Server virtualization is a technology that has taken hold with amazing speed and is now firmly entrenched with overwhelming success in many data centers. This perspective document recaps why you should be moving ahead quickly with virtualization (if you haven’t already done so), what the implications are for IT and the business, and what the future holds as the ramifications of virtualization become apparent.
A CIO's View of Server
Virtualization November 1, 2007 AUTHOR: Jack Santos (jsantos@burtongroup.com) TECHNOLOGY THREAD: Management Synopsis My Users Think All This Server virtualization is a technology that has taken hold with amazing speed and is now firmly Stuff is Hidden in a Missile entrenched with overwhelming success in many data Silo in North Dakota. Why centers. This perspective document recaps why you should be moving ahead quickly with virtualization (if Should They Care? you haven't already done so), what the implications are for IT and the business, and what the future holds as Virtualization is on your bosses and your business peer's the ramifications of virtualization become apparent. It radar (e.g., The Wall Street Journal made 13 references is important that CIOs understand the technical, to it in August and September 2007 alone1). It has all political, and organizational effects of this new the fingerprints of topics near and dear to a CxO's technology so that they are better prepared to discuss heart: expense savings, increased flexibility, and new virtualization plans with their technical staff. technological innovation that everyone else is using. The argument can be made that virtualization is an internal IT decision based on efficiency and Analysis effectiveness. For IT to deliver the service "cheaper, Consider the following: faster, better," you must understand both the implications of virtualization to the cost structure, and If you don't have a set of production class your ability to deliver better service with increased applications running on virtual servers, your firm flexibility. Burton Group calls this the "dynamic data is now officially an organizational "laggard"; center" in Andrew Kutz's report "Improving Data certainly not an "early adopter" or even a "fast Center Energy Efficiency: A Holistic Approach." follower." "Laggard" may be too kind an epithet. How about "Last Follower"? Business management sees virtualization as an opportunity to improve its IT cost structure, get more For the overwhelming majority of Fortune 500 accurate billing, or consolidate their own business companies, this means using VMware's products to get unit's computing resource as a dedicated utility into virtualization orbit. To a much smaller extent, it (whether hosted internally or externally). may mean using Microsoft Virtual Server, Virtual Iron software, or Xen Open Source solutions, which Riding the Virtualization are sold commercially as XenSource (recently Rocket: Getting On and purchased by Citrix). Staying On Server virtualization has been the single most successful technological development in the data Occasionally, a disruptive technology event causes IT center realm over the past year to 18 months. For those leaders to reevaluate an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" CIOs who saw the trend and are well down the approach, and make a recommendation that could virtualization vapor trail: Congratulations! Now come have significant implications for IT operations and the hard questions. What are the implications of a strategy. Virtualization is an example of this type of virtualized server infrastructure? What unintended technology for the following reasons: consequences have IT departments encountered, and where does Burton Group see this new model for . It achieves savings in data center cooling and computing delivery headed? power costs . It can postpone or be an adjunct to a data center expansion
. It generates maintenance savings in hardware your help-desk and engineering staff. Putting the right costs, especially if it is time to refresh servers training program in place is paramount. As these tools . It reduces staffing needs for server support mature, keep three long term considerations in mind: and simplifies systems management for tool integration, interoperability, and staffing impacts. system administrators, which reduces weekend and overtime needs At Burton Group, we see a long-term trend toward . It increases flexibility for hardware consolidation of tools, so that (holistically) a data provisioning processes center management console can impact the range of . It enables new software development technologies - hypervisor, operating systems, network, processes that can speed development and storage, and (ultimately) application. For granular improve quality maintenance and troubleshooting, detai... [download for more]
