Has server virtualization jumped the shark?  For the past 5 years, we’ve been focused on selling the benefits of server virtualization to the marketplace.  Over the past few months, I’ve noticed that adoption of virtualization is approaching a strong majority with pretty much every end user with 10+ servers that I’ve talked to having dabbled in it.  In more marketing terms, server virtualization has long since crossed the chasm.  What I have begun to notice, however, is that more and more companies are looking at what’s next.

For example, say a company has already virtualized their test/dev environment.  The natural jump is to take on production apps.  Instead they are not only taking on production apps but looking at even more advanced implementations such as desktop virtualization and commoditizing their storage infrastructure through storage virtualization.   The more adventourous ones are looking at “cloud computing” (yeah, I know.  that buzzword is the equivalent of “web 2.0″ in 2009)   What better way to approach what’s next then to look at virtualizing key production apps in the cloud – email (gmail apps for enterprises is amazing) or through more complete solutions offered by traditional NOC’s such as Terremark.  When you begin to optimize in this area, the benefits you realize (especially for small to midsize companies) are immense.  With the cloud comes an enterprise backup strategy, security, and increased reliability.  It’s hard to match if you have a small IT staff who are responsible for all things IT as well as all things electronic.

UNIX systems have long been major players in virtualization, however I still see opportunities in this space.  A company may have purchased multiple test/dev, qa, production, and reporting systems for an enterprise app back in 2005 (You know who you are).  The app’s been running with near-zero downtime for 4 or 5 years – why fix what isn’t broke.  What they fail to realize is that it may not be broken in the traditional sense but financially it’s broken.  The cost to maintain the outdated systems and the ancillary impact to other activities (backup windows, report running windows) can be greatly reduced by bringing in newer technology.   So much so that the new systems are often times “free”.  Sure, you may have an unanticipated outlay in capital for the hardware but its more than offset by the decrease in hardware and software maintenance.

The net is that while server virtualization has crossed the chasm or jumped the shark, you still have opportunities to approach the shark with a different boat (UNIX Virtualization) or move on to the next exciting opportunity to dramatically decrease your IT Infrastructure costs (cloud computing, desktop virtualization, storage virtualization).  By the way, does anyone know where Pinky Tuscadaro’s hiding?