|
 What
is your Virtualization Strategy?
Virtualization is changing the way resources are
deployed and managed, greatly simplifying and
speeding technology’s response to a challenging
and changing business environment. If you are
looking to enhance the capabilities of the
technology in your business while reducing
support, software, and hardware overhead, you
should consider virtualization.
Information technology is coming full circle.
Twenty-five years ago companies that utilized
computer technology were forced to buy expensive
mainframe server type computers to which
terminals were attached. The applications ran on
the central computer and employees used the
terminal to perform their job function. By
today’s standards these applications were
difficult to use and lacked an easy to use
interface. The personal computer (PC) arrived on
the scene and more and more daily business was
conducted using software installed on these PCs.
Servers primarily became file storage
repositories or served a specific function such
as hosting electronic mail or database engines.
The processing power of the desktop machine
powered the user’s application. These types of
networks were called client/server networks.
Client/Server networks offered powerful business
applications and allowed business to do more
with fewer employees. Unfortunately, it came
with a price. Supporting client/server
environments was expensive, both in manpower and
in hardware. Since the process of the desktop
computer drove the user’s application, more
powerful computers were constantly necessary to
support new versions of popular software
packages. Because each system had a local hard
drive, these machines were susceptible to
viruses, malware, and custom configuration by
the end users. Desktop support costs continued
to rise, and the desktop operating systems were
constantly being updated, many times requiring
costly hardware upgrades.
In an effort to reduce the cost of desktop
computer support, many companies implemented
server-based computing solutions. Using
server-based computing applications are
deployed, managed, supported, and executed 100%
on a server. It uses a multi-user operating
system and a method for distributing the
presentation of an application's interface to a
client device.
Network computing has now come full circle with
the advent of virtualization.
Server Virtualization
In the past, it was necessary to purchase server
hardware for each of your core business
functions. In other words, you would need a
server for Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft SQL,
Microsoft Active Directory domain controller,
etc. Poor planning, research, and software
vendor recommendations often drove unneeded
server hardware costs. As a result, studies have
shown that on average only 7-15% of a server’s
total resource potential is being utilized. This
means that companies are spending more money,
time, and effort on their computer
infrastructure than necessary. The corporate
world has realized this and, as a result, a big
drive towards server virtualization has been
undertaken.
In a nutshell, server virtualization allows you
to run multiple operating systems simultaneously
on a single piece of hardware, thus meeting
software vendor requirements to have their
applications isolated from other processes and
at the same time more fully utilizing your
server hardware. In other words, you can do more
with less; more application offerings with less
hardware; more potential with less cost. How
does this happen?
If it is true that the average server platform
uses 15% of its resource potential then you can
safely add two more applications or virtual
servers on that server hardware, thus bringing
its utilization to 75%. You have effectively
tripled your functionality for 1/3rd of the
hardware cost over the traditional model of
buying three pieces of hardware to handle the
same functionality.
With the scenario above you have also reduced:
|
|
The amount of power being consuming,
thereby reducing monthly utility costs
|
|
|
The amount of heat being generated,
thereby reducing the ongoing cooling
costs of your datacenter
|
|
|
The amount of rack space needed,
thereby reducing the quantity of racks
and floor space needed to house your
datacenter
|
|
|
The amount of hardware needing
maintenance, thereby reducing the time
needed to maintain all of your server
hardware and the money associated with
that time (labor costs, warranties, etc)
|
In a real world example ENS has assisted
clients by reducing five racks of servers to
two. With virtualization we have effectively
implemented 25+ virtual servers using four
physical pieces of hardware (three physical
servers and one SAN).
If you are uncertain of the capabilities of your
disaster recovery or frustrated by its
complexity, virtualization might be the answer.
There are many more advantages to
virtualization, but it should be clear this is
definitely a viable way of doing more with less.
In a difficult economy and with technology
budgets tight, virtualization has great
potential in both performance and cost savings. 
Call ENS Group today or contact us via
e-mail for more information or a free
demonstration of the power and potential of
virtualization.
Copyright 2009 ENS Group
|
 |
|
|
