Webcast: Server Virtualisation for real

When your IT shop really is a Zoo


Tune in as we continue our virtualisation workshop with this latest webcast in the series. We examine the role that virtualisation is playing for the reg reader gurus from the UK’s Chester Zoo.

This is an interesting place for a number of reasons: firstly Chester Zoo doesn’t fit the image of ‘big corporate IT’ we might have when thinking about the sorts of organisations which are trialing and taking advantage of virtualisation technology. Secondly, it’s a modern, not for profit organisation with a strong need for technology to support its varied and diverse activities.

We explore how an organisation like Chester Zoo went through the analysis, planning, piloting and roll-out of their virtualisation project, their motivations and most importantly, the business and technology requirements which led them to consider virtualisation technology as the answer.

Amongst other things we drill down into business and technology related topics such as:

  • Engaging with business: What does the IT-business relationship need to look like to take advantage of virtualisation and is it a feasible proposition in smaller business environments where formal structure and resource are often more scarce?
  • Managing the risks of provisioning: Long provisioning cycles are a challenge when it comes to wanting to do business better/faster. Areas such as change control and asset management for example become even more important to gain control over when virtualisation is in the mix.
  • The role of automation: Although automation is not a new topic in IT, ‘automation in the virtual world’ is a slightly different proposition: There are less boundaries. The notion of moving from ‘1000 static servers’, to ‘a million virtual ones’ brings a requirement for new levels of automation and control than many organisations are familiar with today.

As ever, the webcast is fronted by Reg host Tim Phillips who's joined by Martin Atherton from Freeform Dynamics and Phil Morris from Chester Zoo.

This event is available to view on-demand. Click below to watch.