Datacenter Virtualization: Towards A Greener Computing Environment

The technological innovations, advent of cloud process and global business environment has together given rise to the concept of virtualization. Hence, organizations in their attempt to go green look forward to methods to enable virtualization across network, applications and systems.

Customers with their aspirations for a more technologically innovative environment demands that enterprises are ready with the best of the breed application and the related IT infrastructure. This has led to the development and deployment of data centers which cater the clients with top of the line infrastructure, networked with security features, updated software applications with anywhere anytime access. Dynamic market environments, competitive business objectives, the need for higher service levels and budgetary limitations have paved way for datacenter virtualization.

Virtualization of data centers includes a range of activities that are aimed at creating a virtualized computing environment. Implemented initially for better utilization of the available physical resources, the focus today is on developing data centers that are dynamic, agile with services-oriented architectures.  Gartner estimates that data centers are accountable for nearly 0.5% of all global carbon emissions. Further, with the growth in the demand for cloud solutions, will only see an increase in the amount of energy required to power data centers. Datacenter virtualization will not only facilitate significant savings on floor space and power, but also enable efficient sharing of server, storage and network resources while reducing operating expenses. It empowers the IT department with tools for resource scheduling, data protection, and disaster recovery.

Leading enterprises that provide data center hosting solutions work through a phased methodology to provide cost-effective green datacenter solutions, which would also lend sustainability to the business operations. As the first phase, these service providers assess energy usage and carbon footprint of the existing datacenter environment. Further, through Gap analysis and feasibility study, they work towards identification of transformational activities. With a detailed roadmap for green IT initiatives like procurement, optimisation, recycling and resource planning the service providers completes the design phase and enters the implementation phase wherein they implement specific technologies for datacenter virtualization and IT infrastructure management.

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Green Datacenter - The Modern Day Green Datacenter Services

Recently there has been an increase in the demand for data centers, which in turn need a lot of power to operate. The modern day datacenters are being set up with a capacity of 300 watts power per square feet. This range is considerably greater than what it used to be couple of years ago, which was a mere amount of 60 watts per square feet, that used to be enough for most installations. Contrary to popular belief, setting up a green data center does not require heavy investments in the beginning, provided adequate research work is done. Green technology and green building products has witnessed a considerable decrease in the recent past, and along with the appropriate research and plan, a green data center can be set up with the same fund akin to that of one without any green specifications.

Today, leading IT companies have come up with innovative Green Datacenter solutions that provide sustainability to the business flow and are cost effective. Some of the integral components and value added services offered along with these solutions are discussed below-

Assessment stage

During this stage, the service providers establish a baseline for the carbon footprint and usage of the platform to be used for the assessment framework that in turn is utilized for auditing the present environment. This is followed by a Feasibility study and Gap analysis to recognize the transformational movements, evaluate cost structure and conduct impact analysis.

Planning and Design stage

This is the stage where the service providers offer a detailed route map for particular Green IT initiatives such as DC optimization, resource planning, financial planning, recycling, and procurement.

Implementation Stage

This is the phase where a user gets to select and deploy particular technologies related to datacenter virtualization, cooling and power management, consolidation and IT infrastructure management.

However, it is imperative that the total framework for your company’s Green Datacenter needs a thorough research along with energy efficiency. The IT products and services that are involved in the data center are gradually becoming green and using these products your datacenter would be more eco-friendly.

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The Growing Need for IT Infrastructure Services

In the first generation mainframe era IT Infrastructures were based on local data centre in large corporate offices. Hardware of early computer systems was complex to operate and maintain, and therefore required a special environment to operate. Many cables were necessary to connect all the components and methods to accommodate and organize these were devised, such as standard racks to mount equipment, elevated floors, and cable trays (installed overhead or under the elevated floor).

During that time even old computers required a great deal of power, and had to be cooled to avoid overheating. An important consideration during that time was security because computers were expensive, and were often used for military purposes. Basic design guidelines for controlling access to the computer room were therefore devised.

Today, IT Infrastructure management of an enterprise includes wide range and variety of servers, storage devices, network devices, security devices and software components. Large enterprise have multiple sets of data centers connected together over variety of technologies such has dedicated link, VPN links, MPLS etc.

Cloud Computing & Data Centers

Cloud computing is basically the concept where computing is "in the cloud" i.e. that the processing (and the related data) is not in a specified, known or static place(s). This is in contrast to the traditional computing where the processing takes place in one or more specific servers that are known. However, it must be noted that, the server location, place and controls are still known to someone who is a part in service delivery chain.

Cloud computing has enabled the availability of inexpensive networking equipment, coupled with new standards for network cabling and made it possible to use a hierarchical design that put the servers in a specific room inside the company. Cloud computing has also helped data centres to gain popular recognition.

Data centers gained more importance when companies needed fast Internet connectivity and nonstop operation to deploy systems and establish a presence on the Internet. Installing such equipment was not viable for many smaller companies. Many companies started building very large facilities, called Internet data centers (IDCs), which provide businesses with a range of solutions for systems deployment and operation.

New technologies and practices were designed to handle the scale and the operational requirements of such large-scale operations. These practices eventually migrated towards & lt datacenter hosting, and were adopted largely because of their practical results. Network consulting services provide datacenter services that can deliver more than ten times the network capacity of a large corporate city building. This capacity, coupled with highly specified environmental controls, can offer considerable savings on long-term capital and operational costs to enterprises.

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Excellence in IT Infrastructure Outsourcing

If you looking to get better cost control over your IT infrastructure, system and application or you want to benefit from the changing needs of business or if you want only to improve the service quality, it is best to think about IT infrastructure outsourcing.

IT Infrastructure Outsourcinghas been an all or nothing approach to Infrastructure sourcing. Itbrings along with it big opportunities for today's businesses, but it also brings in big challenges. Businesses and end users are becoming very demanding wanting round the clock support, system mobility, flexibility to access information from anywhere and wanting new applications, all in a fast pace.

Apart from this increasing costs and retaining IT skills within the company can be difficult. New technologies require new training and sometimes new support software.Recruiting new skilled staff is also a challenge.

Need for IT Outsourcing

* Customer has become more demanding.

* Enhanced access to information.

* Security and integrity risk.

* Real time management of system performance.

* Global Mobility

Outsourcing IT infrastructure to professionally companies is productive many a times. Advantages of IT outsourcing are many.

Let’s discuss some here:

Focus on Core Competence– Your core competence is not IT. So whileyou focus on your core business, outsource the IT Infrastructure management to those whose expertise is just that i.e. IT Infrastructure. However, make sure that you choose the right outsourcing vendor matching your business needs.

CostOver Time– The cost ofout sourcing IT Infrastructure Management works out to be more cost effective, if all the factors like hiring specialized IT resource, staffing cost, attrition cost etc are all taken into account. You save from 20 -30% on overall cost of your IT infrastructure.

No Need for Hiring Specialized IT Resource– With technology on the roll, the need for various technology platforms and skill sets also keeps changing. Hiring IT resource for every platform can put a strain on the IT budget. Outsourcing IT solves these problems as providing the right resource is the problem of the outsourcing partner.Pooling resources from outsourcing can help optimize quality, efficiency, talent, and collaboration.

Service Level Agreements (SLAs)– Gain control over your work through Service Level Agreements (SLAs), so you always know what you're paying for. You gain real-time visibility into your infrastructure support system with the help of customized dashboards. You get latest technology and real-time insights to mitigate the risk factors associated with Distributed Agile Development

ITInfrastructure Monitoring and Management –Outsourcing ensures 99.9% uptime of your IT Infrastructure. Optimization of the existing IT Infrastructure ensures that you are able to serve your customer better gaining better return on investment (ROI) on your IT spend. Access to latest technology and real-time insights can mitigate the risk factors associated with distributed agile development.

Single Window Approach -A single window approach suffices your need for IT Infrastructure requirements spanning from Data Center management to end user computing to multi vendor management. This saves you time and effort in allocating services to a single vendor.

Before going in for IT outsourcing companies should factor in all possible costs and benefits arising out of their decision. All said and done, the project simply falls apart if it does not have a financial viability to it.

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Accelerate Business Growth with Application Management Services

In the corporate world IT has always been a critical business enabler. Most of the advancements in technology are due to the finesse with which this particular department operates. Today IT infrastructure is critical to business because it helps in seamless integration with customer network and makes information readily available for business leaders to take strategic and informed business decisions.  

Today the role of IT has become more challenging and important – companies depend on it to meet strict international standards/requirements such as USA PATRIOT and Sarbanes-Oxley acts. IT capabilities of a company are crucial in integrating and performing repetitive data management processes. This is where Client Application Management Services pitch in by offering services pertaining to managing and maintaining the end user application environment, one of the costliest activities within IT Infrastructure management. 

By outsourcing non-core functions, companies can better focus on core business competencies; simultaneously, lowering the total cost of ownership as well. In this article, let’s understand some of the client application management services available in the market. 

Application Packaging - This service ideally includes definition of packaging standards, package complexity, categorization, development of packaging standards, package creation, testing and, package conflict detection and resolution. 

Software Distribution – This service usually covers activities such as automated software distribution, deployment process, customization and coordination, distribution to software repositories & workstation clients, pilot testing and implementation of rollback plan. 

Image Management – Starting from establishing common operating environment, through image creation/testing, image release, and maintenance for new platform, security patches, driver updates etc., image management services ensures standardization and accuracy in all phases. 

Patch Management - This service comprises of all the activities starting from assessing threats and vulnerabilities, discovering new updates, obtaining, testing and deploying all the required patches on time. 

Usually, companies offering Application Management Service may also be catering to messaging and collaboration services, asset management, IT infrastructure management etc. The advantage of using these services lies in the fact that they are all cloud-enabled and delivered using business ready platform for enterprise tools.

Companies can now expect to achieve new industry benchmarks aligned to business outcome in less time. An experienced Application Management Service provider can ensure excellence in delivery quality and continuous improvement in the management and optimization of your applications. Such services use innovative tools that help in adopting new technologies for improved end user productivity. Above all companies can expect to enjoy competitive differentiation that will accelerate the ROI curve in no-time. 

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Mining IT Infrastructure Outsourcing Potentials with RIMO

To be saved from the complexities of handling staff issues and for cost-saving purposes many businesses adopted the outsourcing approach for dealing with their IT projects. However, many fumbled and encountered failures. Handling the IT outsourcing process is not an easy job, and without an efficient management system the decisions made can affect a business adversely. IT infrastructure outsourcing requires flexibility and proper communication channels.

 
As time progresses, IT projects are becoming more complex. These projects require in-depth knowledge about new technologies and domains, interfacing applications and highly skilled employees. The traditional approach for IT infrastructure management was based on a generic model that did not have the capabilities to satisfy on-demand application requirements according to individual needs and were ostensibly expensive.

 
As businesses continued their search for an ideal model to pursue their IT ventures in a cost-effective manner, a new model — RIMO (remote infrastructure management outsourcing) — was introduced. RIMO, also known as the ‘asset light’ model, is a cloud based service which provides complete support for remote management of IT infrastructure planning including administration, monitoring and problem solving benefits. With the help of this new model, IT engineers are becoming proficient in remote management of networks, storage, desktop support, help desks, control, security and datacenter hosting services.

 
In the RIMO model, a contract between the client and the service provider is drawn up stating that the provider is responsible for continuous monitoring of the client’s IT infrastructure, identifying the probabilities of any emerging issues, providing corrective solutions and resolving existing issues from a remote location. All these services are provided either on a per device basis, as monthly fees or on the basis of time and materials. This gives businesses the leeway to manage their IT infrastructure in a cost-effective manner.

With this new RIMO model, clients can move their assets easily to other centers according to situational demands, such as growth in business, increase in IT volume or changing technological destinations. Due to its flexible nature, the controlling power is vested with the buyers rather than the owners of desktops, servers, data centers, etc. Competition is evoked based on pricing, competency levels and customization. Customers can judge based on what they are being charged, which facilitates controlling their assets, saving on hiring employees and working on the core areas of their business.

RIMO has delivered an overwhelming response as it leverages enterprise efficiency with streamlined processes. It facilitates customers by taking complete responsibility of IT infrastructure outsourcing management, from planning, evaluation and acquisition to deployment and training cycles, thus providing customers the freedom to concentrate on their core requisites.

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