When network manager Thomas Layzell began to investigate the options 18 months ago, to replace aging Microsoft Corp. servers, he found it difficult to source reference sites in New Zealand because the technology was relatively new.

'We were being quite adventurous. We eventually found two or three.'

He approached incumbent supplier Axon Computer Systems Ltd., which hadn't itself been involved previously in virtualization.

Axon began the project with two large Hewlett-Packard servers at each of the AA's two sites. The servers are connected to a SAN (Storage Area Network), enabling load balancing. The virtual servers sit on the SAN, and the two sites are mirrors of each other for disaster recovery.

The AA has one of the largest data networks in New Zealand, running Telecom New Zealand Ltd.'s Private Office at 120 locations, with sites varying in size from hundreds of people to one-person offices.