Scale virtualisation to SMBs

VARs should adjust their virtualisation sales pitch for smaller firms, claims Scale Computing

Clustered storage vendor Scale Computing has urged VARs to take a different approach when pitching server virtualisation to SMBs.

The vendor said emphasising the cost benefits of virtualisation is only effective when pitching the concept to the enterprise, because SMBs have fewer servers to consolidate.

“If you are an enterprise with 1,000 physical servers, you save money on maintenance, hardware and electricity by using virtualisation,” said Jeff Ready, chief executive of Scale.

“An SMB with 10 physical servers might be able to halve the number it needs, but the cost savings will be nowhere near as dramatic.”

Ready said VARs should lead on the positive impact virtualisation can have on SMBs’ business continuity strategies instead.

He added: “Unlike tape or disk-to-disk backup, if a physical server goes down, it can be replaced at the flick of a switch with a virtual one with little business disruption.”