Virtual Hosting - Virtual server services for xSeries, pSeries and iSeries systems

• Helps reduce mounting IT expenses and management strain
• Consolidates your test and production environments
• Speeds application deployment
• Allows you to choose a solution that meets your needs

With IBM virtual xSeries®, pSeries® or iSeries™ systems handling the application workload, resources are dispensed as needed. As demand escalates, so does the ability to add processing capacity to satisfy it. The virtual infrastructure is highly scalable, providing a consistent level of performance and availability. IBM virtual server technology enables you to reduce the number of servers you need and consolidate capacity. Multiple applications that previously resided on separate physical servers can now be run in partitioned areas of a single device.

Partitioning contributes to the security-rich design of the solution, keeping your applications logically isolated and physically independent of one another and those of other IBM customers. You retain control of your applications and business processes while IBM oversees the underlying infrastructure, providing 24x7 monitoring and management services, routine maintenance and enhancements as new technologies emerge. With infrastructure responsibility shifted to IBM, capital investments can be redirected and resources allocated to more strategic business matters.

Moving to a virtual infrastructure also enables you to shift some of your fixed costs to variable ones, with a usage-based pricing structure that aligns costs with actual resource consumption. It facilitates standardization, enabling you to reduce the number of disparate systems and tools managing your environment. Plus, you gain Web portal access to usage and performance data whenever you want it, providing you with greater visibility into your operation and the services IBM provides.

Reduce mounting IT expenses and management strain

• Handle increasing workload by leveraging virtual server resources, partitioned to improve utilization
• Decrease the need for capital spending through improved server utilization and consolidation
• Reduce operating and support expenses by lowering the need for in-house system management
• Shift the burden for planning and implementing technology enhancements to IBM
• Gain increased cost control and predictability on a monthly basis
• Leverage usage-based pricing and a fixed-plus-variable pricing model

Consolidate your test and production environments

• Take advantage of the partitioned work environment for both testing and production workloads
• Build and test new applications on the same system they will be deployed on
• Reduce the need for additional dedicated testing servers
• Simplify the migration from testing to production

Speed application deployment

• Leverage the pre-built virtual infrastructure for new applications - - no need to purchase and install new equipment
• Benefit from the pre-integrated, multiplatform capability of the virtual server services

Choose a solution that meets your needs

• Mix virtual server capability with existing dedicated servers - no need to replace the entire IT infrastructure
• Migrate applications to virtual servers when it makes sense, such as when server resource demands are variable and server utilization levels are extremely low
• Match the virtual server platform to the needs of your application
  • Virtual xSeries for Microsoft® Windows-based applications
  • Virtual pSeries for AIX, UNIX®-based applications
  • Virtual iSeries for OS/400-based applications
• Add IBM virtual networking services (load balancing, firewall and bandwidth services) for additional cost savings

Solution snapshot

• Setup services to enable virtual server connectivity and processing
• Ongoing server administration and operations management
• Resource management in response to demand, with up to 25% additional resources allocated beyond the baseline CPU hours commitment you make monthly
• Billing based on actual usage, beginning with your monthly CPU hours commitment (which determines your base monthly charge), plus or minus 25%
• Monthly adjustments to your baseline CPU commitment, with no monthly limit on the baseline increase amount
• Security-rich partitioning technology designed to protect against unauthorized cross-partition access, individual partition crashes, denial of service or resource insufficiencies
• Service level agreements for availability
• Web portal access to billing information, usage summaries and other report data
• Call center support
• Access to the full range of security, performance, storage and other services from the IBM Managed Hosting services portfolio, as well as custom hardware, software and application solutions, including disaster recovery, database support and application performance management.