Virtually Computer Free

Get rid of your computers. That’s right. Eliminate computers and begin saving some serious money. It’s 2009 and we’re heading into a virtual world. According to Micro Visions Senior Technology Strategist, Rob Harbin, virtualization will be mainstreamed in 2009. While every Fortune 500 company is currently using it, since we first addressed virtualization in our May, 2008, newsletter there now exist practical implementation strategies for small and medium sized businesses as well.

As we discussed in that newsletter, servers represent some of the greatest technology expenditures that businesses encounter. Virtualization can divide a single server into several “virtual” servers that all run independently, eliminating the need to purchase and maintain several underutilized individual servers. No more multiple three to five year server replacement cycles, maintenance costs, and ongoing utility expenses associated with server operation and climate control. Additionally, virtual servers are hardware agnostic. No longer are they tethered to a specific piece of hardware. This promotes versatility, deployment efficiencies, high redundancy, and overall ease of administration and maintenance.

This year, virtualization steps beyond the server to encompass the desktop, replacing the conventional workstation tower computer with a tiny box into which plug the monitor, keyboard, and mouse. While users can maintain their current, individual control over their workstations (unlike past thin-client technology), the processing functions once accomplished at the desk are done elsewhere. This creates significant cost savings, from the reduction in hardware expenditures to the efficiencies created when workstations are managed from the server rather than individually visited. Application deployments and updates can be accomplished simultaneously in minutes.

In a fully virtualized environment a small or medium sized organization may have only one or two physical servers and little more than a monitor, keyboard, and mouse at each desk, replacing multiple servers and myriad workstations. The user experience is enhanced, allowing your team to accomplish its work in the same fashion, but without a space-wasting computer tower at each desk and without the idiosyncrasies and delays associated with individual machines.

While it is apparent that a virtualized environment will create considerable efficiencies and corresponding savings, the challenge lies in exactly how to economically and seamlessly transition from your current infrastructure to an optimally virtualized environment. You do not need to throw everything out and start over. The Micro Visions team can work with you to develop a strategic plan, allowing your organization to begin realizing the efficiencies that virtualization offers, employing the equipment you currently have. Stop the endless cycle of new equipment. Stop wasting electricity. Save money. Call us at 616-776-0400.

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