How do virtualized data centers limit cloud implementations?

Most cloud computing providers are less concerned with the health of the Enterprise data Center. Their goal is to shift the workload of the enterprise from the Enterprise Data Center. To achieve this, they continue to point out how cloud computing can efficiently address it challenges such as high cost, inflexible infrastructure, and cumbersome processes.

Currently, only 13% of virtualized users plan to implement IaaS over the next two years.

However, suppliers need to recognize that companies have different views on this. To address the same it challenges, companies are increasingly using their own data center virtualization for internal potential. In fact, companies are implementing virtualized data centers four times times faster than their cloud computing services. According to a recent study by Frost & Sullivan, about 65% of companies in the U.S. have implemented server virtualization in their data centers, compared with just 15% of companies implementing cloud computing infrastructure as a service (IaaS).

So why are cloud-computing providers concerned about data center virtualization? After all, cloud computing is more than just a virtualized server. However, it also proves that virtualization has become an important competitor in cloud computing implementations.

Are you losing your data center virtualization customers?

Companies that have recently invested in major virtualization projects are unlikely to commit to cloud computing for the enterprise as a whole. Frost & Sullivan's research report points out that the number of virtualized users is currently 35% less than the number of users who implement IaaS compared with the overall enterprise. In addition, only 13% of virtualization users currently plan to use IaaS over the next two years, compared with 31% of users who are not virtualized.

The reason is logical. The enterprise runs in a heterogeneous IT environment, including private data centers, hosting facilities, and, in some cases, cloud computing services. A single budget using a single decision-making process generates initiative for action. To be honest (which is also a very frustrating point for cloud computing service providers), most companies are not considering implementing cloud decisions. Instead, they are looking for a solution that will address their IT needs challenges.

In the eyes of enterprise IT decision-makers, virtualized data centers can solve all the requirements that cloud computing can solve. It also ensures that organizations reduce data center costs, increase it agility and business agility, and increase application availability. Of course, cloud computing services can provide a more complete or more durable solution to demand. However, for an enterprise, virtualization is easier to implement and less risky, for the following reasons:

• Virtualization allows IT staff to retain control over their applications and data, which is a key to a clearly superior cloud computing service.

• Virtualization reduces concerns about security and compliance as compared to the use of shared cloud computing services.

• Virtualization allows companies to exceed their existing hardware investments for more applications.

Of course, companies that have started implementing data center virtualization projects will not be willing to consider cloud computing services. If a company decides to continue developing its data center, that is, building a business case, getting a budget, allocating resources within a project, disrupting operations, readjusting business processes, and retraining employees, it will not be able to repeat the same complex process again in the short term in order to adopt cloud computing services. In fact, proposing another move to solve the same problem is tantamount to admitting that you have made a mistake. This is not a mature environment provided by cloud computing providers.

(Responsible editor: Schpeppen)