| Virtualization: Making The Case for the Small and | | | | the virtual hosts to provide backup storage for the |
| Medium Business | | | | guests and other files. This takes care of data |
| - A Green IT For A Black Bottom Line | | | | recovery. |
| There is a worldwide movement afoot to get | | | | If the average electric charge is.13¢/kWh |
| governments and companies all over the world to do | | | | (kilowatt-hour), then keeping those 5 servers |
| more in decreasing business' ecological footprint. SMBs | | | | powered up and cooled for 168 hours/wk would |
| (Small and Medium Businesses) are now experiencing | | | | generate an electric bill approximately $325/mo or |
| the same cost savings and ecological benefits derived | | | | $3,900/yr. Reducing the server count from 5 to 2 |
| from Green-IT initiatives that the larger corporations | | | | would decrease monthly electrical costs by nearly |
| are implementing and reaping similar benefits from. | | | | 75% for an annuals savings of $2,700. |
| A "Green IT" initiative is a program or plan where a | | | | Apply the same process to reducing the number of |
| company implements pragmatic environmentally | | | | desktop computers by virtualizing them and allowing |
| friendly practices. The benefit to a company that | | | | users to access those virtual desktops via thin-client |
| exercises green IT initiatives is often realized in | | | | PCs. A business desktop PC, running Windows XP Pro |
| increased savings, which translate into larger profits. | | | | with SP2 would average $850. Instead, a thin-client |
| Virtualization implementations are a perfect | | | | PC would run $160 and a Windows XP Pro-SP2 |
| opportunity for SMBs to develop effective green IT | | | | license copy runs $79. So for $239 an SMB can |
| initiatives that reduce costs and E-waste. | | | | create a virtual workstation for a new employee that |
| Virtualization is a technology by which specialized | | | | operates just like the physical machine, but not have |
| software is installed on a computer, typically a | | | | the electrical and hardware costs associated with |
| server, allowing either multiple independent, instances | | | | operating one. |
| of an operating system or multiple independent, | | | | For the SMB in our example, $4,250 would be spent |
| operating systems to be installed thereby making one | | | | for new desktop systems for the 5 new employees. |
| computer look like many computers simultaneously | | | | However, a virtualized solution utilizing thin-clients to |
| on a network. | | | | access the virtual Windows XP desktops would cost |
| This has obvious advantages. If it is practical, existing | | | | $1,195. The $3,000 in savings could go back into the |
| hardware can be re-purposed to run the virtualization | | | | SMBs bottom line. The SMB is reducing their ecological |
| software usually through normal hardware upgrades, | | | | footprint by reducing the number of hardware |
| which is almost always cheaper than purchasing | | | | systems that will be generating E-waste, reducing |
| newer hardware systems altogether - although new | | | | power consumption and maintenance costs. Now, |
| hardware comes with warranties, protection and | | | | that's Green IT for a black bottom line! |
| capabilities which in most cases exceeds those of | | | | The virtualization market is dominated chiefly by |
| existing hardware even after maximum capacity has | | | | VMware, Citrix, Sun and Microsoft. Each one of them |
| been reached via upgrades to existing systems. | | | | offers very sophisticated and powerful "hypervisors", |
| Why even entertain this concept? Well, the average | | | | the core (kernel) component of any virtualization |
| server at its maximum averages 30% (or less) | | | | platform. These enterprise-class products help larger |
| utilization of its maximum capability, which means it's | | | | companies achieve phenomenal results in reducing |
| sitting 70% idle. The average desktop computer | | | | their ecological and physical systems footprints, |
| utilizes between 15%-20% of its maximum capability | | | | repurpose underutilized hardware inventory |
| - up to 80% idle. The problem is that the same | | | | New marketing strategies and constantly changing |
| commercial electric rate is still being applied to that | | | | products and business models have spurred free |
| hardware as long as that unit is powered on. | | | | versions of those same enterprise-class virtualization |
| Green IT initiatives that feature virtualization | | | | products. The manufacturers have realized that while |
| strategies allow SMBs to realize tangible cost savings | | | | SMBs do not require all of the feature sets that are |
| through reductions in electricity consumption in | | | | particular to enterprise-class businesses, there are |
| powering and cooling fewer desktops and servers. | | | | features common to both market sectors. They're |
| An example of this would be where an SMB may | | | | hoping that the SMBs will discover enough value in |
| have 5 servers, 20 desktop PCs and is about to hire | | | | utilizing the no-cost, enterprise tools that the SMBs |
| 5 more employees. The 5 servers are described as | | | | will pony up and invest in more robust solutions as |
| being 2 domain controllers, one combo web & | | | | their businesses begin to scale up. |
| database server, one mail server and one file server | | | | Virtualization is not for everyone. A successful |
| - of the 20 desktops, 5 are for special graphics | | | | implementation will depend upon many factors: |
| applications while the others are office | | | | accurate hardware platform assessments, careful |
| productivity-based. | | | | planning of implementation paths, SMBs technology |
| An IT consultant could recommend that only 2 | | | | commitment to virtualization and consolidation among |
| physical servers remain - maxed out on hardware | | | | several others. This technology will serve the SMB |
| upgrades to the point where each one could support | | | | market well. As always, an SMB should always consult |
| up to 10 virtual machines a piece, thus becoming host | | | | with a qualified IT professional to understand the |
| servers for all "guest" or virtual machines. Convert all | | | | options available and to gain a clearer grasp on the |
| of the physical servers to virtual machines (VM). | | | | tasks that need to be done as well as the premise |
| Connect a USB/FireWire external disk array to one of | | | | for doing them. |