1. Achieving infrastructure flexibility and scalable capacity on
demand with virtual servers for Windows-based applications
IBM Managed Hosting - server services
virtual xSeries
Taking aim at today’s IT infrastructure Achieving this goal will require a
Highlights challenges with virtualized computing highly scalable, flexible infrastructure
For years, conducting business on the that enables companies to respond
Helps reduce IT infrastructure Web has meant a mounting invest- dynamically and cost-effectively to
cost and complexity ment in server and related capacity everyday resource demands, however
resources. With Web performance uneven or unpredictable they may be.
Merges IBM ^®
critical to visitor retention and cus- For companies en route to becoming
capability with the dynamic
tomer loyalty, there was little choice on demand businesses, the answer
scalability and usage-driven
but to overbuild the server environ- lies in virtualization—complementing or
flexibility of virtual technology
ment to accommodate peak usage replacing dedicated physical resources
Helps relieve pressing IT and maintain superior availability with virtual servers to allow for
concerns, allowing renewed levels. For many companies following consolidation and optimal scalability.
focus on strategic business this path, the resulting information
matters technology (IT) infrastructure has Virtualizing the server environment
grown very costly and complex. Worse IBM virtual server services is one of
Helps simplify IT management the ways we are helping clients lower
yet, it is largely underutilized, and in a
through standardization,
financially strained economy, the their infrastructure costs through
automation and integration
rising acquisition and maintenance virtualization. Virtual server services
Provides usage-based pricing costs associated with an underutilized pools a client’s server capacity
flexibility infrastructure can be a real source of resources (including CPU processing
economic and management frustration. power, main memory and hard disk
Includes access to a wide storage) to help simplify resource
range of services from the IBM In the current business climate, with provisioning and management.
Managed Hosting portfolio intense pressure to reduce IT costs, System resources are dynamically
the emphasis has shifted from allocated, based on need. When a
Leverages IBM security
infrastructure expansion to consolida- surge or other unplanned increase
technologies to isolate and
protect client environments tion. Company leaders are in demand necessitates additional
determined to lower not only the resources, more processing capacity
Combines VMware server number of servers and other hardware is dispensed automatically to meet the
virtualization technology with resources that make up their IT rise in demand.
IBM hosting expertise and end- infrastructure, but the management
to-end infrastructure solutions complexity as well.
2. IBM virtual xSeries ® enables
clients running Microsoft ® Virtual infrastructure elements
Windows -based applications to
® • Switches
• Firewalls
capitalize on these resource benefits. • Load balancers
• Internet bandwidth Internet
Built using powerful IBM ^ • Content caching
and Enterprise X-Architecture™
technologies, virtual xSeries uses the Client 2
same high-performance, symmetric dedicated
Client 1 virtual machines environment
multiprocessing as dedicated xSeries
servers, but with even greater resource Client 2 virtual machines
optimization and cost efficiency. With Client 3
Client 3 virtual machines Client 3 dedicated
a single virtual server doing the job of
dedicated environment
xSeries servers
multiple physical servers, you can environment
consolidate hardware resources for
existing applications and services to
Client 3
simplify resource management. IBM delivery center data center
VMware ESX Server virtualization A virtual xSeries solution helps you gain the benefits of utility computing without giving up your
dedicated resource environment. Moreover, it gives you the flexibility to maintain your dedicated
software enables the deployment of resources at an IBM delivery center, your own data center location or both.
multiple, isolated virtual servers on a
Applying the cost benefits to your own • Better return on investment with
single physical device. The virtual
IT environment fewer expenditures earmarked for
servers can efficiently share hardware
Implementing virtual xSeries technol- the infrastructure and related
resources and host multiple operating
ogy can help you achieve your most management
system instances. That means you
critical IT objectives: • Improved cost control and
can run multiple applications on
predictability with usage-based
logically separate virtual servers within
• Dynamic resource allocation, with pricing to better align monthly
a single physical server. It also means
burstable CPU capacity to accom- spending with actual resource
you can reverse the one-to-one,
modate fluctuations in applications consumption
application-to-server mindset that has
or services demand • Accelerated time-to-market for
resulted in an overabundance of
• Rapid provisioning of additional new applications by leveraging
servers today. With fewer servers to
resources beyond the base capac- existing virtual servers, helping you
deploy, you can lower your operating
ity requirement, with fulfillment of avoid the acquisition delays and
expenses and, more important, your
CPU, memory and disk capacity procurement costs associated with
total cost of ownership.
as needed purchasing additional server
• Optimal server utilization, hardware.
enabling a single machine to handle
your application and services work-
load, with limited or no degradation
to performance and availability levels
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3. Implementing management efficiencies Virtual xSeries can also facilitate Mapping the service to your business
enterprisewide for the greatest benefit resource consolidation and integration needs
Every device added to an IT infra- across multiple business units. This Virtual xSeries (Windows Advanced
structure to accommodate a new makes it easier to implement a Enterprise Server) servers are
application or greater throughput standardized management toolset deployed and managed by IBM at an
increases its complexity. This ad hoc across the enterprise. Multiple IBM delivery center. Applications
approach to server acquisition has business units can share capacity running in the virtual server environ-
resulted in a heterogeneous mix of resources with less waste and greater ment are accessible over the Internet
hardware and operating systems that efficiency. With resources pooled, via frame relay, virtual private network
is often difficult to manage with a individual workloads can be handled (VPN) or other connection.
single set of tools. Emerging tech- by common hardware.
nologies have also increased the While virtual xSeries lessens the need
complexity of the infrastructure, put- Finally, virtual xSeries facilitates auto- for in-house server management, your
ting enormous pressure on existing IT mation. Instead of the manual effort system administrators still retain
personnel and forcing company and time typically required to handle visibility into the operating environ-
executives to hire additional skill sets resource provisioning, automation ment and its performance via IBM
or risk technological obsolescence. enables provisioning to be managed e-business Hosting™ Connection, our
more simply, with fewer personnel and comprehensive Web portal service.
IBM virtual xSeries and VMware server at a lower cost.
virtualization technologies help lessen The flexibility built into the virtual
the IT management struggle and its Simplifying IT management is what xSeries helps you implement the
costs. You can consolidate testing and the IBM Universal Management service according to your business
production workloads on the same Infrastructure (UMI) and IBM Tivoli ®
needs. Virtual xSeries servers can be
device, in separate virtual servers. You systems are all about. Underlying implemented alongside your dedi-
not only reduce the need for additional virtual xSeries, they integrate the cated servers. So going virtual
dedicated testing servers, you can hardware, software, tools and doesn’t mean you have to replace
build and test new applications on the methodologies that facilitate dynamic your entire dedicated infrastructure.
same system on which they will be resource management, operational Plus, you can retain your dedicated
deployed, simplifying the migration visibility and usage-based pricing. infrastructure at its current location.
from testing to production. The open-standards-based virtual
xSeries servers facilitate interoperability
with legacy systems and IT environ-
ments no matter where they reside.
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4. Virtual xSeries minimum standard configuration Configuration options
Operating system Windows Advanced Enterprise Server
supported
Processor (CPU) resource Up to the processing equivalent of one 1- or 16-way CPU baseline hours amount determined and
processor, plus dynamic allocation of resources 25% specified by client
above or below the committed baseline amount
Main memory .50GB Baseline amount determined by client
Disk storage 8GB provisioned from internal DASD Additional storage available in 18GB increments
Network interface cards Up to 4 NICs for each logical partition Additional NICs available as required
IBM’s technical team will work with you to help establish an appropriate configuration for your monthly resource needs.
But virtual xSeries flexibility does not to your applications, it also determines IBM gathers utilization metrics to help
end with the initial implementation. your base usage charges. To help you you forecast processing requirements
On a continuing basis, IBM will work set an initial baseline, IBM monitors for the upcoming month. Baselines
with you to size your virtual resource your actual usage for 60 days. We can be adjusted up or down each
capacity according to projected provide usage reports to help you month, giving you the flexibility to
needs. You may adjust your baseline come up with an appropriate number allocate adequate processing
resource requirements to accommo- of CPU hours for each virtual server. resources for monthly promotions or
date shifts in the workload. This seasonal fluctuations in demand. The
enables you to optimize your monthly Once this baseline is established, you virtual xSeries pricing flexibility also
resource costs and reduces the are charged for the actual CPU hours enables you to keep monthly pay-
need for bursting. It also helps you consume monthly, within a 50 ments predictable and under control.
ensure that ample resource capacity percent band. If you use 25 percent
is available to your applications fewer hours than your baseline Although charges for disk storage
whenever it’s needed. requirement, your monthly charge will capacity are not based on usage,
be 25 percent less than the baseline monthly planning is still important.
Establishing a baseline and monitoring usage charge you have established Charges are based on the amount of
monthly utilization for the month. If you use 25 percent disk storage allocated each month,
Your monthly resource baseline not more hours, your monthly charge will and additional disk storage can be
only determines the minimum proces- be 25 percent higher. It’s simple—you purchased as needed.
sor and memory resources available pay for the resources you use.
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5. Leveraging integrated IBM management • Service level agreements for IBM Enterprise X-Architecture and
and support services availability VMware ESX Server technologies
IBM provides a common toolset for • Call center support help guard against unauthorized
managing and supporting our clients’ • Routine operational services, cross-partition access, denial of
virtual and dedicated server environ- including system reboots and service attacks or resource insuffi-
ments. Standard Managed Hosting device status notifications, plus ciencies resulting from high demand
services provided with the virtual tape backup and restoration. or outages in other partitions. Fault
xSeries solution include: isolation prevents system errors,
You can augment the standard inadvertent user actions and crashes
• Installation of the physical server services with security, performance, in one virtual machine from interfer-
and the operating system for server storage and other services from the ing with the continued operation of
virtualization, and configuration of IBM Managed Hosting services other virtual machines on the same
multiple virtual server instances portfolio. Custom hardware, software physical system.
• Capacity planning, including a and application solutions can also be
monthly review of client-specific provided, as well as disaster recovery, Virtual xSeries servers are also
usage data and upcoming plans database support and application protected by IBM managed security
• Device (IP ping) and URL performance management. services, including vulnerability
availability monitoring, network scanning, which audits the xSeries
bandwidth monitoring and server Relying on virtual xSeries to isolate and monthly to pinpoint weaknesses in
utilization monitoring protect your work environment violation of predefined security
• Proactive management of the physi- Each client’s virtual environment is controls; security policy verification,
cal and virtual servers, including logically and physically isolated from which automatically checks compli-
alert monitoring, problem determi- other IBM clients. Policy-based ance and evaluates suspicious policy
nation and fault correction resource management helps prevent changes monthly; antivirus support
• Managed storage services, includ- one virtual machine from monopoliz- and Internet-facing managed firewall
ing shared or dedicated storage ing any resource and starving other services. All of these services are
area networks (SANs) and man- virtual machines. designed to provide protection
aged disk storage to accommodate proactively—before a breach occurs.
multi-terabyte requirements If a security fault is detected by these
• Access to client support services, services, IBM will respond and take
plus billing, performance any corrective action needed.
and utilization reports via a single
Web portal
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