As virtual machines become more ubiquitous both vendors and managers will need to focus on managing the utility infrastructure to get the most value for this technology. Innovative IT decision-makers should be using this technology to create more agile and cost-effective data center infrastructures.

With its recently updated System z, IBM continues to extend the mainframe capabilities to better support applications not normally associated with mainframes. The System z may be a consolidation option for mid-sized enterprises with Java, Linux, and transaction processing applications.

Recent revenue declines in some IBM server platforms and its licensing of rights to Lenovo to manufacture and resell certain x-Series servers has led to speculation that IBM is leaving the server hardware space. Info-Tech believes that off-loading the low-end market is a good move, allowing IBM to focus where it has traditionally done best – larger enterprises.

Blade servers are a recent phenomenon in data centers. They are the next iteration in the migration from minicomputers of the 1980s to the commodity rack-mount microcomputer servers of today. Blade servers are currently found in larger data centers, but are migrating to enterprises of all sizes.

Recent developments such as remotely accessed, centrally hosted, virtual PCs are breathing new life into thin client as a desktop computing option. While thin clients are still far from displacing traditional “fat” PCs, older approaches to thin client – such as traditional Citrix and Terminal Services solutions – are clearly being displaced.

Server virtualization and iSCSI networked storage are emerging as a natural match particularly for small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) buying their first storage area network. Info-Tech recommends that enterprises considering a storage area network (SAN) purchase should consider broader strategic goals of availability, recoverability, and infrastructure flexibility. Virtualization is a likely...

In the world of virtualized x86-based servers and applications, management tools become the primary differentiator between hypervisors. Virtualization is quickly moving to a set of competing, but effectively equivalent, products. The ability to manage these virtualized environments, especially in heterogeneous environments, will be the critical factor for data centers in 2009 and beyond.

For hype alone, 2008 will be the year of "the cloud." Among those jumping on the cloud computing bandwagon will be the major players in enterprise infrastructure virtualization. But making the cloud an external extension of internal utility infrastructure will require a substantial maturation of both virtual infrastructure management and cloud computing.

Info-Tech Research Group solicited insight from 137 enterprises regarding server hardware and operating systems, including Windows Server 2008. Unlike the slurry of negative publicity surrounding Vista, response to the new server operating system ranges from neutral to positive. However, uptake is gradual, largely driven by hardware and application refresh cycles.

A recent Info-Tech Research Group survey sees more than 50% of enterprises running Linux or UNIX alongside flavors of Microsoft Windows. However, Windows is nearly ubiquitous and IT shops tend to deploy more instances of Windows at smaller sizes. Enterprises should expect the trend toward multiple operating systems to continue, empowered by cross-platform management tools and virtualization.

Mainframe computers, in particular the IBM System z (360/370/390 family), have been a mainstay of enterprise computing for over 40 years. Now “lower-end” computers are truly moving into mainframe territory and System z shipments are fading – fast. Mainframes will continue to find a home in many enterprises, but will be relegated more to legacy applications than new business requirements.

The server operating system market is not a zero-sum game. Over 95% of enterprises with more than 500 employees use Microsoft Windows. Between 40% and 47% also run Linux, UNIX, or an IBM operating system (OS). As single-pane-of-glass management becomes a reality, expect IT shops to increasingly deploy diverse operating systems.

Compliance remains a key concern for many IT managers. Frameworks like ITIL and COBIT are very popular, but the NIST 800 guidelines and ISO 17799/27002 may be more beneficial. Regardless of the approach, IT leadership is sacrificed when violations occur.

A recent Info-Tech study of over 800 organizations assessed green initiatives in IT departments and across enterprises. The results show the current green IT maturity landscape and its future outlook. Despite tough economic times, there is still an opportunity for green maturity growth since such initiatives not only benefit the environment but also the bottom line. Understand the green trends of...

This tool allows enterprises to benchmark their green IT maturity scores against over 800 peers by revenue, IT budget, and number of employees. Find out what environmental actions other companies are taking in their IT departments and across the entire enterprise. Consider Info-Tech's recommendations for next steps to take to increase green IT maturity.

Virtualization has definite potential for helping the enterprise reduce PC management complexity while increasing operating efficiency and security. Enterprises with large and growing desktop deployments should investigate the potential of hosting, streaming, and distributing virtualized software instances either separately or in combination.

A hypervisor is the software that carves a single physical computer into multiple virtual machines. As competition heats up in the virtualization space, competitors will argue the relative strengths of their hypervisors. This note reviews how a hypevisor works, as well as what differentiates the leading competitors: ESX Server, Xen, and the “coming soon” Microsoft Hyper-V.

Blade servers have been components of many larger enterprise data centers for several years now. Infrastructure simplification and the reduction in physical space for the same processing power make blade servers clear leaders for data center consolidation and expansion.

HP and IBM are pushing the blade technology as a main focus going forward. To this end both vendors are incorporating some leading-edge infrastructure virtualization and management tools in their blade server management platforms. Know the technology to understand the growing advantages of blade servers in the data center.

Cisco announced its Intelligent Information Network (IIN) some years ago. As a major part of that initiative, Application-Oriented Network (AON) components are beginning to see the light of day. IIN and AON move significantly more intelligence from middleware servers onto Cisco network devices. Depending on the level of trust an enterprise has in Cisco as a middleware and software integration...

Enterprise-class servers now come equipped with a service processor that allows IT staff to access, monitor, and control the server regardless of the state of the primary CPU and OS. Understand and make best use of this critical data center component.

Blade server technology has changed the physical structure of servers in the data center. For most management functions, blade servers are handled like their rack-mount brethren. However, built-in management modules provide local control of server blades and I/O modules. With a single point of control for a group of processor blades, management operations can be simplified.

Networked storage file virtualization can lead to better utilization of Network Attached Storage (NAS) appliances and other storage servers. This technology – which is also sometimes called NAS virtualization and File Area Networks (FANs) – will be attractive to larger enterprises with extensive NAS investment looking for a consolidation alternative to Storage Area Networks (SANs).

Virtualization and consolidation are moving enterprises towards more powerful machines and multi-socket multi-core x64-based servers provide the necessary processing power. HP’s new eight-socket ProLiantDL785 G5 offers needed computing power for consolidation and virtualization, with on-board storage for standalone solutions.

The VFrame Data Center appliance begins Cisco’s trip into integrated server and network infrastructure virtualization. The appliance allows the rapid repurposing of servers whether they are running virtualized or one-off applications. For larger data centers based on Cisco networking, the appliance provides enhanced server management capabilities.

Load balancing technologies have evolved from simple IP/port selection to sophisticated deep packet inspection. Use load balancing appliances for enterprise applications to improve application availability and scalability, reduce the number of servers required, and offer additional security and performance enhancements.

Load balancing technology has advanced from simple distribution of traffic between multiple servers to the intelligent inspection of packet data to determine which server should service which user. By creating persistent connections between a user and a server, the load balancers improve the ability of the enterprise to support clients and to ensure successful completion of transactions.

Leading virtualization vendors such as VMware, Citrix, and Microsoft want to offer one-stop virtualization “from the desktop to the data center.” These comprehensive approaches involve more than one kind of virtual abstraction. Understand what differentiates the various forms of virtualization.

As the number of servers grows within an enterprise, the time and effort needed to manage those servers grows even more rapidly. Server management tools provide automated capabilities to ease the pain of day-to-day provisioning, patching, and operational support. Understanding the functions offered by server management tools allows the IT staff to select the right tool for the job.

In an ideal storage management world, all storage beyond the network switch can be abstracted into logical storage volumes. However, in the real world, storage systems are differentiated by proprietary management. Despite concerns over vendor lock-in, IT decision makers should consider the real storage management benefits that can come from virtualization.

Data center automation is a potent method for achieving the intelligent automation of IT tasks, such as configuration and asset management, policy management, and process automation. In order to capitalize on its benefits, approach data center automation as both a process and a technology.

With the introduction of Windows Server 2008, Microsoft has improved its built-in failover cluster capabilities. With enhanced setup and management and improved reliability, the Server 2008 Enterprise and Data Center editions support mission-critical and high availability enterprise applications.

Reduced Instruction Set Computers (RISC)/Explicitly Parallel Instruction Computing (EPIC) have been around for decades. Improvements in x86-based servers have led to predictions of the end of RISC-based servers. These have proven unfounded and servers based on RISC/EPIC technology continue to find a place in enterprise data centers. Understanding RISC/EPIC technology from the primary vendors will...

When it comes to thin client deployment, many enterprises will be able to leverage the virtualization technology already in place. However, decision makers should understand the parts of a virtual desktop deployment, how they work together in the infrastructure, and how much a full solution might cost.

Info-Tech sees increased interest in thin client deployments as the technology that supports the back end evolves with virtualization. With more options than ever before, understanding the technology is essential to choosing the right solution to suit enterprise needs.

As enterprises embrace the world of Service-Oriented Architecture, social networks, data mining, gaming, and real-time collaboration, the need for greater processing power in a smaller space becomes critical. Dense computing architectures allow enterprises to pack hundreds to thousands of servers into smaller data centers. While vendors focus much of the technology on the largest enterprises,...

The hard drive of a VMware virtual machine is essentially one big data file. This makes them relatively easy to create, deploy, and even move across physical hosts. However, what leads to more agility and flexibility in virtual machines also poses a challenge for backup administration. This note looks at the advantages and challenges of three common methods of VMware backup and what is needed to...

Virtualized I/O, like OS and application virtualization, is a requirement for a truly agile data center. In light of that requirement, the major blade server vendors have begun to implement I/O virtualization for their systems. While a good start, these implementations are still immature. Understanding I/O virtualization options will allow IT staff to move forward with this technology.

High performance computing (HPC) has been primarily used by academic and research facilities. With Microsoft's introduction of its Windows HPC Server 2008, some of the limitations of prior generations of HPC solutions are being removed. HPC is becoming accessible to businesses of all sizes.

Enterprises with an abundance of Windows XP desktop PCs and laptops can reduce power consumption costs and carbon dioxide emissions by half in switching to Windows Vista. When considering a total cost of ownership analysis for a Vista implementation, IT decision makers should understand how the two operating systems affect power consumption and consider the savings.

A storage area network (SAN) is a critical requirement for providing virtual servers with high availability and dynamic provisioning. However, the same technology that virtualizes servers can also be used to create a virtual SAN array. Smaller enterprises and branch office virtual machine deployment can reap significant savings from a virtual SAN.

The success of iSCSI storage products from EqualLogic (now part of Dell) and LeftHand Networks (acquired by HP) is largely seen as a sign of the progress of iSCSI. However, iSCSI alone is not the whole story. It is a cluster storage approach that also makes these solutions attractive. Now clustered iSCSI will be championed by larger vendors that continue to have a stake in traditional network...

Blade servers are reaching into enterprise data centers of all sizes. The decision on when it is time to integrate blade servers into the infrastructure varies by the specific enterprise situation. Certain factors must be considered by all enterprises to determine when, and if, it is time for the data center to begin employing blade servers.

Automating configuration streamlines repetitive maintenance and support tasks, paving the way for substantial cost savings. Use this downloadable Word template to document the enterprise’s requirements of automated configuration software.

Automating configuration is a tactic for streamlining repetitive maintenance and support tasks, thereby reducing the need for manual intervention when provisioning, patching, or otherwise managing IT assets. Develop a strategy for tackling automated configuration management to capitalize on potential cost savings.

Automated reporting is a fundamental component of data center automation that ensures timely and accurate measurement of a wide variety of IT operations such as asset management, configuration, compliance, and other tasks. Inform business decisions and reduce costs by automating the enterprise’s reporting processes.

HP’s System Insight Manager provides comprehensive capabilities to monitor and control servers both locally and remotely. The Insight Control Environment for BladeSystem integrates the functions needed to manage the blade servers into a complete package. For shops using HP servers, the combined System Insight Manager and Insight Control packages provide a highly capable management toolset.

The IBM iSeries servers provide a high-performance, high-reliability solution for enterprise applications designed for the i5/OS environment. For enterprises using this platform, or considering it, the question becomes “what is the long term viability of the iSeries for new and future developments?”

Developments in thin client and virtualization have renewed interest in thin client as a replacement for PCs. Those looking into the technology should not make acquisition cost savings their reason for investing in thin client. Long-term maintenance and operational savings remain the most important planning consideration.

Falling price-points from e-mail hosting providers require enterprises to rethink e-mail provisioning strategy. Enterprises can make an informed decision by determining if hosted e-mail is an option and comparing the cost of in-house e-mail provisioning against hosted e-mail prices.

IT leaders deploying application servers may face a choice between operating systems. Evaluate the business suitability of operating system candidates by examining costs, the quality and availability of support, and the product’s rate of change.

IT leaders implementing best-of-breed application solutions often face a choice between server operating systems (OS) to support each service. Enterprises should evaluate the role suitability of OS candidates by examining the technical, licensing, and interoperability features. Determine whether each prospective OS meets these needs and short-list accordingly.

Every enterprise has an obligation to protect customer data, financial information, and intellectual property from theft, deletion, or modification from hackers, saboteurs, and insiders. One important method for demonstrating that the enterprise did everything in its power to prevent or mitigate attacks is through the use of event logs.

Consolidating and virtualizing servers that were previously distributed means weaning internal customers off the idea of owning server boxes. Chargebacks and SLAs provide a solid framework for communicating and negotiating with business leaders, and managing expectations in a centralized data center model.

Virtualization of x86/x64 architecture is not a strategy; it is a tactical measure that addresses a specific impediment to achieve strategic goals in server consolidation. Virtual machine isolation enables more applications to run on fewer physical processors. In addition to savings in hardware acquisition and maintenance, virtualization sets the stage for building a responsive utility...

Almost a year after its initial release, many enterprises are still reluctant to take the Vista plunge. While security enhancements are the main reason for adoption, for most this upgrade appears to be an incremental improvement, rather than a “must have.” Enterprises embarking on a Vista migration should look to those companies that have already deployed for best practices, planning tips, and...

Blade servers are encroaching on rack-mount installations in data centers of all sizes. While this server platform meets many needs, it has not reached the point of replacing all other server types. Recognize the real limits of blade servers in specific environments to ensure that blades are used where appropriate and other servers are used where they best fit.

More businesses are finding that they require high availability (HA) of key applications. HA means an application is operational when it is needed. This can range from 24/7 Web site access to guaranteed IP phone access during a normal 40-hour work week. Business needs dictate HA applications and IT staff must plan and deploy technologies to deliver on those requirements.

With the promise of low operating costs and zero hardware investment, cloud computing is garnering considerable market hype. The promise is quite real, but the reality is that the cloud is not yet ready to be trusted as critical enterprise infrastructure. Info-Tech sees five key challenges in the cloud and recommends a cautious approach.

Learn to build a Green IT Action Plan by setting realistic goals and choosing projects that IT can perform autonomously. The resulting environmental benefits and cost savings help prove that more extensive projects are both feasible and necessary. Use this knowledge to promote cross-enterprise collaboration on leading green initiatives.

The consolidation of servers within the data center provides well defined savings for the enterprise. By creating and implementing a clearly defined migration strategy for existing servers, the effectiveness and efficiency of any consolidation strategy can be further enhanced.

Capital expenditure savings through server consolidation has been a strong motivator for server virtualization. The release of a free ESXi hypervisor by VMware leads to an even better money-saving equation with server consolidation. However, it should be noted that licensing costs still need to be considered to go beyond simple consolidation.

Info-Tech Research Group has established that savings through lower one-time and ongoing server acquisition costs is the strongest argument in a business case for server virtualization. Use this calculator to get a broad sense of the consolidation savings of a virtual server deployment over provisioning servers with individual instances of server hardware.

Info-Tech sees increased interest in energy measurement solutions for data centers and end-user infrastructure. However, such solutions are unlikely to make attractive projects unless IT can roughly quantify the true cost of electricity as justification. Understand how to develop an energy baseline, educate the organization on electricity as a significant operational cost, and use baseline data...

Some organizations want to green their IT departments but are unaware of what options are available and what factors ensure successful implementation. Info-Tech identifies nine green IT initiatives that organizations should consider not only to be greener, but also to improve the bottom line. Understand the key success factors of green IT to realize both environmental and business benefits.

Based on data from a recent Info-Tech study, this tool assesses an organization's chances of success when implementing green IT initiatives. Understand the organization's current probability of success and consider recommendations to improve this score to realize the business and environmental benefits of green IT.

Significant improvements in issue resolution and user satisfaction are realized when the help desk does the driving. Everyone wins by enabling the help desk to connect to a user desktop for issue resolution, problem definition, or a quick user tutorial. Use the right remote control solution to assure success and savings.

Blade servers are finding their way into enterprises of all sizes, with the smallest and the largest businesses leading the migration. The primary vendors of blade systems offer a variety of chassis, processors, input/output options and functionality. Selecting the right blade architecture can be difficult since many of the key product features appear similar between vendors. This comparison...

The competition in x86 server virtualization became hotter in 2008 as Citrix and Microsoft made significant bids to dethrone market leader VMware. There are also new entrants in the field from Oracle and Sun. Learn how the vendor landscape has changed and what is in store for 2009.

The Dell PowerEdge 1955 offers a low priced blade server solution with excellent pricing and reasonable scalability. The Dell PowerEdge 1955 is a solid choice for any enterprise that is searching for a server consolidation or high-availability blade server solution.

Egenera has focused on the high availability and mission-critical solutions in its marketing and product strategy. The BladeFrame ES only ships in a high availability configuration, unlike the other evaluated vendors. As a result, the BladeFrame ES should be considered by enterprises that require a highly versatile and powerful mission-critical blade server solution.

HP provides a well balanced blade server solution. The selection of processor blades, I/O options, and enhancements to the blade chassis allow migration from a basic server consolidation configuration to a fully mission-critical solution. Unlike the previous, incompatible p-Class blade design, the new c-Class chassis provides room for future growth without a fork-lift upgrade. With reasonable...

IBM provides a well balanced blade server solution. The same chassis and processor blades can be used for both the entry level server consolidation solution and, with optional components, migrate to a fully mission critical or high performance processing environment. The IBM BladeCenter ranks in the Leader Zone for good reason.

The Sun Blade 8000 product is heavily focused on high performance computing environments with pricing to match. While this current product is not appropriate for most SMEs it can be a good fit for environments where there is a need for very high performance computing.

Use this tool to do a head-to-head comparison of both direct and indirect costs to see whether moving to blades will meet the vendor marketing hype for cost savings.

With the wide range of proprietary blade servers available, it can be difficult to decide on a vendor and a platform. The newest offerings from the major server vendors have leveled the playing field while improving the options for the enterprise. By focusing on key requirements, the enterprise can narrow the field quickly.

Whether you’re buying a packaged desktop management solution or one that requires customization, an RFP is a key weapon in your solution selection arsenal. Use this editable RFP template to complete the process.

Blade server costs continue to become more competitive when compared with similar rack-mount servers. Do a head-to-head comparison of both direct and indirect costs to see whether moving to blades will meet the vendor marketing hype for direct savings.

Many enterprises are investigating e-mail archiving solutions. Before speaking to vendors, use this note to help identify business drivers and build an implementation strategy. Then approach vendors that offer product features tailored to meet the goals of the enterprise.

IT departments must adopt desktop management software as a means of increasing efficiency and cutting costs. These guidelines, coupled with the Desktop Management Software RFP Template, will ensure that the software selection process progresses smoothly toward an optimal result.

The major server vendors offer a wide variety of mid-range x64-based servers. The hardware options, prices and functionality are similar and are rarely differentiators for the small to mid-sized enterprise (SME). Select a mid-range server based on the few differentiators between the vendors such as support, existing relationships, and management functions.

Mid-range servers, using multi-core x64-based processors, provide the performance and functionality for the majority of enterprise applications. Because these servers are based on industry standard technologies, the differentiation between vendor products is minimal. As a result, enterprises should select a vendor and product based heavily on local support capabilities, price and on-going...

The Linux world was rocked recently with the news that software giant Oracle is now also offering support for Red Hat Enterprise Linux server OS, and at a lower price than Red Hat. While rumors suggesting that Oracle’s foray into this market will spell the end for Red Hat are over-exaggerated, Oracle does offer a viable alternative. Carefully examine the options before selecting a support vendor...

Enterprises running Linux in the data center – particularly those using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) – will want to reevaluate their licensing and support options in light of the new offerings from Oracle. This tool provides key information to help IT leaders make the right choice.

Enterprises must evaluate whether it makes more financial sense to purchase an extended service plan on x86 server hardware or to pay per incident for hardware service. Use the accompanying worksheet to determine the point at which the enterprise should pay for expedited service.

Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) is enjoying widespread adoption including significant presence in the largest enterprises on IBM mainframes. Novell is positioned to offer enterprise-wide support from the server room to the desktop. Enterprises looking for the best tool for the job should evaluate Novell SUSE Enterprise Linux.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is carving out market space in enterprises of all sizes, especially the mid-market. RHEL customers say the operating system excels at supporting enterprise-grade and mission-critical Web applications, network infrastructure, and clustering. Enterprises looking for the best tool for the job should evaluate Red Hat Enterprise Linux.

The wide variety of highly capable blade servers from top vendors makes selecting the right blade server more challenging. Balance acquisition, management, support, and energy costs with specific business requirements to select the right blade server for enterprise data center requirements.

Microsoft Exchange is the clear leader in the on-premises e-mail server market. But, competitors provide advantages in simplicity, price, functionality, and hardware requirements. Evaluate vendors discussed in this note when considering e-mail server greenfield deployments, replacements, and even Exchange deployment expansions.

Branch offices and small businesses must evaluate whether it makes more financial sense to purchase an extended service plan on x86 server hardware, or to pay per incident for hardware service. Use this worksheet to determine the point at which the enterprise should pay for expedited service.

Xandros Linux is gaining attention following volume consumer sales of the Asus Eee notebook featuring Xandros Desktop, Xandros' acquisition of Scalix, and its upcoming BridgeWays server management tools. Watch Xandros in 2008 for signs of success with sales on pre-imaged servers and the upcoming BridgeWays server management suite.

The virtualization market is growing rapidly. Over the past few months, Info-Tech has explored the virtualization options currently available and where the challenges lie. Citrix's recent announcements at its Synergy 2008 conference have opened new avenues to thin virtualization, but at a price.

VMware is one of the most widely deployed virtualization solutions currently available. Efficient backup and recovery solutions for virtual machines are constantly evolving to provide the same functionality for virtual machines as is available for physical machines; in addition, innovations such as data deduplication and granular recovery are making their way into VMware backup. Examine how the...

Dense computing environments were once the sole purview of high performance computing centers located in universities, government agencies, and research facilities. Web 2.0, service-oriented architecture (SOA), Internet gaming, Web searches, and database mining have required more enterprises to move to dense computing capabilities. Vendors are responding with products to meet the needs of these...

Free, or nearly free hypervisors are not the same thing as free virtualization. As hypervisor competition between Microsoft and VMware heats up, Info-Tech uses an example configuration to compare total costs per virtual machine.

Advancements in virtualization and thin client technology have enterprises looking at thin computing deployments more now than ever before. There are a number of vendors providing options for thin terminals, and while thin clients have become relatively commoditized, enterprises need to know who the competitors are and who is offering the best fit.

With the wide variety of data center system management tools available, IT staff need to determine which management components are most critical to their operations. Once requirements are set, the process of evaluating and selecting the right platform can begin. Define and understand data center needs before choosing a system management package.

VMware is currently the 800-pound gorilla of virtualization for x86 server infrastructure. For due diligence in virtualization spending, decision makers need to know why VMware is currently a leader, who the potential rivals are, and how the situation is likely to change going forward. This note maps the current landscape for virtual server software and includes Microsoft, Virtual Iron, VMware,...

Microsoft Terminal Services 2008 (TS2008) is boasting new capabilities prompting enterprises to ask if it can stand on its own without an additional investment in Citrix to layer on top. Yes, TS2008 provides more functionality than previous releases, including features which previously required a Citrix Presentation Server. However, Citrix still has strong differentiators, particularly around...

The Virtual Desktop Infrastructure Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) model provides organizations with a framework for estimating the costs associated with deploying a virtual desktop solution relative to refreshing a fleet of desktops. The default assumption is that the trigger to look at virtual desktops was led by a need to refresh client hardware.

This assessment tool provides a high-level view of the current infrastructure in the context of technical, business, and operational readiness. Use this tool to decide which servers are ideal candidates for virtualization as well as which servers should await further planning and development.

The road to server virtualization and consolidation is not without its potholes. Examined are five common virtualization implementation challenges and how they can be mitigated. Very few virtualization challenges are purely technical, but rather stem from shortfalls in planning. Do not take an ad hoc approach to virtualization. Avoid the pitfalls by focusing on application provisioning and...

Upon deciding to migrate to blade servers, determine the configuration and components required. Incrementally integrate blade servers into the data center to capitalize on the existing infrastructure and IT skills.

The method and tools employed for physical to virtual (P2V) machine migration will vary depending on the scope of the project and number of servers involved. For a comprehensive migration of a large number of heterogeneous servers, PlateSpin has been the gold standard for P2V management. However, VMware’s latest offering, VMware Converter 3, has gained considerable ground and is priced...

Technical assessment of current server infrastructure is one of three critical assessments necessary for an effective virtual server implementation. The other important assessments are a business assessment and an IT operational assessment. The important results of the technical assessment will be a list of virtualization candidate servers, and baseline utilization data for capacity planning of...

After a thorough technical assessment of virtualization candidates, the next step in implementing virtual server infrastructure is to assess the physical server resources needed to support an optimum virtual infrastructure. Use capacity planning, server sizing, and virtualization benchmarking tools to gauge the required hardware investment.

Info-Tech sees the best approach to large scale virtual server implementation as one that combines planning for a foundational virtual infrastructure with careful and incremental adoption. Having employed the ITA Premium “Virtualization Scope Analysis” worksheet to consider who and what will be impacted by virtualization, use this template to develop a long-term project definition for...

The most often cited challenges to virtualization are related to people and processes, not technology. Take some time to think about all the people and processes that would be impacted by virtualization. Use this downloadable worksheet to identify goals, dependencies, opportunities, and potential barriers to virtual machine adoption.

In a typical scenario, a modest 100-server shop will not be moved to server virtualization by a strategic imperative. Rather, the trigger will be the acquisition of partitionable x86 servers as part of a regular hardware refresh. Planning can make the difference between this implementation being a one-off effort with limited return on investment or the beginning of a new way of managing...

Thin clients combined with virtual PCs have emerged as a legitimate alternative to traditional PC deployments in the enterprise. However, there are limitations that need to be considered. One such limitation is the inability of the Remote Desktop Protocol to support two-way voice communications. This note looks at how this limitation impacts softphone provisioning in a virtual desktop...

Enterprise IT staff often find themselves looking towards high availability (HA) to ensure key applications are up and running. Before beginning the trek up the HA slope, IT staff must work with business management to evaluate realistic needs and goals. Implementation of HA must be based on what enterprise clients really require.

The best approach to virtual server implementation combines planning for a foundational virtual infrastructure with careful, incremental adoption. While planning is critical, don't let external involvement bog down or stall initial implementation efforts. Use a business and operational assessment to define the trigger point for the larger planning effort.

PC power savings aren’t well understood by many organizations, but are easy to achieve and result in reduced energy consumption, cost savings, and lessened environmental impact. Learn about the techniques for PC power saving and how to execute a PC power saving plan.

Organizations can cut PC energy consumption to save significant costs and reduce environmental impact. Use this tool to determine what cost savings are possible and to build a business case for a PC power saving plan.

Complete with Fit and Business Case Suitability tools, this report presents the keys to successful implementation as reported by IT professionals across industries and company sizes. Discover the path to success, major pitfalls, and guidelines that will help plan and execute a virtualization initiative.

Complete with Fit and Business Case Suitability tools, this report presents the keys to successful implementation as reported by IT professionals across industries and company sizes. Discover the path to success, major pitfalls, and guidelines that will help plan and execute a virtualization initiative.

Enterprises that must comply with Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) need tools to help them test their own controls internally before external auditors arrive for the yearly audit. This worksheet will help publicly-traded enterprises – as well as private organizations simply looking to strengthen security – reduce the risk of poor audit results by checking the integrity of internal controls.

VMware’s High Availability (HA) feature provides almost instant virtual machine failover from one physical machine to another. However, failing over an entire site from one location to another has not been automatic. VMware’s Site Recovery Manager not only enables this capability, it also provides a means for testing automated site recovery in Disaster Recovery Planning (DRP).

With Storage VMotion, it is now possible to non-disruptively move storage volumes used by VMware virtual machines from one storage device to another. VMware users should take a careful and planned approach to using this technology to non-disruptively optimize storage in their virtual infrastructures.

Businesses continue to benefit by offering shared access data centers to partners, suppliers, and clients. The issue in this method of organization is ensuring that each category of user has access only to appropriate and authorized data. Create a tiered data center structure to provide physical and logical layering and to offer efficiencies and security that more distributed structures do not...

The desktop environment has been slowly evolving over the past 20 years, yet the management strategies used to govern end-user groups have not changed in step. As the enterprise approaches yet another round of upgrades, consider the tradeoffs between different approaches with an eye towards cost savings and optimization.

Desktop virtualization with virtual desktop infrastructure poses a significant challenge to Microsoft’s traditional asset-based licensing methods. Microsoft’s scheme for licensing virtual instances of Windows Vista may need a Rosetta stone to help interpret it. This note outlines in simple English how Microsoft virtual licensing really works, and how much it’s going to cost.

Not all desktop or laptop PCs are ready for the scrap heap when their end-users need newer, more powerful machines. A well-documented PC cascade policy can ensure that the right machines end up in front of the right end-users.

Blade servers have invaded enterprise data centers of all sizes. This, combined with the movement of virtualization into production environments, is requiring reconsideration of what constitutes a right-sized blade environment. Properly configure both existing and new blade servers to support nearly any virtualized requirement.

Desktop and notebook computers are one of the largest budget categories for all IT departments. Whether an enterprise owns or leases its PCs, there are significant opportunities for cutting costs and streamlining strained budgets. These guidelines are designed to help any troubled IT budget get back on track.

Virtualizing the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) environment drives cost savings through server consolidation and improved development efficiencies. Increasing the ease and speed with which environments are recovered is a key enabler. Pursue virtualization for the development stack, but keep the production environment on physical hardware for at least another year.

Once IT has determined that workstation and peripheral services is a potential area for cost savings, it should assess how much time is available to reach cost-reduction targets. According to this time frame, IT can narrow down the cost-cutting techniques at its disposal. When implementing these techniques, IT should keep potential pitfalls in mind, and adopt the measures recommended within this...

With good planning, the benefits of systems management software can be substantial. Investigate how automation can save on manual system management efforts.

Desktop and laptop expenditures are unavoidable, but they don't have to be painful. Watch this webcast to discover proactive tactics and advice on how to pay less for new PCs. Use this guidance to reach short, medium, and long-term cost-reduction targets, and save on the bottom line.

Desktop and laptop expenditures are unavoidable, but they don't have to be painful. Watch this webcast to discover proactive tactics and advice on how to set PC refresh rates to reduce workstation hardware expenses. Use this guidance to reach short, medium, and long-term cost-reduction targets, and save on the bottom line.

Desktop and laptop expenditures are unavoidable, but they don't have to be painful. Watch this webcast to discover proactive tactics and advice on desktop tiering and cascading to reduce workstation hardware expenses. Use this guidance to reach short, medium, and long-term cost-reduction targets, and save on the bottom line.

Desktop and laptop expenditures are unavoidable, but they don't have to be painful. Watch this webcast to discover proactive tactics and advice on how to save money on laptops and reduce workstation hardware expenses. Use this guidance to reach short, medium, and long-term cost-reduction targets, and save on the bottom line.

Virtualization is a proven method IT can use to save money. The key is to develop a virtualization plan that is optimized for the organization. Use this tactical guidance to develop virtualization targets, and save on the bottom line.

Virtualization is a proven method IT can use to save money. The key is to develop a virtualization plan that is optimized for the organization. Use this tactical guidance to develop virtualization targets, and save on the bottom line.

Virtualization is a proven method IT can use to save money. The key is to develop a virtualization plan that is optimized for the organization. Use this tactical guidance to develop virtualization targets, and save on the bottom line.

Virtualization is a proven method IT can use to save money. The key is to develop a virtualization plan that is optimized for the organization. Use this tactical guidance to develop virtualization targets, and save on the bottom line.

Development costs are one of the primary culprits for the high cost of maintaining an ERP system. Control these costs by using virtualization as a key enabling technology.

Server expenses can add up, but they shouldn't have to squeeze the budget. Ease the budget by cascading server hardware, extending refresh rates, and leveraging virtualization. Employ these tips and others to help the enterprise trim server costs, and save on the bottom line.

This tool is designed to help organizations determine top tactics for cost reduction within the workstations and peripheral services area. After the questions have been completed, the tool will generate guidance on what cost-saving actions to take, the relative amount of savings from each action, the time frame required to realize these savings, as well as potential challenges and ways to...

Virtualization is a proven method IT can use to save money. The key is to develop a virtualization plan that is optimized for the organization. Use this tactical guidance to develop virtualization targets, and save on the bottom line.

Desktop and laptop expenditures are unavoidable, but they don't have to be painful. Watch this series of webcasts to discover proactive tactics and advice on how to drastically reduce workstation hardware expenses. Use this guidance to reach short, medium, and long-term cost-reduction targets, and save on the bottom line.

This tool is designed to help organizations determine top tactics for cost reduction within the server and storage service area. After the questions have been completed, the tool will generate guidance on which cost-saving actions to take, the relative amount of savings from each action, the time frame to realize these savings, as well as potential challenges and ways to mitigate these challenges.