
What do Virtualization and Cloud executives think about 2011? Find out in this VMblog.com series exclusive.
Contributed Article By Ratmir Timashev, president and CEO, Veeam Software
Virtualization in 2011
100% Virtualization
More and more companies will place critical apps on virtual servers, something they were previously hesitant to do. This includes databases such as Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server and email systems such as Microsoft Exchange.
Enterprises are realizing that in addition to the other advantages of virtualization, virtual backup is superior to physical backup for data protection. Not only is virtual backup much more reliable than it was in the past, now it addresses much of the functionality that physical backup lacks, including instant VM recovery, file-level recovery for any file system, and automatic recovery verification for every backup. Gartner's David Russell has written a report on this very topic: "Best Practices for Addressing the Broken State of Backup."
Backups in Private Cloud Storage
Disk-to-disk-to-tape backups will become disk-to-disk-to cloud. Transporting backups to cloud storage or using the cloud as a backup target will become the norm. Cloud storage ensures a secure, remote repository for backups of critical data, and it is available at your fingertips. Instant access is key for security, regulatory, and compliance purposes.
Microsoft Will Make Big Gains in Private Cloud
Microsoft has all of the pieces, and they're going to all come together in 2011. Rather than try to focus on public clouds, we'll see Microsoft talk much more about private clouds, and Microsoft System Center will be the focus.
We'll also see advancements in Microsoft's virtualization management offerings that will lead to a true heterogeneous infrastructure management platform. As Microsoft gains adoption of its private cloud enablement, the company will make further enhancements to Azure, which will lead to hybrid and public clouds in the future.
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Market Leader Will Emerge
We predicted this in 2010 and now again for 2011: A market leader will emerge, whether it is Citrix or VMware. As soon as VDI adoption grows, a clearer picture will emerge.
About the Author
Ratmir Timashev possesses a rare combination of proven business savvy, forward-looking technical knowledge, and market vision. As President and CEO of Veeam Software, he brings to bear more than a decade of entrepreneurial experience building, advising, and investing in successful technology companies. Learn more about Veeam Software by visiting http://www.veeam.com.