Virtualisation software emulates computer hardware allowing multiple operating systems to run on a single physical host.
This allows for far greater levels of utilisation and the process of separating a server from its physical host can bring many benefits. This include added flexibility, the option to move applications to alternative hardware in the event of a problem, improved load balancing and dynamic resource allocation as well as the consolidation of resources leading to a significant reduction in hardware.
How does Virtualisation work?Virtualisation solutions are available within Servers, Storage and Network environments and can be viewed in its simplest form as the ability to pool resources into one which can then in turn be dynamically allocated as required.
The most popular implementation of virtualisation is server based and usually consists of three elements; the hypervisor – (creates the virtual layer) and enables the hardware to be shared by multiple Virtual Machines (VM’s). The management console – which provides an easy to use interface for creating and managing virtual machines on individual physical servers while overseeing the resources available on the local hardware. The Virtual Centre interface – Allowing for management of multiple Virtual Machines across multiple physical servers providing a birds-eye view of your entire estate, this can be used to move VM’s to alternative hardware and obtain information on overall utilisation.
What are the Business Benefits of Virtualisation?Gartner expects upwards of 60% of server workloads to be virtualised within the next five years. While the some of the immediate benefits such a space savings might be obvious, virtualisation can also provide other compelling reasons for customers to adopt this technology as a core part of their infrastructure:
The most common of which include:
- Spiralling Growth rates requiring regular capacity increases
- Server consolidation
- Smaller footprint – less power and cooling costs
- Reduced Hardware costs
- Flexibility and Agility
- Ease of Testing and Development
- Simplified Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity
- Increased Utilisation
- Reduced/Simplified Management