Virtualisation is for every business, but…
“Virtualisation is not a new thing. It has been going on for a very long time,” says Manoj Bhoola, recently-appointed country manager for Hewlett Packard technology solutions, enterprise storage and servers.
“For many years hardware vendors have produced processors and equipment that offered far more power than what available software would require, resulting in a hardware utilisation as low as 60%. To achieve the best possible return on investment, ways to increase the utilisation of server equipment had to be found. Virtualisation became the new buzzword!
“Many companies got on the bandwagon and are selling virtualisation options but neglect to look at issues such as management. Generally management of servers is complex enough, with virtualisation it is even more complex and for it to work properly it is essential to invest in a proven management product.
Says Bhoola, “Many organisations have jumped into virtualisation to save money but they soon realise that they need to invest in kit to run it and buy software to manage it efficiently. If one ignores the management aspect, disaster will strike.
“A company may be running a virtualised environment with 40 applications and if an urgent needs arises for two more urgent applications to run the next day, it is simply slapped on the virtual server and within half an hour the application will be running. If however something crashes or two applications do not work well together. I call it a memory leak, maybe a leak in code between two applications – you will have no idea on which server it is happening unless you have good management.”
Is virtualisation for everyone?
“I believe that the benefits are there for everyone to explore, but if you don’t plan it properly, don’t bother. It will cost you dearly. It is not just the IT people you employ; it is the software, the management tools and hardware you choose. Most management tools are good but not all are compatible with the hardware deployed. Virtualisation is not a short-term solution and cannot be driven by price. The old adage “you get what you pay for” is true here. The cost savings one can achieve are dependent on investment in the right equipment and software.”
Is virtualisation cost-effective for small business?
“I regard a small business a company that has two branches in different cities with 10 to 20 employees. For those companies virtualisation is not generally a viable cost-effective option. The main driving force here is access to inexpensive bandwidth between the two offices. With the current bandwidth pricing, any cost saving by virtualisation of infrastructure is swallowed up by the fees the telco charges. Companies dependent on expensive bandwidth are better off by leaving their servers where they are at each office.
“If a company is concentrated with a large number of employees in one office and has only one or two small branches, the cost-saving of virtualisation will far outweigh the bandwidth costs and in that case it will be cost-effective to go the virtualised route.”
The recent increase in electricity charges is now tending to become the main driver for virtualisation. With fewer servers, expenditure on electricity is greatly reduced and that coupled with the newer more energy-efficient equipment will assist companies to manage their budgets more efficiently.
How to decide on virtualisation?
Bhoola recommends that companies look at the offerings from hardware vendors. “Consider both hardware and software offerings. Some hardware vendors work better with selected software vendors while others will work well across the board. For instance HP works well with Microsoft, VMware and Citrix. Make sure that the hardware you choose works well with the software you have decided to deploy. HP delivers kit that works well with all three of the mentioned software companies. Other hardware supplier’s equipment may favour one or the other.
“If I was managing a small business I would first look at my electricity costs, then I would look at my IT services and then ask the IT professional if we can reduce the number of servers to reduce the carbon foot print. Always discuss your requirements in-house before bringing in a professional IT consultant to assist in making the right decision.
“In recent times I have had many requests to consult with companies about possible virtualisation. I believe that it is because of the increase in electricity costs.”
Companies are seriously looking at reducing electricity charges to protect their bottom line and to stay in business – this has become a major driver for virtualisation.
There is of course another aspect to this. Eskom will be selling less energy which will translate into less-than-expected income and a compelling reason for an even larger hike next year – another chicken-and-egg situation! Something is wrong with this rationale. In marketing terms you reduce your price to increase your turnover, but not in Eskom’s vocabulary. But for now the IT companies should be smiling!
EngineerIT
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