Virtualization: A Comprehensive Analysis

• Exploring the Transition from Physical to

Virtual Infrastructure
• Virtualization is the process of creating a
software-based (or virtual) representation of
something—whether it be servers, storage, or
networks. It helps optimize IT infrastructure
and address the limitations of physical
datacenters.
 datacenter managers agree

Physical servers are taking up too much room

Physical servers are underused, sometimes from 5 to 15
percent
Physical servers generate too much heat
Physical servers need more and more power
Physical datacenters need complex business continuity
solutions
Downtime is a constant issue that must be eliminated
Hardware management is complex and must be
simplified
 Why Move to Virtual Infrastructure?
• Traditional datacenter challenges:
• - Skyrocketing power and cooling costs
• - Underused physical servers (5-15% utilization)
• - Excessive heat and power consumption
• - Complex business continuity solutions
• - Downtime issues

• Solution: Virtualization
• : Traditional datacenters are expensive and inefficient, with
hardware often underutilized. Virtualization addresses these
issues by consolidating workloads and optimizing resource usage.
 Benefits of Virtualization
• Increases server workload up to 80%
• Reduces physical server sales forecast by $4.5
million (IDC)
• Break-even point: 3 virtual machines per host
• Consolidation: Minimum 15 servers to cover
implementation costs
• Virtualization helps businesses achieve higher
operational efficiency and significant cost savings by
running multiple virtual machines (VMs) on a single
physical server.
Blade Servers vs. Rack-Mounted Servers
• Blade Servers:
– Compact design with multiple server blades in one chassis
– Shared power, cooling, and networking resources
– Hot-swappable components for easy maintenance
– Reduced cabling and physical footprint
– Ideal for dense data centers and virtualization environments
• Rack-Mounted Servers:
– Standalone servers mounted in a standard 19-inch rack
– More flexible for smaller deployments
– Easier to scale incrementally
– Common in traditional server rooms
• Comparison:
– Blade servers are more efficient in power and cooling, but have higher initial setup costs
– Rack-mounted servers offer simplicity and flexibility but may require more cabling and management
effort
• Explanation: Blade servers and rack-mounted servers are the two most popular options for
hosting virtualized environments. Blade servers offer compactness and ease of
maintenance, while rack servers are more widely used.
 Preparation for Virtualization
• Analyze IT environment:
– Assess current server hardware, storage, and network infrastructure.
– Identify any outdated hardware that may not support virtualization.
– Create a comprehensive inventory of physical servers and workloads.
• Ensure physical servers are newer and support hardware virtualization:
– Intel: Virtual Technology (VT)-enabled processors and Extended Memory 64 Technology
(EM64T) processors.
– AMD: AMD-V-enabled processors.
• BIOS updates may be required for AMD processors:
– Check with system vendors like HP or Dell for the latest BIOS versions.
– Some systems may require BIOS adjustments to enable virtualization support.
• Explanation: Before implementing virtualization, businesses must ensure their
existing hardware is compatible with modern hypervisors, which rely on specific
CPU virtualization technologies. A thorough preparation step helps avoid
performance issues and ensures a smooth transition to a virtual infrastructure.
 Hypervisor Compatibility
• Hypervisors (Microsoft Hyper-V, Citrix XenServer)
require VT or AMD-V support
• No hypervisor support = No virtual machines
• CPU validation tools:
• - AMD utility for Hyper-V readiness
• - CPU-Z for Intel/AMD stepping values
• Hypervisors are essential for creating and managing
virtual machines. Ensuring hardware compatibility
with these virtualization engines is a critical step.
 Live Migration Considerations
• Live migration requires identical CPU instruction sets
– VMware VMotion, Citrix XenMotion
• Intel Flex Migration & AMD equivalent:
– Enables cross-processor live migration
– VMware’s CPU Masking via Enhanced VMotion Compatibility (EVC)
• Live migration allows virtual machines to move between physical
servers without downtime. However, this requires careful CPU
compatibility considerations. Intel Flex Migration and AMD’s similar
feature allow VMs to move between different processors by
disabling advanced hardware-assisted virtualization features that
aren’t supported by all nodes in the cluster. VMware’s Enhanced
VMotion Compatibility (EVC) helps ensure that live migrations are
smooth, even between different processor generations.
 AMD (Advanced Micro Devices)
• AMD is a semiconductor company that produces computer processors and
related technologies. In the context of virtualization:
• AMD-V (AMD Virtualization): A hardware-assisted virtualization technology
that allows multiple operating systems to run on a single machine efficiently.
• How it works: AMD-V provides CPU extensions that enable hypervisors (like
Microsoft Hyper-V or VMware) to create and manage virtual machines
without significant performance overhead.
• BIOS requirement: Even though most AMD processors support AMD-V,
sometimes this feature needs to be enabled in the BIOS for virtualization to
work.
• AMD’s Flex Migration equivalent: Similar to Intel’s Flex Migration, AMD
offers a feature that ensures smooth live migration of virtual machines
across servers with different AMD CPUs, by disabling incompatible advanced
instructions.
 Hardware Layers to Evaluate
• Storage:
• - Use Windows File System Resource Manager to
identify file archiving opportunities
• - Determine storage for virtual machine containers
• Network bandwidth:
• - Use Windows Network Monitor, Performance
Monitor
• - Assess support for live migrations and iSCSI
storage traffic
 Power & Cooling Audit
• Ensure datacenter infrastructure supports virtual workloads
• Possible rebate from utility companies for virtualization
• Use APC tools for identifying infrastructure issues
• APC tools (from American Power Conversion, now a part of Schneider Electric) are
designed to help manage and optimize power and cooling in data centers! Let’s break it
down:
• InfraStruxure: A comprehensive data center management suite that helps monitor
power usage, cooling, and environmental conditions in real-time.
• APC PowerChute: Provides automatic shutdown protection and energy monitoring for
servers and devices during power outages.
• Data Center Expert: A tool for centralized monitoring of physical infrastructure, offering
alerts for power, cooling, and environmental events.
• Capacity and Planning Tools: Help forecast and optimize power and cooling needs,
critical when transitioning to a virtualized environment.
• Power and cooling requirements often change with virtualization. Performing an audit
helps identify potential infrastructure improvements and cost savings.
 Hardware Consolidation
• Identify consolidation candidates with tools
from VMware, Microsoft, CiRBA
• Enterprise-class tools available on a
subscription basis
• Virtualization is about optimizing existing
resources. Identifying which physical servers
can be consolidated is key to planning and
executing a successful virtualization project.
 Importance of In-depth Analyses
• Emphasize the four key studies:
• 1. Storage
• 2. Network bandwidth
• 3. Power and cooling
• 4. Hardware consolidation
• The larger the infrastructure, the greater the benefits
• Careful analysis at each stage ensures a smooth
transition to virtualization and helps avoid
performance or capacity issues down the line.
 Final Thoughts
• A strong start ensures a smooth virtualization
journey
• Avoid pitfalls by analyzing your infrastructure
thoroughly
• Virtualization is a strategic shift that requires
thoughtful planning and execution. Taking the
time to do things right from the beginning will
pay off in terms of efficiency, reliability, and
cost savings.