Removing the BUR Roadblocks to Virtualization

When it comes to VARs and MSPs developing cloud computing strategies, VMware has a simple message for partners. “Virtualization is the cornerstone of the cloud; you can’t get to the cloud without virtualization,” asserts Doug Smith, senior director of global channels at VMware. 

And so begins a recent post on Talkin’ Cloud by Joe Penetieri, Memo from VMware: Virtualization is First Step to Cloud.  Later in the post, Smith adds, “I think virtualization is the first step to the private cloud. You’re separating out the hardware infrastructure from your IT compute needs.”

OK, I get it: cloud life goes better with virtualization. You get much greater flexibility with your data plus all the green and financial advantages of requiring fewer physical servers. The post goes on to look at the emerging virtualization landscape where competitors are vying for larger pieces of a market dominated by VMware. What struck me, though, was the straight-up talk connecting virtualization with Cloud initiatives – public or private.  So why would anyone – MSP or any business with cloud aspirations – drag their feet?

Well, maybe some so-called “expert” (or a drunk in a dark alley) once told them that virtualization is too complicated and expensive for any business smaller than enterprise, and pointed to backups as a major roadblock:

•  you need different backup solutions for hardware and virtual machines
• one solution won’t work with a variety of virtualization platforms
• it’s too difficult and expensive to maintain all the agents required on each virtual machine
• backup agents pollute the virtual environment and degrade performance
• you can’t restore to different physical or virtual machines
•  recovery requires many steps plus backup and database experts
•  backup solutions are not easily and affordably scalable
•  you can’t get true CDP (Continuous Data Protection) or even backups with a short RPO (Restore Point Objective)
• you need special hardware or a certain operating system

Nine points and Asigra has one response: WRONG … on all counts. If you were hesitating on virtualization because you thought backup and recovery was going to be an expensive problem, download this Asigra paper, Virtualization Support. Real Backups of Virtual Environments. Then get moving on the road to virtualization – this roadblock is gone.