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each individual environment. New, individualized toolsets are
emerging to help guide CIOs as they converse with industry.
�ese toolsets also complement the generic solutions resulting
from hypervisor interoperability, dense computing, and 64-bit
architectures.
One example is V CO (pronounced V-COE), which helps the
CIO communicate his or her requirements to industry. He or she
also can evaluate and compare industry’s recommendations in a
straightforward and meaningful manner.
�is management tool allows alternative solutions to be evaluated
in order to help the CIO select the solution or solutions
that provide the lowest possible total cost of ownership future. It
creates the following:
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different virtualization stacks
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VM for the specific application
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unique operational requirements are included
�e V CO is based on the insight that the VM file contains
all of the business and operational value. Yet the infrastructure
required to run and operate the VM file has become a pure
commodity. Once the VM is created, the historical dependence
between the hardware, operating system, and application has
been permanently severed. With the emergence of the OVF,
VMs can simply be deployed to any available virtualized infrastructure.
In essence, virtualization turns the underlying
infrastructure into a pure commodity. It’s therefore reasonable
Figure: The V CO framework is depicted here.
for the CIO to demand that this infrastructure deliver the lowest
possible total cost of ownership to the organization.
�is model establishes the “cost per VM baseline,” which is
used to compare and contrast new technologies that can deliver
superior and ongoing cost savings. �e framework is open and
extensible to meet future requirements. To evaluate alternative
VM infrastructures, it begins by determining the V CO for the
target application (see the Figure). In modern data-center operation,
the inputs required for the tool should all be available. Once
the application’s V CO is determined, the CIO can provide it to
industry and benefit from the open competition.
Now, the virtualization conversation between the CIO and
industry can be aligned with the CIO’s objectives. �e newest
and greatest innovations can be assessed in the context of how
they reduce the total cost of operation for an application stack.
By adopting these types of tools, the CIO will reward marketplace
innovations that continually reduce the cost of running
and operating a VM. For example, moving the emphasis to total
system optimization and away from any individual-solution
component will result in the lowest total cost of operation for the
application.
�e V CO drives the optimization of these tradeoffs, resulting
in the lowest operational cost per VM for the organization.
Understanding these tradeoffs and the impact on the cost of
running and operating a single VM provides the CIO with new,
critical insights into the operation. It also puts him or her back
in control of understanding how industry innovation can reduce
ongoing operational costs.
Together, hypervisor interoperability, dense computing, and
the migration to 64-bit architectures have defined the server-virtualization
journey. �ey also have allowed CIOs to focus on how
these advances are impacting current architectures and reducing
costs. �e resulting solutions have propelled virtualization to the
forefront of the industry and made the case for distinct benefits.
As CIOs wade through the solutions advanced by these trends,
however, the search continues for tools that help to identify the
best virtualization strategy for their unique enterprise environments.
�ese tools also should get industry to respond to their
specific requirements.
1Bernd Harzog, “Gartner Projects Server Virtualization to Grow from 16%
to 50% of Workloads by 2012,” �e Virtualization Practice,October 21, 2009.
(http://www.virtualizationpractice.com/blog/?p=2496)
2Sean Michael Kerner, “Virtual Servers Top Physical Ones, WAN Opti-
mization Soars: IDC,” Datamation, April 28, 2010. (http://itmanagement.
earthweb.com/datbus/article.php/3879246/Virtual-Servers-Top-Physical-
Ones-WAN-Optimization-Soars-IDC.htm)
3Copyright © 2009 Distributed Management Task Force, Inc. (DMTF). All
rights reserved. Document Number: DSP0243 Date: 2009-02-22
Mr. Carlson’s 26 year career has paralleled the growth
of the information technology industry from back office
automation to strategic business process enabler.
Both as an IBM executive and as the CEO of 2 start-up
companies, Mr. Carlson has specialized in developing
and implementing leading-edge business solutions that
provide competitive advantage through the systematic exploitation of
technology. He is now focused on the rapidly growing optimized solution
server market and leading business development and product initiatives
for Criterion HPS.
www.embeddedintel.com | Embedded Intel ® Solutions — Winter 2011 | 31
SPECIAL FEATURE Virtual Optimization