Cisco Workload Optimization Manager

Data centers and applications are getting more complex and distributed. The result is a dizzying array of monitoring, orchestration, and management solutions that have not been able to ensure workload performance. In addition, applications are becoming more distributed and complex as enterprises build them on containers and microservices in multicloud environments. The ability to continuously deliver application performance while minimizing costs is critical. It enables development teams to innovate and run applications efficiently. It ensures that end users and customers have great digital experiences. It drives revenue. However, workload management is now so complex that it is moving beyond human capabilities.

Cisco Workload Optimization Manager (CWOM) is a real-time decision engine that drives continuous health in the IT environment. Its intelligent software constantly analyzes workload consumption, costs, and compliance constraints. It ensures application performance by giving workloads the resources they need, when they need them. Figure 3-16 illustrates today’s workload management.


Figure 3-16 Today’s workload management

Cisco Workload Optimization Manager is an easy-to-install, agentless technology that detects relationships and dependencies between the components in your environment, from applications through the infrastructure layers. Within one hour of deployment, Cisco Workload Optimization Manager delivers a global topological mapping of your environment (local and remote, and across private and public clouds) and the interdependent relationships within the environment, mapping each layer of the full infrastructure stack to application demand. Figure 3-17 illustrates closed-loop infrastructure optimization using CWOM.


Figure 3-17 Closed-loop infrastructure optimization using CWOM

Cisco Workload Optimization Manager provides specific real-time actions that ensure workloads get the resources they need when they need them, enabling continuous placement, resizing, and capacity decisions that can be automated, driving continuous health in the environment. Once Cisco Workload Optimization Manager is deployed, you connect to your browser of choice, add the license key, and select your targets. After you have selected your targets, you then add IP addresses, usernames, and password credentials. Targets include hypervisors, cloud platforms, applications, storage, network, and more. Cisco Workload Optimization Manager uses these targets to discover your environment and determine the specific actions that will drive continuous health in your environment.