There are definite costs associated with implementing virtual servers and desktops, although these are largely offset by the reduced expenditures in hardware and management time, helping to improve return on investment. However, given the incremental nature of the savings, it can indeed be several years before a large initial expenditure is repaid through operational frugality.
Just how much do businesses have to spend in order to free themselves from the shackles of hardware-based IT management?
Studies have shown that desktop virtualization can cost approximately $860 (£540) per virtual machine over the course of year one . Server virtualization ranges from between $5,000 (£3,150) and $15,000 (£9,450) in hardware costs for commercially available hardware that is capable of supporting a robust virtual environment .
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Industry leader VMWare calculates that a standard installation of their virtual server software capable of handling 10 applications simultaneously would cost $4,861 in fees on top of hardware expenses, while Windows Server 2008 (Hyper-V) runs in the neighbourhood of $2,300 . Citrix XenServer 5.5, another favourite, comes in at a slightly lower $2,600 in software costs. Of course, on the server side these hardware and software costs can easily double when the necessity of a secondary failover system is brought into the equation. Remotely-hosted virtualization can range between $214 per month for a base VMWare ESX server package on up to $464 per month for ESX running on more capable hardware This represents the bare essentials for a remotely-hosted virtualization platform.
Other costs that are more difficult to quantify include training of employees and IT support staff on the details of any new virtual machines, consultation fees that might be incurred during the course of installation, and any increases in network bandwidth that may be required in order to complement a virtualised workplace. These costs will vary depending upon the complexity and size of the virtualization solution, as well as the level at which affects company operations.