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Virtualization from data center to the enterprise
By StorageAsia Editors | Jul 7, 2011
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PrintThe challenges related to moving virtualization out of the data center and into the enterprise formed the theme for the Virtualization and Storage Symposium 2011 held 15 June in Singapore.
Storage Networking Industry Association chairman PK Gupta kicked off the event by highlighting the changing role virtualization has played in the enterprise over the years. VM machines have been around for the past 15 years, Gupta said, but the growing popularity of cloud computing brought about a new role for virtualization – that as the catalyst for cloud computing.
Virtualization has made it possible to change hardware to software, said Gupta, and virtualization’s position in the enterprise would not diminish with the cloud services market expected to prosper at a CAGR of 27% over the next 3 years.
Virtualization is transitioning from the data center to the desktops, Gupta said, and this route was one taken by many companies. The virtualization journey begins the moment consolidation starts, said Gupta.
Next to take the stage was Arthit Vee Chimpleewat, director of IT at Thailand hotel Swissotel Nailert Park Bangkok. Chimpleewat said business demands had led to his company’s decision to go on the virtualization journey.
The hotel business was highly guest-focused, Chimpleewat said. The board would be happy to spend $4 million on WiFi access for guests, but it would be more challenging to secure a $100,000 budget for server storage.
According to Chimpleewat, convincing the management to embark on the virtualization journey was made easier when the board saw the benefits that virtualization could bring to the hotel’s bid to provide services such as IPTV and TV on demand to guests.
Persuading the management that IT could be a revenue generator helped in quest to secure budget, said Chimpleewat.
