BLADE SERVER TECHNOLOGY - HOT TOPIC
Server Consolidation and Workload Optimization

Download PDF version of Server Consolidation and Workload Optimization White Paper

Contributions for this vendor neutral technology paper have been provided by Blade.org members including, IBM, Emulex, Double-Take Software, NetApp and APC by Schneider Electric.

Executive Summary

Throughout 2008 many data center managers were looking to reduce costs and improve efficiency any way possible. 2009 will be continuation of that trend and much of that has to do with consolidating older less performing servers, storage and workstations to smaller more efficient systems. In order to become more efficient with power/cooling, scalability, lifecycle management, backup and over all reduction of the data center footprint IT managers will continue to adopt technologies which will enable them to do more with less. These papers will discuss a few of the top trends and solutions for consolidating servers, storage and workstations to reduce consumption and management resources while simultaneously increasing processing and performance ability.

Highlights

• Server Consolidation provides several benefits from reduced power and cooling, smaller data center footprint, site consolidation, scalability, efficiency and overall ease of management.
• Technologies used for Consolidation: smaller more efficient blade servers, virtualization for consolidating workloads and various software products to help migrate workloads to more efficient hardware all while minimizing impact to production operations.
• Deployment best practices include methods for provisioning new servers, migrating existing systems while minimizing production interruption as well as centralizing an appropriate backup solution for the consolidated infrastructure.
• Summary: With any type of IT deployment there are a few things that to be planned. Location, Power and cooling, Floor space/footprint, networking and keeping your production system uninterrupted during this deployment but all of this will result in a more efficient and flexible infrastructure to reduce overall cost of ownership.