Virtual Servers’ Service

MARKET EXCLUSIVENESS
 

-   Infrastructure is delivered as a service (Infrastructure as a Service).
-   Solution’s architecture supports all popular operating systems.
-   A high availability solution.
 

FUNCTIONALITY
 

Virtual servers’ service is based on VmWare virtualization platform, which is one of the most reliable and most developed products in the market. This platform supports all major operating systems: starting from Microsoft DOS to Microsoft Windows and LINUX.  Therefore, even if the company uses a wide variety of operating systems, we can still offer hosting the entire IT infrastructure: there is no need to host your website at one provider, Microsoft Windows servers at another and order IT support and maintenance from the third.

All virtual servers are connected in to high availability cluster, therefore, even in case of data center equipment failure, the functionality of your programs is restored automatically in few minutes. Virtual servers can use three different types of data storage, depending on business needs:
     -  fast read, fast write data storage: for databases, business planning and CRM applications;
    -  fast read data storage: for file and mail servers,  Microsoft Active Directory;
     -  non-critical application storage: for programs that are not critical to business.
Back up copies of virtual servers are made daily, therefore customer’s data can be restored even in case of technical equipment failure. Back up copies are made so that they retain configuration, parameters and application settings of a virtual server. This method enables to quickly restore IT infrastructure functionality, as there is no need to waste time on installing and setting the operational system. The software used for back up copies does not require any additional “agents” to be installed in to virtual servers. Moreover, this software enables copying “live” data without stopping the programs, e.g. running SQL data bases, Microsoft Exchange servers and so on. So back up data copies can be made without interrupting server operations and influencing business processes.

BENEFITS
 

Virtual servers have the same features and performance as the physical servers, but provide additional opportunities and benefits for businesses when they are provided as a service:
     -   Service delivery speed: It is possible to procure and start using virtual server’s service in few hours or even minutes. You will not have to wait few months until the physical server will be specified, ordered and delivered.
     -   Service scope flexibility: The capabilities of virtual server’s service, e.g. memory and disc space, can be changed very rapidly, so you can easily adapt IT capabilities to the number of employees or business cycles.
     -   Terms of service time: The virtual server’s service can be ordered even for a short period, e.g. month or hour, therefore IT planning becomes much simpler and planning mistakes corrected easily.
These opportunities enable businesses to flexibly regulate IT spendings, accelerate the realization of new business initiatives as well as IT  executives and managers to reduce risks in IT development planning.

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
 

A company that provides Microsoft SharePoint programming services has developed several applications. Before procuring software solutions company’s customers are provided with the possibility to connect and test the applications online. Testing usually takes several weeks.
The company employs a team of programmers that uses many servers for the development and testing. Although the company has purchased several powerful servers, sometimes their capacity is not sufficient enough for the internal and external testing environments. The company is considering the purchase of new equipment but is in doubt whether the new equipment will be exploited effectively.
This company has been proposed using dynamic IT services  that allow procuring IT resources as a service for a short period. The company was provided with the access to IT resource management self-service portal where its employees can create and manage virtual machines.
Use of virtual machines is charged on an hourly rate basis, therefore it is possible to “buy” as much time as it is needed for testing or other temporary project. The company also does not need to care about operational system licenses as they are provided as a service together with the virtual machine.

FAQ
 

Is the virtual server service equivalent to a physical server leasing, as in both cases the monthly fee for serve usage is paid? 
These services are similar in terms of cash flows. But there is one very important difference: in case of leasing the server capacity as well as the monthly fee remains the same, while the virtual server service capabilities and the fee can easily be changed every month. Moreover, leasing contracts are usually signed for a period of two or three years, while the virtual server service can be provided for only a month or even few hours.