After you identify which servers and software to virtualize, it's time to select the physical components on which the virtualization software will run and the virtualization software itself. Then you can deploy and configure the virtualization software and migrate your server operating systems and applications to the VMs.
Selection and deployment
If you need to purchase new server hardware, carefully compare vendors' server specifications to ensure you're purchasing the proper capacity based on your IT environment evaluation and inventory. Many small to medium-size environments find bladed servers offer maximum flexibility. A bladed server lets you quickly add or remove server blades from an enclosure, independent of storage and network connections.
Many popular virtualization software packages come in server and workstation versions. However, HP offers elemental and integrated virtualization solutions, which give you control over individual or entire components within your IT infrastructure:
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Elemental virtualization: Handles individual entities that include HP ProLiant servers operating VMware or Microsoft platforms, HP StorageWorks data-retention solutions, HP BladeSystem workstations, and infrastructure or virtualization services.
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Integrated virtualization: Encompasses a range of high-end capabilities from the HP VSE (Virtual Server Environment) to BladeSystem, HP Integrity NonStop servers, and StorageWorks virtualization systems, all with a centralized form of control.
A useful starting point for selecting virtualization software is at the VMware from HP website.
Virtualization software deployment
Deployment begins by building new or repurposing old server hardware, assembling necessary component hardware, and then integrating networking and storage systems. When the hardware is ready, you install the virtualization software (agents and management tools), and then migrate existing applications into their virtual realms. Deployment is complete once you've established a functional virtualized server that's ready to reprioritize the resource utilization of your existing IT infrastructure.
Note: HP ProLiant Essentials Server Migration Pack, which is a part of HP ProLiant Essentials Virtualization Management Software, performs automatic migrations from physical server environments and mixed-platform VMs to HP ProLiant servers running VMware.
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