In a bid to cut data centre costs, IT managers have in many cases opted for server virtualisation - but this isn't necessarily the best way, according to one expert.
Virtualising servers may well lead to better utilisation rates but that does not mean that the data centre will be any better at improving th operation of applications, which are exactly what the hardware is meant to support.
That is what Peter Lee of DataSynapse told ZDnet, adding that he understood the motivation to make use of the excess capacity often found in data centres.
Instead of using one application per server, which might mean the server is only at ten per cent of utilisation - using virtual servers allows managers to increase utilisation as much as they want.
However, Mr Lee warns that this is not the way to ensure optimum support for applications.
Instead he suggests virtualising applications - that is decoupling them from the hardware resources on which they run.
This way, they can make use of a pool of resources as and when they need them, meaning that hardware is more efficiently utilised while also supporting the applications.
This solution allows scalability of IT architectures, improved performance and "an operational environment that is more responsive to the needs of the business".