What is virtualisation?

Virtualisation allows a single computer to perform the same function as multiple computers and enables people to share a number of computers’ resources easily. Essentially it consolidates a number of servers (*8) allowing one computer to do the job of multiple computers on a single platform (*7).
To draw a simple analogy, it is rather like four people that drive to work in individual cars despite living next door to each other and working in the same office. The reality is that it’s wasteful, uneconomic and a pointless use of resources. 
So in summary, virtualisation is better described as a range of technologies that consolidates computer resource.

The future of virtualisation

Virtualisation has been around since the 1960s when mainframes (*1) were the most common way of processing data. In the 1960s the idea came about that it would be useful to share the processing power of a number of mainframes or large computers in order to share their combined computing power. This meant that costs could be reduced as mainframes could cost multiples of millions of pounds. Furthermore, these computers needed special environments to be able to work properly as well as large amounts of space because the machines were so large.

Since that period, virtualisation has become more sophisticated and the market for this type of technology is rapidly growing. As a result, this is an area of IT that is set to expand and increase over the coming years. There are now a number of virtualisation products that are able meet the needs of not only large corporations where it was originally of major benefit, but smaller companies as well, as they can reduce their costs by operating in a ‘virtual environment’.

Why virtualisation?

A major reason for an organisation to use a virtualisation system is to save costs by reducing the need to purchase more hardware and to reduce energy consumption.

In addition users are able to manage a number of systems more easily, especially if they are based at multiple locations. This is because these systems regardless of where they are based will appear to be in one place. This helps to maximise the computing resources that an organisation already has in place.

Benefits of virtualisation

You can gain a number of benefits by implementing a virtualisation environment but these will depend on your requirements, your situation and your type of organisation.

• Potentially lower hardware costs because the need for more hardware is reduced as it consolidates and potentially reduces the number of servers that are required.
• Lower maintenance costs – if fewer servers are required, then there will be a positive impact on maintenance costs.
• It is perceived as a ‘green’ [link Go Green] solution as it will reduce an organisations’ carbon footprint.
• Reduced storage requirements. Rather than purchasing more storage, it is possible to maximise and use a number of computers’ storage facilities that are underutilised.
• Virtualisation can negate the need to take backups (*2) when a computer server is offline i.e. when people can not access it. Naturally this is inconvenient but extremely important [link GU Backup] to ensure that you have access to important data should something happen. Generally this has to be carried out at night or at weekends.
• As a result of the above, IT personnel will not need to work anti-social hours and perhaps be paid an element of over time.
• Disaster Recovery (*3). In the event of a server failing or perhaps there being a catastrophe such as a flood or explosion, many organisations have a contingency plan in place whereby they pay for a limited amount of office space from a disaster recovery company. This organisation provides the computer equipment required that the company needs in order for them to continue operating. Clearly for this to work effectively, a copy of all of the company’s data and information must be kept and loaded onto the disaster recovery company’s computers. The trouble with this is that more often than not, the information is perhaps a week or more old. Virtualisation allows the information, such as emails, to be replicated in real-time onto the disaster recover organisations’ systems ensuring that all information will be up to date.
• Virtual machines can run a number of different operating systems on one platform. This makes it easier to develop new software and test it across multiple platforms. For example if a company is writing a software programme, they may find it useful and more commercially viable if they work on a number of different types of computer systems rather than on one.

• Reduced space. Organisations that have many servers and storage (normally within a dedicated room) can reduce the need for such expensive facilities.

Potential pitfalls

• You should be completely clear about what you are looking to achieve before implementing a virtualisation system as it may be a something that perhaps you don’t require. While this may sound obvious, the benefits are not always clear cut and generally, virtualisation tends to suit organisations that have more than 100 employees and more than 20 servers. The reason for this is that it might be uneconomic to set up a virtual system for a company with fewer servers.
• Virtualisation is a complex set of technology and will require a high level of service and support for it to be implemented effectively.
• Consultants will need to be used in order to carry out a migration plan. (*4)
• Unless the project is scoped out properly and by experts, it is not unheard of for companies to revert back to their previous system. This can be a costly exercise.
• It is a good idea to buy similar hardware from one manufacturer as they should all have the same specification and components.

• Training can potentially be a high overhead and should be considered when budgeting for the system.
• Virtualisation is aimed at reducing the amount of servers within an organisation. These systems will still need to be managed by an internal IT Department or by your supplier.

• Hardware investment. To gain maximum benefit from virtualisation, virtual machines should reside on computers with powerful processors. This may mean that you will need to purchase more powerful hardware which conversely will increase the required investment. The alternative is to continue using existing equipment which might not be as powerful and reduce the benefits of virtualisation.

What can I expect to gain by implementing a virtualised environment?

It is difficult to give a typical figure that you should expect as a Return on Investment (ROI) because there are a number of factors that influence this calculation:

• Generally speaking, if your organisation has powerful servers and they are underused, then you may expect a better return. Likewise, if your organisation have not such powerful servers and are being heavily used, then you will not get such a better return. Depending on circumstances, this may be a ratios of 3:1 i.e. you may be to reduce the hardware requirements by a third.
• You should also expect to use less electricity, enabling you to lower your utility bills.
• Management. It becomes easier to manage a number of environments from one place.

Six steps to successfully buying a virtualisation system

Step one

Identify the needs of your organisation and your users.

• You will need to analyse the workloads of your network and servers over month to find out which applications are used the most and which servers are either over or under utilised.

• You will need to investigate how much RAM (*5) each application uses.

• You will need to analyse the processing power of each CPU (*6) over this period in order to find out which servers are good candidates for virtualisation.

• You need to be completely clear that virtualisation is the right way forward for you and your organisation.

Step two

Identify your needs for a new virtualisation system.

• What equipment will I require?  For example, you may still need more powerful servers.
• How much will it cost?
• How much will it cost to maintain and support?
• How much do I expect to save, and how and where will I save it?

Step three

Identify the right supplier.

• Use the supplier search box on the right hand side of this page. [link]
• Look through magazine and online reviews.
• Talk to others who have recently installed virtualisation in the same area as you.
• Use forums, networks and personal contacts to obtain recommendations.

Ask questions such as:

• Who has the experience of working with a company of the same size and profile as yours?
• Are any of those suppliers local to where you are located?
• How many similar installations have they made?
• Ask for references – ensure that the company is capable and reliable.
• Talk to a couple of their customers in order to see what benefits have been gained and what pains those customers went through when installing the system.
• Obtain a credit check through ICC Credit directly from your chosen supplier’s profile in Conjungo to ensure that they are financially stable.

Step four

Request a detailed proposal from three or four of your preferred suppliers.

• Set a deadline for when you need the proposal back.
• Give out details in advance as necessary to ensure that the suppliers you have selected can give you the best proposal.
• Go and meet them in person – get a good feel for whether you will be able to work with them.

Step five

Select a supplier.

• Who best demonstrates that they understand your business and your requirements?
• Is the solution flexible and scaleable and therefore able to meet future demand? You don’t want to find out later that by investing a little more money now you could save money in the long term.
• Is it cost effective? Have they shown how and where you will save money?
• Does it clearly demonstrate the functional benefits – rather than just listing particular features? Does the proposal clearly show what the benefits are? There is no point on spending money for a system full of features that are of no benefit or that you will never use!
• How will your potential supplier support and maintain your system afterwards?
• How much will support and maintenance cost?
• Have you spoken to a couple of your preferred suppliers’ customers?
• Agree on financial terms – you may be required to pay a deposit but do not pay the whole amount in advance of delivery.
• The supplier will need to offer advice regarding:
• How many machines can run on each host?
• How much RAM or memory is required?

Step six

Implementation, testing and go live

• Install the new system. Only when you are entirely satisfied should you pay any balance outstanding on the invoice. This way, if there are any problems, your supplier will sort them out as a matter of urgency.
• Don’t forget to account for user training!

Points to remember when installing virtualisation

It is unlikely that you will install a virtualisation environment unless you are extremely technical competent. This is not an installation for the faint hearted!

The information below outlines some of the areas that need to be considered when installing a virtual system:

1. You will need to understand which, if not all servers can be replaced by virtual server(s).
2. Are your current servers powerful enough to support your requirements?
3. You will need to have analysis carried out to determine which servers are used the most, and which are under utilised.
4. It is important to know which of your applications require the most processing power.
5. You will require virtualisation software and the appropriate number of licences.
6. Administration training – plan for one day. It most unlikely that your users will notice any difference and it is highly unlikely that they will require any training. You will need someone reasonably technically competent to deal with any potential minor issues or act as a first point of call for your support organisation.

Conclusion

The whole area of virtualisation is complex and particularly technical. As a result there will be costs associated to this as it will require a specialist company in order to implement, install and support such a system. As a result, you must make completely sure that the benefits outweigh the potential costs. 
Virtualisation is of particular value to larger companies with many employees and multiple servers. However there are also some excellent systems for the smaller business but care and diligence should be taken before making a purchase.

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Glossary of Terms

*1 Mainframe – Mainframes were extremely large, powerful computers that needed to be housed in dedicated, air conditioned rooms. They were used during the late 1950s and 60s as the main way to calculate transactions and statistics for banks and other environments.   

*2 Backup – This means copying or replication all of the information on a computer in case there is a technical issue and all of the original information is lost.  [link to GU Backup]

* 3 Disaster Recovery – Is a process that enables an organisation that has been effected by a disaster to be able to recover information and continue operating. This may entail using the resources of a third party company that will provide facilities such as office space, phone and computers that can then be used by the effected company’s personnel until the company can move back to their own offices.

*4 Migration Plan – This is a process that needs to be followed so that software, applications and data can be transferred from one computer system to another.

*5 RAM – RAM is also known as ‘Random Access Memory’. RAM is volatile memory that only stores information until the computer is switched off. This is unlike a hard disk which will store information indefinitely. The benefit of RAM is that it is much faster to access data that is stored in it, rather than the computer having to access data from the hard disk. As a result, generally the more RAM you have in your computer, the faster it will be.

*6 CPU – The Central Processing Unit processes the information within the computer. This is akin to a car’s engine, so the bigger the engine the faster the car. A computer’s performance will be determined by the CPU within it, the type and how many CPUs it has.

*7 Platform - A platform is the underlying hardware or software around which a system can be developed and on which applications can run. 

*8 Server - A computer program that provides services to other computer programs (and their users), in the same or other computer. 

Virtualisation - FAQ’s

What is virtualisation?

Virtualisation allows a single computer to do the same function as multiple computers. It enables people to share a number of computers’ resources easily. It consolidates the processing power, memory and resources from many computers into one.

How does it work in practice?

It works by allowing the resources of under utilised computers to be used by over utilised computers, whilst appearing as one single computer.

Why do I need a virtualisation system?

It will depend on your circumstances. Historically, it would benefit organisations with many employees (100+) and with a large amount of servers.

Is it something that I can install myself?

This is a particularly complex and technical area and should only be carried out by professional personnel who have extensive knowledge in implementing and supporting such systems.

How do I find the right vendors and partners?

Conjungo is a great starting point, because it will let you find the right supplier according to your location, company type, size and whether they have the right accreditations. Furthermore, Conjungo is completely unbiased, has most of the major vendors’ partners included and is supported by the vendors as well as being free to use.

Will my users notice that they are using a virtual system?

No it will be appear to be the same. The aim is to maximise resources and to not interfere with every day work routines and processes.

What is a virtual desktop or virtual PC?

A virtual desktop or virtual PC allows people to use the resources and computing power of other, under utilised, PCs.