Implementation of Server Virtualization Technology: The Human Resource capacity factors to consider.

Abstract

Virtualization is gradually losing its image as a new, highly advanced technology and it is becoming a mainstream data management technique. Indeed, two-thirds of all organizations (whether IT is their core business or not) are implementing virtualization in live production and even for core applications. Thus, virtualization is no longer considered to be a risky or unreliable technology. The findings and recommendations of this study will be useful to IT managers and other IS policy makers in organizations intending to implement server virtualization. The results of this study identify key factors that will influence the success or failure of server virtualization in their organisations. As such they will be in a position to understand the server virtualization process and avoid the pitfalls that may face them. The study employed a correlational survey research design and targeted the chief information technology officers, information communication technology managers, Management information systems managers and other managers involved in policy making decisions on computing systems in the listed companies on the NSE. The target population consisted of 360 persons, and the sample size was 25% of the population, namely 89 persons. Primary data were collected in completing this study. Primary data is collected using a questionnaire. Descriptive and content analysis techniques were employed on the collected data. Quantitative data analysis was done by descriptive statistics by use of SPSS version 20.0 to obtain percentages, tabulations, means and other measures of central tendency. The analysis indicates that 97.5% of the respondents indicated that server consolidation minimizes wasted capacity. The study found out that 82% of corresponding change in the implementation of server virtualization technology induced human  resource capacity factors.  Test of overall significance ANOVA, at 0.05 level of significance and found the  model to be significant. The study recommends that organizations should develop proper infrastructure in order to keep up with the demands of the constantly evolving virtualized environment that runs their servers.

Keywords: Technology, Server, Virtualization, Resource