So while I was gone, our network room implemented VmWare's vSphere. And then we got a dvd video training us which I'm half way through. WOW this product is awesome!
IT wasn't supposed to happen while I was gone, but it had to because Microsoft decided to eliminate our donated licenses. THAT is a longer more sad story, but as a result this GOOD story happened:
We're half way through virtualizing our server structure, but the implications of this product are huge for us as an organization and for me as an engineer.
Off the top of my head:
-less data loss (I want to say zero but.... any IT folks know you simply don't say certain things out loud (-; )
-less down time
-no more Saturday de-dusting of the physical servers
-less power use
-less cooling requirements
-I no longer have to run up to the server room when the power goes out to shut things down, I can do it remotely, and power them up remotely.
-Emergency contingency (all our servers would fit onto a 200gb external hard drive)
-Quicker recovery from external hacking (oh you hacked me? shoot, well I'll have the server back up in ten minutes)
Man this is simply the coolest product. I've worked with virtualization before but this is the cadillac of virtual systems.
So, for those who wondered 'how will Chad keep his resume up to date and his skills sharp?' Well I now get to play with the latest greatest in virtualization software and will have enough on the job experience with it to become adept. AND there is a possibility that there will be a chance for certification with it.
IF you can't tell, I'm VERY excited about this product and it's capabilities thus far. IT resolves a GREAT many issues for us.
But the best part of it all,
is that we will be better utilizing everything.
Our man power - takes less manpower to handle more servers
Our hardware - we'll get more bang for the buck now
Our electrical consumption - we'll be burning less kilowatt hours as the physical servers are turned off
Our cooling requirements - I've spent countless hours tending to an overheating server room during power outages or air conditioner failures
Our personal time - because we are in a cluster, the 'saturday scheduled downtimes' will become much more rare, enabling me to spend my saturdays doing 'husbandly' and 'fatherly' things.
The entire organization here will profit from this new infrastructure. Most people won't even notice, as people only notice when stuff 'breaks' but the plan is that somehow now, things won't be 'breaking' as often as they once were.
