Virtualization Technology Will Re-shape it Infrastructure

In a fiercely competitive auto industry, Mazda NorthContinuity, Rapid Software Deployment, Improved
America depends on IT to inject the sameLegacy Application Management
“Zoom-Zoom” that characterizes their carsThere are several additional benefits virtualization
into its business operations. As Mazda’s ITtechnology provides. For example, organizations can
initiatives such as increasing field managers’help ensure high availability for critical applications
effectiveness grew, so did its server count –using virtualization solutions. These solutions enable
from 150 to nearly 300. “With athem to act as if their application is supported by
one-application-per-server approach and pressure tomultiple machines without the cost, complexity and
heighten system availability, all we could see wastime required to support physical machine clusters.
server sprawl. Complexity rose to the point whereVirtualization technology enables organizations to
our IT staff was spending most of its time justimplement a disaster recovery platform that allows
maintaining those servers,” says Jim DiMarzo, CIOthem to make all their company information available
of North America Operations. In addition, increasingwithin hours in the event of hardware loss without
energy costs were causing power and coolinginvesting in costly one-to-one mapping of production
expenses to overtake equipment costs. To helphardware to disaster recovery hardware.
solve their problems, Mazda turned to virtualizationVirtualization solutions also enable organizations to
technology.move or implement new applications within hours
As virtualization technology becomes increasinglyrather than days because virtualization technology
affordable and more consistently provides measurablehelps shield software from hardware variability.
business value, more and more organizations areIn addition, organizations can migrate legacy operating
following in Mazda’s footsteps.systems and software applications to VMs running on
Virtual Machines (VMs) - the heart of Virtualizationupgraded hardware for enhanced reliability and
Technologyresource management.
At the heart of virtualization solutions are virtualLooking Forward – Virtualization Technology will
machines (VMs), which allow multiple instances ofRe-shape IT Infrastructure
operating systems to run on the same physicalVirtualization is becoming an increasingly
server at the same time. The primary benefit of VMscost-effective way, even for midsize organizations,
is increasing the number of software applications youto obtain more value from IT. We expect
can run reliably on a single physical server. Historically,virtualization to be one of the most significant factors
due to concerns over potential conflicts, applicationsshaping IT infrastructure and operations over the
such as email or timekeeping software have eachnext several of years. As a result, we have invested
been installed on their own physical server.in becoming certified as a VMWare Partner. We
Server Consolidation – the Key to Costanticipate incorporating virtualization techniques in
Reduction2008 as part of a program to reduce hardware costs
Virtualization techniques help contain server sprawl.and provide much more affordable disaster
For example, virtualization technology allowed Mazdapreparedness.
to consolidate 75 of their servers onto five powerful,About Xantrion
energy efficient servers. It also enabled them toXantrion – offering gold-certified Microsoft
decrease the number of people required to managesupport – continues to revolutionize computer
almost 300 virtual and physical machines from eightnetwork support by providing systems that work,
to five. In addition, VMs have allowed Mazda toalong with seasoned consultants at a fixed price.
reduce the amount of power as well as data centerXantrion allows growing businesses to do more with
and office space they require.fewer resources and focus on what they do best.
Additional Benefits – Cost-effective Business