Going 'Green' with VMware Virtualization Cuts Costs

VMware, a provider of virtualization solutions for desktop-to-datacenter setups, announced that its virtualization solutions are helping customers cut costs and CO2 emissions. Virtual servers allow companies to host multiple operating systems and applications locally and in remote locations, without physical and geographical limitations.

 

Using VMware virtualization, customers can consolidate 10 or more physical machines onto a single server. This reduces costs with more efficient use of resources and allows faster response to business needs. Customers who moved to VMware virtualisation have reduced power consumption and cost by 80-90 percent. By moving from a 1:1 application to server ratio to 60:1 or higher, customers have achieved millions of dollars in capital and operational savings.

 

Stephen Herrod, chief technology officer, VMware pointed out: "Most servers and desktops today are still consuming 70-80 percent of their rated power even when idle."

 

Virtualization solutions can safely power down or throttle servers during inactive periods such as evenings or weekends thus helping customers save 25 per cent on their power bills without affecting applications or users. 

 

A successful example of VMware virtualisation can be seen in Sheffield Hallam University. The university's electricity grid was unable to supply enough power to support the servers in the datacenter. With new IT services constantly being added and physical space being an issue,

 

Sheffield Hallam started using VMware's Infrastructure 3, the datacenter virtualization and management platform to reduce power and cooling requirements in the datacenter and improve the delivery of IT services. VMware Infrastructure 3 provides the capability for automatic load balancing, business continuity and power management and the ability to move a virtual machine across physical machines to minimize service interruption.

"With the server farm growing towards capacity, we knew a completely new strategy was required," said Dave Thornley, service support manager, Sheffield Hallam University. "We decided that moving to a virtual infrastructure would be the most effective way to tackle cost management and space issues. Using VMware, we have made a huge impact on our power bills as well as leading to major savings in the deployment of new services to users."

 

Sheffield now cuts 269 tons of CO2 and saves GBP 43,000 on power bills annually.

 

Since 1998 VMware has virtualized more than 6 million server workloads resulting in an estimated energy savings of nearly 39 Billion kWh, or roughly $4.4 billion. For every server virtualized, customers can save about 7,000 kilowatt hours (kWh), or four tons of CO2 emissions, every year. VMware has worked with utility companies across North America including Pacific Gas and Electric, Southern California Edison, SDG&E, BC Hydro and Austin Energy (News - Alert) since 2006, to offer incentive programs supporting virtualization projects in datacenters.