Asset Management with Mixed Virtual and Real Machines
While the need to manage servers and workstations has always been there, many organizations are now facing new challenges and increased complexity following the introduction of virtual machines.
Virtual machines usually increase the efficiency of use of existing computing resources, and that can drive rapid growth in numbers. As a result, some IT departments are finding virtual machines are spiraling out of their control; they become invisible. For organizations adopting best practice processes of asset management and change management, such as ITIL, or ISO 19770, this loss of control is a particular headache. But even without adopting any of these governance framework approaches, your software policies, software licenses and inventory information are as important for virtual machines as they are for standard, ‘real’ computers.
Some vendors have unique solutions for virtual machines, but what organizations really have is a mix of both, real and virtual, and from different vendors. Vector provides full visibility and complete information of the hardware and software of virtual machines from VMware, Microsoft and other leading vendors.
For most of the time, real and virtual machines will be managed as a single population. However, Vector Asset Vizor discovers, recognizes and differentiates virtual machines from real machines and allows the IT administrator to manage them in the most effective way. Specifically, the ability to define virtual machines in dynamic groups enables administrators to target particular actions to one sub-set of PCs or another. For example, an application update could be distributed to only the virtual machines in a particular department.
