Virtual Server

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Virtualise or not Virtualise


So a quick brief on Virtualisation?


The ability to install multiple servers on to a single physical server, that server will have hot swap drives, PSUs and enough redundancy for reliability.


So what can you do?

• Install additional servers without affecting current physical servers
• Transfer current servers on to the Virtual Server and reinstall the Physical Servers - Even Temp
• Develop Projects - e.g. Imaging Systems, Testing new Operating Systems

What do we have?

• Shared Drive Server for Staff
• Imaging System
• Print System
• Testing Windows 10
• Remote Desktop Testing - Home Access to certain systems
• WSUS
• XiBo System
• Virus Protection Management
• Software Server

A lot of this was already on old, failing and unreliable servers which had zero redundancy.  We also plan to look at virtualising our Finance Server and SIMs.net at some stage.  There is also a chance we may consider a second Virtual Server to provide that extra failover.


With IT becoming more important, which is hard to say considering we already rely heavily on it - we have to consider a business model in the fact that it can't have down time.  Although business's lose £££ in Education you lose Teaching and Learning time.  Which is crucial for a School.


So what do you need?

• Hot Swap Hard Drives and plenty of them
• RAM and plenty of it
• Two good processors - I always recommend Intel
• Two PSUs Hot Swaps
• Dell or HP
• Redundancy/Reliability is paramount

Each server can be it's own operating system or even a cut down terminal version -  I prefer the full OS this allows less experienced technicians to easily manage/maintain them.


Don't agree? Suffer the same? don't be afraid to comment!