Gain Fast ROI from Virtualisation



Gain Fast ROI from Virtualisation

Nov-Dec 2008  Print


Virtualisation will deliver significant savings along with business and environmental efficiencies, right? Maybe not, we look at why Virtualisation can be a battle won or lost on the management field.

To achieve the promised benefits, organisations need to put in place a management framework prior to, during and after the implementation of the technology.

If the process behind Virtualisation is forgotten, chances are it won’t deliver the promised business benefits and will fail to achieve Return on Investment (ROI).

So how can your organisation benefit from virtualisation?


Focus on Management, not Additional Resources

According to Roland Leggat, Instructor - Technical Readiness at DDLS, the battle of Virtualisation will be won or lost on the management field.

“The management of virtual machines is critical to any Virtualisation implementation,” said Mr Leggat.

“Because the machines are virtual and not physically located, people can easily commission new servers. This causes server sprawl, which could require more staff to administer. Organisations need to have an effective management framework with the right management skills to keep track of resources.”


Don’t Virtualise for Virtualisation’s Sake

If the right processes are not in place for a Virtualisation implementation, there may be unexpected costs that could negate benefits. For example:

One company wanted to virtualise 40 servers. In its haste to implement Virtualisation, the organisation failed to use the necessary processes to analyse workloads and server usage. If the virtualisation went ahead, it was going to create 127 virtual servers that would blow out TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) and offset any benefits that Virtualisation may have delivered.

“The big players in the Virtualisation market are VMware, XenSource and Microsoft,” continued Mr Leggat. “Whoever comes up with the best tool to manage virtualised machines from a central location will not only gain the most market share, but will unlock even greater potential for the technology to achieve benefits for businesses.”


Skills for Better Returns on your Virtualisation Investment

Management and governance are two critical aspects of any Virtualisation implementation.

IT departments need to develop a sound business analysis strategy before implementing Virtualisation. This will help to identify what the organisation needs to achieve from a virtualised environment. 

In addition, unless there is a proper project management plan in place for example, the technology will only add complexity and consume more capital.

DDLS can provide Business Analysis and Project Management training to complement any Virtualisation strategy.

To find out more about DDLS Process training services, please contact
13 12 01 or visit www.DDLS.com.au.