Dedicated Hosts on IBM Power Virtual Server

What are dedicated hosts?

Dedicated hosts are entire physical servers that are reserved for client allocation to create a single-tenant environment. Using a dedicated host can save users money on software license costs, provide physical isolation for workloads, and allow for flexible performance with Hybrid Cloud customers. As a designer, this project focused on creating the UI that allows a user to control those hosts without the need to use CLI or API.

What kind of users are interested in dedicated hosts?

While the everyday user might not be familiar with a hybrid-cloud platform or virtual server interfaces, companies who need to manage large amounts of data in isolated, secure environments (think banks, grocery stores, etc.) are our everyday customers. The following three personas are a typical representation of who might be interested in dedicated hosts:

  1. Decision makers (CIO, CEO, CTO, CFO)
    Decision makers oversee overall IT strategies to drive business innovation and efficiency. They need reduced data center costs and improved efficiency, particularly when their workforce most familiar with Power hardware is retiring.

  2. End users (IT Admin, Sys Admin)
    End users are seasoned experts with a lifetime of experience and trust using Power hardware. They want to maintain current on-prem workflows while integrating new technologies.

  3. Business partners (Solutions Architect, Cloud Tech Sales, Technology Consultant)
    Business partners manage and maintain infrastructure for clients, ensuring workloads run smoothly and efficiently. They need to stay in sync with IBM strategy in order to communicate, serve, and sell to customers. Typically hold a sizable bulk of the PowerVS customer base.

  • Design a streamlined and easily consumable UI that allows users to create, reserve, and utilize Power Virtual Server's newest feature: dedicated hosts. Must account for validation situations, security and isolation requirements, and current UI limitations.

  • I was the lead designer and secondary researcher for the feature.

  • A user experience that combines the existing framework of Power Virtual Server with the latest features from IBM.

Design playback

A prototype run-through of the final design:

Next steps

Dedicated hosts will launch with general availability in mid 2024. While we have conducted several internal usability tests for the feature, we have yet to conduct a satisfactory amount of external tests. After GA, my hope is to create ongoing conversations with clients who use dedicated hosts to identify pain-points and create enhancements for the feature, ensuring a simple and efficient product experience.