The benefits of virtualization are obvious: servers can only run one operating system at a time on their own, so you’re only using 5 to 10% of the power your servers are capable of.
A hypervisor and virtual machines allow one server to run multiple operating systems and applications at the same time, so you can realize the full potential of the infrastructure you’ve invested in.
This allows you to not just cut your IT budget, but also get more value out of your biggest investment of all: the wages and benefits you’ve dedicated to your employees. Virtualization makes your equipment more productive, which makes your workforce more productive, which in turn allows you to meet (and even exceed) your revenue goals.
But while the benefits are clear, the process of virtualization itself isn’t always so smooth. VMware is the most mature and popular player in the virtualization game, but vSphere and ESXi still have their flaws. Here are just a few of the problems that commonly trouble VMware users:
- Tools are Outdated or Were Never Installed in the First Place You don’t necessarily need the most up-to-date tools for guest operating systems, but you’ll absolutely want them. The latest tools will improve performance and provide you with more features and functionality. But since tools often don’t update automatically, it’s easy to lose track. Just don’t get lazy: you’ll be better off if you (or someone like Veltec Networks that you contract to handle virtualization) proactively update the tools in each virtual machine.
- You’re Using Outdated Virtual Machine Network Devices Outdated tools are a problem, and so are outdated virtual machine network devices. Yes, if you want to get the best possible performance out of your virtualization solution, you’re going to have to keep up with a lot of updates. Take a look at the settings of each virtual machine to see the virtual network adapter configuration you’re currently using. VMware recommends VMXNET3 for optimal performance: anything other than that should be upgraded right away.
- Overall Slow Performance Most businesses aren’t making the most out of their investment in virtualization, as they have to deal with unnecessarily slow performance. 53% of businesses using VMware see performance slow down over time due to Memory Swap In / Swap Out. 53% also have storage latency, and 63% of VMware systems have swap wait.
In other words, the majority of businesses using VMware would benefit from a little guidance.
Veltec Networks knows how to fix these problems and more. Better yet, we have the experience and we will give you the attention necessary to proactively maintain your servers and prevent problems from happening in the first place.
Contact us at (408) 849-4441 or info@veltecnetworks.com for more information about our VMware servers consulting and other IT services.
