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C h a p t e r 1 3 : h a p t e r 1 3 : G r e e n i n g Yo u r I n f o r m a t i o n S y s t e m s r e e n i n g Yo u r I n f o r m a t i o n S y s t e m s 271 271

FIGURE 13-9
You can set the
size of your
server’s virtual
hard drive. It can
never be larger
than the amount
you specify.

7. As Figure 13-9 shows, VMware allows you to set the maximum size of the disk
drive. It can never be larger than the amount you specify.
8. Click Finish, and your new virtual server will be created.

You can access your new server through the tool shown in Figure 13-10.
Thin Clients
As part of your virtualization efforts, don’t forget to virtualize your everyday server. That
is, if you use Microsoft Windows Server 2003, be sure to virtualize it. That way, as part of
your client replacement strategy, you can replace costly, hardware-intensive clients with
thin clients.
You can buy new thin clients, but don’t overlook the opportunity to save money and not
have to recycle an old computer. Because the processing and data storage is done at the
server, you can absolutely use existing clients and simply deploy your day-to-day functions
and applications onto your server. Even if your old clients aren’t up to specs to act as thin
clients, it may be possible to simply add a couple sticks of memory to get them up to snuff.
Rationalization PART V
Take a look at your datacenter. Are there any servers that you, honestly, don’t use anymore?
Some servers may be running legacy applications that you really don’t need to keep around.
If that is the case, simply switch them off and get them ready to be recycled.
Check your business operations, anything that is running on a server, to verify which
services are needed and which are not. If you find a service that’s barely being used, ensure
it’s still a necessary function of your organization. It may be possible to just change the way
you do business, stop using the service altogether, and turn off that server.
If you do have a server that is running a legacy application that you just can’t do without,
maybe you’ll find that it uses such a low amount of CPU power that it can easily be moved
onto a server with several other virtualized servers.