- Virtualization allows for hardware independence of the Operating System and Application.
- VMotion allows for a virtual machine to be seamlessly moved to any host in the VMware farm.
- Additional savings are realized because the virtual servers require much less physical space in a data center (2 racks compared to 10 racks). Since data center space is expensive, the cost savings associated with needing less square footage has the potential to be significant.
- Placing servers in the central data center has benefits for the campus:
- Data center space is secure in a locked room with monitored access;
- Centralized patch management and network firewalls reduce the risk of data theft; and
- Virtual servers reduce the number of costly server rooms scattered around campus that facilities must maintain due to specialized cooling and high electrical needs.
- Labor efficiencies are realized in two areas:
- The time to set up a new standalone server from scratch takes about one full day per person. Provisioning a virtual server requires no hardware setup on the VMware. Virtual machines are set up from a template that allows for quick turnaround of request.
- By definition, the virtual server environment is standardized, so the ongoing labor required to manage 200 virtual servers is much less than when compared to the labor required for 200 servers scattered around campus being managed by many groups.
- Resources will be freed up at the collegiate and unit levels to focus on IT issues where they can add value and differentiation.