10 useful tips for going virtual with hardware
1:
You can never plan too well
Planning a move from physical to virtual servers is critical, you need consider server loads and hardware capacity very carefully. It is not just about RAM or Processing power. You will have to consider File I/O and HDD speeds. If you plan to get the maximum performance out of your virtual servers you will need to consider everything from CPU Load to HDD threading and make sure you understand your peak loads as well before you get started.
2:
Not everything should be virtualized.
Virtualization is still young and some applications or services do not perform well when virtualized. Some applications will not work at all when virtualized. Databases and Mail servers are prime example of servers you should not virtualize if you have a high demand environment. Telephony and VOIP servers virtualize badly as well but as a rule of thumb test applications first before taking the dive.
3:
Maximize the advantages of virtualization
Do not virtualize simply to save money, although that is a great advantage. Virtualization has many advantages including improved redundancy, faster disaster recovery and my favorite faster deployments. With virtualization you can greatly maximize the efficiency of entire systems if you understand the strengths and weaknesses. At the same time be cautious not to be too ambitious, take it one step at a time.
4:
Take a phased approach
Do not jump into the arena and try move all your servers over in one swift blow. Take the time to carefully select less critical applications and move them to the virtual environment slowly and allow sufficient time for testing. This also ensures that everybody gets a better understanding of the technology and eventually becomes comfortable with the concept. Server Technicians may want to have an opportunity to “fiddle” around before something moves to production.
5:
Focus on the project goals
If the primary goal of virtualization is consolidation then that is what you need to focus on. Way up the choices and make sure that you do not get carried away with other exciting aspects of virtualization. You can always come back to those at a later stage. I love things like Vmotion (VMWare) & VSS (Hyper-V) and they form part of my virtualization strategy from the start of any project however you may not have planned for it and adding it mid way can create challenges that you are not prepared for.
6:
The technical tips
Some tips that are rarely mentioned but can increase the chance of success with virtualization are simple. Use fixed size drives when possible to lower the workload on your physical storage. Use multiple NIC’s to increase available bandwidth. If you are not using a SAN try and use SCSI or SAS drives which support multi-threading. Make sure that your enable hardware assisted virtualization such as Intel’s VT
7:
Know what you are doing!
Make sure that you understand how to manage virtual environments, understand the risk and double check everything before you make a change. Do not rush the job and think “oh well it is just a test”. We all know how often a test or trial can become production and before you know you are faced with a disaster.
8:
Use the guest tools provided.
This is often overlooked and can greatly impact performance. Regardless of which platform you use always try to keep these tools in the plan. In the case of VMWare you will use VMTools, Hyper-v uses integration services and older Microsoft hosts use VM Additions. These can all normally be installed with a single click.
9:
The right tool for the task
Some applications perform better on some platforms, you will need to fiddle around a bit to find the perfect match but you can maximize performance on occasion. For example I prefer a mixed environment with Hyper-V and ESX using each for various guests and applications based on experience with different combination’s.
10:
Have fun
Do not be afraid to play around and experiment with virtual machines, install a virtual host on a old machine and grab a few pre built appliances to test in your free time. Before long you will love the functionality and benefits provided.