SAN FRANCISCO, Septembar 29, 2011 – JT, the communications service provider based in the Channel Islands, is using ConVirt Open Source software from Convirture to manage the KVM-based virtual servers supporting JT’s network management and monitoring platforms.

The company is currently migrating most of its production physical server infrastructure over to a virtualized environment, which is built on Ubuntu 10.04 Long Term Support (LTS). The virtual servers are built on the KVM hypervisor and are being configured and managed by JT staff using ConVirt virtualization management software.

“We wanted to use KVM virtualization and we knew that we needed a good management interface as there was no way the virtual idea would have seen much adoption if provisioning had been done via command line using virsh or some other such tool,” said Jamie McDonald, IP Linux Administrator for JT. “ConVirt has a clean user interface and is self-explanatory for the end user. This meant a less steep learning curve for team members who would ultimately use the tool. It has an easy and clear method of provisioning virtual machines and a handy templating system. For example we have many networks within JT, so the ability to provision a new NIC on a specific VM and connect it to the appropriate bridge by an end user with the click of a few buttons without calling someone more technical was a great plus.”

A complex datacenter runs smoothly on open source virtualization

The various physical servers which are now being virtualized vary widely in their roles at JT. They include in-house web application servers running key applications that are used throughout the business, as well as public-facing web servers for speed testing and RSS service status announcement. JT runs centralized authentication servers for its internal routers in their own high availability VMs. The company also runs various analysis tools, which monitor netflow data watching for inbound traffic spikes for black holing DOS attacks as well as centralized puppet and syslog servers.

JT also frequently performs proof-of-concept tests which require non-production servers to be available. This was previously performed using a batch of old workstations from the IT department, but now all takes place within the virtual environment, which saves time by eliminating the need to ‘recycle’ test systems between team members.

Results: Open source virtualization saves time and money

Consolidating on open source and specifically KVM-based virtual servers managed by ConVirt has delivered measurable results for JT:

• Improved resource management – With physical servers, JT may have had a 4GB server only using 1GB of memory. Now, the company can de-couple the services to their own VM’s and issue them with exactly the right resources. Using ConVirt, IT staff can quickly adjust the virtual machine to meet changing needs.
• Power/cooling cost savings – Through the use of less physical servers as systems are migrated to the virtual platform.
• Reclaimed rack space – As physical servers are virtualized and then decommissioned
• Flexibility – IT staff can quickly create test environments and proof-of-concepts, as well as production servers without regard to limitations associated by available hardware
• Saved switch ports – Previously each physical server would have required a spare switch port into a VLAN. Now, JT has one port per VLAN and simply connects the virtual servers to the bridge.
• Speed – Provisioning a machine from an ISO connection directly to a SAN provides much faster install times than with a physical server and a cdrom drive.

“The success we’ve achieved to date using open source software, virtualization and ConVirt to manage it all proves that there really is a choice for customers who do not want to be locked into a single vendor,” said McDonald. “We looked at many options, including VMware vCenter, Microsoft Hyper-V as well as other open source-based products like OpenNebula, and ConVirt delivered exactly what we needed. It enables us to serve our customers better while effectively positioning the company for future growth, both in terms of customers and the types of services we offer to them.”

About JT

JT is part of the JT Group Ltd, an innovative and progressive communications enabler, which provides world-class products and solutions to a diverse client base. Their product range encompasses all the products and services expected from a cutting edge provider which specializes in Gigabit Broadband – Fibre-to-the-Home, Data Hosting & Co-Location, Fixed & Mobile technologies and Wholesale solutions that further support their place on the global business stage.

About Convirture

Convirture was founded in 2006 to help organizations effectively manage open source virtualization platforms. More information is available at www.convirture.com.