Budgeting is the first step in successful implementation of virtualization. If you are working with an enterprise that is interested in virtualization, it is not be a bad idea to make sure you have the funds for numerous investments which are closely related to it.
Properly implementing virtualization can bring a number of benefits to your organization, and some of these include reducing the outlays that occur with hardware and power, enhance the availability, and reduce the amount of disaster recovery.
The case studies which have been conducted for virtualization show that virtualization is not only highly compelling, but it is also an inevitability at the data center. Despite this, one thing which you must always keep in mind is that virtualization is not something which should be taken lightly. Those who are introduced to this technology for the first time will need to overcome a number of challenges.
One of the first of these challenges is budgeting. While it is a fairly simple manner to set aside funds for the hypervisor, the software which underlies it is the thing responsible for allowing virtualization to work properly. At the same time, a virtual environment which is equipped in the proper manner will generally include a number of things which are optional, and some of these include new hardware.
When implementing virtualization for the first time, many companies purchase brand new servers. There are two reasons for this, and the first is that the host servers which have very quick processors with large amounts of memory will generally create larger savings in terms of energy, and they will also perform at a much higher level.
The second reason is that many hypervisors will only function with servers that have CPUs which make use of virtualization enhancements which are built in. AMD processors will typically fall under this category, but older host machines often do not.
Storage and Management Tools
If you have not made use of a SAN, or Storage Area Network, it will be necessary for you to deploy one at the same time you rollout your virtualization. While virtualization will allow numerous servers to share a standard host, the SANs will allow the virtual machines to share many of the storage resources which are standard.
If an enterprise makes the mistake of not using both in conjunction with one another, they are not making use of the full power of virtualization. It is also important to make sure virtual machines are managed in the right way. This will often require administrative software.
Making sure that your host machines are operating in the proper manner will require you to make use of brand new software. If all of the things mentioned so far are too expensive for you to handle, then it will be necessary for you to take the time to decide whether you wish to implement the whole virtual infrastructure gradually.
If you start out with a small collection of servers, this will greatly assist you when it comes to spreading out your level of spending. Additionally, it will provide your IT department with enough time to become familiar with the technical intricacies that are connected to virtualization. This technology is quite new, so it may be a bad idea to take in too much at one time.
In addition to budgeting, the next thing that you will need to take into consideration is planning. When you think for the long term, and you take the time to plan carefully, it is very possible to deploy virtualization in a manner which is successful.
It is possible for a virtualization roll out to become a failure, and in most cases, when this occurs, it is often the result of improper planning. Many people will simply begin buying equipment without taking the time to look at the requirements.
Planning Virtualization Roll Outs
When you do not plan your virtualization roll out, you can run into a number of problems, and some of these include delays in schedule, overruns for the budget, and a performance level which is listless. All these problems combined together can cause a complete failure in terms of virtualization implementation, so this shows that planning is extremely important.
There are a number of things you will want to do before deploying virtualization, and some of these things include mapping out a plan which is long term, taking the time to consider the ratio for consolidation, and take the time to make sure all the software is compatible.
Before you even think of virtualizing any of the applications you have, you will want to check with vendors in order to make sure they provide support for environments which are virtual; it is critical to be sure that their products behave in the right manner for the virtual machines.
In addition to considering the answers you are given, you will also want to perform hands on testing within the lab. Having objects which are incompatible with one another can cause a large number of problems, and this is the last thing you want when deploying virtualization, as it can become quite costly.
