The World is Slowly Getting It

Andrew Hald — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 07:14:03 +0000

Wow! Virtualization has real-world benefits. Surprise! :) I smile every time I see an article describing virtualization as an “unlikely” hero in the fight against global warming or a “new” player that can transform the datacenter. Clearly some folks have not been paying much attention over the last five years.

http://www.fool.com/investing/high-growth/2008/12/04/an-unlikely-powerhouse.aspx

Folks who run the world’s largest datacenters know virtualization and the benefits that it brings. It is the market in the middle, who thinks that virtualization comes in a soda can, that needs to hear the real message. Maybe Microsoft’s late arrival to the scene will help, but I have a feeling it’s going to take more.

Evaluating IT Projects and Cutting Wasteful Practices

Andrew Hald — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 20:49:24 +0000

I ran across an interesting article at ZDNet today that discusses how most IT projects are simply a house of cards. Everybody knows that most of the projected benefits will not ever be realized and that is why there are so few post-project review sessions that ever take place. The article posits that IT, as it is run in many organizations, therefore has no inherent value.

http://blogs.zdnet.com/projectfailures/?p=1161

I like Michael Krigsman’s analysis of the original paper that he is commenting on. I especially relate to the observation that many IT shops simply do not have the proper tools to make the right decisions.

This is another area where I think virtualization really shines. The typical IT org will buy new hardware each time a new project comes up. Projects that are never completed end up with multiple servers that never get used and an investment that is never returned.

“There’s no silver bullet that magically transforms poor business practice into innovation, value creation, and success. The answer lies in an organization’s ability to cultivate a culture that prioritizes business value over mechanical project execution.” -from the Krigsman post

While Virtual Machines are not a silver bullet, they do cover a multitude of sins and save on unnecessary and wasteful spending. With newly arriving VM Lifecycle Management tools, business policy that was once only on paper can now be enforced in an automated fashion.

Virtualization can be the bridge that allows organizations the room that they need to begin to cultivate a new culture of business value and proper design.

vmxl

The World is Slowly Getting It

Evaluating IT Projects and Cutting Wasteful Practices