Development of a Dedicated Calculator Supporting Decisions Regarding the Implementation of Virtualization and Cloud Computing Technologies

Proper operation of software requires increasingly larger memory resources and efficient IT equipment. Therefore, methods and technologies are being sought to optimize IT structures. One of the directions is virtualization and switching to cloud. These are methods of running multiple virtual computers or servers on a single hardware platform that supports multiple IT systems and applications. The implementation of these technologies means number of benefits, but also costs, including the need to purchase appropriate hardware, software and then maintain the system. Thus, a business decision to implement virtualization requires comprehensive supporting tools testing its financial and economical effectiveness. As an artifact of the research, a prototype of a calculator was developed to evaluate the effectiveness of virtualization, which can be measured using the TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) and ROI (Return On Investment) indicators. To achieve the research goal, the DSR (Design Science Research) method was used.