Server Virtualization and Consolidation
Virtualization has now become a household term in many IT environments but its original usage was born from server virtualization. In most cases, server hardware being produced today is far too powerful for the applications we expect it to run but the applications themselves still require isolation from each other onto separate servers.
The result is that most servers are hugely underutilized and power, cooling and space are wasted on hardware that is not required, which generates unnecessary costs for the business - not to mention the environmental impact of this wasted energy usage.
Server virtualization technology from Citrix, Microsoft and VMware allows multiple server applications, which usually require physical separation from each other, to share the same hardware without any reconfiguration of the applications themselves. This enables a higher utilization of that hardware and for less hardware to be maintained in order to service the same purpose.
But, the benefits don't stop there. Virtualized servers are decoupled from the hardware they reside on. This brings to the table many more benefits.
Business applications that for whatever reason could not be configured for fault tolerance or high availability can now take advantage of the hardware resiliency and high availability features provided by the virtualization layer or hypervisor as it is more commonly known.
These virtualized servers can also be replicated over distance to a disaster recovery site where they could be utilized as part of a business continuity plan with minimal reconfiguration. This benefit can save huge amounts of money that would otherwise have been spent on complex, application-based replication techniques or lost productivity due to the reliance on backup and restore operations in a business continuity scenario.
Server virtualization is one of the first steps towards a dynamic, optimized IT environment that is seen as a business asset rather than a cost centre.
Business Continuity
As we stand at the forefront of the 21st Century, technology has enabled to do business faster, more efficiently and in higher volume than ever before. Unfortunately nothing is perfect and when technology fails or some event means that we lose access to it, we are left helpless and stranded.
Business disruptions happen frequently. They may be planned outages, system maintenance upgrades, or hardware and systems failures. Periodically, larger-scale disruptions, such as power outages, fires, or major catastrophes can occur. To suffer even a short e-mail or communications outage can cost companies millions of dollars.
Our consultants have many years experience with designing and delivering highly available systems using technologies such as the Microsoft Cluster Service, SAN based and application based remote replication and VMware Site Recovery Manager.
In many cases, virtualization is the first step for a simple and reliable business continuity solution, but it is not necessarily for everyone. By first understanding the business requirements for what point in time data should be recoverable from and how fast it should be recovered, our consultants are able to harvest deep product knowledge and strong vendor relationships in order to build a solid business continuity solution that satisfies the varying needs of CIOs, CTOs and IT Managers for organizations of all shapes and sizes.
Desktop Virtualization / VDI
Having revolutionized the way that server rooms and datacenters operate, the virtualization wave is now hitting the desktop. Along with all the benefits of server virtualization, desktop virtualization also brings many additional features and cost savings.
Desktops can now enjoy the same advantages from the datacenter environment as virtualized servers. Benefits such as high availability and hardware independence are just the beginning. Having desktops in the datacenter means that all data is stored centrally making data and applications simultaneously more secure and more accessible.
Users are able to log into their desktop PC from wherever they are as long as they have an internet connection. This benefit is further extended when desktop virtualization is combined with virtualization for business continuity because the desktops and applications now form a part of the recovered systems. In a business continuity scenario, the desktop will appear exactly as it had been running in production no matter which location it physically runs in or is accessed from.
The desktop can now be provisioned in seconds and, if desired, as and when required based on user demand. Not only can desktop operating systems be deployed using the same rapid, template-based deployment techniques enjoyed by virtualized servers, but applications can be deployed and upgraded one-time, centrally using application virtualization. These two mechanisms drastically reduce the desktop support costs associated with managing traditional desktops.
Desktop virtualization is a great fit for the organization that is looking to truly optimize their IT environment and let technology do the hard part so the people can concentrate on the business.
