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The most dynamic virtual infrastructure can be achieved by taking a holistic approach to creating a virtual infrastructure. A VAR should be skilled in server, storage, and application virtualization, in order to help the customer achieve the truly dynamic environment. For example, virtual servers are portable, but they should have dynamic storage (usually in the form of a SAN) in order to achieve high availability. If the storage is also virtualized, then capacity can be added dynamically while host servers are running and volumes that host virtual machines can be replicated to another site.
If applications are also virtualized and delivered dynamically, through products such as Softricity or Altiris SVS, the client does not have to host as many virtual machine images for the environment, since applications can be added or removed at will.
By working together, storage, application, and server virtualization technology can create a truly dynamic environment.
All businesses can benefit from some level of virtualization. However some will benefit more than others: Organizations with decentralized management, organizations that have gone through mergers and acquisitions but must still maintain heterogeneous infrastructures and application service providers or web hosts will benefit the most.
If a VAR is providing Information Technology support for these dynamic, virtual environments, then the VAR can more easily work out system efficiencies and help the client through disaster recovery scenarios.
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