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Don’t put all your eggs in the Desktop Virtualization basket

November 29, 2010 by Leave a Comment

It is extremely important to avoid the pitfall of an “all-or-nothing” approach when creating a desktop delivery strategy. You want to take the time to develop an in-depth view of diverse use-cases and chart out the best course of action for each one. This is the only way to ensure delivery of an optimal desktop experience to users across the entire organization.

A survey released by the Enterprise Management Associates in September found that companies with desktop virtualization projects in place or underway were almost all using more than one method of delivery, ranging from traditional terminal services to server-based applications accessed through a Web browser, according to Andi Mann, VP of research for the Boulder, Colo. consultancy. This CIO Magazine article explains the 5 most popular flavors of Desktop Virtualization and the advantages and disadvantages of each.

But how do you really know which method is right for which user? Or which users that Desktop Virtualization isn’t a fit for at all?

Specific user groups within your organization have unique requirements, each demanding their own approach and treatment. So it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. Softchoice has created a step-by-step guide to help you understand the stages you need to go through when determining if Desktop Virtualization is truly the right fit for your organization. Each stage contains questions that you need to ask yourself WAY before moving towards the Proof of Concept stage that so many manufacturers want you to start with.  You can find this guide at isDVrightforme.com along with a forum full of desktop virtualization advice from others that have already gone down the DV road.  We figure when it comes to big technology decisions, there’s always room for a second opinion. And a third, and a fourth… so we’re hoping that the value of collective wisdom will be better than any one expert.

The benefits of Desktop Virtualization are many. With most of the computing happening in the data center you get greater performance, easier manageability, tighter security and lower operating costs. But,it is not a cure all. You need to take a methodical approach when assessing how it will work in your unique environment. For us, desktop virtualization provides an opportunity to help clients effectively navigate a ‘high-risk high-reward’ proposition – and we take that responsibility very seriously. OK, not that seriously…check out the below fun video that we put together on the topic.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3tC6nl32dw

Filed Under: Client Computing Tagged With: , , , ,

Why your data center needs to be more like a condo

November 26, 2010 by Leave a Comment

In a condo, tenants each have control over their own units (access, decor, furniture) but at the same time they are sharing resources such as the pool, security, gym and landscaping.

They get a lot more, but at a fraction of the cost, compared to if they had to invest in those amenities on their own.

The same thing is now happening at the server, networking and storage level of the data center. Sharing hardware resources means you can do more with less, but you still maintain the security and control required at the application level.

Today’s traditional IT model suffers from resources located in different, unrelated silos—leading to low utilization, gross inefficiency, and an inability to respond quickly to changing business needs. Enterprise servers reside in one area of the data center, with network switches and storage arrays in another. Traditionally, guaranteeing application isolation requires dedicated, isolated hardware. Secure multi-tenancy enables you to partition a virtualized, shared infrastructure. Data is securely isolated, and workload performance is maintained.

The current separation of servers, networks, and storage between different business units is commonly divided by physical server rack and a separate network. By deploying an Enhanced Secure Multi-Tenancy virtual IT-as-a-service, each business unit benefits from the transparency of the virtual environment as it still “looks and feels” the same as a traditional, all physical topology.

If you would like to learn more about this topic, please watch my 2 minute augmented reality video. I’ll provide you with an overview into this new technology, from the palm of your hand. You need to download the PDF symbol, and ensure that your web-cam is set up.

 

Filed Under: Servers, Storage and Networking Tagged With: , , , , ,

How not to get stung by storage virtualization: Part 2

November 8, 2010 by Leave a Comment

In Part 1 of this post, I blogged about how more and more companies are catching on to the value and importance of virtually storing their data. Storage virtualization offers the flexibility to simplify and modernize IT systems and control costs with as little disruption to a business’s data availability as possible. But while it can be a boon to a company’s ability to use available resources efficiently and cost-effectively, there are some risks.

I’ve already touched on two risks – failed implementation and challenges with interoperability. Here are three more:

Risk 3: The challenge of complexity

An important objective of virtualization is reducing and hiding the complexity associated with managing discrete devices. But while a virtual storage infrastructure benefits from a single point of logical disk and replication service management, there can still be some complications. According to informIT.com:

“…although shared storage represents a major technological advance over direct-attached storage, it has introduced its own complexity in terms of implementation and support.”

Plus: [Read more...]

Filed Under: Servers, Storage and Networking Tagged With: , , ,

How not to get stung by storage virtualization: Part 1

November 8, 2010 by 1 Comment

Storage virtualization isn’t just the buzz term du jour. More and more organizations are transitioning antiquated legacy storage environments into more flexible and agile infrastructures that can help reduce waste, outages and labor, maximize operating efficiency and performance – and, of course, save a lot of money. In fact, by some accounts, for every 12 terabytes of usable disk capacity, there is the potential to save $1 million in net operating expense.

That’s a lot of savings. But, like other types of virtualization, this one isn’t all mom and apple pie either. Transitioning to a virtualized storage environment comes with some risk and potential disruption to your organization, which I’ll review in this post and the next. But just like climbing a mountain, once you understand and mitigate the risks, reaching the top is that much more rewarding.

Risk 1: Failed implementation

As with any upgrade or conversion, there’s a chance that things won’t go exactly as planned at some point. Once the virtual storage system’s abstraction layer is in place, only the virtualizer will know where the physical data is, so you’ll need to have a back-out procedure in place in case something goes wrong and the implementation fails. It may be time-consuming but the alternative – not knowing where your data went – is obviously worse. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Servers, Storage and Networking Tagged With: ,