Strategic Desktop Virtualization

STRATEGIC BUSINESS VIRTUALIZATION Desktop/Webbook Impact Innovate by “Thinking Big” Jack Wilson Enterprise Architect Amerisure Insurance jwilson@amerisure.com / [email_address]

In 30+ years of being in IT this is the ONLY solution I’ve developed whose reality EXCEEDED my expectations

GOALS of this PRESENTATION How Comprehensive Strategic Virtualization can transform an organization and allows IT to be a true competitive advantage beginning at the Desktop ( a strategic business, not exclusively a technical perspective ) Demonstrate, via the Amerisure Insurance case study, how a real organization made a major metamorphosis and is now reaping the benefits ( reality not theory )

What would it mean to your organization to be able at access your applications and data from “ Anywhere, Anytime, from Any device” ? airport office home hotel

STRATEGIC VIRTUALIZATION What would it mean to your organization if you could remove the restriction of having to be in a specific “Brick & Mortar” location in order to conduct business (ubiquitous access to systems and data)

STRATEGIC VIRTUALIZATION Strategic Virtualization’s largest organizational impact is DESKTOP/WEBBOOK VIRTUALIZATION (touches everyone in the organization)

Amerisure Story We Had Layers of Technology Data Center as “Archaeological Dig” Hardware Operating Systems Applications Databases Nothing ever went away completely Anything new simply added additional layers

We Had An Increasing Unsupportable And Complex Tangle Of Disparate Technologies This has often created a nightmare infrastructure that in many ways “ties our hands” “ If it’s not broke don’t fix it” Red flag

We Had Access Limited To The Office (little flexibility/mobility) Staff “chained to desk”, limits ability to respond quickly Must be at the office computer to work

STRATEGIC ROADMAP Moving from where we were “ complex legacy” to where we need to be “ virtual & simple” infrastructure

STRATEGIC ROADMAP “ Fast Settlers not Pioneers” We’ll use proven technologies with a creative , strategic “ twist ” ( 6 months in another organization’s production environment)

STRATEGIC ROADMAP We’ll streamline infrastructure, remove layers of technology Simplify remote, centralize complex “ Southwest Airline” model

Reset the Cultural Mindset Change the cultural view from that of having a personal computer to a business device (a business tool like a phone handset) I referred to this as “ Utility Computing ” when done right our business staff doesn’t even notice the technology, IT JUST WORKS

Focusing IT on Business Delivery No technology for technology sake, remember business partners , not tech-geeks Must demonstrate real tangible business benefit and significantly outweigh any added cost or complexity

Dramatic Transformation Legacy/Complex (before) 800 difficult to maintain PC desktops and laptops Arduous application update process Virtual/Simple (after) 12 Citrix servers to maintain in central Data Center Simple Wyse thin clients only, replaced all PC desktops Simple update to Citrix farm servers

Dramatic Transformation Legacy/Complex (before) Complex / difficult to manage remote locations Third party hardware support, expensive & time consuming Two servers in each remote location Virtual/Simple (after) Simple / streamlined remote locations Any remote location can now and be physical or virtual Routers in remote locations, all servers in HQ data center

Dramatic Transformation Legacy/Complex (before) Small, tactical use of Citrix, poorly planned and supported Multiple technology creating complexity Multiple signons and passwords (many helpdesk calls ) Virtual/Simple (after) Strategic use of Citrix XenApp, now a staff core competency Microsoft Server, Oracle, VMWare now core competencies Single signon, self service password resets

Dramatic Transformation Legacy/Complex (before) Little control over software in organization 388 applications “inventory”, little or no “ownership” Virtual/Simple (after) Rationalized applications inventory to 105 with assigned IT owners Total control over software through governance process (all apps on Citrix farm servers)

Amerisure’s Strategic Virtualization Timeline 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 V- Desktop V-Meeting V-Fax V- Servers V-Image V-Notebooks V-Phone V-Datacenter “ Bring Your Own “ IT Now Drives Innovation

TREMENDOUS ROI (Return On Investment) Much , much lower TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) - Transformation paid for by one “PC refresh” - Bonus ability to “skip” two to three “PC refresh” cycles 2006 2009 2012 2015 TC/Citrix skipped $1.9 skip $1.9 skip ?? transformation refresh refresh

THE 80/20 “FLIP” Instead of spending 80% of the our time “ fighting fires ” and 20% on improvement We now spent 80% of our time focused on continuous Improvement and innovation “ making a difference ” for the business and 20% on maintaining

“ Draining the Swamp” “It’s hard to remember the original goal was to drain the swamp when your fighting the alligators”

Straight Talk The “Money Pit” the traditional PC workstation (high support cost/security issues/3-4 year refresh) =

Straight Talk Cultural issues -”You’ll shoot your eye out!” - NIH -“Not Invented Here” - CITRIX “hangover” Natural Resistance to Change Fear of unknown Denial VP’s assistant

Straight Talk Rich Media is becoming more prevalent, ESPN.COM DISNEY.COM This was a potential issue, but is now resolved (thin clients with XPe and Citrix HDX) “ IT IS WHAT IT IS” A bad app is a bad app even when virtualized Citrix/VMWare certification nonsense

HUGE QUALITY OF LIFE BENEFITS Vastly improved productivity through simple, intuitive remote access ( retain and attract talent ) -bad weather -personal issues -telecommuting -flu outbreak -building shutdown

We Are Positioned For The Future Headlines May 15 th , 2009 “ AirTran Offers WiFi on all flights” Assume in the future you are ALWAYS CONNECTED Cellular technology 3G and now 4G EVERYWHERE

WE ARE “GREEN” Incredible “GREEN” infrastructure (10% power usage of old legacy infrastructure)

We Have Strong Security and Control Security improved, no local C: drives and all data backed up in data center Control of infrastructure through governance process NO VIRUSES!

Do You Want? A more Agile Architecture that Supports any Business Strategy To Dramatically Reduce Costs Have Anywhere, Anytime from Any Device Access (instant Web presence) Have an Infrastructure that runs like the “Energizer Bunny”

90% of the Shuttle’s energy is expended getting the first few miles off the launch pad

fortes fortuna adiuvat “fortune favors the brave” “ SOMEONE” (internal or external) has to fill the Change Agent role to DRIVE Innovation,

QUESTIONS and FEEDBACK Jack Wilson Enterprise Architect Amerisure Insurance [email_address] / [email_address] Cell 248.766.4869

Strategic Desktop Virtualization

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