Server Consolidation
Most servers are only utilizing 5 to 15% of their CPU
capacity and in most cases only run one application. Using virtualization
software, physical servers can be replaced by virtual servers. Many customers
are running up to 25 virtual servers on one dedicated physical server. This
reduces the cost to run (electricity), maintain, and “refresh” 24 physical
servers.
Business Continuity
Within a “virtualized” data center, virtual servers can be
configured to automatically move from one physical server to a different server
in the event of a physical server failure. Before virtualization, the failed
physical server would have to be repaired before the server was brought back
online; taking hours and in some cases days to come back on-line. With
virtualization software, the restore process takes minutes.
Capacity Management
Virtualized data centers can be configured with policies to
automatically move virtual servers from one physical server to a different
physical server when a capacity threshold is reached (such as CPU or network
utilization).
Test and Development
In traditional software test and development groups,
engineers take hours to create development and test servers from scratch,
loading several OS versions and applications on different physical servers.
With server virtualization, test and development servers and applications can
be cloned and created in minutes. Several different OS and application
revisions can be tested using several virtual servers residing on the same
physical server. The resulting benefits
include: reducing the number of servers needed and maximizing testing time.
Disaster Recovery
The most stressful and worrisome task for IT Operations Managers is
implementing a disaster recovery plan. Using traditional methods, disaster
recovery is costly, and at best partially effective. Using virtualization’s
live recovery option the data is never lost and the virtual servers will be
automatically started on another physical server. With the ability to clone any
virtual server, the server can easily be stored offsite; and in the case of a
site disaster, the data center can be re-created.
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