Planning a Successful Virtualization Solution
Migrating systems to a virtualized environment can deliver significant efficiency gains and cost savings if planned carefully.  Server virtualization, which allows multiple virtual machines to run separately on a single physical computer system, has become a priority for many companies.  This is due to the multitude of benefits it delivers: 

• Reducing hardware costs by up to 55%
• Reducing server space requirements by 50% or more
• Consolidating servers running single applications by  20-to-1
• Reducing downtime by 15-55%
• Simplifying server management, maintenance and deployment

It is important for leaders considering virtualization be aware of how different priorities can affect their implementation plans.  The key question to ask is: “What are the primary goals of our virtualization project?”

Consolidation is the most common driver for adopting server virtualization. Other goals include reduced hardware maintenance costs, and/or going green with reducing energy consumption through cooling and power.

Over the last several years we have found the best virtualization strategy to be a phased approach, focused on understanding the requirements of the organization’s key applications. Most applications will require little change, if any, in a virtualized environment. Key things to consider are: 

• Databases connected to the applications
• The infrastructure that supports the applications
• How the applications interact with the network and storage resources.

In many cases clients may not require new hardware cost to begin seeing the benefits of virtualization.  We work closely with our clients based on their business issue and budget to architect solutions that fit their needs.  By using the right strategy and phased approach, customers can lower their Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and see a Return on their Investment (ROI). 

Corporate Technologies offers a free consultation of your current environment, which provides recommendations for consolidation and virtualization.  Please contact your Sales Representative for more information.

Increase performance and reliability of your systems with Windows Server 2008 Businesses such as yours eed their data to be highly secure and their IT systems reliable. Our solutions are designed to automate backups and help fight viruses and spam to make managing desktops easier, allowing you to stay productive and worry less about downtime or losing your critical business information. Corporate Technologies can help your company:
•	Keep your data up and runnning. Windows Server® 2008 helps you reduce downtime, increase the performance and reliability of your systems, and protect your network from threats and intruders.
•	Help protect your data. Our solutions help you automate maintenance and backup to protect critical business data. Also, they can help stop viruses and malware from infecting desktops and impacting worker productivity.
Here's how you can get started. Contact us today to learn more about Windows Server® 2008 and how Corporate Technologies can help.

Corporate Technologies and IBM present:
Out with Cables - In with IBM Blades
Featuring VMware & Virtual Center Manager
Thursday, January 29, 2009 11:00am – 2:00pm
Location: Ramada Plaza & Suites, Fargo, ND

It’s a new day for IT. Now Corporate Technologies and IBM can take you beyond the capabilities of any rack server with the flexibility of IBM BladeCenter® solutions. This seminar will also explore: how to assess your current environment and construct a plan to consolidate and virtualize your IT environment, improve power and cooling, simplify your IT infrastructure and reduce TCO.

To learn more about the Corporate Technologies and IBM Seminar, click here.

To RSVP for the Corporate Technologies and IBM Seminar, click here.

Maximizing Your IT Investments in a Tough Economic Climate
Microsoft Webinar Series: Session 1 - What's Your gamePLAN?
Thursday, January 29, 2009 11:00am – 12:00pm EST

We are all feeling the bite of a tough economic climate. So let’s work together to develop a strategic approach that will help you get the most from your current IT investment. This webinar will explore how to:

• Take cost out of IT budget by minimizing resources and infrastructure management
• Take cost out of your business by using conferencing and collaboration tools
• Save on your software investment using Microsoft tools and promotions
  

To learn more about the Corporate Technologies/Microsoft webinar series, click here.

To register for this Corporate Technologies/Microsoft webinar, click here.

Cisco Small Business Communications Live WebEx
Occurs weekly on Wednesdays at 12:00pm

Unify your communications. Combine Voice, Data and Video on a single network, get an easy to use phone system and more. From customer service to individual productivity, unified communication solutions do more than impact work efficiency. They also affect day-to-day operating expenses, creating new opportunities to reduce costs and improve profitability.

Are you ready for Cisco Unified Communications? Find out how to assess your needs and the solutions to address them by attending one of the weekly online demos of Cisco Small Business Communications. These sessions will be hosted every Wednesday. Click here to register.