Virtualisation

What is Virtualisation?

Virtualisation is one server doing the job of multiple servers, by sharing the resources of a single physical server across multiple environments. This reduces the need to buy more hardwere, and enables one physical machine to run several different operating systems - allowing for example a Windows server and a Linux server to run on the same machine.

As well as hosting multiple operating systems, virtual servers and virtual desktops let you host multiple applications both locally and in remote locations, freeing you from physical and geographical limitations.

In addition to energy savings and lower capital expenses due to more efficient use of your hardware resources, you get high availability of resources, better desktop management, increased security, and improved disaster recovery processes

Special virtualisation software, supplied by companies such as VMware, is required to run several virtual servers on one physical machine.

Why is Virtual Infrastructure so Important?

Virtualisation is a technology that can benefit anyone who uses a computer. Virtualisation solutions enable organisations to reduce their IT costs and carbon footprint while increasing the efficiency, utilisation and flexibility of their existing computer hardware.

Managing a virtual infrastructure enables IT to connect resources to business needs quickly. With virtual infrastructure, IT organisations can provide new services and change the amount of resources dedicated to a software service.

Virtualisation technology is transforming the IT landscape, enabling organisations to dramatically improve the performance and efficiency of IT infrastructures.

Benefits of Virtualisation:

Server Consolidation and Infrastructure optimisation: virtualisation makes it possible to achieve significantly higher resource utilisation by pooling common infrastructure resources. It breaks the old model where each server was linked to a single application

Physical Infrastructure Cost Reduction: With virtualisation, you can reduce the number of servers and related IT hardware in the data center. This leads to a reduction in building costs, power and cooling requirements, resulting in significantly lower IT costs.

Improved Operational Flexibility & Responsiveness: Virtualisation offers a new way of managing IT infrastructure and can help IT administrators spend less time on repetitive tasks such as provisioning, configuration, monitoring and maintenance.

Increased Application Availability & Improved Business Continuity: Eliminate planned downtime and recover quickly from unplanned outages with the ability to securely back up and migrate entire virtual environments with no interruption in service. Virtual machines are completely isolated from the host machine and other virtual machines. If a virtual machine crashes, all others are unaffected.

Improved Desktop Manageability & Security: Deploy, manage and monitor secure desktop environments that end users can access locally or remotely, with or without a network connection, on almost any standard desktop, laptop or tablet PC.

Easy setup and cloning of test environments: In today’s increasingly cost-conscious environment, vmware gives you a method of cloning your live environment without having to purchase and install costly new hardware just for test purposes. You can also snapshot and recover easily.