Virtualization from the Data Center to the Desktop:
Building an End-to-End Virtualization Strategy

Virtualization is a technology that isolates one computing resource from others. By separating the logical operation from the physical hardware, a virtualized environment provides greater operational flexibility and streamlines system changes, to provide an operating environment that strengthens business continuity and scales rapidly to meet business demands. Virtualized environments enhance the IT organization’s capacity to deliver powerful, robust solutions to meet business needs quickly and efficiently. IT no longer needs to configure each component for them to all work together, reducing complexity and freeing up resources.

Virtualization in a Dynamic IT Environment IGI believes that virtualization is a key component of dynamic IT, an environment that helps people anticipate and respond to business challenges and opportunities. Virtualized computing resources provide the flexibility to quickly add capability when business demands it, while improving business continuity and supporting a robust disaster-recovery failover plan. While virtualization is commonly associated with server consolidation, applying virtualization technologies broadly across the entire IT infrastructure yields important improvements in efficiency, flexibility, continuity, and agility. Whether the particular challenge is server utilization, application compatibility, centralized data processing, or managing legacy applications, IGI has a powerful solution that integrates seamlessly with your IT infrastructure. A well-designed and well-managed virtualization strategy delivers value to the organization in three ways:

Solutions for End-to-End Virtualization IGI's Microsoft Practice offers a comprehensive set of solutions to virtualize servers, applications, and desktop computers. Equally as important, Microsoft provides a powerful toolset for managing both the virtual and physical resources in a unified environment, reducing system complexity and streamlining management tasks. Virtualization Scenario IGI/Microsoft Solution Benefits Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2007 Microsoft System Center Provide the virtual operating system that facilitates consolidated infrastructure, application, and branch office server workloads with rapid deployment and provisioning. Manage host configuration, virtual machine creation, library management, intelligent virtual machine placement, monitoring, rapid recovery, self provisioning, and automation. Seamlessly manage virtual and physical server environments with existing, familiar, physical server management tools. Microsoft Virtual PC SoftGrid Application Virtualization Microsoft Terminal Services Host applications not compatible with desktop operating systems. Simplify desktop images by decoupling application layer from image, reduce application-to-application conflicts. Virtualize the presentation of entire desktops. SoftGrid Application Virtualization Microsoft Terminal Services Virtualize applications and deliver them as an on-demand, streaming service to desktop users. Virtualize the presentation of applications. Windows Server Terminal Services Consolidate applications and data in a central location for compliance and security, while providing broad access for local and remote users. Desktop Deployment Planning Services (DDPS) The single largest cost that customers face in managing hundreds of desktops is the amount of human resources required to deploy, support, manage, and maintain an efficient infrastructure with a modern desktop environment. Computer configurations require that your customers’ IT professionals have the skills, knowledge, and confidence to remain agile when working with mobile devices, desktop computers, and laptops. Manual administration takes time, money, and staff, so minimizing the challenge is always a top priority. IGI is Your DDPS Partner Packaged Services, including Desktop Deployment Planning Services, is part of your Microsoft Volume Licensing agreement. This entitles you to pre-paid Desktop Planning and Deployment consulting. Learn more about Software Assurance Benefits available through IGI.