Maximizing SAP Performance
Virtualization is a technology that logically groups servers together and then dynamically allocates the computing power as needed to maximize prioritized application performance. It changes the traditional paradigm from over-sizing computing hardware to handle peak SAP performance, to right-sizing the hardware to current SAP performance. As application usage increases, more computing power is applied, thereby guaranteeing optimal user interaction, even if one server fails. The same paradigm holds also for storage, enabling both improved access, as well as disaster recovery.
Reducing Hardware Costs through Cloud Computing
By leveraging the unused computing power held across your company’s datacenter, laptops and desktops, and even selected external hosting environments, your company can maximize its hardware and software investment, guarantee service levels, secure applications against unauthorized access, and offers disaster recovery options. As hardware is refreshed, it can be incrementally added into the cloud without any adverse performance impact.
To see a real world cost comparison between a physical and virtual infrastructure, click here.
Reducing IT Support
Traditional SAP deployments for medium sized organizations allocate tens, if not hundreds of computer servers across multiple Development, Quality Assurance, and Production landscapes. The effort to acquire, configure, and then maintain these require an army of IT professionals, independent of those needed to support the actual SAP application. It’s estimated that over 70% of IT resources are allocated toward keeping the hardware running and backed up, leaving little to improve business efficiency or gain competitive advantage. This effort and cost is further exacerbated by SAP’s recommendation to refresh these landscapes every 3-5 years, or whenever there is an upgrade. With the advent of virtualization, these headaches are significantly reduced.
Reducing Energy Costs
Virtualized environments reduce energy use and carbon emissions. When less physical servers are needed, heat generation decreases and in turn lowers the energy consumption needed for cooling. Larger businesses typically need entire rooms dedicated to server storage and entire cooling systems just to keep the servers running. In many cases, virtualization cuts down on hardware by 50%. Having fewer servers also means less server maintenance and less need for backup power. If you want to leave less of an imprint on our earth, go green with virtualization.
