Glossary What is a Workload?
By null / 1 Jan 2023 / Topics: Modern infrastructure
A workload consists of an application plus the underlying resources it needs to operate. This can include compute, network, security, and storage capabilities. However, other considerations such as location, cooling, heat, and power come into play as well.
Understanding the makeup of workloads is foundational. This knowledge supports better decision-making when it comes to platform-workload alignment, provider selection, migration planning, and even core operations. It’s easy to see how business outcomes can be positively impacted by doing this necessary due diligence.
A workload’s size is determined by the amount of data and applications that the IT infrastructure is supporting at a given time. When moving workloads to new IT infrastructure systems, it’s important to align the workload with the right resources.
What is platform workload alignment?
With important information about the workload documented, the optimal cloud platform can be determined. However, some workloads will be identified as not ideal, or even ineligible, for migration to public cloud. Mistakes related to platform-workload alignment include the failure to prioritize workloads for migration and the failure to consider workload dependencies.
Workload alignment involves analyzing the security, scale and platform needs of the applications and data within the workload. Certain servers and storage solutions are better suited for the type of workload, depending on how the workload is used.
When a workload is aligned with a best-fit infrastructure resource, it will run smoothly and efficiently. Managing and optimizing workloads requires a deep understanding of the:
- Number of applications supported by the workload
- Amount of servers & storage systems
- List of networking components
- Internal & external technology communication
The objective is to determine the most technically appropriate and cost-effective cloud platform to support the business requirements of a workload. Making this determination can result in benefits such as reduced risk, time savings, increased agility, and reduced cost.
