Understanding the concept of virtualization

A layman's definition
Virtualization, in layman's terms, is the ability to run multiple operating systems on one computer, whether that computer is a server or a PC.

A more accurate definition would be "virtualization allows you to make logical replicas of machines, software models of physical boxes." Imagine having the ability to run many virtual machines inside one box. The ability to move machines quickly around data centers and around networks because they now exist as [an] image [or] images. A lot of power and flexibility comes once you enter the virtual world.

Why would you want to do this?

Because for years there has been a proliferation of under-utilized boxes in a typical data center stemming back to the IT boom of the '90s.

In some sectors, we still think new applications require new hardware. The new enterprise finds that very, very objectionable. "Hey, why should I bring in a whole bunch of new boxes for a simple solution? When I know I have some hundred [servers] over there that are being used an average of 8 to 10 percent." Why not pool together all the under-utilized servers, virtualize them, and run all the applications my company needs using the infrastructure I already have in place?

Why are enterprises slow to catch on the virtualization bandwagon?

Sometimes it's just a matter of changing the mindset. Virtualization is, for some enterprises, a new platform, a new infrastructure on which they are going to run their services. As a platform technology, it's almost by definition, disruptive.

IDC reports that last year there were over 2 million servers running as virtual machines and this is compared to new box shipments of 7 million. Some analysts report that by 2009 there will be 7.7 million servers running as virtual machines which is about what we're shipping as new boxes today.

What is the right approach to virtualization -- tactical or strategic?

Both, for sure. Strategically, we're talking about 'virtual' infrastructure and that implies that it's going to be far reaching across your data center. But we also have many tactical opportunities and somewhat tactical customers in the early stage.

What I mean by that is it's very typical for an enterprise to bring us [VMware] in as part as of a targeted project, say [for example] a server consolidation project. To actually align with that strategy, we offer a range of solutions.

Solutions, I think, assume a tactical approach to things. A nice package, solution for virtualization, advantages for business continuity and disaster recovery. When you talk about automating and building in availability to virtual machine, we're talking about enterprise desktops running on servers as virtual machines to get the advantages of the data-center class management.

Because virtualization allows you to make machines with mouse clicks, it will grow and typically, that consolidation solution will become a containment practice where virtualization won't be used for a discreet project but will be used as an outgrowing practice.

What are the best practices for executing a virtualization strategy?

Typically, first is to identify the candidates for virtualization. We assess the current infrastructure to see how much of it lends itself to virtualization. We normally leverage a tool like Capacity Planner offered by VMware. It's a tool that actually reaches out across the network, discovers all the servers, takes an inventory of them [and] makes a consolidation recommendation. Once we know what to consolidate, we use migration tool, a converter tool that over a course of an hour takes an under-utilized box and converts it into a virtual machine.

Once a company has taken the virtualization route, it becomes the preferred platform, and all future server provisioning takes on the virtualization layer. What follows is the creation of a containment practice -- something like a virtual first policy.

What is the reaction of IT managers after performing a discovery process?

It varies. I've seen CIOs fall out of their seats at the level of under-utilization for some of these boxes. So yes, it is a great surprise for some. Also, the funny thing is, on a lot of these assessments, we're helping management find that they have 20 percent more boxes than they thought they had. So, it's not just a surprise on under-utilization frequently, but it's also very frequently a surprise of just how many servers they had that they didn't know about.

What are virtual appliances and what trends do you see in this area?

A virtual appliance is a virtual machine pre-configured and ready-to-run with the OS, the application; the entire machine built ready-to-run, built like a physical appliance. You stick them anywhere in the virtual infrastructure layer and they run as designed, simplifying the whole process of deploying the services. No more complicated, long, build cycles with a lot of low value, repetitive tasks. Companies leveraging these virtual appliances are really getting the most out of their virtual infrastructure.

We believe the virtual appliance will continue to grow drastically because we believe that the role of the operating system has changed. And the role of the operating system has changed simply by this great adoption of the virtual infrastructure.

If you have a secure machine you want to build, you'll develop that application, choose a secure OS and wrap it into a virtual appliance and have it ready to run by sticking it anywhere in the virtual infrastructure. You're building a high transaction server, you're going to pick a very streamlined OS, put the app and that streamlined OS together, in a virtual machine, pre-configured it and make it ready to run, wrap it in that virtual appliance and distribute it.

What is a third generation virtualization?

The third generation virtualization technology from VMware has built-in workload management, which means the virtual machines will automatically find capacity, if they need capacity. The virtual machines will automatically boot themselves up on a healthy box, if the box they are riding on goes down. All these tasks -- workload management, designing complicated clusters, etc. -- are very simplified in the latest generation of virtualization.

Virtual machines will automatically and intelligently place themselves on healthy capacity. It relieves IT management of the entire low end, repetitive, low-value tasks. And at the end of the day, that's what IT is all about.

[via: http://www.enterpriseinnovation.net/]