Chicken and Egg: Server and Virtualization
Dear Colleagues, I am in a dilemma and looking for an answer to simple matter related to server deployment and virtualization. Let me elaborate.
Our IT department maintains about 60 different servers that are running various applications and web sites. Obviosuly, it makes sense and we are planning to deploy VM ware based virtualization environment in 3-6months time frame. Meanwhile, one of our critical department is urgently requesting to install an application's server version.
Now the question is whether we should ask them to wait for 3-6 months for deployment of VM ware and then have their server version application? Is there any advanatge of keep them waiting for 3-6 months? Can't we simply include the new application server version within virtualization environment at the time of actual VM ware deployment?
Please send me your comments and suggestions on this. If you have any case study or white paper addressing this particular topic, please attach that as well.
Many thanks,
Samuel Adams
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ASKED:
December 7, 2007 2:48 PM
UPDATED:
March 4, 2008 9:24 PM
Answer Wiki:
I would say that if the application is critical to the department, and you can support the application in the current enviroment you should deploy it now to a physical server. When you get VMWare you will I assume be getting the Virtual Center as well. This will allow you to get the VM Converter product which makes converting physical machines to Virtual Machines a piece of cake.
If you need to move the machines with less downtime look at a product called Platespin. This is an excellent P2V tool which requires about 5-10 minutes of downtime per server that you P2V.
Agreed, consider deploying critical application now on your physical servers. Then you can just use tools to convert physical environment to a virtual environment via VMWare convertor and move configuration settings via Scriptlogic's Desktop Authority or something. The general rule for today I thinks is to move forward and don't simply sit and wait. Waiting usually doesn't give a profit.
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Russel Cohen
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These answers are right on. Plus you get a new (3-6 month old) server out of the deal to use as a test environment after you deploy it to VMWare.