Looking Ahead

Looking Ahead

On the virtualization front, Miggo is not done. His goal is to virtualize about 10 percent to 15 percent of the company's total server environment every year.

Another area where he is considering applying virtualization is the desktop. But that may pose a special challenge. "A successful implementation of virtualization on the server side, handled by the data center, is not a guarantee of success on the desktop side," says Theresa Lanowitz, analyst and founder of the research firm Voke.

Management support, a capable implementation team and clear communication about the need for desktop virtualization are essential, she says.

Nationwide's changes to the Columbus data center included a previously planned upgrade of the power backup systems. All of Nationwide's commercial power feeds through its battery and uninterruptible power source system. If there is a power failure, the backup battery starts the generators in seconds. "It's tested every week, and we have backups to the backup generators," says Miggo.

Now, that's planning ahead.

Nationwide at a Glance

Headquarters:
1 Nationwide Plaza,
Columbus, OH 43215

Phone:
(614) 249-7111

URL:
http://www.nationwide.com

Business:
Provides auto, homeowner, property and casualty insurance, as well as diversified financial services including annuities and asset management

VP, Technology Solutions, Nationwide Services Co.:
Scott Miggo

Financials in 2006:
$22.3 billion revenue; $2.1 billion profit

Challenge:
Reduce power and processing space needs sufficiently to postpone $150 million-plus investment in new data center