Server Virtualization Standards
Standards are used to provide the uniform use of technologies to drive consistency and reproducibility, lower operational costs, and enable faster deployments of technologies and functions. The following example Server Virtualization Standards policy shows how an organization defines their Server Virtualization Standards.
Server Virtualization Standards
Purpose
The purpose of these standards is to define Enterprise wide server virtualization requirements in order to provide opportunities to meet strategic and tactical Information Technology objectives. These standards define a template and a set of requirements used to implement and support server virtualization software.
Platform Architecture policies, standards and guidelines will be used to acquire, design, implement and manage all server virtualization software.
Scope
The scope of this policy encompasses all server virtualization software.
Responsibilities
The CEO and CIO ensure that policies are followed in order to establish contracts, review procurement requests and to develop and manage services.
Standards:
Table 1.1 shows the Technology Classifications used to define <Company Name>’ technology life cycle.
Table 1.1
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Current
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Technologies that are approved and recommended for use.
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Contain
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Technologies that are being phased out over the next 3 to 5 years.
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Retire
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Technologies that will be phased out and replaced. A discontinuance date has been set.
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Research
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Technologies that may become current. Research technologies should be used only for test environments for evaluation purposes.
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Current
Table 1.2 lists the current server virtualization technologies.
Table 1.2
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Products
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Platforms
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Category
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Technology Classification
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Oracle VM 2.1.2
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Hypervisor whithout a host operating system. Servers will be x86-64 platform.
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Production, Test, and Development
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Current
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VMware Server 2.0
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Servers and Workstations running Linux or Windows.
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Test and Development only
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Current
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VMware Workstation 6.0
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Workstations running Linux or Windows.
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Test and Development only
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Current
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Contain
Table 1.3 lists the contain technologies that are being phased out over the next 3 to 5 years.
Table 1.3
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Products
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Platforms
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Category
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Technology Classification
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VMware ESX Server 3.x
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Hypervisor whithout a host operating system. Servers will be x86-64 platform.
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All categories
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Contain
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VMware Server 1.x
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Servers and Workstations running Linux or Windows.
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All categories
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Contain
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VMware Workstation 5.x
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Workstations running Linux or Windows.
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All categories
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Contain
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Retire
Table 1.4 lists the retire technologies which are being phased out. Referance the Hardware and Software Sunset Policy for the software retirment plan.
Table 1.4
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Products
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Platforms
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Category
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Technology Classification
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VMware ESX Server versions prior to v. 2.5
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Hypervisor whithout a host operating system. Servers will be x86-64 platform.
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All categories
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Retire on 12/31/08
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VMware GSX Server versions prior to v. 3
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Servers running Linux or Windows.
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All categories
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Retire on 12/31/08
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VMware Server versions prior to v. 2
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Servers running Linux or Windows.
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All categories
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Retire on 12/31/08
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VMware Workstation versions prior to v.5
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Workstations running Linux or Windows.
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All categories
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Retire on 12/31/08
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Reaearch
Table 1.5 lists the research technologies. Research technologies could become current standards. The use of research technologies is restricted to test environments.
Table 1.5
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Products
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Platforms
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Category
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Technology Classification
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KVM
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Linux only.
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Test only
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Research
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Microsoft Hyper-V
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Does not need a host OS.
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Test only
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Research
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Review Cycle
This policy is subject to annual review.
Compliance
All information technology investments shall conform to existing policies in order to ensure the integrity and interoperability of computing platforms.
Any employee found to have violated this policy may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.
Related Policies
Platform Infrastructure Standard
Server Virtualization Policy
Server Virtualization Guidelines
Hardware and Software Sunset Policy
