Virtualization in China: GE Group VMware deployment experience

What kind of situation and background, need application server virtualization, and how it should be implemented virtualization, virtualization can bring to enterprises? with these various questions, press contact to a deployed virtualization application of GE Medical Group, sharing their virtualization deployment applications experience.

Depending GE Medical Group Asia Pacific server operation and maintenance managers guochao, GE Medical Group in the Asia-Pacific region, a total of 300 multiple servers, including a dozen physical servers running virtual machine, run a total of 40 multiple virtual machines.

Virtualization solution to data center resources and space problems

So, what reason, let GE began in data center virtualization deployment inside? guochao said GE Medical Group, the deployment of the virtualization of main reason lies in hopes that virtualization can achieve rapid infrastructure services and flexible provisioning.

GE Medical Group orders system each quarter will be a very high peak.

Previously in order to cope with the peak, had to be reserved for large server computing power that computing power doubles is extremely wasteful. In addition, the provision of services in support of the sector, guochao they need to meet other departments ' system requirements. European division called GE Medical Group Asia technical support, provide 7 server to install related ERP application. However, guochao represents and do not want to purchase additional new server, but wished to adopt virtualization technologies to provide virtual machine services.

"After careful testing and assessment, they finally approved the programme.

"Guochao said:" Although our data center space and not tense, there are enough funds to purchase servers, but we need to adopt virtualization to achieve better management capabilities enable flexible provisioning. Of course, at the same time can reduce the required number of hardware, Server resource utilization. ”

Use SAN schema deployment of reliable virtualization scenarios

Since the running virtual machine to the production system, GE chose a more reliable way to deploy a SAN for VMware virtualization solutions.

GE Medical Group three HP DL585 construct a Server Farm, and then on the back end is connected to a SAN storage system, established more than ten virtual machine are stored on the SAN, which includes a DHCP/DNS, print server, and order system, Veritas Backup System.

Through the Virtual Center management systems, GE Medical Group can freely between the three DL585 migrate the virtual machine to enable provisioning needs.

Normally, three servers run at all on the balancing of virtual machines, each quarter, you use Virtual Center to other virtual machines are migrated to the two servers, except the order system, to meet peak demand.

Virtualization brings flexibility and manageability

Deployment is complete, the facts prove that virtualization can help GE significantly improves server utilization, and to enhance the provisioning flexibility.

According to introduction, GE's server utilization from the original 10% to 60% after consolidation, and deploy a new service of the time from several months to a few hours now.

Guochao said in the past, deploying a new application to the device from the application delivery, installation, configuration, you need approximately 3 months, and now with virtual machine templates to create a new server application, you only need about 1 hours.

Be sure to carry out rigorous testing

Although virtualization effect of praise, but guochao repeatedly press stressed, must be rigorously tested before deployment to production systems in virtualization.

In application virtualization scenarios, where guochao GE Medical Group Headquarters have adopted virtualization scenario, what they need to build in a virtualized environment, in the United States this part already running good.

But in their own guochao deployed virtualization zhengshishangxian productive system, or in the United States before long stress test, a test backup and gradually will need application migration to a virtualized platform.

Avoid blind virtualization

Not all applications are suitable for virtualization, and not all systems should be integrated.

For today's server virtualization, actually speak up or used VMware for virtualization of x 86 systems.

Guochao said GE Medical Group, most applications are based on a Solaris environment, therefore there is no need to use VMware for virtualization, but directly using the Solaris Container to implement virtualization capabilities.

Although virtualization can help data center consolidation, but it is not necessary for the integration and consolidation.

He said, not because you want to consolidate the data center running now which is very good, or even just deployed service migration to a virtualized platform.

"Enterprises have everything that is built around business technology just to drive the business.

Not putting the cart before the horse, let the business adapt to the technology. "Guochao stressed.

Virtualization issues

As a new technology, deployed virtualization, will encounter some problems that require users to be careful.

Guochao said they will VMware ESX Server from 2.5 version upgraded to 3.0, three servers in two are quite good, but there is a problem, with VMware engineer remote technical support to resolve.

But if you can't solveSo, may cause the deployed virtual machine is not available.

"This kind of problem solution is to upgrade the server or ESX Server, it is best to run on top of virtual machine first migrated to another server, upgrade and migrate back after finished, so therefore analogy, complete all the server upgrade, this is no problem.

"Guochao said.

In addition, some manufacturers do not support in a virtual machine running their applications, such as Symantec's VERITAS Backup software does not support running in VMware, but on VMware to support running VERITAS.

Guochao said that their remote offices need to implement backup VERITAS, but they are not willing to purchase a single physical machine for backup. Tested, they decided to run on the virtual machine, and VERITAS.

"This is indeed a risk, that is, if there is a problem, you may be reluctant to Veritase responsibility, but considering that then deploy a physical machine cost is relatively high, so let's use virtual machines to deploy.

"Guochao said:" at least we are in the remote offices are so, but in the data center does not do so, after all, data center security requirements are higher. ”