Answers to 5 Key Challenges in Data Center Virtualization

Unhappy with virtual data centers for not fulfilling what they promised? Knowing the unique challenges involved shall help business Leaders prepare themselves with these practical and affordable solutions.
     
FREMONT, CA: Data center virtualization is one of the most talked-about breakthroughs in business. For years, organizations around the world spend large sums of money in setting up and maintaining a physical data center. Things are changing slowly with datacenter virtualization, making it a better proposition for the enterprises' continually evolving needs. Transforming the ways data centers operate, virtualization makes sense for businesses at multiple levels. It can reduce costs on facilities, power, cooling, and hardware along with simplifying administration and maintenance, finally giving firms greener IT profiles. The benefits are clear, but what follows the process of virtualization are some hurdles that businesses need to tackle and turn into yielding opportunities. Look at the top 5 challenges of data center virtualization and tactics to address them.

• Locating Data in Virtualized Environment

Although virtualization can boost the efficiency of hardware such as servers, networking equipment, and storage devices, the strategy can also make it more difficult to locate data when an issue arises. Tools that move workloads from one server to another would also contribute to this problem, oscillating data within a data architecture system. Getting assistance from a vendor, providing automated support delivery systems and data-gathering and diagnostic capabilities can tackle the stated challenge.

• Keeping up with Storage Demand

As mobility becomes more pervasive, it presents additional challenges to storage systems. Technology conversions, the byproduct of virtualization, increase complexity, primarily when IT works to stay on top of different device types and storage options. Planning for storage technology investment is the best-recommended solution. Employing automation that can handle server virtualization in a mobile environment can also help. It is always better for business leaders to turn to a vendor with expertise in remote worker technologies and data storage across a variety of solutions.

• Managing Unanticipated Costs

No doubt that data center virtualization can lead to greater efficiency and more robust data architecture. But most organizations are found with additional costs that arise when implementing operating software virtualization. Companies might not anticipate new software licenses or buying hardware that can boost performance and availability. The only solution available is to evaluate the existing infrastructure and implement changes on an as-needed basis, rather than going for a rip-and-replace solution. Business leaders must also look for training options and make it a point to evaluate virtual possibilities with an eye toward growth and expansion.

• Using Virtualization to the Fullest

Implementing data center virtualization with plenty of features is a great thing to do, but holds as long as firms can access all the functionalities. Many organizations do not have the network resources to benefit from a feature-rich platform. General optimization strategies include implementing intelligent byte catching and automated storage load-balancing. An experienced vendor can help use virtualization to the fullest, including blending numerous storage sources and supporting mobile technologies.

• Managing Complexity and Security

Leading virtualized data centers as part of the complete management solution can be challenging. The process includes managing all parts of the data center into one delivery unit. Built-in management tools manage virtual resources and do not take into account any external information. The only solution for this is enabling the dynamic provisioning of resources. Creating and maintaining a dependable application delivery network focused on the applications that run in the virtualized environment can also add to the efforts of managing complexity.

Once an enterprise deploys a virtual environment, it is removing the connection between hardware and software, which can create confusions when it comes to securing the infrastructure. The server environment gets more fluid, more complex, and the security professionals ultimately lose stability. But firms can optimize virtualization for security through regular patching.

Datacenter virtualization has changed the face of corporate computing, allowing efficient use of computing resources. But virtualization is no perfect, and it creates challenges that business leaders must understand and address to keep the data center running smoothly. With this being an imminent reality, the above-stated problems and its solutions should be on every enterprises' radar.