In my account of our PureFlex installation experience, I lamented about the lack of Smart Cloud Entry:
Without SCE, the PureFlex is essentially equivalent to a highly-integrated IBM hardware stack controlled by IBM Systems Director, and a potentially very capable one at that. However, there is big difference between what IBM is messaging versus what is being delivered today, and it boils down to this: the promise to remove the complexity has yet to be fulfilled.
Earlier this month, IBM Lab Services returned to assuage my disappointment, and it was refreshing to see evidence that Big Blue can still execute despite the ponderous spin and fog of it’s marketing engine. While still clearly a work-in-progress, SCE is no longer vaporware. In a welcome departure from Systems Director, the interface design and user experience demonstrate that much careful thought and consideration were given to process and workflow, albeit with a bent toward enterprise shops vs. service providers. Let’s take a brief look.
As advertised, SCE is geared toward simplifying the process of managing infrastructure resources. The Welcome screen makes that intent plain with a clean, simple interface:
