Virtualization is not a new technology.
Companies of all sizes have utilized virtualization in a number of ways for a long time, even back to UNIX (yes, AIX LPARs and Solaris Zones). However, how does virtualization help in the context of capacity planning and management in today’s complex IT environment?
One of the key benefits of virtualization is its ability to provide flexibility. If demand is surging, you can spin up new virtual machines almost instantaneously to meet it. So, the real question then becomes what should you virtualize? This isn’t always an easy question to answer because you need to know both how much resources/bandwidth you are currently using, you also need to predict how well the VMs will work on your target physical host.
As mentioned in an earlier post, knowledge is key to capacity planning. In up.time, the “Server Virtualization Report” helps provide that essential knowledge by automatically identifying physical servers that are good candidates to be virtualized on your target machine. Simply put, up.time can predict if your physical servers will play nicely in a virtualized environment. It gives you insight into the future, so you don’t have to spend weeks going through a physical-to-virtual exercise or commit to buying hardware before you know exactly what you need.
Server Virtualization Report in up.time
Companies that have taken full advantage of virtualization technologies often end up with another problem: VM sprawl.
Since it’s easy to spin up a new Virtual Machine, many users have a tendency to request VMs all the time. The result can be a data center infested with VMs that either aren’t being fully utilized or worse yet, not used at all. This is what we call VM sprawl and it’s a headache for companies that are virtualizing. These VMs are costing businesses real money in resources that aren’t being used. In other words, they are taking up capacity that could be used to achieve more important objectives in your organization.
The "VM Sprawl Report" in up.time
How can up.time help? A built-in “VM Sprawl Report” identifies the extent of the sprawl across your virtual infrastructure. It shows VMs that are underused, always off, suspended and even VMs that have not been powered on recently. It also shows trends that can tell you if sprawl is growing or being reduced (a great report if you have a project to reign in sprawl and need to track your progress). up.time empowers you to identify and solve your VM sprawl problems.
As you can see, we have reports that help you plan and execute your virtualization initiatives from cradle to the grave. Every company, no matter the size, can reap benefits from using up.time. Download a free trial of up.time today and take it for a test drive!
- Patrick
