The
concept of virtualization was first introduced over thirty years ago in the
Mainframe computer space. At the time, it allowed these large, expensive
machines to be divided into smaller partitions that could provide a dedicated
computing resource for applications. This partitioning allowed the massive
computers to be better utilized, and ensured that each application was isolated
to provide a given livel of performance without affecting other applications on
the system. This same principle of virtualization was later applied to X86
computer systems to provide the same benefits for smaller business needs.
The Many Benefits of Virtualization
The
main drive behind the widespread adoption of server virtualization is to
increase the utilization of a single computer system. In years past, most
companies installed a single application per server, leaving these systems
largely under-provisioned. Studies revealed that the average utilization of
single application systems was less than 15%. This isolated server deployment
meant that most of the computing power went unused, which translated into
higher system costs for a company as well as wasted power, cooling and floor
space.
Virtualization changed all that by allowing these systems to be shared among a
group of applications or users while still ensuring isolation of performance
and access. Virtualization technology provides a way of creating several
virtual machines on each individual system that includes a specified amount of
computing resources dedicated to that virtual machine. This software enables a
single system's resources to be fully utilized, and allows several users and
applications to share the same system, lowering their overall cost.
A Wide Variety of Choices
Even
though there are many niche companies offering server virtualization
technologies today, the two leaders in the space are VMware and a product
called Hyper-V from Microsoft. Both products provide the ability to divide a
single physical server into several virtual servers. They differ slightly in
how they accomplish this and provide distinctly different tools for users to
monitor and configure their servers.
VMware is a clear leader with the bulk of the server virtualization business.
This lead is largely due to the early release of their software in the market,
which provided a strong "first mover" advantage. VMware has continued
to update this initial offering to include features like remote management, disaster
recovery and clustering. While their products were initially deployed in
development environments, their software has slowly moved into the production
space with their latest enterprise offerings.
Microsoft was slightly later to market with their Hyper-V product but have
gradually built a loyal following among users. The advantage they enjoy is
their market dominance in operating systems, that allows them access to
existing customers. The company makes it very easy for these customers to deploy
their virtualization software and are a partner that many of these companies
already know and trust.
Things to Remember
Even
though server virtualization software can provide a wide range of advantages
for any company, there are a few points to consider before adopting this
technology.
The
installation of this virtualization software is typically done on a new server
that can then be partitioned for use by individual applications. For smaller
companies this might mean an initial startup cost for an additional server for
their existing applications. Once the new server is ready, applications can be
migrated to the virtualized environment and the older server upgraded to a
virtualized image for additional applications. The time, cost and planning required
for this effort must be considered for any upgrade of this magnitude. Even
though the end results will provide a more eco-friendly, fully utilized
solution, there is time and expense required for the transition.
Another consideration is the cost of the software that enables virtualization.
This software expense is in addition to the server hardware needed to support
virtualized machines. The good news for small- to medium-sized businesses is
that most companies offering server virtualization software have packages that
are priced to accommodate more modest installations. These licensing fees
increase with the number of virtual machines created but are nominal for
smaller implementations and can easily be offset in the savings they provide by
utilizing the hardware more efficiently.
Final Thoughts
Server virtualization technology has matured greatly in the last few decades
and provides a very efficient way of provisioning resources for your
applications. It not only makes the setup of these application environments
easier, it also maximizes your use of existing resources while helping to
control other infrastructure costs such as floor space, electricity and
cooling. Companies of any size can benefit from adopting this virtualization
technology, which will help them save money while greatly reducing the time
needed to deploy new applications.
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