Past is prologuePast is prologue

André V. MendesAndré V. Mendes

Vice President Vice President

& &

Chief Technology Integration OfficerChief Technology Integration Officer

Public Broadcasting ServicePublic Broadcasting Service

A quick recap…A quick recap…

Introduction, hysteria, disappointment, maturity, Introduction, hysteria, disappointment, maturity, productivity cycle productivity cycle

We underestimate long terms effects of We underestimate long terms effects of technological changetechnological change

Technology evolves at a double exponential rateTechnology evolves at a double exponential rate We will experience the equivalent of 200 centuries We will experience the equivalent of 200 centuries

of change in the 21of change in the 21stst Century Century

How do we deal with change..How do we deal with change..

Is there a basis for decision making that:Is there a basis for decision making that:– Is predicated on long standing patterns?Is predicated on long standing patterns?– Is a reliable enough pattern for guidance?Is a reliable enough pattern for guidance?– Can point us to an end game therefore Can point us to an end game therefore

setting a general direction?setting a general direction?

A quick question?A quick question?

What is the ultimate e-commerce system?What is the ultimate e-commerce system?– Easily provides answers on:Easily provides answers on:

Products, prices, availability, shippingProducts, prices, availability, shipping Remembers your tastes, previous purchasesRemembers your tastes, previous purchases Makes informed suggestions on other optionsMakes informed suggestions on other options Has all of your payment informationHas all of your payment information Can provide you with complete “feel” of the productsCan provide you with complete “feel” of the products

Virtual reality exclusive boutique that carries Virtual reality exclusive boutique that carries anything you need and staffed by super anything you need and staffed by super salespeople avatars that know everything about salespeople avatars that know everything about you, their products and previous interactions you, their products and previous interactions

A logical corollary…A logical corollary…

Technological environments will evolve:Technological environments will evolve:– Assume anthropomorphic characteristicsAssume anthropomorphic characteristics– Stratify into society like environmentsStratify into society like environments

Providing outsourced services to the communityProviding outsourced services to the community

– How many of you:How many of you: Dig your own wells, generate your electricityDig your own wells, generate your electricity Grow your own cattle, milk you own cowsGrow your own cattle, milk you own cows

– Yet we all provide our own Yet we all provide our own Storage, computing power, firewalls, e-mailStorage, computing power, firewalls, e-mail

From here to thereFrom here to there

How do we get from today to tomorrowHow do we get from today to tomorrow– Gotta breathe before you crawlGotta breathe before you crawl– Gotta crawl before you walkGotta crawl before you walk– Walk before you runWalk before you run

Start at the bottom and move up!Start at the bottom and move up! Evolve!Evolve!

The crux of evolutionThe crux of evolution

Evolution is all about leveraging abstraction layersEvolution is all about leveraging abstraction layers– Always has been, always will beAlways has been, always will be

BiologicallyBiologically– DNA, mitochondria, all the way to sentiencyDNA, mitochondria, all the way to sentiency

SociologicallySociologically– Hunters, blacksmiths, physicians, oncologistsHunters, blacksmiths, physicians, oncologists

TechnologicallyTechnologically– Zero, binary system, transistor, SOAZero, binary system, transistor, SOA

Abstraction layers allow one to concentrate on missionAbstraction layers allow one to concentrate on mission– By virtue of ubiquity, become utilities and disappearBy virtue of ubiquity, become utilities and disappear

Creating an abstraction layerCreating an abstraction layer

Start at the lowest layer of functionalityStart at the lowest layer of functionality– StandardizeStandardize– Modularize (allows evolution within standard)Modularize (allows evolution within standard)– Move upMove up

Lather, rinse, repeat!Lather, rinse, repeat! Raise entry barriers for deviationRaise entry barriers for deviation

– Becomes substantially harder as you go up!Becomes substantially harder as you go up! Don’t go back unless it means substantial gain Don’t go back unless it means substantial gain

in functionality or price/performance ratioin functionality or price/performance ratio

The making of a strategic plan..The making of a strategic plan.. The mission of PTVThe mission of PTV

– To create/distribute compelling and entertaining To create/distribute compelling and entertaining educational contenteducational content

PBS’ missionPBS’ mission– To help PTV fulfill its missionTo help PTV fulfill its mission

PBS’s Enterprise Technology missionPBS’s Enterprise Technology mission– To become an abstraction layerTo become an abstraction layer– To become a utility To become a utility – Disappear!Disappear!

Business driversBusiness drivers

Broadcast’s increasing dependency on ITBroadcast’s increasing dependency on IT– Schedule complexity, multicasting require automationSchedule complexity, multicasting require automation– Automation requires reliabilityAutomation requires reliability– Broadcast reliability measured in frames (1/30Broadcast reliability measured in frames (1/30thth of a of a

second)second) Y2K (who knew?) Y2K (who knew?) Web presence explodingWeb presence exploding E-commerce opportunityE-commerce opportunity E-mail criticalityE-mail criticality Desktop nightmareDesktop nightmare

A journey of 1000 steps.. From 3/98A journey of 1000 steps.. From 3/98 6 Hardware platforms6 Hardware platforms

VAX Cluster, Alpha, HP-Risc, Sun, Compaq, Apple VAX Cluster, Alpha, HP-Risc, Sun, Compaq, Apple 7 Operating Systems7 Operating Systems

VMS, HP-UX, Solaris, NT, OS/2, Apple, LinuxVMS, HP-UX, Solaris, NT, OS/2, Apple, Linux 4 Network Protocols4 Network Protocols

DecNet, Net B, AppleTalk, TCP/IPDecNet, Net B, AppleTalk, TCP/IP 4 Database platforms4 Database platforms

Oracle, Ingres, SQL Server, BtrieveOracle, Ingres, SQL Server, Btrieve All server attached storageAll server attached storage Overall availability FY 98 below 99% and fallingOverall availability FY 98 below 99% and falling Staff – Growing yet constantly overwhelmedStaff – Growing yet constantly overwhelmed

Strategic consolidation platformsStrategic consolidation platforms

EthernetEthernet TCP/IPTCP/IP IntelIntel WindowsWindows SQL ServerSQL Server SAN based storageSAN based storage Browser based applicationsBrowser based applications

3 years later…March 20013 years later…March 2001

EliminatedEliminated– VAX Cluster, Alpha, Apple – From 6 to 3VAX Cluster, Alpha, Apple – From 6 to 3– VMS, NT, OS/2, Apple – From 7 to 4VMS, NT, OS/2, Apple – From 7 to 4– DecNet, AppleTalk, – From 4 to 2DecNet, AppleTalk, – From 4 to 2– Informix, Btrieve – From 4 to 3Informix, Btrieve – From 4 to 3

AddedAdded– Windows 2000, Red Hat, MySQLWindows 2000, Red Hat, MySQL– All non OS critical storage on IBM SharkAll non OS critical storage on IBM Shark

Overall availability FY01 – 99.91% and risingOverall availability FY01 – 99.91% and rising

Revised consolidation platformsRevised consolidation platforms

EthernetEthernet TCP/IPTCP/IP X86X86, , IPFIPF Windows, Windows, Red Hat LinuxRed Hat Linux SQL Server, SQL Server, MySQLMySQL .NET.NET SAN based storage, SAN based storage, NAS, I-SCSINAS, I-SCSI Browser based applicationsBrowser based applications

A new set of business driversA new set of business drivers

Migration to DTV in full swingMigration to DTV in full swing– Total cost estimated at $1.8BTotal cost estimated at $1.8B– Increasing reliance on IT infrastructureIncreasing reliance on IT infrastructure

Post 9/11 revenues collapsingPost 9/11 revenues collapsing– Federal, state & contributions from viewers Federal, state & contributions from viewers

Operational expenses explodingOperational expenses exploding– MulticastingMulticasting– High definitionHigh definition

Exploding competition in content arenaExploding competition in content arena– Cable, DBS, Internet, Gaming, Tivo, VOD, etc.Cable, DBS, Internet, Gaming, Tivo, VOD, etc.

4 Years later…November 20054 Years later…November 2005

EliminatedEliminated– Sun, Solaris, W2K, NetB, IngresSun, Solaris, W2K, NetB, Ingres

Substantially reducedSubstantially reduced– HP-Risc, HP-UX, OracleHP-Risc, HP-UX, Oracle

AddedAdded– W2K3, VMWareW2K3, VMWare

Migrated to IBM, HP Blade CentersMigrated to IBM, HP Blade Centers Deployed I-SCSI storage fabricDeployed I-SCSI storage fabric Overall availability FY05 YTD – 99.96% risingOverall availability FY05 YTD – 99.96% rising

– Almost all downtime caused by human error, applicationsAlmost all downtime caused by human error, applications

Leveraging the new environment Leveraging the new environment

Application farms behind HW load balancersApplication farms behind HW load balancers Virtualized clusters across blade centersVirtualized clusters across blade centers

– Reduced upfront capital investment (hot spares)Reduced upfront capital investment (hot spares)– Improved reliability and serviceabilityImproved reliability and serviceability– Improved workload managementImproved workload management

CPU intensive versus I/O intensiveCPU intensive versus I/O intensive Across time of dayAcross time of day

– HTTP server 10AM to 10PMHTTP server 10AM to 10PM

– Video compression 10PM to 10AMVideo compression 10PM to 10AM

Utilization 60-70% Vs. typical 15-20%Utilization 60-70% Vs. typical 15-20%

Benefits reapedBenefits reaped

Testing environment servers (30 to 1)Testing environment servers (30 to 1)– Always readyAlways ready

Reducing footprint by 80%, maintenanceReducing footprint by 80%, maintenance Greatly simplified disaster recovery planGreatly simplified disaster recovery plan

– To be done intra-systemTo be done intra-system New server provisioning time cut by ¾ New server provisioning time cut by ¾ thsths StatisticsStatistics

– Staff reduced by 42%Staff reduced by 42%– Application portfolio more than doubledApplication portfolio more than doubled– Downtime decreased by 2 orders of magnitude Downtime decreased by 2 orders of magnitude

Major obstaclesMajor obstacles

Platform religious warsPlatform religious wars– Created some serious frictionCreated some serious friction– Executive level truismsExecutive level truisms– Now working for us Now working for us

Technology stacks and vendor coordinationTechnology stacks and vendor coordination– Diverging views on culpability!Diverging views on culpability!– Dual pathing driver compatibilityDual pathing driver compatibility

IP stack, server, OS, driverIP stack, server, OS, driver Unimpressive datacenter, almost no downtimeUnimpressive datacenter, almost no downtime

– As we become reliable, we become invisibleAs we become reliable, we become invisible Every budget cycle “Why do you need this many FTEs?”Every budget cycle “Why do you need this many FTEs?”

Next steps…Next steps…

Adoption of ACE system for internal opsAdoption of ACE system for internal ops Virtual desktops (06)Virtual desktops (06) From virtual machines in blades to virtual From virtual machines in blades to virtual

machines in grids (08)machines in grids (08) From internal grids to external grids (10)From internal grids to external grids (10) Complete focus on PM, EAI, user Complete focus on PM, EAI, user

interface and core mission (content)interface and core mission (content)

PBS Enterprise TechnologyPBS Enterprise Technology

Evolving from running as a business unit Evolving from running as a business unit within PBS to running as a utility to PBSwithin PBS to running as a utility to PBS

Already running as a utility to PBS Already running as a utility to PBS Member StationsMember Stations

In your organization..In your organization..

You cannot achieve strategic partner statusYou cannot achieve strategic partner status– If you are constantly dealing with firesIf you are constantly dealing with fires– If you are perceived as the help deskIf you are perceived as the help desk– If the perception is that IT is not reliable enough If the perception is that IT is not reliable enough – If management only sees you when there is a If management only sees you when there is a

problemproblem

Must make the case for proper funding! Must make the case for proper funding!

QuestionsQuestions