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Author: Russell, Bradley A. Title: Virtualization in the Classroom: A Key Component in Company XYZ’s
Technology Plan The accompanying research report is submitted to the University of Wisconsin-Stout, Graduate School in partial
completion of the requirements for the
Graduate Degree/ Major: MS Technology Management
Research Adviser: James Keyes, Ph.D.
Submission Term/Year: December, 2012
Number of Pages: 58
Style Manual Used: American Psychological Association, 6th edition
I understand that this research report must be officially approved by the Graduate School and that an electronic copy of the approved version will be made available through the University Library website
I attest that the research report is my original work (that any copyrightable materials have been used with the permission of the original authors), and as such, it is automatically protected by the laws, rules, and regulations of the U.S. Copyright Office.
My research adviser has approved the content and quality of this paper. STUDENT:
NAME Bradley A. Russell DATE: November 30, 2012
ADVISER: (Committee Chair if MS Plan A or EdS Thesis or Field Project/Problem):
NAME Dr. James Keyes DATE:
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Russell, Bradley A. Virtualization in the Classroom: A Key Component in Company XYZ’s
Technology Plan
Abstract
Technology plans are important to organizations for many reasons. They help in
determining the direction an organization will take in respect to what technologies it will
implement. Having this information aids in both the decision and budget making process for an
organization and its stakeholders.
Company XYZ (this is not the real name of the company) did not have a technology plan
that addressed key technologies. This research demonstrated the importance of a technology
plan to an organization. More importantly however, it also specifically addressed virtualization
technology and whether or not Company XYZ should include virtualization technology in their
technology plan. The reasons for and against virtualization technology were looked at. A
recommendation was made as to whether or not to proceed with including it in Company XYZ’s
technology plan.
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Acknowledgments
I would like to thank my wife and family for their patience and support during this
project and throughout my studies. I would also like to thank my director for her guidance,
support, and encouragement. She is truly the definition of a leader whom I admire and respect.
Finally, I would like to thank Dr. Keyes for his assistance and time that he gave me throughout
my UW Stout experience.
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Table of Contents
............................................................................................................................................. Page
Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... 2
List of Tables .............................................................................................................................. 6
Chapter I: Introduction ................................................................................................................ 7
Statement of the Problem ................................................................................................. 9
Purpose of the Study ........................................................................................................ 9
Assumptions of the Study ................................................................................................ 9
Definition of Terms ....................................................................................................... 11
Limitations of the Study ................................................................................................ 12
Methodology ................................................................................................................. 12
Summary ....................................................................................................................... 14
Chapter II: Literature Review .................................................................................................... 15
What is a Technology Plan?........................................................................................... 15
Why Should an Organization Have a Technology Plan? ................................................ 17
Planning Purposes ......................................................................................................... 18
Budgeting Purposes ....................................................................................................... 20
What is Virtualization Technology? ............................................................................... 22
Appropriateness for Virtualization Technology .............................................................. 22
Benefits of Virtualization Technology ........................................................................... 22
Monetary ........................................................................................................... 23
Administration ................................................................................................... 24
Performance ....................................................................................................... 26
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Drawbacks of Virtualization Technology ....................................................................... 26
Summary ....................................................................................................................... 28
Chapter III: Methodology .......................................................................................................... 30
Selection of Desktop Computers and Software Applications for Analysis ...................... 30
Data Collection Sources................................................................................................. 31
Data Collection Procedures ............................................................................................ 33
Data Analysis ................................................................................................................ 37
Limitations .................................................................................................................... 38
Summary ....................................................................................................................... 39
Chapter IV: Results ................................................................................................................... 41
Results of Stratusphere™ .............................................................................................. 41
Results of Total Cost of Ownership Calculator .............................................................. 44
Summary ....................................................................................................................... 48
Chapter V: Discussion ............................................................................................................... 50
Limitations .................................................................................................................... 51
Conclusions ................................................................................................................... 52
Recommendations ......................................................................................................... 54
References ................................................................................................................................ 56
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List of Tables
Table 1: Key Metrics as an Average for Desktop Computers ..................................................... 37
Table 2: Key Metrics as an Average for Software Applications ................................................. 38
Table 3: Virtualization Fit Definitions for CPU, Memory, and I/O ............................................ 42
Table 4: Key Metrics as an Average for Desktop Computers with Virtualization Fit ................. 43
Table 5: Key Metrics as an Average for Software Applications with Virtualization Fit .............. 43
Table 6: VMware View Premier Virtualization Technology Solution ........................................ 45
Table 7: Citrix XenDesktop Platinum Virtualization Technology Solution ................................ 46
Table 8: Desktop Computer Replacement Solution .................................................................... 47
Table 9: Solution Comparison for Years 1 – 6 Cumulatively ..................................................... 48
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Chapter I: Introduction
Technology plans have been essential in guiding organizations in making decisions
related to technology. With a proper technology plan in place, an organization can position itself
to be better prepared to address and integrate new technology. A technology plan can effectively
give an organization a one to three year window for technology choices and integration.
Company XYZ, a higher education organization, provides associate degrees, technical
diplomas, and certificates in more than 50 career opportunity areas and is located in the Upper
Midwest. They serve approximately 165,000 in their resident population and operate in multiple
campuses and a learning center.
Company XYZ worked with new technology on a regular basis. Virtualization of the
desktop and applications in the classroom was surfacing as a technology that was promising
efficiencies in both capital management and resource allocation. Tablet devices, such as Xoom
and iPads, were being brought into Company XYZ’s network environment with no technology
plan in place on how or if they could be supported. The technology of managing Company
XYZ’s printing environment by outsourcing it to a third party vendor to reduce costs and labor
resources was being considered by administration. With these technologies being presented to
Company XYZ without a technology plan in place, it created an atmosphere of ambiguity. It
was unclear as to what technology Company XYZ would support and with what resources. The
executive committee at Company XYZ needed to be in a position to set reasonable expectations
for all stakeholders. Additionally, without a technology plan, budgeting was a challenging task.
Without a technology plan in place, the budgeting process involved the following steps:
1. Department directors would present their budgeting requests to the Information
Technology Steering Committee.
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2. The Information Technology Steering Committee would review the requests to
determine the necessary resources. These resources included money, time, and
personnel.
3. If the warranted resources were not present, then the request would be placed in the
upcoming fiscal year’s budget.
4. The budget would then advance to the board for approval for the upcoming fiscal
year.
5. If the board approved the budget, the request would be implemented in the respective
fiscal year.
There was a problem with Company XYZ using the above steps in their budgeting
process. The problem was that when directors approached the Information Technology Steering
Committee with technology requests, the Information Technology Steering Committee was
unable to relate the technology requests towards the future direction of technology at Company
XYZ. Often times this meant that requests were either being approved or denied without the
understanding of how the requests could impact future technology decisions. If a technology
plan had been in place, the Information Technology Steering Committee could have aligned the
requests being presented to them with the direction of technology at Company XYZ. This meant
that some decisions that were made related to technology requests may have been altered had a
technology plan been in place.
Budgeting for technology was often a multi-year decision making process that involved a
certain level of vision brought about with a technology plan. The lack of a technology plan
fostered an environment where it was easy to lose sight of the future when it came to
determining what technology to implement and budget accordingly for. Company XYZ needed
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a technology plan that addressed this, and more importantly, addressed new technologies such as
virtualization and how it could fit into Company XYZ’s future technology direction.
Statement of the Problem
Company XYZ did not have a technology plan that addressed key components of new
technology. Without a technology plan, Company XYZ was unable to accurately plan for and
implement new technologies related to the present and future.
Purpose of the Study
A goal of this study was to focus more specifically on virtualization technology and
whether or not Company XYZ should incorporate it into their technology plan. Other important
technologies like the support of tablet devices or of having an outsourced print management
solution still needed to be researched to determine the feasibility of them in Company XYZ’s
technology plan. Having this information would benefit Company XYZ as it moved forward
with its planning and implementation of new technologies within the organization, as well as
providing insightful information during the budgeting process.
Assumptions of the Study
Throughout this study of determining whether Company XYZ should incorporate
virtualization technology into their technology plan, a few assumptions were made. First, it was
assumed that Company XYZ would create a technology plan utilizing a cross-functional team.
The 12 member team represented employees from multiple departments from within the
organization. Examples of these departments included marketing, business, service and health,
industrial technology, and information technology.
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Secondly, it was assumed that if validity and substantiation could be shown for
virtualization technology, then the cross-functional team would recommend virtualization
technology to be incorporated into the upcoming fiscal year budget.
Thirdly, Company XYZ refreshed desktop computers on a four to five year replacement
cycle. This equated to approximately 300 to 400 desktop computers being refreshed each year.
If virtualization technology was implemented, it was assumed it would be as an alternative to
replacing desktop computers on a yearly basis, and would be looked at over a six year period.
Fourthly, Company XYZ already had investments in storage and networking
infrastructure in their data center from other projects. This included network ports and cabling.
With the ability to leverage these items, the assumption was that costs associated with storage
and networking infrastructure for this study would be less.
Fifthly, licensing for this study focused on VMware View Premier and Citrix
XenDesktop Platinum. The assumption as to how many virtual machines each software
application would support per core central processing unit was made from evaluating the
specifications for each software application. Accordingly, twelve virtual machines per core
central processing unit for VMware View Premier and five virtual machines per core central
processing unit for Citrix XenDesktop Platinum were used in calculations. Additionally,
licensing for virtual desktop access was not necessary because the focus of this study was on
internal desktop computers and Company XYZ already had these licenses.
Finally, being a higher-education, non-profit organization, the pricing for products in all
calculations was run under various contracted purchasing programs recognized by the State of
Wisconsin. These contracts were used to ensure that fair and competitive bidding occurred
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between vendors and Company XYZ, as well as for meeting certain legal guidelines required by
the State of Wisconsin for higher-education organizations during the procurement process.
Definition of Terms
Information technology. “Any electronic technology which is useful to present, store,
reuse, convert, organize or restructure any kind of data may be in form of number, alphabets,
pictures, figures, sound for people to receive and use is known as information technology” (Patel
& Chauhan, 2010, p. 136).
Print management solution. A print management solution is where a third party
manages all printing and copying activities for an organization. As part of the print management
solution, the third party is responsible for ordering all supplies for printers and copiers, as well as
the servicing of the devices. Additionally, software is installed within the organization that
allows for the chargeback of all print and copy related activities to each respective department.
Technology plan. A technology plan “…requires identifying the problems the company
needs to solve and understanding how technology can help address them” (McCollum, 1998,
para. 19).
Total cost of ownership. “A measure often used to assess the effectiveness of an
organization’s IT expenditures” (Smith, Schuff, & St. Louis, 2002, p. 101).
Virtual desktop infrastructure. “Desktop operating systems and applications run on
virtual machines located on a server, and users access these machines remotely” (Sarrel, 2010, p.
14).
Virtualization. “A technique for using computing resources and devices in a completely
functional manner regardless of their physical layout or location. This includes splitting a single
physical computer into multiple “virtual” servers, making it appear as though each virtual
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machine is running on its own dedicated hardware and allowing each to be rebooted
independently” (Kay, 2009, p. 33).
Limitations of the Study
There are usually multiple technologies included in a technology plan. This study was
limited to the justification of virtualization technology within a technology plan. Data collection
was limited to a representative number of desktop computers. Extrapolation was then used to
represent the remaining desktop computers that data was not collected on. Finally, there was a
limited window of two months, from August 2012 through September 2012, where data was
collected on desktop computers. This was necessary in order to complete the study in time for
the potential of virtualization technology to be included in the upcoming fiscal year budget.
Methodology
To achieve the purpose of this study, the following methodology was used. A literature
review was completed that outlined the important reasons for an organization to have a
technology plan. The literature review demonstrated the relevance of a technology plan and how
an organization can be guided in its technology decisions and budget making process. With
virtualization technology potentially being a key component to Company XYZ’s technology
plan, the literature review also analyzed the key reasons supporting virtualization technology, as
well as some key reasons against virtualization technology.
After the literature review, the following methodology approach was used to analyze
virtualization technology to determine whether or not it would benefit Company XYZ. The first
step involved selecting the desktop computers and applications that would be used for the data
collection process in evaluating the appropriateness of virtualization technology. Company XYZ
had approximately 1,500 desktop computers and 175 applications. The feasibility to analyze all
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desktop computers and applications was neither possible nor necessary. Given the fact that there
were commonalities between the same computers in departments and labs, a representative
sample of desktop computers and applications was used for this study. Extrapolation was then
used for the remainder of desktop computers and applications.
Next, data collection sources were used that gathered key metrics of desktop computers
and calculated the total cost of ownership for virtualization technology. The two data sources
used were Stratusphere™ and a total cost of ownership calculator. Stratusphere™ was a
server/client software application that allowed key metrics to be collected from desktop
computers and applications, and presented them in a format that showed varying degrees of
fitness for virtualization technology candidacy.
To supplement the Stratusphere™ data source, total cost of ownership calculations were
performed. Costs associated with a virtualization technology deployment were entered into a
total cost of ownership calculator. This calculator was specific to the Information Technology
industry and virtualization technology. Amounts for software and hardware procurement, labor,
maintenance, and installation were a few of the costs utilized in the total cost of ownership
calculations.
The last step in the methodology was to analyze the data that was collected and the total
cost of ownership calculations. Thorough review of these items ensued to make certain that all
necessary information was collected and present for recommendations to be made. In addition,
any limitations and conclusions that were drawn from either the literature review or methodology
were discussed. The analysis was used to make a determination for Company XYZ on whether
or not to recommend the inclusion of virtualization technology in its technology plan.
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Summary
This chapter covered the importance of a technology plan and how it is a key component
for an organization in determining what technologies to plan and budget for. It also addressed a
facet of technology called virtualization technology and how Company XYZ needed a
technology plan that covered rising technologies like this one. The chapter also covered some
assumptions of the study, definition of important terms, limitations of the study, and summarized
a methodology that was used to determine whether or not virtualization technology would be
recommended for incorporating into Company XYZ’s technology plan.
The next chapter explores the available literature related to technology plans and
virtualization. It covers some of the reasons why organizations have technology plans, how they
can be used for planning purposes, as well budgeting purposes. More importantly, the next
chapter dives deeper into virtualization technology and what it is. It also discusses both the
benefits and drawbacks to virtualization technology.
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Chapter II: Literature Review
A technology plan is an important piece to any organization. It addresses what
technologies will be implemented, the resources needed to implement and sustain the
technologies, and provides a means to allow for more accurate budgeting and decision making.
Company XYZ did not have a technology plan in place; specifically one that addressed
virtualization technology. This literature review analyzes what a technology plan is and the
reasons for a technology plan. It also covers in depth what virtualization technology is, the
benefits and drawbacks associated with it, and how other organizations are utilizing
virtualization technology.
What is a Technology Plan?
Technology plans evolve at a rapid pace due to the frequent change in technology (See,
2001). Keeping this in mind, technology plans are to be short term; focusing on one to three
years into the future. Technology changes at a rapid pace and without being able to predict what
technology will be in the future, it is not recommended to have a technology plan that outlines
more than the next three years. According to See (2001) technology plans need to be output
based, that is focusing on applications rather than technology itself. They need to be geared to
what the organization wants students, faculty, and staff to do with the proposed technology.
Furthermore, See (2001) suggests that the technology plan should answer the question of why
you need the technology.
A technology plan should guide decision making technology initiatives from conception
all the way through to implementation (“National Center,” n.d.). The key parts of a technology
plan should take into consideration the following components:
1. Your organization’s mission statement,
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2. Any current technology policies your organization has,
3. The present capability of your technology, including infrastructure,
4. What the organization envisions future technology to be,
5. The plans of your organization’s facilities,
6. How technology will be funded,
7. Timelines for implementing technology, and
8. Any student, faculty, and staff professional development that may be required as a
result of the proposed technology.
In comparison, Barnett (2001) notes that a technology plan should include some essential
elements. The first element is that one should have a vision for the technology plan. This means
to plan ahead on how students, staff, and faculty will use the technology to make data-driven
decisions, increase productivity, and plan for the future.
The next element is that the technology plan should involve all key stakeholders for their
input (Barnett, 2001). Another essential element is that data must be gathered to understand
where an organization is currently and where they wish to go. Also, an organization should
review research that has been written about technology and its use in order to better understand it
and make better informed decisions. Understanding technology through research helps ensure
that the technology being implemented is for the correct reasons.
Barnett (2001) identified the essential elements in a technology plan as being sure one
integrates technology into the curriculum. Technology can affect the learning of a student;
therefore, it is important to align the suggested technology in respect to desired student learning
outcomes. A technology plan must provide any necessary professional development for staff and
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faculty. It should also take into consideration an organization’s infrastructure. This means
ensuring the resources are in place to support and maintain the technology.
Barnett (2001) continues to identify some additional elements to a technology plan. First,
proper budgeting and funds must be available for the technology outlined in a technology plan.
Secondly, an organization should implement measures that assess the effectiveness of the
technology being proposed in a technology plan. These measures may include rubrics, artifacts,
surveys, and tests. Measures of these types help an organization determine the effectiveness of
the technology being implemented. Lastly, an organization should plan for the future and keep
an eye on what technology is coming and set aside funds and training to help plan for it.
Despite being different in the preceding examples of what a technology plan should
include, there are some commonalities that can be concluded. In both instances, a technology
plan should include the organization’s mission or vision. The plan needs to look at an
organization’s infrastructure to ensure it is able to support the desired technology. It must also
take into account budgeting concerns and how the technology will not only be funded initially,
but also into the future. Finally, a technology plan should include any professional development
that may be necessary in utilizing and supporting new technology.
Why Should an Organization Have a Technology Plan?
Technology plans are necessary for organizations for a variety of reasons. They are used
for planning purposes to guide the organization into the future. It enables the organization to
visualize the direction it wishes to take in implementing technology and how to get there. Also,
technology plans are used for budgeting purposes. Not only is it important for an organization to
know what technology they wish to implement, but also it is as equally important that they have
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realistic expectations of what they can afford. A technology plan assists in meeting both of these
purposes, planning and budgeting.
Planning Purposes
Implementing a technology plan can provide stability for an organization (Visions, views,
and IT plans, 2004). It can also provide a means for containing costs and outlining a pace of
change for an organization. Most organizations choose not to be on the cutting edge of
technology (Visions, views, and IT plans, 2004). The article Visions, Views, and IT Plans (2004)
notes that organizations tend to follow a standard model when it comes to a technology plan.
This means they take a wait and see approach. The organization is able to wait until the price
comes down or until standards settle in before implementing new technology (Visions, views,
and IT plans, 2004). This is part of the planning and provides credibility with administrators and
end-users, neither of whom likes disruption or promises that are not met. Dugan (2002) agrees
that accountability concerns can be addressed with a robust institutional technology plan.
When it comes to planning for a technology plan, the creation of a technology plan is
essentially a blueprint for the future (Barker & Hall, 1996). It aligns expectations of new
technologies with available resources. It also considers implementation issues or concerns from
the proposed technologies. Furthermore, the technology plan helps ensure that the direction and
planned budget for new technologies is in alignment with the business needs and objectives
(Beardslee, 2001). Technology plans also aid in prioritizing projects to ensure that limited
resources are being used to their fullest extent (Beardslee, 2001).
Often times, organizations play catch-up when it comes to planning new technology
(Visions, views, and IT plans, 2004). When this occurs, existing plans need to be re-worked or
postponed. The ability to do this seamlessly is a signature benefit of a well thought out
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technology plan. Additionally, a good technology plan will allow for the replacement of
hardware or software on a scheduled basis in advance of the items becoming obsolete or
unreliable.
Technology plans can be used as a tool in the planning process. They can help define and
narrow the scope of business objectives (Beardslee, 2001). They should not be complex tools,
but rather simple tools for providing basic information about the business. Suggested
applications for meeting business objectives may result from the planning process. The
objectives may be operational, expansion based, or a new vision for an organization. With
technology ever-changing, it is important that technology plans remain flexible enough to change
to the new technologies coming (Beardslee, 2001; Overbay, Mollette, & Vasu, 2010).
When planning a technology plan for an educational organization, it should integrate
technology into the curriculum (See, 2001). Key stakeholders need to work together to
determine what technology is needed, how to obtain the technology and use it, and how students,
faculty, and staff are to be trained in the new technology. The technology should help them be
more productive and powerful. Schools need to get caught up to transform teaching and the
learning process in order to take advantage of available technology (Donlevy, 2005).
Students today tend to come to school with more technical skills than their teachers
possess (Donlevy, 2005). Given this, it is important that technology planning also determine
what is taught, how to teach it, and what technology is used in the process (Gulbahar, 2007).
Since technology can determine the instruction directly, decisions related to technology become
even more important. Choosing the correct technology affords teachers the ability to change and
adapt curriculum or to improve upon items being taught in the classroom.
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Technology plans in education should contain the instructional needs of the school, as
well as realistic timelines for implementation (Overbay, Mollette, & Vasu, 2010). One item that
sometimes unintentionally occurs is when purchasing decisions are made with good intentions,
but do not have the needs of the school in mind. Another need is standards-based learning in
education. Technology planning should be a part in achieving this need (Solomon, 2004). With
careful attention paid to planning, educational organizations can meet this learning need and
equip students to be successful in today’s economy.
In the end, the purpose of planning for technology really is not about the technology as
much as it is about the people (Overbay, Mollette, & Vasu, 2010). It is about the people who use
the technology to plan, teach, and learn with. Administrators, Information Technology staff, and
all stakeholders must learn to work together to understand how to leverage and assist one
another’s resources (Solomon, 2004). In line with this is also ensuring that technology is
turnover-proof when people leave (Overbay, Mollette, & Vasu, 2010). People do leave
organizations for varying reasons and the technology in place needs to be planned for
accordingly when these people leave.
Budgeting Purposes
When creating a technology plan, it should take into account an organization’s budget.
The technology plan should be in line with the organization’s financial resources (Barnett, 2001).
The technology plan should not promise more than what the budget can deliver. According to
Barnett (2001), there are two parts to the technology budget. The first part has a recommended
formula of 40% of the budgeted dollars go to hardware, 20% towards software, 20% for
professional development, and 20% for upgrades and other necessary items.
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The second part should be to budget for technical support separately (Barnett, 2001).
This is to instill confidence in the end-user that the software and hardware purchased will be
maintained. In education, this means that the time teachers spend in analyzing software will not
be lost when hardware or software fails to work. A technology plan that has been well thought
out will not consider purchasing more hardware and software then what can be supported by
Information Technology personnel.
See (2001) notes that if a long-term technology plan is established in an educational
organization, it should be tied in with the district’s budget cycle. This means reviewing the
technology plan on a yearly basis to ensure that outdated technology is not being purchased. In
addition, See (2001) mentions that an effective technology plan will include technology as a
daily cost of doing business. In addition, Barker and Hall (1996) recommend the creation of a
budget in a technology plan to allow for knowing how much funds are needed, so if grants
become available, an educational facility can take advantage of them.
Throughout technology planning, many challenges may appear along the way (Solomon,
2004). Small budgets, with even smaller portions allotted for technology, mean resources are
being spread too thin. Couple this with state funded technology cuts, which averaged $3.3
million in 2003, and even upgrades may need to get deferred (Solomon, 2004). This further
emphasizes the importance of technology planning to help discover the most cost-effective
solutions for technologies that still meet the needs of the organization. A proper technology plan
in place helps ensure that quick fix expenses that do little to nothing for long-term issues are not
occurring (Beardslee, 2001).
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What is Virtualization Technology?
Virtualization technology comes in one of three forms: 1) Server-based computing, 2)
Virtual desktop infrastructure, and 3) Client-side virtualization (Brooks, 2008). Virtual desktop
infrastructure is the ability for end-users to run desktop operating systems and applications from
server hardware (Harbaugh, 2012). Users access the desktop operating systems and applications
from their existing personal computer. It eliminates the need for personal computers to be
upgraded because all access is achieved through servers. Additionally, it makes administration
much easier due to the fact that upgrades to both operating systems and applications are done on
the servers the end-user connects to.
Appropriateness for Virtualization Technology
Virtualization presents itself as a fit for an organization in a multitude of facets.
According to Info-Tech Research Group (2009b), if an organization is facing the need to either
purchase a large number of personal computers or perform a personal computer refresh, then a fit
to virtualize is present. Also, if an organization has already invested a large number of dollars in
server virtualization, virtualization may be appropriate. Finally, if a large number of end-users
can benefit from virtualizing applications or desktops, virtualization technology may be a
solution. Whether or not applications or desktops can be virtualized can be determined using
analytical software such as Stratusphere™.
Benefits of Virtualization Technology
Virtualization technology can provide an organization with many benefits. The benefits
of virtualizing can be monetary, administration, performance, or a combination. Each of the
following is addressed in more detail following.
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Monetary. A traditional desktop approach before virtualization includes distributed PCs
that carry support and asset maintenance costs (Info-Tech Research Group, 2009b). With this
approach, deployment and configuration of the hardware occur at the desk side. In addition,
application management, operating system configuration, and troubleshooting happen at the desk
side as well. With a virtualization solution, a new desktop operating system, or a new or
upgraded application, can be presented to the end-user without the need to address these items
individually at the desk side (Info-Tech Research Group, 2009b).
Implementing virtualization technology can reduce Information Technology desk side
support costs by 5% (Info-Tech Research Group, 2009b). Support and management of desktop
computers can take up to 12% of Information Technology expenses (Info-Tech Research Group,
2009b). Info-Tech Research Group (2009b) surveyed 204 Information Technology managers.
Of those surveyed, over 40% of implementers were able to reduce desk side support costs by as
much as 16-40%. Estimates by industry analysts place the cost of activities that support desktop
computers at $3000-$6000 per desktop per year (Sarrel, 2010). Nearly half of this cost is in the
form of Information Technology support, while the other half of the cost is in the form of lost
productivity by the end-user. Sarrel (2010) notes that estimates indicate that the total cost of
ownership of desktops can be reduced by 15-35% with virtualization technology.
Another cost saving reason for implementing a virtualization solution comes in the form
of hardware. Harbaugh (2012) mentions that the costs associated with managing hardware can
more easily be accomplished because everything resides in the data center on the servers. In the
same survey of 204 Information Technology managers by Info-Tech Research Group (2009b) it
found that at least 75% of those who implemented a virtualization solution expected a cost
savings in hardware of at least 5% or more (Info-Tech Research Group, 2009b). Many
24
implementers noted that they would not have proceeded with a virtualization project if they
could not show some savings upfront. A reason for this is the ability to extend the lifecycle of
existing hardware (Info-Tech Research Group, 2009b).
There are also other hardware cost savings realized with virtualization technology. One
benefit of virtualization technology is the amount of desktop to server ratios that can be realized.
This means that a server can host many desktops for end-users, hence reducing the amount of
hardware necessary in a virtualization environment.
Another benefit of virtualization technology is that it can run on sub-standard end-user
computers. This means that when an end-user’s desktop client fails, any old piece of equipment
can be used to replace the defective desktop client (Sturdevant, 2010). It is possible then, that
old, outdated computer equipment can be used to get the end-user back up and running in a
shorter amount of time than is possible with traditional desktop computers not running in a
virtualization technology environment. For this reason, as well as the aforementioned reasons,
monetary value in virtualization technology can be realized.
Administration. Virtualization technology provides an organization with centralized
desktop and application management (Sturdevant, 2010). This results in the ability of
administrators to focus their attention in one central area versus the need to visit individual
desktops. According to Sarrel (2010) virtualization technology holds the potential of easing the
pain of administering large quantities of desktops that many enterprise administrators feel.
These pains can include: provisioning desktops, managing assets, configuring both hardware and
software, installation and patching of applications, and cleaning up malware from infected
computers. In addition, Sarrel (2010) notes that virtualization technology gives administrators
25
and businesses agility by being able to provision desktops for end-users with a single mouse
click.
Improved productivity can result from virtualization technology (Info-Tech Research
Group, 2009b). This is due to the ability of being able to centrally administer desktop computers
and applications. With virtualization technology, this is accomplished by managing the
processing and storage of applications and operating systems for desktop computers from within
the data center.
Virtualization technology also allows administrators to push out fresh desktops every
time an end-user starts up his or her device (Info-Tech Research Group, 2009b). This is because
the device is pulling a copy of the desktop from a master image each time. With traditional
desktop computer environments, startup times lengthen as more items are added to the system.
This is not present in a virtualization technology environment. Additionally, according to Info-
Tech Research Group (2009b) virtualized desktops are more stable and less likely to hang or
crash.
Virtualization technology allows administrators to easily patch and upgrade desktop
computers for security reasons. Sturdevant (2010) notes that with a virtualization technology
environment, the patching of security patches and updates for operating systems and applications
is more centralized. This results in faster, more efficient patching of desktop computers.
According to Info-Tech Research Group (2009b) new operating systems and applications can be
delivered to the end-user’s desktop with no downtime. This results in a win-win situation for
both Information Technology administrators and end-users.
Increased desktop computer security can also be accomplished with a virtualization
technology solution. Brooks (2008) notes that data protection is more easily achieved due to the
26
data residing on server hardware rather than on the local desktop computer. Sturdevant (2010)
also emphasizes that a virtualization technology environment allows for the ability to return an
end-user’s desktop computer environment back to a pristine state should he or she inadvertently
alter either the operating system or an application. This provides a level of security in the
desktop computer realm for administrators.
Performance. Another benefit to virtualization technology is application performance.
In most cases where applications are hosted on servers for virtualization technology, the servers
tend to contain faster hard drives, larger amounts of random access memory (RAM), and the
latest processors (Sturdevant, 2010). This translates into faster application access and
performance for the end-user.
Performance can also come as a result of how well virtualization technology performs on
different devices other than desktop computers. According to Info-Tech Research Group (2012)
virtualization technology can be accessed through bring-your-own-devices (BYODs) to help
foster a technology initiative. This means that desktop computing can perform on devices like
home PCs, laptops, Android devices, and even iPad tablets. This transcends to budgeting by
aiding in reducing the number of desktop computers that potentially will not need to be a part of
a technology plan due to the ability to support bring-your-own-devices with virtualization
technology.
Drawbacks of Virtualization Technology
Info-Tech Research Group (2009b) surveyed approximately 200 decision makers for
Information Technology. Of the 200 surveyed, approximately 17% evaluated a virtualization
technology solution, but chose not to implement one. The reasons they gave for not proceeding
27
with a virtualization technology solution were cost, current needs were already being met, and
some users were not suitable for virtualization technology solutions.
When looking at total costs, some of the Information Technology decision makers that
were interviewed noted the price per desktop for the solution was too high to justify deploying
virtualization technology (Info-Tech Research Group, 2009b). The costs they attributed as being
too high were server hardware costs, network infrastructure costs, and the costs associated with
software licensing for a virtualization technology solution. Similarly, Sarrel (2010) mentions
that all the steps associated with a virtualization technology solution: designing, purchasing,
installing, maintaining, and supporting the backend network infrastructure to run a virtualization
technology solution, can cause organizations to see an increase in capital and operational
expenses. According to Sturdevant (2010), costs associated with virtualization are difficult to
measure.
Some organizations are currently meeting the needs of their end-users. According to
Info-Tech Research Group (2009b) many user needs are being met with current systems such as
Citrix presentation server, and this is providing enough incentive for organizations not to
implement a virtualization technology solution. In addition, Sturdevant (2010) notes that there
are still many reasons that a full operating system should be placed on a desktop computer for
end users.
On the other hand, many end-users’ desktop computers are not suitable for virtualization.
Their needs may be mobility or desktop computer performance related (Info-Tech Research
Group, 2009b). Some applications require access to the local desktop hardware and when the
application is housed in a data center, this access is not possible. Related to this, Brooks (2008)
28
mentions that some applications do not either install correctly or run smoothly when installed in
a virtualization technology environment.
Info-Tech Research Group (2009a), states that high-performance end-users who need
high amounts of graphic processing, such as video or graphic designers, are not using
virtualization technology. Brooks (2008) also notes that the biggest downside to virtualization
technology is the network connectivity that it requires. Without it, end-users are unable to gain
access to their desktop environment. Lastly, Info-Tech Research Group (2009a) reports that
mobile users who travel and have a frequent need for offline use, or have a varying number of
connection methods to use, are not adopting virtualization technology.
Another drawback to virtualization technology is the complexity involved in managing
this type of solution (Sarrel, 2010). With virtualization technology, server, desktop, storage, and
network infrastructure teams need to work together to successfully deploy and manage a
virtualization technology solution. Specialized training by virtualization technology
administrators is a necessity.
In addition to management complexity in a virtualization technology environment, end-
user success and adoption need to occur (Sarrel, 2010). The benefits to Information Technology
for such a solution may be large in number, but if a desktop computer is taken away and ends up
slowing productivity down, end-user acceptance is not going to happen. Given this, it is
extremely important that a well-run pilot program be implemented to ensure the solution meets
all key stakeholders’ needs prior to any commitment to a virtualization technology solution.
Summary
This chapter was a literature review that covered technology plans and virtualization
technology. The chapter explored what technology plans are and the importance of them. It also
29
outlined why organizations should have a technology plan and how it can aid in both budgeting
and planning processes.
In addition, the chapter looked at what virtualization technology is and the
appropriateness for organizations to determine if the technology may be a fit. Literature review
was portrayed that showed both benefits of virtualization technology and drawbacks. Some
benefits included monetary, less administration, and better performance of applications that
increased the end-user experience. Drawbacks to virtualization technology included cost, current
needs already being met with other technologies, and the complexity involved in managing a
virtualization technology environment.
The next chapter will look at the methodology associated with evaluating virtualization
technology. It will go over the methods employed that analyzed the candidacy of virtualization
technology for Company XYZ. The determination for what desktop computers were selected for
the study will be discussed. The data collection sources and procedures that were used will also
be covered. Lastly, analysis of the data will ensue followed by the limitations of the study.
30
Chapter III: Methodology
Company XYZ did not have a technology plan that addressed key components of new
technology. Without a technology plan, Company XYZ was unable to accurately plan for and
implement new technologies related to improving the student learning experience. Virtualization
technology was an area that Company XYZ needed to address during the creation process of
their technology plan. Company XYZ needed to analyze both qualitative and quantitative data
related to virtualization technology to determine if it was a solution that needed to be included
when Company XYZ created their technology plan.
To determine whether or not to adopt virtualization technology, Company XYZ analyzed
the data from two data sources. The first data source was Stratusphere™ which collected data on
a broad range of desktop computers and software applications. The second data source was a
total cost of ownership calculator that took into account the results of Stratusphere™ and other
key metrics to determine the potential benefits of virtualization technology. This chapter will
address what data was collected, how it was collected, and how the data was presented for
analysis to aid in determining if any benefits could come from an implementation of
virtualization technology.
Selection of Desktop Computers and Software Applications for Analysis
Company XYZ has approximately 1,500 desktop computers and an estimated 175 various
software applications that are either installed locally on the desktop computer or are accessed
from the network. A large number of desktop computers are located throughout 35 computer
labs. The remainder of desktop computers are for faculty, staff, and resource areas.
To simplify the management of desktop computers, a standard base image is used. The
base image is deployed to all desktop computers. It contains the operating system and locally
31
installed software applications that are commonly used throughout Company XYZ. Any
software applications that are needed above and beyond what are included on the base image are
either installed locally or are accessed from the network for the different labs, faculty, staff, and
resource desktop computers. Each lab usually has a certain set of unique software applications
that need to be installed on the desktop computers because they are not part of the base image.
The same is true for faculty, staff, and resource desktop computers.
To determine the sample of desktop computers for this study, between five and ten
desktop computers were chosen from each lab, 25 desktop computers from both faculty and staff
areas, and 25 desktop computers from the resource areas. This gave an end result population of
326 desktop computers. Extrapolation from each group was used to help limit the necessary
amount of desktop computers to have in the study. All software applications that were either
installed locally or ran from the network were considered as part of this study.
Data Collection Sources
Two data sources were used to collect data during this study. The first data source was a
software analysis application called Stratusphere™. It was used to collect multiple key metrics
on desktop computers and software applications. The metrics collected on desktop computers
relevant to determining candidacy for virtualization technology were:
average percent of central processing unit utilization;
average percent of random access memory utilization;
average disk read/writes per second;
average network input/output per second.
The metrics collected on software applications relevant to determining candidacy for
virtualization technology were:
32
average percent of central processing unit consumed;
average memory consumed;
average disk read/writes per second;
average graphics intensity.
Together, these metrics were collected from the 326 desktop computers that were part of this
study.
Another data source that was used to quantify the feasibility of virtualization technology
was a total cost of ownership calculator that was specific to evaluating costs associated with this
type of study. The calculator provided a structure for estimating the costs relevant to deploying a
virtualization technology solution compared to refreshing desktop computers over a six year
period.
As part of the total cost of ownership calculator, the costs associated with a virtualization
technology solution included:
required software licensing for the virtualization technology solution, including
yearly maintenance costs for years two through six;
server hardware necessary to support the recommended virtualization technology;
anticipated power consumption for all hardware involved;
configuration and installation for virtualization technology solution;
ongoing support and management for virtualization technology solution.
For comparison, the total cost of ownership calculator took into account the costs
associated with continuing to refresh desktop computers on a yearly basis. These costs were:
the price for a typical desktop computer, excluding monitor, keyboard, and mouse;
33
system management software for desktop computers, including maintenance and
upgrades for years two through six;
labor costs for configuring and installing desktop computers;
support and management of desktop computers.
The total cost of ownership calculator was a data source that allowed for the entry of the
various aforementioned costs. Once the costs were entered in, different pricing scenarios were
calculated and presented in a meaningful, analytical format.
Data Collection Procedures
Stratusphere™ was obtained freely from a third party consultant with whom Company
XYZ worked regularly with for their technology needs. The software application was installed
on a network server to allow for the collection of data from each desktop computer in the
population. As part of the installation, Stratusphere™ created a placeholder on the server for the
audited data to be stored.
Stratusphere™ also had a non-invasive client program that was installed on each desktop
computer that was chosen as part of the study. To install the client program, a group policy was
created on Company XYZ’s computer network that deployed it onto the desktop computers.
Once the study was completed, the client program was removed.
Throughout the two month period of data collection, the client program was able to
continuously record many different metrics and send them to the network server where
Stratusphere™ was installed. For this study, the primary focus was on the metrics related to
desktop computer hardware and software applications. Specific to desktop computer hardware,
Stratusphere™ recorded the average percent of central processing unit utilization, average
percent of central processing unit utilization, average disk read/writes per second, and average
34
network input/output per second. Related to software application metrics, Stratusphere™
collected the average percent of central processing unit consumed, average memory consumed,
average disk read/writes per second, and average graphics intensity.
To obtain data for the total cost of ownership calculator, many different sources were
involved. The human resources department at Company XYZ was contacted to provide the
hourly wages that included benefits for the network administrator and the desktop technicians.
The facilities department provided the cost for power that the utility company charged Company
XYZ. The desktop operations manager was able to provide the costs for a standard desktop and
for desktop management software licensing. The virtualization technology software that was
part of this study was VMware View Premier and Citrix XenDesktop Platinum. To obtain
software licensing pricing that included subsequent yearly maintenance costs for these items,
Company XYZ worked with their preferred vendor to secure quotes. In order to obtain better
pricing, 100 pack license bundles were quoted. Company XYZ also used the same vendor to
provide hardware pricing.
VMware View Premier and Citrix XenDesktop Platinum differ in the amount of virtual
machines that can be supported per core central processing unit on server hardware. As noted in
the assumptions, a recommended amount of twelve virtual machines per core central processing
unit was used for VMware View Premier when obtaining server hardware costs. For server
hardware costs to support Citrix XenDesktop Platinum, five virtual machines per core central
processing unit were used. The vendor supplied the pricing for server hardware and listed the
amount of core central processing units within each server. The server hardware quoted came
with a standard three year warranty. The cost for maintaining the warranty for years four
35
through six were also provided by the vendor. This information was then entered into the total
cost of ownership calculator.
An increase in server hardware in Company XYZ’s data center to implement a
virtualization technology solution would translate to an increase in power consumption in the
data center. As part of the study, this cost needed to be accounted for. The amount of power
required to run the server hardware that was quoted was obtained from the server hardware
manufacturer and entered into the total cost of ownership calculator.
Configuration and implementation costs for a virtualization technology solution were part
of the total cost of ownership equation. Company XYZ had limited windows when such a
project of this nature could be implemented. Additionally, the success for a project of this
magnitude was paramount; it had to work right from the beginning. Given these requirements
coupled by the limited human resources at Company XYZ necessitated the need to include these
costs in the study.
The costs of the support and management tasks for the proposed virtualization technology
solution and server hardware environment were taken into consideration and entered into the
total cost of ownership calculator. Company XYZ’s network administrator would be responsible
for these tasks. The costs associated with the tasks were the difference in time of what the
network administrator currently supported and managed compared to what additional support
and management that would come from an implementation of a virtualization technology
solution. The human resources department at Company XYZ was contacted to obtain the hourly
wage, including benefits, of the network administrator.
In order to substantiate a possible recommendation for a virtualization technology
solution, the costs needed to be compared against the current replacement of desktop computers
36
and related support services. To this extent, data was gathered related to the current replacement
of desktop computers and entered into the total cost of ownership calculator. The purchasing
department at Company XYZ was contacted for the price of recently purchased desktop
computers. The price did not include a monitor, keyboard, or mouse because a virtualization
technology solution extends the life of the desktop computer and not peripheral devices. Stated
another way, virtualization technology is an alternative to replacing desktop computers on a
refresh cycle; therefore, the cost comparison was made between the virtualization technology
solution and replacement of desktop computers minus ancillary items.
System management software was used to maintain the desktop computers. The software
allowed Company XYZ’s desktop technicians to image, patch, and upgrade desktop computers.
With the possibility of implementing virtualization technology, the need to have system
management software was not necessary because all these functions would move to the new
environment. To account for this in the total cost of ownership calculator, the costs for system
management software, including yearly maintenance and upgrades, were added to the total cost
of ownership calculator for comparison purposes.
Desktop technicians at Company XYZ installed, configured, and maintained the desktop
computers within the organization. As part of determining the feasibility of a virtualization
technology solution, the costs associated with maintaining the current desktop computer
environment had to be entered into the total cost of ownership calculator. The costs revolved
around two aspects. One aspect was the average amount of time that desktop technicians spent
on installing, configuring, and maintaining desktop computers. With a virtualization technology
solution, their focus related to their services would shift to the virtualization technology
platform. This meant that their services would still be needed, but in a different form.
37
Therefore, the information technology department at Company XYZ was contacted to determine
how much time was being spent by the desktop technicians in providing these services.
The other aspect to gathering costs was in determining the hourly wages of the desktop
technicians so that the amount could be entered into the total cost of ownership calculator. In
order to do this, the human resources department at Company XYZ was contacted for this
information. With the two desktop technicians making approximately the same hourly wage
with benefits, an average cost between the two was entered into the calculator.
Data Analysis
At the end of the two month data collection period, the data that was collected from
Stratusphere™ on the selected desktop computers was presented in a table format showing the
various key metrics as an average for both desktop computers (Table 1) and software
applications (Table 2).
Table 1
Key Metrics as an Average for Desktop Computers
Metric Measured Average Value
Avg. System CPU% Used
Avg. Memory% Used
Avg. Disk IOPS
Avg. Network MB/s
38
Table 2
Key Metrics as an Average for Software Applications
Metric Measured Average Value
Avg. System CPU% Used
Avg. Memory MB Used
Avg. Disk IOPS
Avg. GDI Objects
Each key metric was compared against values signifying a good, fair, or poor fit for
virtualization. These values were part of Stratusphere’s™ software application. Using this
information, Stratusphere™ was able to show if certain applications and desktop computers
could potentially be a candidate for virtualization technology.
Information that was gathered as part of the total cost of ownership calculator data source
was also presented in a spreadsheet format. The spreadsheet listed what the costs were for
refreshing desktop computers on a cyclical basis and for supporting them, and compared them to
a virtualization technology solution.. In addition, the costs for both VMware View Premier and
Citrix XenDesktop Platinum virtualization technology solutions, including ongoing support for
the technologies, were presented. The costs presented allowed Company XYZ to take into
account sustainability of virtualization technology and of how it may also impact both capital
and operational budgets. This allowed for the complete analysis of a virtualization technology
solution to determine the viability of it for Company XYZ.
Limitations
With 1,500 desktop computers within Company XYZ, it was not possible, nor practical to
obtain information on key metrics from every device. This meant that there was a possibility
that a key metric may have been missed by a desktop computer not included in the study.
39
Another limitation of this study was in the form of gathering precise support and
management costs for both desktop computers and a virtualization technology solution. Past
history support and management costs of desktop computers was used to obtain an average cost
for these items. While this provided a good basis for what had occurred, it was limited in the
accuracy of what the future costs would be.
The same limitation applied to determining costs for virtualization technology. While
every attempt was made to determine the best average costs for support and management for a
virtualization technology solution proposal, the accuracy of these costs was limited to
hypothetical costs provided by the total cost of ownership calculator based on similar
virtualization technology solution implementations. This meant the costs that were presented
were of a typical scenario and did not reflect what Company XYZ would actually benefit from.
Summary
This chapter covered the methodology for evaluating the candidacy of a virtualization
technology solution for Company XYZ. It outlined how the desktop computers and software
applications were selected as part of the study.
From there, the varying data collection sources of Stratusphere™ and the total cost of
ownership calculator were presented along with the metrics that were collected by each data
source. The chapter portrayed the data collection procedures and how data was collected for
each data source. Stratusphere™ was a deployed software application for collecting data while
information needed to be gathered and entered into the total cost of ownership calculator.
Next, the chapter covered how the collected data was presented for analysis. Both
Stratusphere™ and the total cost of ownership calculator gave the results in a spreadsheet format.
The data sources were able to present the results in a meaningful manner that would aid in
40
determining whether or not a virtualization technology solution was appropriate for Company
XYZ.
Finally, the limitations of the study were given. There was a limitation with the number
of devices that were able to be a part of the study. With approximately 1,500 desktop computers,
it was not possible to include each one in the study. A sampling method was used that gave an
accurate population for the study. From there, extrapolation was used for the remaining desktop
computers. This followed by the limitation of the costs used for the study. Costs were able to be
acquired for support and maintenance from previous years, but the costs had to be taken with a
bit of uncertainty as they were applied to the future for which the costs could end up varying
from what was entered.
The next chapter reviews the results of the study. The data that was collected by the data
sources used in the methodology is presented in a table format. Analysis of this information is
discussed in detail in the next chapter. The data is also related back to the literature review that
was part of this study.
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Chapter IV: Results
A goal of this study was to focus more specifically on virtualization technology and
whether or not Company XYZ should incorporate it into their technology plan. Other important
technologies like the support of tablet devices or of having an outsourced print management
solution still needed to be researched to determine the feasibility of them in Company XYZ’s
technology plan. Having this information would benefit Company XYZ as it moved forward
with its planning and implementation of new technologies within the organization, as well as
providing insightful information during the budgeting process.
To accomplish the goal of evaluating virtualization technology in order to make a
recommendation or not for Company XYZ to include it in their technology plan, the analysis of
data from two important data sources was performed. The first data source was Stratusphere™
which collected data on a broad range of desktop computers and software applications. The
second data source was a total cost of ownership calculator that took into account the results of
Stratusphere™ and other key metrics to determine the potential benefits of virtualization
technology. The results of these data sources are presented in this chapter.
Results of Stratusphere™
Stratusphere™ was used to gather key metrics from desktop computers and software
applications for this study. Of the estimated 1,500 desktop computers that Company XYZ has,
data was collected on 326 randomly chosen desktop computers. This represented 21.7% of
Company XYZ’s desktop computers. Data was collected on the desktop computers from August
2012 through September 2012. The key metrics collected for desktop computers were the
average percent of central processing unit utilization, the average percent of random access
memory utilization, the average disk read/writes per second, and the average network
42
input/output per second. For software applications, the key metrics collected were the average
percent of central processing unit consumed, the average memory consumed, the average disk
read/writes per second, and the average graphics intensity.
After the key metrics were collected, they were compared against predefined
virtualization fit key metrics that were provided by Stratusphere™, see Table 3. This allowed
the values obtained to be analyzed against industry standard values in order to determine the
candidacy for virtualization technology within Company XYZ. In order to accurately determine
a virtualization technology fit for Company XYZ using the data collected, both the desktop
computers and software applications had to be evaluated.
Table 3
Virtualization Fit Definitions for CPU, Memory, and I/O
Metric Good Fair Poor
Avg. System CPU% Used
Avg. User CPU% Used
Avg. Memory% Used
Avg. Memory MB Used
Avg. GDI Objects
Avg. Disk IOPS
Avg. Network MB/s
< 10%
< 10%
< 10%
< 500 MB
< 150
< 10 IOPS
< 5 MB/s
10 – 40%
10 – 40%
10 – 40%
500 – 1000 MB
150 – 300
10 – 25 IOPS
5 – 20 MB/s
> 40%
> 40%
> 40%
> 1000 MB
> 300
> 25 IOPS
> 20 MB/s
In order to appropriately support virtualization technology, the desktop computers in this
study needed to be able to meet certain specifications. If the specifications were not met, then
the chances of a successful implementation would not be possible. The results of the key metrics
collected from the desktop computers are shown in Table 4.
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Table 4
Key Metrics as an Average for Desktop Computers with Virtualization Fit
Metric Measured Average Value Virtualization Fit
Avg. System CPU% Used
Avg. Memory% Used
Avg. Disk IOPS
Avg. Network MB/s
2.71%
18.47%
21.14
.75
Good
Fair
Fair
Good
The results of Table 4 show the desktop computers of Company XYZ as being a good to
fair fit for virtualization technology. This means that the resources of the desktop computers are
able to sustain a virtualization technology environment according to Stratusphere’s™ key
metrics.
In addition to Company XYZ’s desktop computers being able to support a virtualization
technology environment, the software applications that were being considered as part of this
study needed to be supported as well. The results of the key metrics collected from the software
applications are shown in Table 5.
Table 5
Key Metrics as an Average for Software Applications with Virtualization Fit
Metric Measured Average Value Virtualization Fit
Avg. System CPU% Used
Avg. Memory MB Used
Avg. Disk IOPS
Avg. GDI Objects
15.17
304.37
1.53
39.1
Fair
Good
Good
Good
The results from Table 5 demonstrate that the software applications that were part of the
study were for the most part a good fit for a virtualization technology solution. The key metrics
44
collected and analyzed showed that the software applications should be able to run in a
virtualization technology environment according to Stratusphere™. At the end of the study,
there were no software applications that presented themselves as not being able to be supported
in a virtualization technology environment. This was one key factor that needed to be addressed
in determining whether or not to propose a virtualization technology solution.
Results of Total Cost of Ownership Calculator
The results from Stratusphere™ portrayed the ability of Company XYZ’s desktop
computers and software applications to be supported in a virtualization technology environment;
however, this was only half of the equation. The other half were the costs associated with
procuring, maintaining, and sustaining such an environment. If these items were not lower than
the current desktop computer refresh cycle and management costs, then a virtualization
technology solution would not be proposed.
As noted in Chapter 3, there were various costs associated with a virtualization
technology solution and with refreshing desktop computers on a yearly basis. These costs are
portrayed below for a virtualization technology solution in Table 6 for VMware View Premier,
Table 7 for Citrix XenDesktop Platinum, and Table 8 for a desktop computer refresh cycle. The
costs listed were to replace 300 desktop computers against a virtualization technology solution.
Extrapolation can be used to assess the amount of costs and savings for any number of desktop
computers above or below 300 desktop units.
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Table 6
VMware View Premier Virtualization Technology Solution
Virtualization Technology Cost Units Year 1 Years 2-6
VMware View Premier $153.00 300 $45,900
Annual Support and Subscription at 22% $10,098.00 1 $10,098 $10,098
Server & Networking Hardware $79,800.00 1 $79,800
Setup Cost $35,000.00 1 $35,000
Storage Cost (36GB/User) $180.00 300 $54,000
Server & Storage Power Consumed $1,231.00 1 $1,231 $1,231
Configuration & Installation (Hrs) $39.50 150 $5,925
Support & Management (Hrs) $39.50 246.6 $9,741 $9,741
Total
$241,695 $21,070
In Table 6, the first cost is for the software licensing for 300 desktop computers to run
VMware View Premier as the virtualization technology solution. This is followed by an annual
support and subscription cost for the software licensing. This cost begins on year one and
continues through year six.
In order to implement this virtualization technology solution, server and networking
hardware costs are included in Table 6. These items will support 300 virtual desktop computers
and are only purchased in year one at the start of implementation. Setup costs for all hardware
are also included. Additionally, each virtual desktop computer will need storage space. To
accommodate for the space, a storage cost is included in Table 6 that supports the proposed 300
virtual desktop computers. Again, this is a one-time cost.
New hardware will be procured and installed as part of a VMware View Premier
virtualization technology solution. To accommodate for the increased yearly power consumption
brought about with this solution, a server and storage power cost has been added to Table 6.
46
Finally, Table 6 shows the costs associated with configuring and installing the
virtualization technology solution. These costs are only for year one. Also, yearly ongoing
support and management costs for the virtualization technology solution have been included.
Table 7
Citrix XenDesktop Platinum Virtualization Technology Solution
Virtualization Technology Cost Units Year 1 Years 2-6
Citrix XenDesktop Platinum $370.00 300 $111,000
Annual Support and Subscription at 20% $22,200.00 1
$22,200
Server & Networking Hardware $110,800.00 1 $110,800
Setup Cost $35,000.00 1 $35,000
Storage Cost (36GB/User) $180.00 300 $54,000
Server & Storage Power Consumed $1,231.00 1 $1,231 $1,231
Configuration & Installation (Hrs) $39.50 150 $5,925
Support & Management (Hrs) $39.50 246.6 $9,741 $9,741
Total
$327,697 $33,172
In Table 7, the first cost is for the software licensing for 300 desktop computers to run
Citrix XenDesktop Platinum as the virtualization technology solution. This is followed by an
annual support and subscription cost for the software licensing. This cost is included in year
one; therefore, the cost shown is reflective of year two through year six.
In order to implement this virtualization technology solution, server and networking
hardware costs are included in Table 7. These items will support 300 virtual desktop computers
and are only purchased in year one at the start of implementation. Setup costs for all hardware
are also included. Additionally, each virtual desktop computer will need storage space. To
accommodate for the space, a storage cost is included in Table 7 that supports the proposed 300
virtual desktop computers. Again, this is a one-time cost.
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New hardware will be procured and installed as part of a Citrix XenDesktop Platinum
virtualization technology solution. To accommodate for the increased yearly power consumption
brought about with this solution, a server and storage power cost has been added to Table 7.
Finally, Table 7 shows the costs associated with configuring and installing the
virtualization technology solution. These costs are only for year one. Also, yearly ongoing
support and management costs for the virtualization technology solution have been included.
Table 8
Desktop Computer Replacement Solution
Desktop Replacement Costs Cost Units Year 1 Years 2-6
Typical Desktop $658.00 300 $197,400
Configuration & Installation (Hrs) $39.50 300 $11,850
Support & Management (Hrs) $39.50 822 $32,469 $32,469
Power per Year (KWHrs/yr) $10.47 300 $3,142 $3,142
Total
$244,861 $35,611
The end result of the total cost of ownership calculations for a virtualization technology
solution that compared VMware View Premier and Citrix XenDesktop Platinum against a yearly
desktop computer refresh cycle are shown in Table 9. This table takes into account the total
amount per solution for six years. The first year reflects the costs for procuring and installing the
proposed solution; subsequent years are for maintaining and sustaining.
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Table 9
Solution Comparison for Years 1 – 6 Cumulatively
Solution Year 1 Years 2-6 Total
VMware View Premier
Citrix XenDesktop Platinum
Desktop Computer Replacement
$241,695
$327,697
$244,861
$21,070
$33,172
$35,611
$347,043
$493,555
$422,914
Table 9 demonstrates the various solutions with associated costs. In the first year,
VMware View Premier is less to implement than the other two solutions, albeit not by very
much. It isn’t until years two through six where the real cost savings begin to show. When the
solutions are evaluated over six years, VMware View Premier shows the largest estimated cost
savings. The cost savings are reflective of lower yearly software licensing fees, as well as lower
costs surrounding support and maintenance of the solution.
Summary
This chapter began with portraying the results of Stratusphere™. They showed that
Company XYZ’s desktop computers were able to support a virtualization technology solution.
They also showed that Company XYZ’s software applications presented themselves as being
candidates for virtualizing.
The chapter also went over the results of the total cost of ownership calculator for the
various possible solutions. Of the three solutions, VMware View Premier outshined Citrix
XenDesktop Platinum and desktop computer replacements on a yearly cycle. The cost savings
was significant over a six year period versus looking solely at the cost savings of the first year.
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The next chapter will again discuss the limitations of this study. It will also draw
conclusions from the study and make recommendations. The chapter will expand upon the entire
study to present a recommendation and propose action items for any next steps.
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Chapter V: Discussion
Technology plans have been essential in guiding organizations in making decisions
related to technology. With a proper technology plan in place, an organization can position itself
to be better prepared to address and integrate new technology. A technology plan can effectively
give an organization a one to three year window for technology choices and integration.
Chapter 1 introduced Company XYZ and how they did not have a technology plan that
addressed key components of new technology. A goal of this study was to focus more
specifically on virtualization technology and whether or not Company XYZ should incorporate it
into their technology plan. The chapter also covered that without a technology plan, Company
XYZ was unable to accurately plan for and implement new technologies related to the present
and future. This also affected the decision making and accuracy of the budgeting process for
Company XYZ.
Chapter II was a literature review of technology plans and virtualization technology. The
chapter covered what a technology plan is and why an organization should have one. It also
went into depth on what virtualization technology is and how an organization may benefit from
implementing such a technology. Drawbacks with this type of technology were also looked at
and presented in the chapter.
Chapter III covered the methodology for this study as it related to analyzing virtualization
technology in an effort to either recommend the technology for Company XYZ or not. It started
with the presentation of the two data sources that were used throughout this study. The first data
source was Stratusphere™. It was used to collect key metrics on Company XYZ’s desktop
computers and software applications and present them in a meaningful manner for interpretation.
The second data source was a total cost of ownership calculator that took into account the results
51
of Stratusphere™ and other calculations to determine the potential benefits of virtualization
technology. The chapter finished with the limitations that were part of the study.
In Chapter IV, the results of both the Stratusphere™ data source and the total cost of
ownership calculator data source were presented. This displayed the key metrics that were
collected from Stratusphere™ as part of the study and compared the key metrics against industry
standards. This allowed for the analysis into whether or not Company XYZ’s desktop computers
and software applications could be potential candidates for virtualization technology. This was
followed by the results of the total cost of ownership calculator data source. These results
showed that potential cost savings could be realized with implementation of virtualization
technology over standard desktop computer replacements.
This chapter reiterates the limitations of the study. It also draws conclusions that resulted
from the findings and presents them. These items are then followed up with recommendations
that are made for Company XYZ that were brought to light because of this study.
Limitations
This study was limited to the justification of virtualization technology within a
technology plan at Company XYZ. Data collection was limited to a representative number of
desktop computers. Extrapolation was then used to represent the remaining desktop computers
that were not part of the data collection process. Finally, there was a limited window of two
months, from August 2012 through September 2012, where data was collected on desktop
computers. This was necessary in order to complete the study in time for the potential of
virtualization technology to be included in the upcoming fiscal year budget.
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Conclusions
The literature review demonstrated the importance of a technology plan. It showed that
organizations can benefit from a technology plan for purposes of both planning and budgeting.
A technology plan aids an organization in determining the technologies they want to implement,
when they plan to implement the technologies, and what resources they will need to sustain the
technologies. The literature review also showed how a technology plan can help an organization
with budgeting by outlining the funds necessary to implement the technologies proposed in a
technology plan.
A primary goal of this study was to focus on virtualization technology and whether or not
it was a solution that Company XYZ could benefit from and include in the development of their
technology plan. This goal was accomplished in two ways. The first way was in the literature
review which analyzed and discussed the benefits and drawbacks of virtualization technology as
it related to monetary, administration, and performance items. From a monetary standpoint, the
literature review showed that in most cases a significant amount of money could be saved with a
virtualization technology solution. In addition to monetary benefits, lowered administration
costs coupled with performance gains for end users could also potentially be realized.
Some drawbacks discussed with virtualization technology in the literature review were
some of the same that were considered benefits. The monetary cost of procuring and
maintaining a virtualization technology solution for some organizations was too large for them to
proceed with such a solution. For Company XYZ, a large portion of the costs associated with
storage and networking infrastructure were already absorbed by other projects and did not
present a barrier to further considering this type of technology solution. Additionally,
administration for virtualization technology was considered a drawback because of the
53
complexity involved with this type of solution. The current network administrator and desktop
technicians were well versed in virtualization technology for servers and applications already, so
the potential for higher costs of training were minimal and could be addressed if and when
necessary. In the end, the amount of benefits that came forth with virtualization technology
appeared to outweigh the drawbacks for Company XYZ.
The second way of addressing the goal of determining whether or not a virtualization
technology solution should be included during the creation of Company XYZ’s technology plan
was from the analysis of two data sources. The first data source was Stratusphere™. It allowed
for the collection of key metrics from desktop computers to be compared against industry
standards. When the analysis was performed on the results of Stratusphere™, it confirmed that
Company XYZ’s desktop computers and software applications were potential virtualization
technology candidates. This needed to be confirmed before any cost justification could be done.
If the potential for a virtualization technology solution was not present, it would not matter if
justification could be made from a monetary viewpoint.
The second data source was a total cost of ownership calculator. This allowed for the
analysis of a virtualization technology solution compared against the traditional cycle of
replacing desktop computers for Company XYZ. The results showed that a cost savings could
be realized with a VMware View Premier virtualization technology solution. The results also
showed that a cost savings would be minimal in the first year when compared against replacing
desktop computers. The largest cost savings would not be realized until years two through six.
This was due to the lower costs associated with supporting and maintaining a virtualization
technology environment as opposed to traditional desktops.
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The findings in this study correlate to the literature review. For Company XYZ, there
would be a cost savings with implementing a virtualization technology solution like VMware
View Premier. This is a direct result of Company XYZ already having absorbed hard costs
associated with storage and network infrastructure. If an organization had to incur these hard
costs, then the results would shift and the focus of savings would be more towards the soft costs
associated with a virtualization technology solution. These costs would have to be accounted for
in the total cost of ownership calculations for any organization seeking a similar solution.
Recommendations
As a result of having completed this study, the following recommendations are being
made for Company XYZ. First, given the importance of a technology plan and the many
benefits it brings, it is recommended that Company XYZ create a technology plan for the
organization. This plan will aid in helping shape the future of what technologies will be
proposed, as well as benefit the budgeting process for Company XYZ.
Next, it is being recommended that Company XYZ further pursue a virtualization
technology solution to be included during the development of their technology plan. The
solution should reflect utilizing VMware View Premier and take the place of replacing desktop
computers on a cyclical basis. As part of this recommendation, it is also being recommended
that Company XYZ include a proof of concept along with the virtualization technology solution.
This will help ensure that the proposed solution meets the needs of the end users and is in
alignment with the results of this study. It will further strengthen the appropriate use of
resources by conducting the proof of concept on a smaller scale prior to a mass rollout.
Finally, a future recommendation would be for Company XYZ to evaluate other
technologies to be incorporated into their technology plan. These technologies include a print
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management solution and the ability to support tablet devices. Further research on these
recommendations will determine whether or not to also include them in Company XYZ’s
technology plan along with virtualization technology.
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