When Intel and AMD put processor performance into overdrive, virtual server adoption skyrocketed.  Then came the virtual server tsunami.  IT shops became swamped by a plague of virtual server sprawl complete with diverging tools and a patchwork of IT processes for physical and virtual apps.  The tsunami also brought network and memory bottlenecks plus the other two Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Security and Command/Control Issues. 

Just like 'nature abhores a vacuum', it seems that 'IT hates unbalance'.  Thinking 'virtual server-only' leads to ad hoc virtualization and unbalance across your architecture and organization. 

Move over virtual servers.  It's time to think virtualized infrastructure.

Here's why thinking virtualized infrastructure is critical to keeping the balance.

• If you only virtualize servers, you're missing huge cost saving opportunities to cut network, storage and facilities costs too.
• You see the bigger picture and can take steps to unify virtual and physical tools, processes and operations
• It helps you identify and address the key bottlenecks to virtual server performance
• It leads to more convergence and another round of hardware and operational cost savings.  As an example, as servers and storage converge, (i.e., the data moves closer to the application) there is a huge opportunity to eliminate  the network equipment cost in between.

Over the last 12 months, we have taken several practical steps to deliver a unified virtual infrastructure. No hype.  No fancy names.  Just a thoughtful approach delivered today to help you deploy and manage a virtual infrastructure simply.

1. It started with Insight Dynamics, a capacity planning and orchestration in one tool to manage applications on virtual and physical servers in the same way.  This was the beginning because the virtual server tsunami is the biggest driver of cost is operational driven by diverging tools, processes and roles.
2. Next came the world's first server blade optimized for virtualization.  The aim here was to remove the memory bottlenecks and optimize a server for shared storage connections.
3. The last piece in the trilogy was Virtual Connect with Flex-10 technology.  The first generation of Virtual Connect already proved its merits by simplifying virtual server operations between the server, LAN and SAN administrator.  Flex-10 took it to a whole new level with the ability to consolidate network equipment 4 to 1, 10Gb speeds, and the ability to carve up and fine tune that 10Gb performance to suite the needs of virtual machine channels.
4. Rethinking storage for a virtual infrastructure is the next step.  Our friends over in the HP LeftHand group recently launched the SAS Starter SAN.  Based on high-performing SAS drives, LeftHand's architecture automatically balances data volumes across all disk drives, network connections and processors.  Isn't this the direction that makes sense for virtualization?

We've been working with a lot of folks like VMware, Microsoft, Citrix, Oracle and more, to not only unify this infrastructure with their technology, but also to make it easier to integrate into your environment.  The good news is it's not a one-size-fits-all approach. 

Get a head start on deploying virtualized infrastructure today by checking out this virtual infrastructure solution example featuring VMware.