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Home Services Consult And Change Dynamic Datacenter Infrastructure Virtualisation

Infrastructure Virtualisation

Computacenter can help customers virtualise server and storage estates to reduce cost and increase agility. Using a structured methodology, we can advise organisations on the most suitable solution to virtualise their infrastructure.

A service component of our Dynamic Datacenter solution.

What we do

Computacenter can help customers with Infrastructure Virtualisation across many technologies within the datacenter. Using our selection methodology, we can advise clients on the most suitable solution to virtualise their infrastructure.

Over a decade of delivering complex virtualisation projects has given Computacenter unique knowledge and best practice in defining and deploying a virtualised environment.

Understanding the pitfalls of this transition, the operational procedures that are required and carrying out a detailed proof of concept are all areas of core experience which Computacenter is able to share.

Additionally, our migration service can transfer the configuration and data from existing servers and deploy this in the virtual environment with minimal effort. We are also able to advise on the operational aspects of managing and securing virtualised environments and ensure integration within your existing infrastructure.
Alternative approaches to disaster recovery can also be delivered, improving recovery times, while minimising the redundant hardware kept on standby.

How it helps

Improved asset utilisation
Most organisations have a significant proportion of their systems running with utilisation under 10 per cent. Through virtualisation, the utilisation of physical assets is typically improved to 60-70 per cent, or more.

Reduced costs
In addition to maximising use of the existing estate, and reducing the need to purchase more resources, virtualised environments also reduce operational costs by reducing maintenance spending and datacenter floor space. Where appropriate, Computacenter can underwrite the cost savings identified within our recommendations.

Increased responsiveness
The elapsed time from deciding what new infrastructure is required, from procurement to implementation, typically takes weeks in major organisations. With a virtualised infrastructure, this time can be reduced to hours or even minutes.

Simplified management
Using a virtual infrastructure, IT managers can improve service levels as there is a single point of control for managing virtual machines and monitoring host servers. Providing repeatable automated processes can help keep support time minimal.

Why we are different

capability means we have the insight to help effectively design, build, test, and manage IT infrastructures. This means solutions can be implemented according to plan with less cost, less time and greater certainty.

Breadth and depth of technical skills
We constantly maintain the highest levels of accreditation with virtualisation vendors such as VMware, HDS and EMC. Our breadth of technical skills enables a holistic approach, considering the benefits and implications of virtualisation, from operating systems and applications to storage and management tools.

Unique heterogeneous testing facilities
Our Solution Centre is the UK's only full scale, heterogeneous environment for testing and benchmarking. Through this facility, technologies can be investigated and real customer environments configured to ensure the solution is fit for purpose before investment.

Broad partner portfolio
Whatever your virtualisation requirements, Computacenter has access to a broad range of complimentary technologies such as PlateSpin and BladeLogic to deliver the optimum solution, rather than 'one size fits all'.

Where we have done it

Aviva
Computacenter transformed two of Aviva's datacenters, by consolidating and virtualising the environment.
This resulted in the consolidation and migration of 320 applications, upgrading 688 servers and decommissioning more than 220 servers. The project has reduced costs and reduced server provisioning time from six weeks to less than one week.

"Since implementing the new server infrastructure, we have greener, simpler and more cost-effective datacenters. Computacenter had an integral role in ensuring the success of such a complex project, we were impressed by the openness and the collaborative approach taken by the project team."
- Steve Houghton, Infrastructure Architect at Aviva

Rok
As a result of Computacenter's IT transformation, Rok decreased its server estate from 80 to just 20 physical devices, which host 76 virtual machines. Claire Hamon, Chief Information Officer at Rok, commented: "By increasing server utilisation through virtualisation, we are able to minimise datacenter costs for maintenance, power and cooling.