‘Virtualisation brings quick returns’

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: Virtualisation is the common buzzword from datacentres to desktops. VMware, partly owned by EMC, is at the forefront of virtualisation technologies that helps computer servers run more efficiently and frees companies from having to maintain huge datacentres. CIOs seem to be rushing to virtualise and embrace cloud computing infrastructure in tough financial times, according to VMware India & Saarc managing director, T Srinivasan. Analysts like IDC agree and predict that virtualisation will rise dramatically by 2010, when 14.6% of all physical servers will be virtualised. In a chat with Pragati Verma, Srinivasan narrates the growth story of virtualisation and cloud computing and his plans to cope with changing competitive landscape. Excerpts:

Virtualisation has clearly caught CIOs fancy globally. How prepared are Indian tech managers?

We have 500-odd customers here in India. Their CIOs talk about how they have saved time and money with our software. Mahindra & Mahindra has virtualised the entire SAP application. Automobile major Bajaj Auto relied on acquiring new physical servers to support its business growth across its Indian and Indonesian operations till now. The company soon realised that it would run out of space in its primary datacentre. Rather than build a new datacentre, Bajaj Auto decided to go in for virtualisation. By May this year, the company was running most of its applications from 30 virtual machines. There are many more like Shaw Investor and Chitale Dairy. Virtualisation technologies have been well-received because of quick return on investments.

At the same time, we need to do much more. We believe that it helps you do more with less. It helps save power, money and real estate. It is more eco-friendly. We have a pretty compelling story.

Is the Indian market moving beyond server virtualisation?

To be honest, the Indian market is focused more on server virtualisation as returns are bigger. Desktop virtualisation will come but it’s early days yet for it. Storage will also be virtualised in some time.

We are owned by EMC, but we work closely with all storage vendors.

Are Indian government departments ready to virtualise their infrastructure?

Governments are investing in IT significantly. Numbers are mindboggling. Worldwide, we work with several defence and government organisations. We do have the ability to make a difference but these are long gestation period projects.