Maximize your IT network
The use of Virtualization is an area where Cloud Computing really does come into its own and arguably one of the most exciting directions in the IT industry today. The benefits that organizations experience through embracing the Cloud make this an attractive option. These benefits can be broadly grouped into three main areas:
• Reduction in Costs
• Increased Resilience
• Improved Flexibility
Reduction in Costs
Physical servers can be a very expensive way to deliver services. That’s because traditionally a single server runs a single operating system which in turn runs its own individual applications. Each server requires its own separate power source, takes up physical space, requires cooling, maintenance and repair or replacement as necessary. Under normal circumstances, each server is only utilizing around 5-15% of its maximum capacity. That’s a lot of hardware, expensive to both purchase and maintain, standing idle for the vast majority of the time. Drawbacks of traditional servers include:
• Only 5-15% utilization
• Must be specified for maximum potential demand
• Must be specified for maximum potential redundancy
• Expensive to upgrade
• Ongoing repair and maintenance
• Slow to configure
• Slow to order
• Ties up capital
• Requires power and cooling
Increased Resilience
From the outset, the Cloud Sure service from iomartcloud was designed as a high availability platform: • Engineered with no single point of failure
• Built on Tier 1 technology from VMware, Dell, HP, Cisco and EMC
• Guaranteed Service Level Agreement – 100% availability on all infrastructure
• 24/7/365 Technical Support – staffed by qualified and skilled experts
• ISO 9001 and 27001 accredited
• Zero downtime maintenance
VMWare Platform
Infrastructure
The Virtual Machine servers are hosted within iomartcloud’s Tier 3 data center network, consisting of a network of data centers around the UK, connected by a 40GB dark fiber network.
Service Levels & Security
Hardware
Scalability, efficiency, and simplicity are three challenges that are a constant in the storage industry. Storage systems need to provide scalability, extreme efficiency, and a simple, intuitive user interface. The Virtual Machine network we offer includes EMC VMAX SANs - the newest technology available - to optimize the cloud storage environment. The use of Intel processors provides faster clock speeds and more cores to handle the daily demands of storage I/O. Increased memory capacity, the use of Flash drives in FAST VP (fully automated Storage Tiering for Virtual Pools), FAST CACHE (acceleration via array cache expansion), a new 6 Gb/s x 2 lanes SAS back end and denser disk enclosures all help provide optimal scalability and efficiency.
Improved Flexibility
Virtual Machines provide significant economic and environmental benefits to an organization.
• Managed through our simple User Interface
• Allows users to create and manage Virtual Machines • Provides the flexibility to meet demand
• VMs can be based on templates
Virtual Machines provide significant economic benefits to an organization, as well as environmental. It allows system administrators to have a much greater overview of their network and administer or distribute the computing resource available. In addition, virtualization provides users with some key functional benefits:
• Run historic applications – should the organization have an application that was originally designed for an older version of Windows and doesn’t operate correctly in the latest version, a VM can be spun up with that old version, the application installed and used to its full potential.
• Create ‘images’ of the VM – taking an image of the VM is essentially making a copy of that VM and its entire operating system and applications that can subsequently be reverted to should there be any harmful changes made to the VM e.g. infection with a virus. • Test Software, Upgrades or New Configurations – an extension of creating images, users can quickly and easily spin up a complete copy of their VM which they can then use to test any changes or updates for unexpected effects prior to installing on their main or ‘real’ server.
• Benefit from cutting edge enterprise¬-class solutions – the combined advantages of virtualization through the Cloud provides many SMEs with the opportunity to benefit from technology and solutions that they may not previously have been able to access. With reduced capital costs and the availability of industry leading technology, it’s never been easier for organizations to set up and manage their IT infrastructure.
Key Features & Benefits
• Secure and accredited UK data center network and infrastructure • Cost moves from CAPEX to OPEX
• Full control through the simple online Control Panel • Easily reconfigurable to cope with fluctuations in demand • Simple server configuration – CPU, RAM and storage • Clone servers to create new environments
• Leased line and VPN connectivity for remote access is available
• Architected from industry leading hardware – Cisco, EMC, HP and VMware • Improve business continuity
• Instant provisioning • Fully flexible • Maximize capacity • High availability
• Environmentally greener IT services
• Integration with iomartcloud Cloud Backup solution
