Virtualisation
The popularity of virtualisation has grown dramatically since the launch of Microsoft’s Hyper-V Server.
With the advent of the latest Intel and AMD processors with Virtualisation technology and software such as Microsoft Server 2008 R2 and VMWare, virtualisation has become a viable option for companies looking to replace aging hardware and reduce their running costs.
VMware ESXi and vSphere 5 have made virtualisation a reality for businesses of all sizes. ESXi 5 brings enhancements in the virtual hardware and vSphere Essentials licences up to 3 managed hosts.
Two of the major additions to Server 2008 R2 is live migration and Processor Power Management (PPM). The first allows Virtual Machines to be moved from host-to-host without being powered off, ensuring maintenance can be carried out without any downtime. PPM increases the power efficiency of the server by switching off processor cores when they are not required. These two features allows for a redundant, easily managed virtualisation solution, while maintaining the cost reduction benefits of running fewer servers.
If you are looking at using virtualisation, we can advise on what servers to consolidate, which to not and suitable replacement hardware and software including storage solutions.
Please contact us for more information.