability Zones. If one Availability Zone becomes unavailable, Amazon EC2 Auto Scaling can launch instances in another one to compensate.
- Better availability – Amazon EC2 Auto Scaling helps in ensuring the application always has the right capacity to handle the current traffic demand.
- Better cost management – Amazon EC2 Auto Scaling can dynamically increase and decrease capacity, as needed. Since AWS has pay for the EC2 instances, billing model can be used to save money, by launching instances only when they are needed and terminating them when they aren’t.
Conclusion
This blog discussed how Sify can help SAP customers to save cost by automating recovery process for HANA database, using native AWS tools. Sify would be glad to help your organization as your AWS Managed Services Partner for a tailor-made SAP on AWS Cloud solution involving seamless cloud migration experience and for your Cloud Infrastructure management thereafter.
Fast-track your SAP’s Cloud Adoption on AWS, with Sify
Cloud computing (which later became known as just Cloud), one of the technology trends since last few years, has become a game-changer. Cloud offered a platform for organizations not just to host their applications but also to maintain it / manage it and charge organizations on a pay-per-usage model. This translated into getting rid of the Capex (Capital expenditure on hardware/servers) and instead, opting for the flexible Opex (Operating Expenses) model which also helped organizations in slashing the manpower budget.
The biggest advantage of Cloud is its scalability – freedom to add/reduce storage/compute/network bandwidth as per the need within an agreed SLA-framework.
The rise of Cloud adoption led to two categories:
- Cloud as a hosting platform
- Cloud-based software/applications
Cloud as a hosting platform
This is more popularly known as Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) or Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) wherein the service provider offers bundled services of Compute, Storage, Network & Security requirements.
Cloud providers deliver a computing platform, typically including operating system, programming language execution environment, database, and web server. Application developers can develop and run their software solutions on a cloud platform without the cost and complexity of buying and managing the underlying hardware and software layers.
Based on the deployment options, Cloud is classified under Public, Private and Hybrid Cloud, which vary due to security considerations.
Why AWS
With some PaaS providers like AWS, the underlying compute and storage resources scale automatically to match application demand so that the cloud user does not have to allocate resources manually. They use a load balancer which distributes network or application traffic across a cluster of servers. Load balancing improves responsiveness and increases availability of applications.
As per a 2020 IDC study, over 85% of customers report cost reduction by running SAP on AWS.
Get consulting support, training, and services credits to migrate eligible SAP workloads with the AWS Migration Acceleration Program (MAP).
AWS has been running SAP workloads since 2008, meaningfully longer than any other cloud provider. AWS offers the broadest selection of SAP-certified, cloud-native instance types to give SAP customers the flexibility to support their unique and changing needs.
Whether you choose to lift and shift existing investments to reduce costs, modernize business processes with native AWS services, or transform on S/4HANA, reimagining is possible with SAP on AWS.
When you choose AWS, you will be joining 5,000+ customers who trust the experience, technology, and partner community of AWS to migrate, modernize, and transform their SAP landscapes.
AWS & Sify collaboration
While AWS has been a global leader in Public Cloud services, in India Sify Technologies (one of the pioneers in the ICT domain & India’s first SSAE-16 Cloud certified provider) had designed its own Cloud called ‘CloudInfinit’ way back in 2013 and since then has been helping diverse organizations in moving their ERP applications, especially SAP workloads to its Cloud, seamlessly.
With Sify’s cloud@core strategy, customers can enjoy all facets of Cloud with complete visibility and control.
SIFY’s SAP deployment flexibility ON CLOUD
SAP on AWS hybrid cloud solutions
Use Cases
- Lifecycle Distribution: Separate Development and Test Environments
- Workload Distribution
- High Availability Deployments
Business Benefits
- Best of breed performance with Hybrid Cloud configuration
- Efficient integrations with extended ecosystems
- Compliance with data sovereignty
- Business continuity with resilience
- Simplicity with self service
- Operational efficiency with reduced IT administration
- Cost reduction with on-demand bursting to public clouds
Migration methodology
For SAP Migrations from on-premises or from any other Cloud to AWS, depending on various parameters like Prod. database size, available downtime window, source/target operating system/database, connectivity/link speed etc., we have been using various ways for seamless migration briefly explained below.
SAP SYSTEMS monitoring
Once SAP workloads are moved to AWS, Sify’s Managed Services takes care of every aspect, including monitoring the Operating System, Database, Connectivity, Security, Backup etc. as per the agreed SLAs. It also monitors the mission-critical SAP systems closely as depicted in diagram below.
Conclusion
Cloud, the scalable, flexible and yet robust hosting platform allows you to use your ERP workloads as well as SaaS applications effectively. Going by the increasing number of customers moving to Cloud, it is certain that Cloud is not vaporware, it is here to stay and only to grow bigger and safer by the day! It would also necessitate organizations to chart out a Smart Cloud strategy.
Sify Data Centers to invest in over 200 MW of green power
Announces partnership with Vibrant Energy, a portfolio company indirectly invested in by Macquarie’s Green Investment Group (“GIG”) and operating on a standalone basis
Chennai and Sydney, February 23, 2022: Sify Technologies Limited (NASDAQ: SIFY) (“Sify”), India’s leading digital ICT solutions provider, today announced a major commitment to renewable energy for its growing data center portfolio in India. The company recently concluded power purchase agreements (PPAs) with Vibrant Energy Holdings (“Vibrant”), a majority owned subsidiary of Blue Leaf Energy Asia Pte. Ltd. (“Blueleaf Energy”) which is a portfolio company of Macquarie’s GIG. The PPAs are for total 231MW of solar and wind energy capacity to power Sify’s latest hyperscale data centers, of which 67MW solar PPA had been signed in March 2021 and recently commissioned.
This partnership is the first step in a clear roadmap for the company to minimize its dependence on fossil fuels to power its fast-growing data center business, dramatically reducing its carbon footprint. By simultaneously investing in both solar and wind energy, Sify will soon be able to deliver most of the power required for its flagship data centers in Mumbai from renewable sources and intends to continue increasing renewable penetration across its nationwide footprint.
Raju Vegesna, Chairman, Sify said, “There is an intensifying narrative about adopting green energy. We decided to lead by action, as we always have done in the ICT space. With the constantly expanding need for world-class data center facilities to meet the burgeoning data-centric transformation of Indian businesses, we believe that investing in clean energy sources to fuel this transformation is a social imperative. Sify is proud to be doing its part to help our customers become a part of this clean energy future”.
M P Vijay Kumar, CFO, Sify, said, “As an early adopter of ESG guidelines, Sify has constantly pushed the envelope in the Data Center space. This shift to renewables will deliver clear economic advantages, but it is also about proving the viability of adopting green energy solutions at an industrial scale.”
Oliver Lewis, Chairman of Vibrant Energy and Executive Director of GIG said: “We are very excited by Vibrant’s continued growth in capacity to provide green energy solutions to businesses in India, supporting India’s decarbonization. The partnership with Sify Technologies marks a new milestone on Vibrant’s journey of providing green energy and tailored solutions to meet the growing business demand.”
Srini Viswanathan, CEO, Vibrant Energy, said: “Vibrant is honored to partner with Sify in their journey to build sustainable data center solutions in the Indian market. Vibrant is looking forward to continuing to work with Sify to support them in their 100% renewable energy goals.”
About Sify Technologies
A Fortune India 500 company, Sify Technologies is India’s most comprehensive ICT service & solution provider. With Cloud at the core of our solutions portfolio, Sify is focussed on the changing ICT requirements of the emerging Digital economy and the resultant demands from large, mid and small-sized businesses.
Sify’s infrastructure comprising state-of-the-art Data Centers, the largest MPLS network, partnership with global technology majors and deep expertise in business transformation solutions modelled on the cloud, make it the first choice of start-ups, SMEs and even large Enterprises on the verge of a revamp.
More than 10000 businesses across multiple verticals have taken advantage of our unassailable trinity of Data Centers, Networks and Security services and conduct their business seamlessly from more than 1600 cities in India. Internationally, Sify has presence across North America, the United Kingdom and Singapore.
Sify, www.sify.com, Sify Technologies limited, www.sifytechnologies.com, Sify Infint Spaces Limited and Sify Digital Services Limited are registered trademarks of Sify Technologies Limited.
About Vibrant Energy
Vibrant Energy’s mission is to lead the transition of corporate & industrial (C&I) customers to a more sustainable, resilient, and low-cost energy future. The platform has been delivering on this mission through its extensive project portfolio which currently contains 66MW of operational solar PV projects and an active development pipeline of over 400MW across India. Vibrant Energy a is a majority-owned subsidiary of Blueleaf Energy. Blueleaf Energy is a portfolio company owned by Macquarie’s Green Investment Group, operating on a standalone basis.
About Blueleaf Energy
Blueleaf Energy’s mission is to develop, deliver and operate safe, high quality, ethical renewable energy projects, enabling a greener energy mix and lower power bills. Blueleaf Energy specialises in commercial and industrial (C&I), utility scale solar, wind and energy storage solutions across the Asia-Pacific region.
Blueleaf Energy is developing a pipeline of projects in excess of 6GW, in addition to the historical track record of building 2GW of capacity globally, including over 500MW in the Asia Pacific region. Blueleaf Energy is a portfolio company owned by Macquarie’s Green Investment Group (GIG), operating on a standalone basis.
About Macquarie’s Green Investment Group
Macquarie’s Green Investment Group (GIG) is a specialist in green infrastructure principal investment, project development and delivery, green impact advisory and the management of portfolio assets. Its track record, expertise and capability make it a global leader in green investment and development, dedicated to accelerating the green transition. In April 2022, GIG will operate as part of Macquarie Asset Management (MAM). This move will bring together market leading expertise across the energy transition spectrum and connect GIG with the capital of the world’s largest investors to accelerate the green transition and deliver a net zero future.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The forward-looking statements contained herein are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. Sify undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statements.
For a discussion of the risks associated with Sify’s business, please see the discussion under the caption “Risk Factors” in the company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended March 31, 2021, which has been filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and is available by accessing the database maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov, and Sify’s other reports filed with the SEC.
For further information, please contact:
Sify Technologies Limited
Mr. Praveen Krishna
Investor Relations & Public Relations
+91 44 22540777 (ext.2055)
Sify Technologies Recognized as a ‘NICHE PLAYER’ In The 2021 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ For Managed Network Services
Recognized for Completeness of Vision and Ability to Execute
Chennai, 31 January, 2022— Sify Technologies Limited (NASDAQ: SIFY), India’s leading Digital ICT solutions provider with global service capabilities spanning Data Center, Cloud, Networks, Security and Digital services, was recently recognized as a ‘Niche Player’ in the 2021 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Managed Network Services. The evaluation was made based on specific criteria that analyzed the company’s overall completeness of vision and ability to execute.
Garter’s Magic Quadrant reports are a culmination of rigorous, fact-based research in specific markets, providing a wide-angle view of the relative positions of the providers in markets where growth is high and provider differentiation is distinct. Providers are positioned into four quadrants: Leaders, Challengers, Visionaries and Niche Players. The research enables one to get the most from market analysis in alignment with their unique business and technology needs.
According to Gartner research, “By 2024, 30% of enterprise buyers will demand managed network services (MNS) that include near-real-time case management synchronization with enterprise-operated IT service management (ITSM) tools and more than 60% of software-defined wide-area network (SD-WAN) customers will have implemented a secure access service edge (SASE) architecture.”
As an integrated digital transformation partner with cloud@core portfolio of services, Sify can help enterprises to derive value by transforming their network with a suite of managed network solutions and services that include a world class Service delivery platform (SDP), Service management functions, Operations automation, Customer experience management, Professional services and transformative technologies such as SD-WAN and Secure Access Service Edge (SASE).
Commenting on the recognition, Kamal Nath, CEO, Sify Technologies said, “This stands testimony to our world class managed network services capability. Sify’s deep and proven expertise in managing customers’ mission critical networks at scale, is a preferred choice for enterprises looking to meet their network transformational goals. We are also building competencies in emerging tech to future-proof our customers’ networks and enhance outcomes through application of AI/ML”
CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL REPORT.
Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Managed Network Services, 10 November 2021, Ted Corbett, Danellie Young. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
GARTNER and Magic Quadrant are registered trademarks and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and are used herein with permission. All rights reserved.
About Sify Technologies
A Fortune India 500 company, Sify Technologies is India’s most comprehensive ICT service & solution provider. With Cloud at the core of our solutions portfolio, Sify is focussed on the changing ICT requirements of the emerging Digital economy and the resultant demands from large, mid and small-sized businesses.
Sify’s infrastructure comprising state-of-the-art Data Centers, the largest MPLS network, partnership with global technology majors and deep expertise in business transformation solutions modelled on the cloud, make it the first choice of start-ups, SMEs and even large Enterprises on the verge of a revamp.
More than 10000 businesses across multiple verticals have taken advantage of our unassailable trinity of Data Centers, Networks and Security services and conduct their business seamlessly from more than 1600 cities in India. Internationally, Sify has presence across North America, the United Kingdom and Singapore.
Sify, www.sify.com, Sify Technologies and www.sifytechnologies.com are registered trademarks of Sify Technologies Limited.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The forward-looking statements contained herein are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. Sify undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statements.
For a discussion of the risks associated with Sify’s business, please see the discussion under the caption “Risk Factors” in the company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended March 31, 2021, which has been filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and is available by accessing the database maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov, and Sify’s other reports filed with the SEC.
For further information, please contact:
Sify Technologies Limited
Mr. Praveen Krishna
Investor Relations & Public Relations
+91 44 22540777 (ext.2055)
