Virtualization has been around for some time now. It started with the initial consolidation and pooling of hardware resources but with advanced technology, the journey evolved and as it progresses, virtualization value shifts and increases.

In the IBM Journey eBook, posted on Sentia’s Converged Systems Virtual Resource Center, this quote defines virtualization very well:

Virtualization is not a device you implement, but a journey you embark upon to realize greater and greater gains.
Virtualization Realized. IBM Virtualization Journey eBook

To gain the full benefit of virtualization technology, all of the advanced capabilities should be implemented. In the Business Trends Brief from VMware and HP, you will discover the benefits of each phase of maturity. VMware and HP have established that a typical virtualization journey consists of three distinct phases:

Phase I: IT Production. Virtualization is used primarily for server consolidation of IT-owned applications.

Phase II: Business Production. Businesses begin using virtualization for business-critical applications such as Microsoft Exchange Server, Oracle, or SAP, and deploy more advanced virtualization automation and management features.

Phase III: IT as a Service (ITaaS). All applications are eligible to run in virtual machines (VMs), advanced techniques are used to manage and monitor virtual servers and IT organization and processes are updated to run efficiently within virtual infrastructure.

Sadly, many organizations stop once their servers are virtualized and miss many additional benefits. With each step forward on the journey to full implementation of advanced virtualization, the rewards increase exponentially. The benefits of each phase of the journey are distinct from one another which mean that businesses do not just achieve “more of the same” but gain additional benefits such as savings, performance, enhanced agility and competitive advantage for the business.

Operational, Financial and Business Benefits...

The most common challenge an organization faces is lack of budget to continue on its virtualization journey.

But the most successful enterprises view IT as a strategic asset that is essential for achieving the company’s business goals. These innovators treat the IT budget as an investment: Minimizing cost gives way to maximizing ROI. They continue to increase the percentage of revenues allocated for IT initiatives year over year—and they are reaping substantial benefits.

If you’d like to plan your next phase in your virtualization journey, Sentia can help. See how Sentia works with its customers.

View my video: How to address today's challenges in the Data Center and feel free to contact me at 1-866-610-8489 or send me an email.

Roger Osmond, President
Sentia