Server Virtualization Technical and Total Cost Analysis

Project and Program: Linux & VM, Virtualization

Tags: Proceedings, SHARE in Anaheim 2011, 2011

Server proliferation is a well known issue in today's IT world.  Server virtualization offers hope at combating server proliferation.  But which virtualization offering (or offerings) is optimial for a given set of discrete servers?

IBM has developed a methodology and companion tool (RACEv) that aspires to help customers analyze servers that are subject to virtualization and in so doing provide a total cost of ownership viewpoint of those servers virtualized onto one of the following virtualization platforms:

 

• System z, using PR/SM and z/VM
• x86, using VMware
• POWER, using PowerVM
• Sun, using LDOM (or Zones)

The analysis considers technical contraints on processors, memory, I/O, and hypervisors.  Once a constraint-free target configuration is derived, the cost models run generating costing in the following categories:

• energy       
• floorspace
• server acquisition and maintenance
• storage acquisition and maintenance
• connectivity acquisitions and maintenance
• software licenses and support
• administration
• disaster recovery acquisitions and maintenance
• disaster recovery annualized costs
• cost of outages

The analysis concludes with a 5 year total cost of ownership chart that even a manager can understand!!!

Presenter(s): Montgomery Bauman, IBM Corporation

 

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