That Set the Foundation for the Private Cloud

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Camilla Armstrong
5 years ago
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1 for Choosing Virtualization Solutions That Set the Foundation for the Private Cloud solutions from work together to harmoniously manage physical and virtual environments, enabling the use of multiple hypervisors and easing integration between physical and virtual machines. As most IT departments have learned all too well, virtualization is anything but an isolated event. Successfully deploying virtualization often means managing across heterogeneous hardware environments including servers, networks and storage and across a wide range of software, from databases and applications to the hypervisors that enable virtualization itself. It also means managing between physical and virtual machines and trying to break down the silos technological and cultural that can prevent the type of business agility that makes virtualization such a powerful and profound part of today s IT environment. One of the first goals of any virtualization deployment is to bring efficiencies to the data center through server consolidation, centralized storage, centralized management, reduced energy requirements and improved business operations. Another key goal is to achieve application insight, which means the ability to have application-level knowledge and support while integrating virtualization with existing tools, personnel and processes. To maximize these efficiencies, it is important that organizations have flexibility in choosing the right solutions for the right business and IT challenges whether those products are servers, storage, databases, applications or hypervisors. PAGE 1 OF 8

2 for To avoid vendor lock-in and operate successfully in a heterogeneous environment, IT organizations are turning to open management solutions that enable uncompromised choice within their infrastructures. Having the right management platform in place is critical during every stage of the virtualization process, whether it is at the early stages of data center consolidation or as companies move further along the path toward using virtualization to enable next-generation cloud computing services that can span the enterprise and beyond. MAKING ROOM FOR MICROSOFT HYPER-V One of the most important reasons to have a flexible virtualization environment that supports uncompromised choice is the value organizations can attain by deploying solutions such as, even if they already have another hypervisor in place. Just as IT departments need to be able to choose the most cost-effective and best-of-breed solutions for servers and storage, they also need the same flexibility in choosing hypervisors, particularly now that has made both fully featured and extremely cost efficient. In a 2010 survey of nearly 500 North American IT professionals, Enterprise Strategy Group found that 34 percent of respondents were using two virtualization solutions and 36 percent were using three or more 1. For many applications, IT organizations are finding that they can save significant time and money by using, even if they are using another hypervisor predominantly within their IT infrastructure. Because is included with Windows Server 2008 R2, organizations can save money on licensing fees while also increasing scalability and improving performance on widely used solutions, such as SharePoint, Exchange and SQL Server. The cost savings can be significant: Acquisition costs can potentially be one-third less than that of other leading virtualization platforms, and the pricing model does not charge for each virtual machine. Another benefit 1 The Evolution of Server Virtualization, Enterprise Strategy Group, November 2010: egygroup.com/2010/11/the-evolution-of-server-virtualization/ PAGE 2 OF 8

3 for of using is that customers can use administrative tools and setup options they are already accustomed to, and as part of Windows Server 2008, R2 offers the same driver support for attached devices. Simply put, workloads work better on. In fact, for many applications, IT organizations are finding that they can save significant time and money by using, even if they are using another hypervisor predominantly within their IT infrastructure. Beyond the opportunities for cost savings and ease of integration with other solutions, now offers all of the critical features and more that IT organizations expect from state-of-the-art hypervisor solutions, including Live Migration, Failover Cluster, increased memory support and host clustering. THE NEED FOR END-TO-END MANAGEMENT For many organizations, the inclusion of with Windows Server 2008 makes it a relatively simple decision to try on certain applications. However, to get the most value out of and build an infrastructure that truly supports multiple hypervisors, it is also critical to deploy an end-to-end management solution that can solve a number of important IT challenges. Among the features and functions you should expect from your virtualization management platform in a multi-hypervisor environment is the ability to: ppmanage all of the leading hypervisor platforms ppmanage all of the server, storage and networking platforms within the data center ppmanage physical and virtual machines, as well as applications ppleverage the use of existing hardware, software and training investments ppprovide vendor-agnostic orchestration, provisioning, deployment and management of hardware, virtual machines and applications ppdeliver a unified approach to application management and hardware management Why such a critical focus on endto-end enterprise management? For many organizations, virtualization is a process. It often starts as a means to reduce costs, reduce power consumption, consolidate space and improve efficiencies. Over time, however, virtualization can become a strategic resource to help organizations deliver replicable IT services that can make the business more agile and competitive. Research shows that many orga- PAGE 3 OF 8

4 for nizations can get through the first phases of virtualization but often get stuck as they try to expand virtualization to include more strategic applications. According to Forrester Research, the average enterprise had virtualized about 30 percent of its servers through early Research from CDW shows that among companies that said they have a fully deployed server environment, their actual virtualization deployment was only 37 percent of their infrastructure 3. The approach by is vendor-agnostic, meaning any hardware platform and any hypervisor platform can be utilized. Virtualization must be part of an overall infrastructure strategy. Virtual machines reside in the same infrastructure as physical machines and utilize the same infrastructure for networks and storage. In addition, as more organizations think about IT as a service and deploy private cloud computing, highly virtualized environments using multiple hypervisors will eventually encompass many more cross-enterprise and mission-critical applications. COMBINED MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS FROM DELL AND MICROSOFT For IT professionals, the goal must be to build the foundation for a data center that will enable virtualization to expand more easily and cost efficiently throughout the organization. Therefore, it is crucial that they have a management platform that can: ppmanage the virtualized and physical infrastructure ppsupport multiple hypervisors ppprovide deep application manageability instead of just virtual machine manageability ppleverage existing investments ppunify all applications and data center resources together provide an end-to-end, future-proof management platform that not only supports multiple-hypervisor environments, but also provides the foundation on which all mission-critical business applications can be virtualized, enabling 2 Virtualization and Trends, January 28, 2010: virtual_mgmt_trends_jan2010_ pdf 3 CDW Server Virtualization Life Cycle Report, January 2010: News room/cdw-server-virtualization-life-cycle-report.pdf PAGE 4 OF 8

5 for significant cost savings, business agility and a clear path toward the delivery of next-generation cloud-based IT services. The approach by is vendor-agnostic, meaning any hardware platform and any hypervisor platform can be utilized. This helps organizations leverage existing hardware assets and successfully manage both and VMware s vsphere side-by-side from a single platform. fully supports key server applications in a server environment, while offering updated server workload licensing to enable virtualization mobility; Dell supports the entire solution servers, software, storage and networking. While the companies approach is a combined management platform for virtualized environments, it is important to note that their solutions enable organizations to manage both virtualized and non-virtualized systems harmoniously. The combined product solutions and approaches by include: Dell OpenManage: OpenManage represents a portfolio of systems management and services based on open standards and an enterprise-wide systems approach to management. Dell has integrated OpenManage hardware management functionality within the System Center Suite product portfolio and has awarded s management tools ISV certification. This seamless integration provides management capabilities that deliver immediate business value, including: ppreducing the number of consoles required to manage hardware, operating systems, applications and IT services ppmaking it easy and cost-effective to deploy Dell hardware in multivendor hardware and software environments ppextending and protecting customers investments in System Center management solutions Dell AIM (Advanced Infrastructure Manager): Part of the Dell VIS (Virtual Integrated System) Architecture, Dell AIM is an infrastructure management and provisioning software solution designed to simplify the management of a heterogeneous environment of hypervisors, servers, storage devices and networks. AIM enables organizations to provision servers across platforms and change server workloads quickly through dynamic re-provisioning. It also allows organizations to manage workloads seamlessly between physical and virtual machines. Among other key features and functions: workload mobility between different servers; higher availability and reduced PAGE 5 OF 8

6 for hardware redundancy; a shared infrastructure to dynamically allocate servers, network connectivity; and storage for strategic IT solutions such as private clouds. Because the platform is vendor-agnostic, it provides unified control for today s increasingly heterogeneous data centers. Not only does AIM allow companies to leverage existing investments, it also improves operational efficiencies by automating network connectivity, reconfiguration and workload targeting in a heterogeneous environment. : is an enterprise-class hypervisor that is included with Windows Server 2008 R2, making it easier than ever to take advantage of the cost savings of virtualization. Whether you are looking to expand your virtualization footprint or introduce a private cloud to your data center, in combination with System Center provides the best value. To lower total cost of ownership, increase scalability and maintain performance, Hyper- V can be used to virtualize tier-one applications such as SQL Server, Office SharePoint Server and Exchange Server. With features such as Live Migration and clustering at no additional cost, and without the added virtualization layer, dramatically reduces costs and increases the value of your data center infrastructure. System Center: System Center is s best-of-breed data center management solution for managing Windows Server, environments and server workloads, offering tight, capability-specific integration across To lower total cost of ownership, increase scalability and maintain performance, can be used to virtualize tier-one applications such as SQL Server, Office SharePoint Server and Exchange Server. multiple fronts: end-to-end monitoring, virtualization management, IT process automation, configuration management, compliance and data protection. System Center is an ideal platform for managing popular enterprise workloads such as Exchange, SQL and SharePoint, given the vast array of management packs that are built by the System Center partner ecosystem. System Center also provides comprehensive management capabilities for heterogeneous data centers. For example, Virtual Machine Manager PAGE 6 OF 8

7 for (VMM) manages multiple hypervisors, including and VMware. Utilizing third-party management packs, Operations Manager can manage Linux environments and a variety of non- applications. Operations Manager and VMM PRO packs deliver significant functionality across other infrastructure components, and from a workflow management perspective, Opalis provides orchestrated IT process automation across a wide range of and non- management toolsets. System Center can also manage key enterprise third-party applications, such as SAP, with the help of in-depth management packs that are written by s partner ecosystem. Dell VIS Architecture: The VIS Architecture helps lower operational cost by controlling infrastructure complexity and improving the speed of response. It enables the automation and streamlining of repetitive tasks and enhances visibility into the infrastructure. Dell VIS Architecture comprises Dell AIM for management of the overall physical and virtual environment, as well as Dell VIS Self-Service Creator, an automated self-service tool that empowers authorized users to deploy and monitor resources. It provides a catalog of IT resources that can be deployed automatically and enables organizations to establish consistent IT governance through the automation of policies and access controls. Dell VIS Self-Service Creator: Also part of the Dell VIS Architecture, VIS Self-Service Creator is an automated workload deployment and management platform for virtual server and desktop workloads, providing authorized users a self-service portal to select and deploy resources and manage them throughout their lifecycle. IT administrators can customize an extensive set of out-of-the-box blueprints to automate many of the day-to-day tasks associated with workload deployment, enabling IT staff to focus on other strategic initiatives. It is particularly helpful in accelerating virtual desktop infrastructure and private enterprise cloud deployments, controlling virtual machine sprawl and optimizing resource utilization. All of this is done seamlessly, with the ability to orchestrate services across a heterogeneous, multi-vendor ecosystem, including hypervisors, connection brokers, image deployment technologies and other management systems. Another advantage of working with and Dell for virtualization management is the ability for Dell customers to maximize efficiencies on their server and desktop systems. Dell and have worked together to develop a management tool, the PAGE 7 OF 8

8 for Dell Server PRO Pack, that can simplify physical and virtual machine management on Dell Power- Edge Servers. Used in System Center Operations Manager or System Center Essentials and System Center Machine Manager 2008, Dell PRO-Pack with PRO-Tips allows IT staff to monitor and manage Dell physical devices and virtual machines that are hosted on Dell PowerEdge servers. CONCLUSION With combined solutions from Dell and, organizations can utilize their existing virtualized and physical infrastructures while enabling a consistent and manageable transition to a more virtualized environment in the future. While these solutions support multiple hypervisors, they also provide a clear path for organizations looking to add as part of their virtualization strategy. This means IT departments have significant opportunities to save money on licensing fees while managing their virtualized environments more efficiently and taking advantage of the features and Dell offer. For example, organizations can benefit from the highly integrated infrastructure and application ecosystem that the Dell VIS Architecture, and other solutions make possible. Because s virtualization products are based on the Windows platform and interfaces, IT staffs can use the skills they already have. By combining this with the hardware and desktop management tools offered by Dell, IT departments can operate more efficiently, simplifying virtualization and infrastructure management to enable the generalists within their organizations to be as effective as specialists, thus saving time, resources and money. The reality is that virtualization is becoming increasingly pervasive. Gartner predicts that within three years, more than 50 percent of all server workloads will be virtualized. It is also clear that virtualization is essential to both short-term data center efficiency and long-term adoption of private, public and hybrid cloud solutions. By working with and exploring the opportunities to efficiently manage end-to-end multihypervisor environments, innovative organizations can make sure they are choosing the right hypervisor for the right business challenge. Having the right solutions in place can make all the difference in the world as organizations seek to reap the benefits of increased virtualization, cloud computing and next-generation IT services not only for today s infrastructure needs, but for tomorrow s as well. p PAGE 8 OF 8

Reaping the Benefits of Multiple Hypervisors

Reaping the Benefits of Multiple Use cases show how organizations can achieve groundbreaking results in virtualization by using combined solutions from Dell and Microsoft to choose the right hypervisor