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Why Do I Love Server Virtualization?


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Because I can turn this:

 

before_zps51646d30.jpg

 

 

Into this:

 

after_zps66e88835.jpg

 

 

Net reduction of 18 physical servers and 14 SAN enclosures (not even counting the management console servers).

 

The monthly electric bill went down by 15% and the ambient temperature in the room dropped 9 degrees F (anyone who does data center work knows that's a huge drop). 

 

All with less than 12 minutes of downtime.

 

Yeah, bitches... 

 

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That's OK, most people don't understand it; that's why I can make a good living at it.

 

Just think of it this way; instead of dozens or hundreds of servers (large computers) each with their own CPU, Memory, hard drives, motherboard, etc., you have a handful of servers with a bunch of resources with a bunch of servers running inside.  For example, the servers in the second picture each have 32 CPU cores, 192 GB of RAM, and 4 TB of storage.  Each of those servers has a software that is a resource scheduler or "hypervisor" that lets each server running inside know when they have access to the CPU core, allocated memory, and drive space.  

 

The software allows you to build and run Windows or Linux servers inside, but they're files instead of physical computers if that makes sense.  That allows you to build dozens or even hundreds of servers inside of each box.  The rack to the right in the second picture is an EMC SAN (Storage Area Network) which is basically a whole bunch of really fast hard drive space.  That's where the hard drives for the physical computers live, and the servers to the left control them.

 

It's really cool shit, and I drive into work every morning thinking "They pay me to do this?  Suckers!"

 

I did see in the other thread that you're trained\educated as an RN.  I really do respect that, but I'd rather do what I do or you do.  Nurses have to deal with poop, vomit, disease, and keep doctors from killing patients.  I have a world of respect for them but could never do their job... 

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Problem 1: We have this finance guy in the office now.  I told him we need to replace 3 production webservers (80% of our customers are on these 3 machines) which no longer have a service contract (with Sun/Oracle).  I got an offer for two zippy servers that I'll be putting proxmox/DRBD on.  It's like the fucking end of the world to him.

 

Problem 2: When drumming up new business, our CEO/Sales guy(s) make stupid promises.  "Yeah, we can put you on dedicated hardware."  Why do you think I don't have things to do outside of work, asshole?

 

Rick, work for a small company and you will have to do more hardware stuff than you would probably like!  True story: I'm actually an Oracle DBA. 

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Problem 1: We have this finance guy in the office now.  I told him we need to replace 3 production webservers (80% of our customers are on these 3 machines) which no longer have a service contract (with Sun/Oracle).  I got an offer for two zippy servers that I'll be putting proxmox/DRBD on.  It's like the fucking end of the world to him.

 

Problem 2: When drumming up new business, our CEO/Sales guy(s) make stupid promises.  "Yeah, we can put you on dedicated hardware."  Why do you think I don't have things to do outside of work, asshole?

 

Rick, work for a small company and you will have to do more hardware stuff than you would probably like!  True story: I'm actually an Oracle DBA. 

 

 

Fucking hate that shit.

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Virtualization is great as long as your company is willing to put money into storage...........

 

I will say no more.

 

See all that storage in picture #1?  They tried to virtualize almost their entire infrastructure using iSCSI SANs that only had a 6 MB buffer.  :suicide:

 

Hence the EMC SAN in the second picture... 

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Problem 1: We have this finance guy in the office now.  I told him we need to replace 3 production webservers (80% of our customers are on these 3 machines) which no longer have a service contract (with Sun/Oracle).  I got an offer for two zippy servers that I'll be putting proxmox/DRBD on.  It's like the fucking end of the world to him.

 

Problem 2: When drumming up new business, our CEO/Sales guy(s) make stupid promises.  "Yeah, we can put you on dedicated hardware."  Why do you think I don't have things to do outside of work, asshole?

 

Rick, work for a small company and you will have to do more hardware stuff than you would probably like!  True story: I'm actually an Oracle DBA. 

 

No company representative should ever be allowed to sell a technological solution without an IS\IT Engineer sitting next to them with a cattle prod to shock them every time they make a stupid, technologically unfeasible promise... 

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Problem 1: We have this finance guy in the office now.  I told him we need to replace 3 production webservers (80% of our customers are on these 3 machines) which no longer have a service contract (with Sun/Oracle).  I got an offer for two zippy servers that I'll be putting proxmox/DRBD on.  It's like the fucking end of the world to him.

 

Problem 2: When drumming up new business, our CEO/Sales guy(s) make stupid promises.  "Yeah, we can put you on dedicated hardware."  Why do you think I don't have things to do outside of work, asshole?

 

Rick, work for a small company and you will have to do more hardware stuff than you would probably like!  True story: I'm actually an Oracle DBA. 

 

That is what I am striving for... need to go back to school most likely to get my masters but at least I am working directly with DBA's now. I can see the light :)

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