Virtualization Technology in the Law Firm

Virtualization is one of the IT buzzwords in 2010. You see it referenced everywhere ' in IT budgets, glossy brochures and on every computer a firm purchases. For law firms, virtualization can bring many benefits ' it can simplify the type and number of applications used throughout the firm, save significant time, offer more uniformity across the enterprise, stabilize the computing environment and extend the useful life of hardware.

One of the greatest advantages that virtualization brings is the ability to minimize the complexity of the end-user computing environment for the firm's attorneys and support staff. With so many different applications, from time and billing to client relationship management systems, end-user desktops rapidly become overly complex and prone to disruptive problems, infections and corruptions requiring extensive support time and resources.

This can become a huge headache, since the IT staff must master numerous programs, manage system conflicts that regularly crash computers, constantly conduct upgrades and install frequent replacements. With virtualization, many of these issues can be minimized or eliminated.

However, virtualization does not come without potential problems or the need for serious planning and management. It requires a fresh look at security issues, and it may require extra training for attorneys and staff. Before you jump onto the virtualization bandwagon, there are several things to consider.

The Evolving Nature of Virtualization

While “virtualization” has only recently become one of the hot trends in IT, it has already taken on several different definitions.

Law firms exploring virtualization are generally focused on server virtualization, where multiple servers can be hosted on a single machine. Rather than having 40 separate servers, which is quite common for even mid-size firms, virtualization allows for a significant reduction in the number of physical servers and the necessary cooling, power, support and real estate required for each machine.

In the corporate world, there has been a great deal of interest in virtualization as a path to cloud computing. With this approach, physical servers within the office don't exist at all. For many law firms, though, cloud computing raises serious issues of security, confidentiality and reliability ' when your data is stored somewhere in the cloud rather than in a room down the hall behind a locked door, there are concerns about who can access it and what happens if Internet connections crash, even briefly.

While server and cloud computing virtualization can be a boon in terms of maximizing hardware and software and minimizing the real estate and other resources required for servers, it hasn't had much direct impact on the end users ' the lawyers and staff. One of the more recent developments, desktop virtualization, could change that. With desktop virtualization, all the essential elements of a desktop computer ' storage, applications, drivers, etc. ' are stored on a remote central server, rather than being loaded directly on individual laptops and desktops. Users with “virtualized desktops” utilize almost any computing platform ' desktop, laptop, netbook or even some smartphones ' to access their own, personalized virtual desktop from the centralized data center. With this flexible environment, users can effectively access the firm's applications, data and resources no matter where they are or what type of computer they choose to use.

Effective Implementation Strategies

Before joining the virtualization wagon train, law firms need to develop a plan for implementation. It can take a considerable investment in time and resources to install the systems and migrate programs and applications. Law firms should also consider the effort involved in training attorneys and staff about managing virtualization; while the actual changes may be minimal, proactive training will help eliminate questions once the virtualization is complete, and it can help prepare end users for any changes they might experience.

By timing an implementation strategy carefully, firms can move to virtualization more effectively and efficiently. It may make the most sense to wait until the firm is in the midst of a scheduled major hardware or software upgrade, which most law firms do on a periodic, firm-wide basis. By combining the upgrade with the move to virtualization, disruptions can be kept to a minimum.

Some of the important considerations for server virtualization include:

• Do not over-leverage any one physical host. While vendor documentation may allow for up to 20 or more virtual servers on a single virtual host, a more conservative ratio of 5:1 is more appropriate.
• Do not under-configure the host server. While virtualization allows for a great degree of leverage and consolidation, each virtual server still needs resources ' particularly CPU and RAM.
• Utilizing external disk storage in the form of a SAN (storage array network) will significantly improve performance and allow for greater flexibility and disaster recovery functionality.
• Use the “full” version of the virtualization environment rather than the entry-level versions. This will allow you to more easily manage your virtual environment through integrated management tools and “on the fly” reallocation of resources.

Next-Level Benefits and Drawbacks

Virtualization can offer many benefits to law firms:

• When carefully planned, law firms can improve security, particularly through desktop virtualization. If an attorney loses a laptop in an airport, you don't need to be concerned that someone can access the sensitive data saved there. There is no sensitive data on the laptop itself, since it all resides on the centralized server.
• Disaster planning and data recovery become much simpler when all the data is maintained, accessed and backed up at a single source.
• Desktops and laptops may experience a longer effective lifespan. Since these machines don't have to do much more than provide access to the virtual hosts, as they get older they can still provide adequate and satisfactory performance ' even with the most complex and intensive applications.
• Application upgrades can be done in a fraction of the time it takes to upgrade multiple workstations throughout the enterprise. The IT staff can upgrade user desktops at the centralized virtual host, rather than having to visit desks, backup local hard drives and manually upgrade hundreds, if not thousands, of individual computers.
• Lawyers can cut ties to their desks, especially with desktop virtualization. As long as they have a laptop or even a netbook or smartphone, lawyers can get their work done from the office, at home or while attending their kids' soccer games.
• With virtualization, law firms can increase the ways they collaborate with clients. With the technical equivalent of a flip of the switch, law firms can securely allow clients access to important documents and information. This is a particular advantage now, as clients are demanding more services from their law firms at the same time clients are balking at high rates. With the use of virtualization, law firms can demonstrate their willingness to provide value-added services and reinforce their image as a partner.
• It also becomes easier and more efficient to contract with temporary attorneys. Once the IT department enables the connection, temps can jump right into an assignment, without having to download firm-specific software or hardware, or wait for temporary equipment to configured and installed.
• Virtualized desktops allow for more hardware flexibility. Many law firms use standardized computers and PDAs to ensure consistency and simplify programs, applications and upgrades. With a virtualized desktop, it doesn't matter if attorneys have an old tried-and-true Hewlett-Packard machine or the latest Apple tablet ' the software and applications will be the same, regardless of what hardware is used.

But virtualization can also bring some drawbacks, particularly if it is not planned for and managed properly:

• When the network goes down, without a well-considered and properly implemented disaster recovery system, no one at the firm can access any applications or data until the system is back online.
• Connectivity becomes paramount. It is wonderful for attorneys to be able to take a long vacation knowing they can still get some work done. But if that vacation spot doesn't have WiFi, the attorneys are shut out. It will take extra planning to ensure there are connectivity redundancies in place, wherever attorneys and staff may be.
• The IT department may have more issues when it comes to setting up and maintaining printers and other peripheral drives in a virtualized environment.
• End-users may balk at the loss of privacy and autonomy that comes with a virtualized environment. Attorneys can be a stubborn group, and some may object to what they see as a “Big Brother” environment. If you suspect this may be the case at your firm, it's important to offer training that highlights the advantages of virtualization. It can also be very useful to bring onboard an influential partner who can help convince colleagues that virtualization is a good idea, either through charm or more persuasive tactics.

The Major Players

The virtualized server environment has several major players, including Microsoft Corp., VMWare Inc. and Citrix Systems Inc. Among those focusing on legal desktop virtualization, VMWare and Citrix seem to be establishing themselves as the most commonly implemented systems. While it's still early in this contest, these two players appear to be staking their territories and building on their strengths.

VMWare is strongest in the server virtualization arena. With a well-established history and rock-solid products, it's a safe bet to utilize VMWare for virtualizing and managing a sophisticated and extensive virtual server environment. The VMWare virtual desktop environment (currently VMWare View 4) is also a reliable and effective product, providing a desktop as a managed service and hosted from a centralized server.

Citrix has a long and storied history in providing powerful remote access and virtual application environments. Its XENdesktop product builds on this experience and provides a full-featured and powerful virtual desktop environment. Citrix seems to have a more full-featured implementation of virtual desktop technology ' with greater display resolutions and additional features. Its server virtualization product, XENserver, is also a solid and effective system for leveraging server resources, if somewhat less well-known than the VMWare product.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the right product for any specific environment will depend on the unique needs of the firm, the applications it is running and the overall combination of systems, SAN, disaster recovery and support resources.

In many law firms, the IT department often finds itself trying to cover more ground, provide better systems and support a wider variety of environments. With limited resources, complicated software and hardware needs and demanding (and often techno-phobic) attorneys, the IT staff is not always able to provide the services and support that would exist in the ideal world. Virtualization, if done thoughtfully, can bring that ideal world closer. It streamlines and stabilizes the computing environment, offers a great deal of flexibility and, particularly in the case of desktop virtualization, is much more customer-friendly to the attorneys and staff.

Virtualization is one of the IT buzzwords in 2010. You see it referenced everywhere ' in IT budgets, glossy brochures and on every computer a firm purchases. For law firms, virtualization can bring many benefits ' it can simplify the type and number of applications used throughout the firm, save significant time, offer more uniformity across the enterprise, stabilize the computing environment and extend the useful life of hardware.

One of the greatest advantages that virtualization brings is the ability to minimize the complexity of the end-user computing environment for the firm's attorneys and support staff. With so many different applications, from time and billing to client relationship management systems, end-user desktops rapidly become overly complex and prone to disruptive problems, infections and corruptions requiring extensive support time and resources.

This can become a huge headache, since the IT staff must master numerous programs, manage system conflicts that regularly crash computers, constantly conduct upgrades and install frequent replacements. With virtualization, many of these issues can be minimized or eliminated.

However, virtualization does not come without potential problems or the need for serious planning and management. It requires a fresh look at security issues, and it may require extra training for attorneys and staff. Before you jump onto the virtualization bandwagon, there are several things to consider.

The Evolving Nature of Virtualization

While “virtualization” has only recently become one of the hot trends in IT, it has already taken on several different definitions.

Law firms exploring virtualization are generally focused on server virtualization, where multiple servers can be hosted on a single machine. Rather than having 40 separate servers, which is quite common for even mid-size firms, virtualization allows for a significant reduction in the number of physical servers and the necessary cooling, power, support and real estate required for each machine.

In the corporate world, there has been a great deal of interest in virtualization as a path to cloud computing. With this approach, physical servers within the office don't exist at all. For many law firms, though, cloud computing raises serious issues of security, confidentiality and reliability ' when your data is stored somewhere in the cloud rather than in a room down the hall behind a locked door, there are concerns about who can access it and what happens if Internet connections crash, even briefly.

While server and cloud computing virtualization can be a boon in terms of maximizing hardware and software and minimizing the real estate and other resources required for servers, it hasn't had much direct impact on the end users ' the lawyers and staff. One of the more recent developments, desktop virtualization, could change that. With desktop virtualization, all the essential elements of a desktop computer ' storage, applications, drivers, etc. ' are stored on a remote central server, rather than being loaded directly on individual laptops and desktops. Users with “virtualized desktops” utilize almost any computing platform ' desktop, laptop, netbook or even some smartphones ' to access their own, personalized virtual desktop from the centralized data center. With this flexible environment, users can effectively access the firm's applications, data and resources no matter where they are or what type of computer they choose to use.

Effective Implementation Strategies

Before joining the virtualization wagon train, law firms need to develop a plan for implementation. It can take a considerable investment in time and resources to install the systems and migrate programs and applications. Law firms should also consider the effort involved in training attorneys and staff about managing virtualization; while the actual changes may be minimal, proactive training will help eliminate questions once the virtualization is complete, and it can help prepare end users for any changes they might experience.

By timing an implementation strategy carefully, firms can move to virtualization more effectively and efficiently. It may make the most sense to wait until the firm is in the midst of a scheduled major hardware or software upgrade, which most law firms do on a periodic, firm-wide basis. By combining the upgrade with the move to virtualization, disruptions can be kept to a minimum.

Some of the important considerations for server virtualization include:

• Do not over-leverage any one physical host. While vendor documentation may allow for up to 20 or more virtual servers on a single virtual host, a more conservative ratio of 5:1 is more appropriate.
• Do not under-configure the host server. While virtualization allows for a great degree of leverage and consolidation, each virtual server still needs resources ' particularly CPU and RAM.
• Utilizing external disk storage in the form of a SAN (storage array network) will significantly improve performance and allow for greater flexibility and disaster recovery functionality.
• Use the “full” version of the virtualization environment rather than the entry-level versions. This will allow you to more easily manage your virtual environment through integrated management tools and “on the fly” reallocation of resources.

Next-Level Benefits and Drawbacks

Virtualization can offer many benefits to law firms:

• When carefully planned, law firms can improve security, particularly through desktop virtualization. If an attorney loses a laptop in an airport, you don't need to be concerned that someone can access the sensitive data saved there. There is no sensitive data on the laptop itself, since it all resides on the centralized server.
• Disaster planning and data recovery become much simpler when all the data is maintained, accessed and backed up at a single source.
• Desktops and laptops may experience a longer effective lifespan. Since these machines don't have to do much more than provide access to the virtual hosts, as they get older they can still provide adequate and satisfactory performance ' even with the most complex and intensive applications.
• Application upgrades can be done in a fraction of the time it takes to upgrade multiple workstations throughout the enterprise. The IT staff can upgrade user desktops at the centralized virtual host, rather than having to visit desks, backup local hard drives and manually upgrade hundreds, if not thousands, of individual computers.
• Lawyers can cut ties to their desks, especially with desktop virtualization. As long as they have a laptop or even a netbook or smartphone, lawyers can get their work done from the office, at home or while attending their kids' soccer games.
• With virtualization, law firms can increase the ways they collaborate with clients. With the technical equivalent of a flip of the switch, law firms can securely allow clients access to important documents and information. This is a particular advantage now, as clients are demanding more services from their law firms at the same time clients are balking at high rates. With the use of virtualization, law firms can demonstrate their willingness to provide value-added services and reinforce their image as a partner.
• It also becomes easier and more efficient to contract with temporary attorneys. Once the IT department enables the connection, temps can jump right into an assignment, without having to download firm-specific software or hardware, or wait for temporary equipment to configured and installed.
• Virtualized desktops allow for more hardware flexibility. Many law firms use standardized computers and PDAs to ensure consistency and simplify programs, applications and upgrades. With a virtualized desktop, it doesn't matter if attorneys have an old tried-and-true Hewlett-Packard machine or the latest Apple tablet ' the software and applications will be the same, regardless of what hardware is used.

But virtualization can also bring some drawbacks, particularly if it is not planned for and managed properly:

• When the network goes down, without a well-considered and properly implemented disaster recovery system, no one at the firm can access any applications or data until the system is back online.
• Connectivity becomes paramount. It is wonderful for attorneys to be able to take a long vacation knowing they can still get some work done. But if that vacation spot doesn't have WiFi, the attorneys are shut out. It will take extra planning to ensure there are connectivity redundancies in place, wherever attorneys and staff may be.
• The IT department may have more issues when it comes to setting up and maintaining printers and other peripheral drives in a virtualized environment.
• End-users may balk at the loss of privacy and autonomy that comes with a virtualized environment. Attorneys can be a stubborn group, and some may object to what they see as a “Big Brother” environment. If you suspect this may be the case at your firm, it's important to offer training that highlights the advantages of virtualization. It can also be very useful to bring onboard an influential partner who can help convince colleagues that virtualization is a good idea, either through charm or more persuasive tactics.

The Major Players

The virtualized server environment has several major players, including Microsoft Corp., VMWare Inc. and Citrix Systems Inc. Among those focusing on legal desktop virtualization, VMWare and Citrix seem to be establishing themselves as the most commonly implemented systems. While it's still early in this contest, these two players appear to be staking their territories and building on their strengths.

VMWare is strongest in the server virtualization arena. With a well-established history and rock-solid products, it's a safe bet to utilize VMWare for virtualizing and managing a sophisticated and extensive virtual server environment. The VMWare virtual desktop environment (currently VMWare View 4) is also a reliable and effective product, providing a desktop as a managed service and hosted from a centralized server.

Citrix has a long and storied history in providing powerful remote access and virtual application environments. Its XENdesktop product builds on this experience and provides a full-featured and powerful virtual desktop environment. Citrix seems to have a more full-featured implementation of virtual desktop technology ' with greater display resolutions and additional features. Its server virtualization product, XENserver, is also a solid and effective system for leveraging server resources, if somewhat less well-known than the VMWare product.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the right product for any specific environment will depend on the unique needs of the firm, the applications it is running and the overall combination of systems, SAN, disaster recovery and support resources.

In many law firms, the IT department often finds itself trying to cover more ground, provide better systems and support a wider variety of environments. With limited resources, complicated software and hardware needs and demanding (and often techno-phobic) attorneys, the IT staff is not always able to provide the services and support that would exist in the ideal world. Virtualization, if done thoughtfully, can bring that ideal world closer. It streamlines and stabilizes the computing environment, offers a great deal of flexibility and, particularly in the case of desktop virtualization, is much more customer-friendly to the attorneys and staff.