There are a lot of changes occurring within IT in the next 6 months. New products, new ways of doing business, Cloud services, communications, and hybrid datacenter environments are forcing progressive businesses to rethink their go-to-market strategies. At the epicenter of all of this is a massive series of new releases and enhancements from Microsoft. Nearly every product that Microsoft offers is being refreshed.
None of this happens all by itself. If you want to take advantage of what these strategies can bring to your business, you’re going to need to plan it out.
PEI has developed a Foundation Ready architectural plan for our customers that address their major Core IT segments. Foundation Ready architecture brings specific game plans for:
- Windows Server Migration and Virtualization
- Operational Management with Microsoft System Center
- Storage Strategy and Enhancement
- Backup and Site Recovery
- Networking, Wireless and Security
- Internet Provisioning and Redundancy
Over the next several months, you’ll be seeing quite a bit from PEI about Foundation Ready and the various technologies tied to each plan.
Microsoft Windows Server 2012
We believe that the new Microsoft Windows Server 2012 release is at the very core of the IT transformation. New applications, device proliferation, the explosion of data, and Cloud computing are fundamental shifts that affect every business.
At the compute level, efficient datacenter operations want to capitalize on multi-core platforms with memory density. At the storage level, innovations have led to higher performance and reduced costs. At the network level, high-speed networks that offload hardware are key. The true key to all of these is really software control. Comprehensive control that avoids fragmentation is the only way to truly achieve the economic benefits being promised.
Windows Server 2012, combined with System Center, provides one platform for all business segments (Small, Mid-Market, and Enterprise) and can address everything from “first server” needs to sophisticated automated virtualization and Management in hybrid cloud environments. It’s not a stretch to say that the new Windows Server 2012 is the most significant game changer to come out of Microsoft in the last decade.
For the last 24 years, PEI has guided our customers to help them understand how new solutions can better their businesses. Given the changes in Windows Server, having a good guide makes sense.
Tim Krueger, PEI
