Data Centre Migration: Virtualization and Advantages

This document provides an overview of data centre migration and the use of virtualization for organizations. It discusses the advantages of virtualizing server infrastructure over physical servers. It also suggests software and hardware requirements for a virtualization platform. Additionally, it includes a high-level topology diagram to represent the virtualized environment. Subject: IT Infrastructure, Course Code: NA, Course Name: NA, College/University: NA

DATA
CENTRE MIGRATION

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................1
Overview of virtualization...........................................................................................................1
Advantages of virtualisation of their server infrastructure over physical servers.......................2
Broad suggestions for software & hardware required to provide a virtualisation platform based
on the core requirement...............................................................................................................4
Create high level topology diagram to represent how the virtualized environment Connect to
GHS server and other devices......................................................................................................5
Overview of Technical Steps required to virtualize the specific GHS server.............................7
Proposed troubleshooting steps for basic issues with a virtualised environment with discussion
of Backup and recoverability.......................................................................................................8
Potential pitfalls or problems that can identified with virtualisation of any of the servers and
recommendations for a case in which server should not be virtualised....................................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Data centre Migration can be defied as a process that help in moving assets from one data
centre environment to another. It is further referred as data centre location. It can also be defied
as a way though which data centre from one operating location can be shifted to another without
causing any kind of data loss (Abdullah and et. al., 2020). This process does not require any kind
of physical movement. Virtualization is one of the best way with the help of which data centres
can be migrated from one environment to another virtually. With the help of virtualization IT
resources provisioning can be done easily. Today most of the organizations are focusing upon
data centre migration and migrating it to virtual environment as this virtualization helps in
reducing overall cost associated with IT resources (Huh, 2018). When expansion of an
organization take place it also require expansion or investment on more IT resources in such case
virtualization is extremely beneficial as it not only helps in sharing physical resources but it also
help in reducing cost associated with IT resources. This assessment is based upon a case study of
Global Healthcare Services (GHS) who wants to bring improvement within their technology for
reducing IT resources associated cost, take business driven decisions quickly by considering
virtualised platform. This assessment will further cover virtualization overview, Advantages of
virtualisation, software & hardware required to provide a virtualisation platform, high level
topology diagram to show how the virtualised environment, technical steps required to virtualise,
troubleshooting steps for basic issues with a virtualised environment and potential pitfalls or
problems with virtualization.
MAIN BODY
Overview of virtualization
Virtualization is a kind of technology that allows a person or an organization to create
useful IT services using all the resources that in traditional way are bound to a hardware system.
It further helps an organization to use a physical machine at its full capacity by distributing all of
its capabilities to other users and to environment in which it operates. Virtualization simply uses
a software for creation of an abstract layer over hardware of computer in order to allow a single
computer or system all the elements of hardware to be divided to multiple other systems of
computers that are most commonly known as virtual machines. These elements can be memory,
processor, storage, and many other elements (Nagesh, Kumar and Venkateswararao, 2017). All
the virtual machines behave like an independent computer system despite of the fact that it is
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running on a particular portion of the original computer hardware. In order to utilize physical
computer in a more appropriate manner and helps an organization to return their organizational
hardware investment.
Today c has become important for organizations to be focused upon because it can help in
increasing IT flexibility, agility, scalability within a significant cost and by saving much more
cost. It can directly help in increasing availability of resources, performance, can help in
automating operations. It can also be said that virtualization can help in making IT much simpler
for management and can make ownership and operability of IT much simpler. Due to this, it has
become a standard practise among organizations IT architecture (Rashid and Chaturvedi, 2019).
On the other hand, rise in usage of cloud computing has further increased usage of virtualization
because all the cloud providers use this technology for using their system and for serving their
users. Use of virtualization technology can directly help GHS hospital to manage their IT
resources and manage their growing business and overcome traditional bare metal hosting
limitation.
In this a Software known as Hypervisors is used that helps in segregating physical
resources from virtual environment in which those resources are required. This software is either
installed on top of operating system or on hardware system. This is the only way organizations
virtualize. This software further helps in dividing physical resources so that virtual environment
can use those resources for virtualization.
Advantages of virtualisation of their server infrastructure over physical servers
There are various kinds of advantages that virtualization of server infrastructure can
provide to GHS organization over physical server. Some of the main advantages of virtualization
of server infrastructure over physical server are as follows.
 One of the main advantages of Virtualization of server infrastructure for GHS over physical
servers is saving on overall IT cost. Virtualization of server infrastructure can be done in
much lower cost whereas physical servers might require lot of cost to be used and deployed
(Prayudi and et. al., 2019). In this multiple operating system instances can be deployed and
operated on a single physical server which makes it much easier for organizations to manage
their servers and spend less amount on other servers.
 Virtualization of server infrastructure is much more beneficial as compared to physical
servers because virtualization helps in reducing requirement of physical servers that are
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required by an organization within its premises (Klement, 2017). Whereas when physical
infrastructure comes into picture then in such case it is important for a firm to have all the
physical servers that are required and used by them. It does not matter when organization is
big or small, virtualization always helps in reducing overall physical size of servers and save
cost.
 Another advantage of virtualization of server infrastructure is that it helps in reducing overall
consumption of energy. This is majorly because physical servers that consumes energy are
less in number and therefore, they consume less energy. In fact, it has started a trend of green
IT planning and implementation.
 It further helps in increasing completely different and independent user environment. It is
another one of the main advantages of virtualization of server infrastructure over physical
server as it helps in protecting all the servers so that effect of one server cannot affect another
server. For example: a programmer can run their application or program on one virtual server
as compared to another without affect other servers (Beckert and Ernst, 2017). Which is not
the case in physical server.
 Wb hosting is made much more affordable because in these dozens of servers or even more
can fit into a single device because of which no additional coast of virtual servers is added.
Due to this advantage of virtualization most of the organizations are focusing upon
implementing vitalization technology within their business premises.
 Another one of its main advantage of this virtualization of server is that it helps in taking
easy backups and these backups and restorage of data or information is done are image
based. It helps in taking quick back-ups whenever required and then those back-ups can be
easily restored back easily and quickly whenever required. As these backups are image based
so it makes disaster recovery so much easier (Ogunyemi and Johnston, 2017). This image-
based backup are based upon snapshot technology because of which not only less space for
backup is required but it also make management of data much easier because of which data
backup and restorage can be done at any time od the day. This advantage further allows
organizations to move their virtual servers to cloud easily without any issues or problems.
These advantages of virtualization of server infrastructure clearly helps in understanding
that this virtualization technology is much better than management and usage of physical servers.
If these advantages are compared to physical servers, then this virtualization technology can help
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in reducing requirement of number of physical servers, reduce operational and server cost, save
time, makes management of servers much easier and most importantly it helps in easily taking
back-up and restorage of data easier.
Broad suggestions for software & hardware required to provide a virtualisation platform based
on the core requirement
There are various kinds of software requirements that are required to be dealt with in
order to run different kinds of software or application upon virtualization platforms. Not only
this, it is important to focus upon hardware requirements as well so that virtualization platform
can be run smoothly (Ageyev and et. al., 2018). Virtualization platform is required to be
incorporated with variety of software applications and is required to be run on variety of
hardware with different resources. Some of the basic hardware and software requirement that are
required to be fulfilled in order to provide a virtualization platform are as follows:
Hardware requirement:
There are few important hardware requirements that are required to be handled that are:
processor, RAM, disk space, Architecture, and host operating system. Best server for
virtualization will be including CPU with larger caches. Most preferred CPU for virtualization
platform are two CPUs with 2.4 GHz and 10 cores. Investment on faster CPU should only be
done if workloads demand it. Memory and disk space are another important hardware
requirement which is required to be focused upon. Requirement of memory completely depends
upon number of servers hosted in virtualization on virtual platform (Grover., 2021)(Motochi and
et. al., 2017). This is because of the servers resides in memory itself. But despite of this if
memory required is cross checked then at least DDR3 memory will be required to support
virtualization. Physical server would be requiring at least 80 GB disk space. It is important to
check memory required so that additional cost on memory or disk space is not wasted. Another
important hardware requirement is architecture. Most preferred architecture for virtualization of
servers in virtualization platform is 64-bit intel processor. Host operating system is another
hardware requirement which is required to be fulfilled for virtualization platform. Most preferred
operating system for GHS organization is Microsoft Windows server 2012. Lastly network
access is another requirement for virtualization platform. Organization should make sure that
they have adequate bandwidth available as per the demand.
Software requirement:
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There are various kinds of important software requirements that are required to be
focused upon in order to provide a proper virtualization platform. But requirement of software
completely depends upon type of servers or applications virtualized. Basic software requirements
to provide virtualization platform are: virtualization software, networked software and web
pages, and non-virtualization software applications (Kolhar, Alameen and Gulam, 2018). As per
the above requirement any virtualization software can be used but most preferred virtualization
software for this is Microsoft Hyper-V. All the virtualization software requires traditional
workstation- based virtualization applications. Other than this networking software is also
required so that virtualization software can be run over network, remain connected to browser so
that network information can be visualized. This software will allow virtualization of data that
changes in real time and can be updated in real time as network bandwidth changes. Last
software requirement is non-virtualization software for visualizing information. Non-
virtualization software required for this virtualization platform are: Microsoft Office Professional
2016, Exchange 2013, Sharepoint 2016, Microsoft Dynamics GP 2018, and Microsoft SQL
Server 2016.
Create high level topology diagram to represent how the virtualized environment Connect to
GHS server and other devices.
Network topology is basically referred to the manner in which establish a links and nodes of a
network (Eckhart and Ekelhart, 2018). Afterwards, it would be arranged and relate to each other.
Whenever, it will be creating a virtual environment which may require to use appropriate
topology and then establish a connection between different devices.
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Figure: 1 High Level Topology Diagram
On the basis of case study, it has been focused on the Global healthcare service provider that can
manage or control the various operations and functions. At certain point, there are lot of pressure
on the healthcare because of huge amount of medical records. So as, it become critucal to GHS
operations to manage daily basis operational information of patients. GHS’s has besn focused on
the develop or cretae an IT infrastructure which means including their web server, SQL server
backend, share point sever for industry specific & custom applications run as part of entire
business.
In above diagram, it has been analysed that represents visual network topolgy diagram in
order to shows a hardware, telecommunication. Sometimes, it is also identified the interaction
between routers, devices, firewalls, hubs etc. these are depending on the scope and its purpose
which means that create a virtualization environment (Eckhart and Ekelhart, 2018). The topology
diagram is based on the standards switch provides a visual representation of adapters & ports
groups connected to another switch.
In virtual environment, it is mainly focused on the standards switch that handle adapters
for different machines. Afterwards, it will suppoty for managing the communication between
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network nodes. When using A central topolgy diagram of GHS in order to examine the virtual
machine and other adpater is connected to external network. This is helping to determine
physical adapter that carriers the data from one node to another.
By using each physical server divided into different virtual servers, but according to case
study it has been chosen GHS server to connect with virtual environment (Yu, Liu and Zhang,
2018). it allows each server to act as unique physical device. The process would be increases the
utilization of essential resources by making each server act as physical server and increase
capacity of physical machine in virtualization environment.
When creating a virtualized environment and becoming more and more common aspect
from the server to other desktop. High level topology is depending on the tools used, the virtual
environment may ore may not be captured. GHS server uses an enterprise solution that include
different harware devices and include a tool that monitor the user’s workstation through installed
proigram.
In virtual environemnt, A layer of software that help for inserted between hardware and
OS. It allows the multiple application server that allows to exot on same physical hardware.
Since all products are becoming virtualised in which follows the different phases. It means that
critical way to workloads or virtual desktops on the virtual infrastructure. The network topology
diagram is basically represent the connection between different servers, user, workstation and
printer. Each and every hardware devices are establishing a strong connection which may
influence to maintain or manage singals from different users and workstations.
Overview of Technical Steps required to virtualize the specific GHS server
In context of GHS server, virtualization is the process of creating multiple service
instances from one physical server to another. Sometimes, it has been represented as isolated
virtual environment that help to run a separate operating system in proper manner. For purpose to
setup or create virtualization environment where it should require a proper technical phases that
help for representing the overall processes. In order to create Virtualization infrastructure so as
they can easily conserves space through consolidation (Yu, Liu and Zhang, 2018). If multiple
applications are only processing power, whereas network administrator can be consolidated
different machine into GHS server running different virtual environment. On the basis of given
study, it has been identified the specific requirement where it can easily measure the safety
aspect. If in case server fail for any reason, similar type of application can take its place.
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During a setup of virtualization that means detect any kind of physical resource for purpose
physical environments. System users are properly work with multiple platform and then continue
processing computation within virtual environment. Once the virtual environment is running, a
user or program can send a proper instruction in which requires an extra resources. The virtual
environment is basically referred to be machine which may act like as single data file. This can
easily transferred from one hardware to another.
 At initial phase, it has been evaluated the system’s & network’s current performance. So
as needed to include the more applications, operating system without breaking budgets
for electricity, hardware and space.
 Afterwards, it would be minimised the hours that IT professional can easily installing,
patching and supporting the entire applications servers.
 Add storage virtualization which means that minimise the downtime of applications and
also easily simplify backup in proper manner.
 Create a strong infrastructure that will support for GHS server and create virtualization.
So as, it would require to include 10 Gigabit Ethernet Switches at minimum range.
 Mapping the virtualization team, time and support but it can possible when using
appropriate hardware, software that support to avoid operating cost or price.
By considerations of different technical phases in which uses a modern technology that help for
creating useful IT services. In more practical term, the physical server with dedicated towards
purpose, designed an appropriate process with assume a high level of specific tasks (Yu, Liu and
Zhang, 2018). During configuration, it may have a chance to failure of software and hardware
but it is needed to require a proper hand on repair. It may support to handle the overall virtual
machine and its functional activities in proper manner. in above analysis, it has been described
about the different steps in which create a virtualize environment which means that process
different activities in step- by- step manner.
Proposed troubleshooting steps for basic issues with a virtualised environment with discussion of
Backup and recoverability
Troubleshooting steps
Some of the basic troubleshooting steps with virtualization environment are as follows:
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Check software and databases for any kind of logical issues: When data is shifted from one
environment to another, data is converted from one software solution to another then in such case
some times migration of data is not done properly.
Check Event Viewer for Any Warnings or Errors: Another basic trouble shotting step is to check
window event view problems (Kolhar, Alameen and Gulam, 2018). There are various kinds of
warnings and issues found in these locations. A bit of research is required in this done because
these warning and issues can be affecting software or servers on virtual platform.
Steps for common virtualization issues:
 First and the foremost step is to reboot the operating system or restart. Many times, most of
the issues gets automatically resolved when a system is restarted.
 Second is continuous monitoring of virtualization platform. When a set of hardware or
software are allowed to perform same functions then in such case virtual monitoring system
helps in eliminating possibility of any kind of problem with hardware of software.
 Getting rid of unnecessary snapshot is another common method though which issues
associated with virtualized environment can be resolved. Saving snapshot of everything can
lower overall performance of the system and memory of virtualized platform can also get
reduced.
 Another step is to update virtualization software and other tools. Many times, using older
version of any software or tool create problem or compatibility issues. Updating any software
and tool can help in bringing improvement within overall performance and resolve any kind
of performance or compatibility issues.
 Lastly adding more resources can also help in resolving basic issues within virtualization
platform (Kolhar, Alameen and Gulam, 2018). But before adding more resources it should be
ensured that adding more resources will not increase burden on virtualization platform.
Backup and recovery
In Virtualization data, applications and operating systems are decoupled from physical
servers because of which image based back up is prepared. This makes replication of backup
much easier. In this backup is done using conventional backup software. This helps in taking
backup much more easily so that server do not get paused while backup is been created. These
backup software successfully perform backup from images as well as from physical servers
itself. In short for back up virtualization aware backup tools can be used for backups.
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Recovery in a virtualization platform provide various kinds of substantial advantages as it
enables the system to decouple the applications and OS from the physical server ands can be
easily moved to new hardware as possible. It helps in making high availability of disaster
recovery on system. There are three most common backup and recovery options on virtualized
platform that are: first is full backup in which everything is backed up on physical server
(Kolhar, Alameen and Gulam, 2018). Second is dedupe backup in which data duplication is
performed. Last is snapshot backup in which snapshots are being transferred to a proxy server for
offsite backup.
It can also be said that using backup and recovery software desired data, application or
software can be backed up so that whenever restorage of this data is required to be done on
another hardware it can be done easily.
Potential pitfalls or problems that can identified with virtualisation of any of the servers and
recommendations for a case in which server should not be virtualised
Some of the potential pitfalls or problems that can ber identified with virtualization of
servers are as follows:
 Lack of governance: Many times, it goes beyond administrative side to take into account
different combination of people and processes that are required to be accompanied by this
virtualization technology. In order to create excellent virtualization environment (Kolhar,
Alameen and Gulam, 2018).
 Resource distribution: it is another common problem that can be easily identified in
virtualization of servers. Many times, resources divided for proper functioning of servers
might not be sufficient to meet their needs. Resources distribution is always a problem
associated with virtualization of server. But this problem can be worked upon by working on
capacity planning.
 Backward compatibility: Many times, legacy system can create problems with newer
virtualized software programs because of which issues such as compatibility issues can be
created. Due to this organization might face problem in virtualization of servers.
 Performance monitoring: Virtualized servers do not provide same kind of performance
monitoring as hardware systems does. For these issues or problems additional tools such as
VMmark are required as these tools helps in creating benchmark that measure performance
on virtual networks as well as monitor resource usage (Kolhar, Alameen and Gulam, 2018).
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 Security: These virtualizations of servers can be vulnerable if their security is not focused
upon. It is important to focus upon its security so that vulnerability associated with it can be
reduced and for this security such as password protection can be used. Security is a problem
with virtualization but isolation of each virtualized server can migrate security risk associated
with it and can help in preventing system from any kind of breech and compromised.
There are some recommendations that can help in explain that virtualization of servers
should not be done such as:
 When a server has high resource requirement then in such case it might not be good or
feasible to virtualize a server. In such case it is recommended that virtualization of server
should not be done if it require or demand high resource requirement (Kolhar, Alameen and
Gulam, 2018). This is majorly because such kind of servers require high CPU and memory
usage with high disk storage requirement.
 When organization do not have budget to do virtualization in right way server virtualization
should not be done because in order to virtualization appropriate amount of budget is
required for different kinds of tools and management system that helps an organization in
supporting virtualization technology.
 In virtualization planning of dashboard is not possible. In virtualization dashboards are
normally non-interactive. It helps in giving great statis snapshots but it does not give options
to change numbers on the front end. It means that first of all changes within source data or
server is required to be done only then changes on front end are visible.
CONCLUSION
From the above assessment it has been summarized that virtualization is one of the best
technologies that can be used by organizations for management of their data and servers
virtually. Virtualization helps in migrating or restoring data from one hardware system to another
easily without least number of resources. Adopting virtualization technology can help a firm in
managing their IT resources in much appropriate manner within lower cost. Not only this, if
there is requirement of backing up data and restoring it to another hardware system for some
reason then it can be done easily. Virtualization of servers is appropriate for organization that
wants to expand their business so that least number of IT resources are required and expansion
can take place easily by sharing physical resources that can help in reducing overall cost
associated with business expansion. But before focusing upon implementation of virtualization it
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is important to understand advantages and disadvantages of this technology, problems associated
with virtualization of servers, ways in which troubleshooting of any kind of error that occurs can
be resolved. Not only this, it is also important for organizations to understand different types of
hardware and software requirements that are required to be fulfilled for virtualization.
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environmental sustainability. International Journal of Advanced Research in Computer
Engineering & Technology (IJARCET), 6(6), pp.851-858.
Nagesh, O., Kumar, T. and Venkateswararao, V., 2017. A Survey on Security Aspects of Server
Virtualization in Cloud Computing. International Journal of Electrical & Computer
Engineering (2088-8708), 7(3).
Ogunyemi, A. and Johnston, K., 2017. Is Server Virtualization Implementation in Business and
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Rashid, A. and Chaturvedi, A., 2019. Virtualization and its role in Cloud Computing
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