41
up on any available host architecture of a virtual over time can be used to
machine. If a host machine is infrastructure is so different to assess the impact of such
TECHNOL
faltering, IT departments can a physical one that a new moves before they are made.
even move the running servers breed of monitoring tools are In this way, an organisation is
to a new host with no appearing, designed less likely to end up with two
downtime. Virtualisation makes specifically to obtain virtual machines on the same
OGY
disaster recovery and business performance metrics in virtual host which do not co-exist
continuity available to any environments. The value such easily.
organisation, and this new- tools can deliver customers is
found technological ability both tactical and strategic – Furthermore, such monitoring
VIR
suddenly means that SLAs immediate performance solutions should be able to
TU
become viable. IT departments monitoring in the short-term, ‘wrap-up’ problems into higher-
now have a platform which and overall performance level information – taking a
ALISA
gives them the flexibility to trending for a more long term number of ‘symptoms’ and
deliver an optimised view. The short term benefits telling the customer what the TION
infrastructure and take a of this kind of solution are underlying cause may be and
proactive approach to primarily to do with dealing how this can be rectified. With
managing services, rather than with immediate issues – i.e, so many different technologies
engaging in the levels of fire- performance hits due to spikes linked together, and with a
fighting which were previously in application usage, sudden much higher degree of
commonplace. outages or evidence that a connectedness between
piece of hardware may be different parts of the physical
Furthermore, virtualisation failing. infrastructure, a problem in one
delivers a better level of part of the virtual environment
performance to end-users, so Part of the reason why retro- may manifest itself elsewhere.
suddenly SLAs aren’t just fitting physical monitoring This gives users much greater
about uptime but can also tools to virtual environments insight into what is causing
factor in performance. Virtual doesn’t work is that, to put it performance issues in the
infrastructures treat computing simply, they don’t know where infrastructure and allows them
resources as one large pool, to look in order to spot some to take corrective actions
meaning that if an application of these ‘symptoms’. In a before SLA targets are
has a large spike in activity, virtual environment there are a jeopardized. This combination
more resources can be made number of different levels of virtualisation along with a
available to it. Rules can be which require monitoring - data new breed of monitoring tools
built in to guarantee levels of centre, resource pool, host, is finally helping to make SLAs
resources to particular virtual machine and shared viable for many organisations
applications. Suddenly, IT storage. A monitoring tool who previously would not have
departments can take end-user which is aware of these been able to consider them.
feedback and performance different levels gives far greater However, SLAs are a means to
metrics and optimise the insight into performance and an end, and what is important
infrastructure with this in mind. availability issues across the is that they lead to a genuine
infrastructure. Tools which improvement in the business
To make this all a reality for ‘know’ virtual infrastructure can and closer ties between IT and
customers, information is key – also predict problems or issues other business units.
not only in generating SLA before they arise. With IT Technologies are now hitting
reports, but to allow departments able to move the market to make this
administrators to make the virtual machines between happen and already
necessary changes to their hosts to optimise performance, organisations are seizing this
infrastructures to ensure monitoring tools which have opportunity.
performance and availability is tracked the resource utilisation
optimised. The whole of different virtual machines www.vizioncore.com
WWW.SNSEUROPE.COM MAR/APR 09
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