Typically, enterprises choose between bare metal provisioning and virtualization. However, there are more and more cases fit for a hybrid setup. We tried to overview them and highlight benefits in this article.
The Reason Enterprises Look for a Bare Metal and Virtual Machines Combination
Standalone bare metal provisioning offers benefits like raw computing power, low latency, and security. However, it also brings drawbacks. First of all, they are limited in terms of scalability and flexibility. Since each server is dedicated to one user or application, enterprises need significant upfront infrastructure investments to scale. It can be a serious issue for companies enterprises with fluctuating workloads.
What we've realised while preparing this material is that most enterprises than run bare metal, also have workloads that don’t require the full capacity and security of bare metal servers. This is where a hybrid approach, featuring hybrid bare metal and virtual infrastructure, offers advantages.
Practices for Combining Bare Metal Provisioning and Virtualization
1. Divide heavy computational tasks and less resource-intensive workloads.
This use case applies to enterprises running applications with varying resource requirements. Let's say, for example, that they run heavy workloads like weather modelling, LLM training, or real-time data processing – which require the full capacity of bare metal. However, most of them also have smaller projects that can run effectively in a virtualized environment. This division helps optimize the use of computing resources.
The use case applies to:
Businesses and startups developing AI/ML applications, as well as research institutions and universities with varying resource needs. With a hybrid bare metal and virtual infrastructure, these organizations can use bare metal provisioning for heavy workloads and virtualize smaller, less data-intensive tasks, saving substantial financial resources.
2. Backup solution for sudden workload fluctuations.
Companies that experience occasional workload peaks, for example, during seasonal rushes. Since these peaks are rare, it doesn't make sense to invest in extra physical servers for those instances. A bare metal and virtual servers combination allows to keep main workloads on bare metal servers while using VMs during periods of high demand.
The use case applies to:
E-commerce platforms, finance companies, and media organizations that run their own infrastructure and encounter unpredictable peaks in traffic or processing demands can significantly save their CapEx by utilizing this combined solution.
3. Keep security-sensitive workloads on bare metal and less sensitive tasks in virtualised environment.
Enterprises in industries like healthcare or the public sector have strict data security and regulatory compliance requirements for sensitive workloads (for example, personal patient data), which demands bare metal infrastructure. However, these organizations can still run less sensitive workloads on virtual machines, for example, general data processing or administrative tasks.
The use case applies to:
Healthcare service providers, financial institutions, and public sector organizations can significantly reduce their infrastructure costs by deploying a hybrid bare metal and virtual infrastructure.
Bare Metal Provisioning and Virtual Servers Combination with OpenStack Ironic
Before we talk about the bare metal and virtualized environments combination, let’s briefly explain what OpenStack Ironic is for those who may be unfamiliar with it.
Ironic is an OpenStack service for provisioning bare metal servers in a similar way as virtual machines. The biggest difference is that Ironic is deployed directly on physical machines without requiring a hypervisor. That eliminates virtualization overhead, reduces latency, and provides raw computing power along with workload isolation. The service automates tasks like powering servers on and off, installing operating systems, and configuring networks, doing all this through a user-friendly interface.
Ironic can be deployed as a standalone bare metal provisioning service or in combination with virtual machines. This hybrid setup allows businesses to divide their workloads based on resource intensity or security requirements, as mentioned above.
How FishOS and Ironic Work Together
Sardina Systems integrates Ironic within the FishOS OpenStack environment, offering a unified solution for a bare metal and virtual servers combination. This integration allows users to quickly deploy and scale workloads with minimal effort, optimizing infrastructure based on real-time needs.
Moreover, FishOS with Ironic simplifies the management of both bare metal and virtualized workloads. Users can manage and provision bare metal and VMs through the same tools, API calls, and interface. That significantly simplifies the process for service operators, reducing the learning curve and management complexity. This unified approach is particularly beneficial for organizations operating large-scale, hybrid environments.
Benefits of Combining Bare Metal Provisioning and Virtualization through FishOS and Ironic
If your enterprise requires both bare metal and virtualized environments, you should carefully consider compatibility when choosing their cloud solutions. The combination of FishOS and Ironic offers several advantages:
- Flexibility: Easily adapt to changing workloads by choosing a hybrid bare metal and virtual infrastructure.
- Efficient Workload Management: Allocate workloads between bare metal and virtual machines in a few clicks with our fully-automated solution.
- Full Suite of FishOS Features: Get the most of Sardina Systems’ award-winning cloud management solution. Access Workload Manager, zero-downtime FishOS Upgrader, Health Monitoring, and other components and services, which aim at keeping your system up-and-running at all times while optimizing server resources utilisation, and reducing manual tasks.
- Expert Support: Sardina Systems’ premium support for Ironic and FishOS. With our team’s decade of experience, we ensure 2-hour resolution rate for emergency situations, unlimited tickets, 24/7 support options, and 2-hour response rate for non-emergency issues.
Client Highlight: University of Tuebingen
For several years, Sardina Systems has collaborated with the University of Tuebingen, one of Germany’s leading research centers, to enhance the efficiency and productivity of their ML-based cloud infrastructure. The center does research in a wide range of fields, including medicine, agriculture, and autonomous driving, all of which demand AI workloads.
By using FishOS with Ironic, the university has been able to optimize resource allocation. Currently, they are running around 70% of AI projects on bare metal, and the other 30% in a virtualized cloud environment managed by FishOS. This hybrid setup has greatly streamlined infrastructure management for the data scientists and allows them to focus on their research tasks instead of solving infrastructure management complexities.
How to Choose Your Bare Metal and Virtual Machines Solution?
The market offers several options for bare metal provisioning, including Ironic by OpenStack, MAAS by Canonical, and Satellite by Red Hat.
When selecting the right one, consider these factors:
- Standalone vs. Hybrid: Determine if you need a purely bare metal solution or a combination of bare metal and cloud setup. Our team is fully-equipped to provide you with a solution for both scenarios.
- Ecosystem: By choosing a bare metal solution, you are choosing your ecosystem, so your solutions must be compatible. Ironic is compatible with OpenStack-based environments, while Satellite is a choice for those planning to use Red Hat.
- Specific Needs: Evaluate individual needs and technical requirements. Ironic users, for example, highlight better flexibility in configurations and easier image building and customisation.
- Extra Services and Support: Consider the added services and support provided by your potential partner. Sardina Systems’ FishOS offers valuable features like AI-powered components, a zero-downtime Upgrader, and more. Additionally, our team provides a full suite of services, including the “white glove” onboarding, responsive technical support, and consultations without additional charges.
Conclusion
When choosing the bare metal provisioning service, you need to consider several factors. Do you need a standalone Ironic or a hybrid bare metal and virtual infrastructure solution that combines bare metal and virtualized environments? Which ecosystem would be the most cost-efficient or compatible? Which additional services and features would you need? We encourage you to study these and other questions further in order to make an informed decision.
If you need support in assessing your options or answering the questions, don’t hesitate to contact Sardina Systems and schedule a free consultation. Our team will be glad to help you find your best option.
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