Virtualization
Virtualization management needed
VMs should be mapped to physical servers in a way that is visually understandable and monitored for utilization and capacity.
by Lakshmi Pedda
Management strategies that work well with
physical infrastructures may not extend to
virtual infrastructures. For example, with
virtualization, hardware no longer defines a
tangible entity, since a single server can
host many virtual machines (VMs). Therefore,
VMs should be mapped to physical servers in
a way that is visually understandable and
monitored for utilization and capacity. Even
if a physical server-management solution has
been effective, IT should determine if the
solution provides the same degree of
management information and visualization for
virtual systems.
Advanced discovery allows IT to locate
every aspect of the virtual host and its
sessions, including the clustered
environment. This provides knowledge about
assets and their relationship to the
physical host. Coupled with visualization,
staff can see every virtual and physical
machine on a given system in a single,
comprehensive view.
Having intuitive visual maps also can
show the relationship of each virtual
element to its physical counterpart and to
the business processes it supports. This
functionality allows IT to reduce the time
to troubleshoot (mean time to repair, or
MTTR). At a glance, IT is now in a position
to quickly adapt to changing business
conditions by prioritizing resources.
Most physical server utilization rates
fall into the 10 percent range, providing
limited value for already stretched IT
budgets. The proper virtual-management
solution will enable IT to first understand
current performance and utilization rates.
IT will then need to choose which pieces of
the infrastructure need to be monitored
(i.e., CPU, memory, disk and/or network).
Using a resource optimization technique,
IT will be able to balance resources
efficiently based on set policies that
correspond with business demands. Resource
optimization then establishes a baseline
using real-time and historical performance
metrics. These trends in performance and
utilization will enable better capacity
planning with every exercise IT undertakes.
When evaluating server virtualization,
take into consideration:
- Can this solution manage a heterogeneous
environment so IT has an overall picture of
performance and utilization rates to make
intelligent decisions that support business
priorities?
- Does it have the ability to
automatically allocate and de-allocate
system resources like CPU and memory first
within the host server before engaging in
live migrations across other hosts?
A solution that delivers this
functionality will ensure that resources are
maximized. Conversely, not having this
functionality can result in inefficient,
ineffective and inaccurate use of resources
(over provisioning in most cases). In the
long run, capacity-planning forecasts will
result in skyrocketing capital expenditures.
The policies set by IT services
management should be able to guide what
happens when something needs to change in
the virtual infrastructure. Policy-based
automation enables the automated response to
these conditions, while taking the overall
IT service delivery into account.
Lakshmi Pedda is senior product
marketing manager for CA, Framingham, Mass.
For more information from CA,
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