Peer to Peer Magazine

BEST PRACTICES Server for the Small Law Firm L aw firms are managing more data than ever before. And, while network data volumes are growing, servers in many organizations operate inefficiently — well below maximum capacity. Small law firms, in particular, need ways to streamline IT and scale to meet growing needs, while managing IT costs. Many firms are turning to server virtualization for help. At the most basic level, virtualizing a server means running multiple independent virtual operating systems on a single server — in effect, creating several "virtual machines" within one physical server. Virtualization enhances hardware efficiency by increasing server capacity utilization. It even increases the firm's agility by enabling the launch of new servers and applications in hours, rather than the days required to buy, configure, test and commission a new physical server. While medium to large law firms are virtualizing aggressively and shrinking their data centers, many small firms are unsure if server virtualization is right for them and how or when they should implement. Many are uncertain of the benefits they can expect. IS VIRTUALIZATION THE RIGHT MOVE? An important thing to consider is that server virtualization is a means to an end, not an end itself: If you are grappling with the decision of whether to virtualize, first consider resources demanded by an application. Think about whether your firm can benefit from some of the advantages of server virtualization: rapid recoverability, minimized downtime, cost savings, manageability and improved disaster recovery. 14 www.iltanet.org Peer to Peer CDW conducted a survey of small businesses (defined as companies/firms with 20 to 99 employees), including small law firms, to determine their server virtualization status, what problems they faced along the way and best practices to ensure a successful implementation. Their responses were summarized in CDW's "Small Business Server Virtualization Roadmap," and highlights of the findings are included below. So once your firm is ready to embark on its server virtualization implementation, keep some of these best practices in mind. COMPLETE A SYSTEM ASSESSMENT Many small firms miss an important key step in server virtualization: completing a system assessment. This might seem like an easy and obvious step to take, but surprisingly only 39 percent of those that have virtualized executed a data center audit beforehand. A system assessment or data center audit determines what resides on each of your firm's servers, which servers and applications are compatible with a virtual operating system and if your storage environment can support virtualization. Knowing these key elements of your data center is important in ensuring your server virtualization project is a success. In fact, a system assessment will help you further down the road; the number one challenge facing small businesses is compatibility, according to the survey. Compatibility issues can be easily identified and mitigated by completing a system assessment before beginning your server virtualization project. Virtualization

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