Most agree that the number one IT investment organizations make is virtualized server consolidation. Virtualization is one of the hottest trends in the industry, for good reason. It has the ability to increase efficiencies, reduce or eliminate downtime, and deliver truly remarkable cost savings.
Virtualization is actually not a new phenomenon; in fact, the concept is as old as the computer itself. IBM was virtualizing its extremely expensive mainframes in the 1960s to allow for multiple corporate users. In the 1980s, IBM’s central mainframe was replaced by a distributed client-server computing system based on inexpensive servers and desktops running specific applications. So virtualization was obsolete…for a while.
About 10 years ago, when server sprawl became almost unmanageable, engineers began revisiting virtualization, adapting the IBM model to today’s organizations’ needs. This new generation of highly sophisticated virtual servers (referred to as virtual machines or VMs) is credited to the developer and current market leader VMware. Other vendors include Citrix, Microsoft, IBM, and RedHat.
This time, virtualization is here to stay. So the question for organizations is not whether to virtualize, but why not virtualize?
What exactly is virtualization?
The term virtualization most commonly refers to server virtualization: running multiple operating systems on a single physical computer. While most computers only have one operating system installed, server virtualization software allows a computer to run multiple operating systems outside of the main system at the same time by giving other systems access to computer hardware, such as RAM. , CPU and video cards. And, because each virtual server is isolated from other virtualized servers, if one fails, it doesn’t affect the others.
Virtualization works by inserting a thin layer of software directly into the computer’s hardware or into a host operating system. This layer contains a virtual machine monitor, a hypervisor, which directs hardware resources. For example, a virtualized Windows computer could run Linux within the Windows interface. Or a Mac could run Windows within the Mac OS X interface.
In addition to server virtualization, there are four other types of virtualization:
• Network Virtualization groups real computing resources into a single virtual network.
• Storage virtualization consolidates storage from multiple network storage devices into a single virtual storage device.
• Application virtualization separates applications from the hardware and operating system, allowing relocation without disrupting other systems.
• Centralized desktop virtualization uses a central server to remotely manage individual desktops; this allows IT staff to virtually assign, manage, patch, and update desktops.
The very real economic benefits of virtualization
It’s not hard to imagine that by reducing the number of servers, organizations immediately realize significant cost savings. VMware reports that its customers typically save 50-70% on overall IT costs. Some of the great ways that virtualization saves money include:
• Increase energy efficiency by doing the same work with fewer machines. Analysts estimate that without virtualization, most servers use only 5 to 25 percent of their total capacity.
• Reduced labor costs by increasing the server to administrator ratio
• Create a highly efficient computing pool that will reduce the amount of future hardware expenses
• Allow growing organizations to open up valuable rack space without adding more machines.
Other important benefits of virtualization
Applications are rarely built for just one operating system, and this is where virtualization shines. It allows developers to write and test code that spans a variety of operating systems using a single workstation.
Virtualization creates powerful business agility. Organizations that use virtualization to cluster, partition, and manage workloads by configuring pools of servers into flexible resource pools are perfectly positioned to respond like a cat to changing market demands.
Virtualization fundamentally changes the way IT administrators interact with computing resources. Instead of wasting time monitoring hundreds of machines, they can focus on innovating, taking full advantage of the capabilities and services that technology offers.
With virtualization, you can:
• Run multiple operating systems on a single computer.
• Optimize business applications for maximum performance and availability
• Save energy by reducing the number of physical servers and the energy required to power them
• Save time by performing routine tasks like deployment, backup, archive, and recovery faster.
• Create flexibility: In virtualized environments, it’s easier to move things around, encapsulate, archive, and optimize
• Improve enterprise desktop management with central control, faster desktop deployment, and fewer application conflicts.
With virtualization, the typical IT staff can manage up to three times the number of servers without compromising quality of service.
The best virtualization solution for you
If you’re considering virtualization, you’ll need software with easy-to-use tools to:
• Management,
• Surveillance
• Use of measurement
• Optimization
• Collection of statistics
• Apply resource allocation policies
Look for software that provides cross-platform systems management for virtual and physical machines. Also look for the ability to transfer (without modification) your organization’s legacy applications and existing operating systems to virtual partitions. The software must also support the integration of virtualization into legacy management tools. Also:
• Look for a system that has been designed specifically for your needs. For example, a larger organization may need modular virtualization, but a smaller organization may not.
• Resist the temptation to go for the least expensive solution, which is often a hodgepodge of low-end components. The end result will probably be too complex and not scalable.
• Instead, opt for a fully integrated and scalable virtualization package. You’ll want the ability to grow your virtual servers with your organization.
• Look for the ability to reuse existing hardware where possible.
• Look for high availability: solutions that provide continuous replication in real time, ensuring that data is always available, through all types of failure, including hardware failure.
• Find virtualization solutions that simplify your overall environment. This means a solution that is easy to implement and requires little training.
• Choose an experienced and knowledgeable supplier you trust to sell you only what you need and nothing more – a company with a track record of excellent after-sales support.
• Research the latest products. The next generation products, available now, are all about management. For example, they put everything—servers, storage, and the network—into a single resource pool. They optimize CPUs, memory, networking, storage, applications, and more.
Virtualization isn’t magic, but it’s close. An additional benefit is that as time passes, installed virtualization continues to generate value by opening up new applications. For most organizations, the many cost and efficiency advantages will make virtualization one of the best investments they’ve ever made.