Transcript Server Virtualization - CanDoTechnologies.com

Best Practices to Address the Top 3
Issues in Managing the Virtualized Data
Center
Bob Baxter
[email protected]
PO Box 55
Pine CO 80470
303-838-6448
A Little About Myself
• 31 years I/T experience
• 26 years managing systems
– Data center & service desk management
– Operating systems
– Database administration
– Process automation & event notification
– Document imaging and workflow
– ITIL Certification (IT service mgmt best practices)
– Server virtualization
Agenda
What are “Best Practices”?
What is “Virtualization”?
What are the “Top 3 Issues”?
Summary
What are Best Practices?
There are many I/T practices…
But which ones are the “Best”???...
Several industry organizations publish “Best” practices…
UK government OCG ITIL recognized worldwide…
Ultimately, YOUR organization will determine its own
“Best Practices”
What is ITIL?
Information Technology Infrastructure Library…
Service Strategy >> Service Design >>
Service Transition >> Service Operation >>
<< Continual Service Improvement >>
ITIL is a Key Management
ITIL:
Discipline
that Meshes Technology Management
IT Provides
Services
Services,
that add
not
VALUE
Technology…
…
and Corporate Management
.
.
Server Virtualization
Server Virtualization is not New!
Server
virtualization has
been around
since the 60’s
What is Server Virtualization?
– EMA defines virtualization as:
• “A technique for abstracting (or hiding) the
physical characteristics of computing resources
from the way in which other systems,
applications, or end users interact with those
resources.”
OS
Hardware
Hardware
Hardware
App
OS
App
App
OS
App
App
Traditional Non Virtualized Servers
Guest
OS
Guest
OS
Virtualization Hypervisor
Virtual Machine Monitor (VMM)
Hardware
App
App
Guest
OS
App
Guest
OS
App
App
Virtualized Server
Guest
OS
Hosted Virtualization
App
App
App
“Generally” not “Data Center Class”
Guest
OS
Guest
OS
Guest
OS
Virtualization Software
OS
Hardware
App
App
App
Hosted
Paravirtualization
Virtualization
Guest OS
Guest OS
Guest OS
Virtualization Software
Hardware
Desktop Virtualization
Desktop environments
hosted on Servers
Thin clients on physical
desktops
Citrix/VMware/Sun Ray
Why Virtualization?
Based on ITIL Framework…
Service Strategy…
Service Design…
Service Transition
Are Servers Really Cheap?
Server
Sprawl!
Financial
Why Virtualization?
Management
• When done properly, good stewardship of funds
• One, two, or just a few x86 servers are cheap.
Combined they start to become expensive!
• Consider:
– Cost of the servers themselves
– Power
– Cooling
– Network cabling
– Floorspace
– Disposal
Easier Service Continuity Management
Easier Provisioning of New
Servers (Services!)…
Can help speed projects through Service Lifecycle
(More on this Later….)
Before You Start…
Establish: SLA’s & KPI’s
Deming Cycle
So…. What ARE the Top 3 Issues?
1)Service Strategy:
Financial Management
Technology Selection: …
2) Service Design
Service Level Management
Continuity Management
Availability Management
Capacity Management…
3) Service Transition: Change Management
Best Practice Issue 1, Service Strategy
Selection of Virtualization Technology
Things to Consider
Cost
Technology
Future trends
Virtualization
Best Practice
Technology
IssueSelection
1
Selection of Virtualization Technology
Virtualization Options:
VMware ESX Full Virtualization
VMware Server (free/hosted virtualization)
Microsoft Server Hyper-V 1.0 Paravirtualization
Microsoft Virtual PC (free/hosted virtualization
Xen (Citrix/Open Source) Paravirtualization
Citrix
Parallels Virtuozzo Containers
To Name a few
Read Your License Agreement
Different software vendors and different software
packages have different licensing terms
Best Practice Issue 2
Service Design Objectives
Systems must be available
when needed…
Unplanned outages minimized
Adequate capacity
Best Practice Issue 2
Service Design Considerations
Inherent Advantages
Service Level Management: Improved Uptime
Continuity Management: Quicker recovery from failures
Capacity Management: Easier to add more resources
Service Design Considerations
Inherent
Disadvantages
Increased complexity…
Continuity Management:
Server failure could mean more
down systems…
Capacity Management:
Possible resource bottlenecks
Best Practice Issue 3
Service Transition/Change
Management
Easy to build machines
Easy to cheat on licenses
Beware of Empire Builders!
Change Management is Critical!
Virtual
Machine
Sprawl!
Change Management is Critical!
Established change
control procedures
Change Advisory
Board
Summary
Virtualization can increase efficient use of resources
ITIL meshes business and technology management
Never Forget: Virtualized data centers exist to provide
SERVICES
Summary
Service Strategy
There are many options. Select the technology that’s
Right for Your Organization
Service Design
Virtualization is a two edged sword: It can help improve
Capacity, Availability, Continuity or Hinder it
Service Transition
Change Management is CRITICAL