Virtualization: When cloud computing first became popular, the technology needed to be expanded in scope. It was a virtual HD to store and access files from any place or device.
As the advantages of this solution soon proved to be very valid for corporate use, it took a little while for vendors and IT companies worldwide to start designing their cloud infrastructures according to their needs. Server virtualization is the result of the maturation of this technology.
Today, besides storing files and offering remote access, the cloud is replacing investment in proprietary hardware, which limits flexibility and scalability in a more dynamic market. In other words, infrastructure as a service was created.
Common Technology Myths
Even though the technology is mature enough to be used in any size business, many IT professionals still need to be reticent due to some myths far removed from reality. The first has to do with security. Due to the nature of virtualization, it is common to imagine that hosting several clients on a server causes some intersection between databases.
That does not exist. Even with the public cloud, each customer has a logically separate space through virtualization. They share the hardware, but they each have their infrastructure in practice.
Another myth has to do with the availability and performance of server virtualization. It is possible that such points would make the technology less practical compared to an on-premises solution.
Expectations For The Future
New approaches to cloud services, such as containers and server less computing, point to a future far beyond Migration for companies that want to stay ahead of this race. Today, using cloud computing is already a competitive obligation (as seen in the benefits we list in the next topic).
However, it is time to plan for what comes after that. Acquiring your hardware should be carefully analyzed. Will the demands it can meet be better solved with cloud tools and systems in the future?
The trend is for cloud computing providers to make their solutions increasingly complete and immediate—to the point where IT no longer needs to think in terms of servers, partitioning, and storage. This planning must start as soon as possible to enjoy a full infrastructure as a service.
What Are The Advantages Of Adopting Server Virtualization?
To expand the discussion, let’s list the top 5 benefits that make server virtualization such a certainty in the future of the corporate world. Follow!
1. Cost Reduction
To know the real impact of server virtualization on cost reduction, first, you must understand the difference between a physical and a virtual Data Center. To maintain a physical Data Center, the company needs to have its IT environment with an internal infrastructure prepared to generate, store, design and monitor a large volume of data. This involves:
- spending on hardware acquisition (generators, transfer switches, no breaks/UPS);
- software licensing expenses;
- considerable expenses with electricity (for air conditioning and lighting of environments, for example);
- purchase or lease of physical space to store the Data Center structure.
In a virtual Data Center, this infrastructure continues to exist — the difference is that it is now stored in a space outside the company that pays for the service. Everything needed to keep this infrastructure running becomes the responsibility of the cloud services provider.
2. Data Security
Although cost reduction is one of the main objectives of companies that opt for Data Center server virtualization, several other benefits are just as relevant to the business. One example we have already discussed in detail is the degree of data security in the virtual Data Center.
Even in the case of a Data Center that combines physical and virtual resources, security is an essential point when we talk about cloud-based solutions. This is because a reliable provider must provide quality equipment, professionals trained enough to manage them, and a series of resources to guarantee the security of the company’s data, such as backup and plans for disaster management.
3. Agile Recovery
Every Data Center is susceptible to unforeseen events. The problem is that the longer it takes to recover from a stop or crash, the greater the losses suffered by the company. If the organization has a physical data center, you must use your infrastructure and workforce to resolve issues promptly. Thus, the continuity of services will not be impaired.
A physical Data Center requires a set of servers configured according to the company’s IT infrastructure (which takes a lot of time). Conversely, virtualization allows applications to be provisioned much more quickly, optimizing Recovery in case of interruptions.
4. More Agility During Scheduled Maintenance
A great advantage of server virtualization is that it can reduce or even eliminate downtime — service downtime — during scheduled maintenance.
Some tools, such as vMotion and Live Migration, make migrating applications between online servers possible. Therefore, routine tasks can be performed during business hours, without the company having to interrupt its services or pay for overtime. Other benefits include:
the possibility of pausing the operation of a virtual machine before the hardware stops — that way, when it starts working again, the machine can be activated again and loaded from the point where it stopped;
great reduction in the time of re-installation and configuration of the solutions since you can migrate virtual machines between servers.
5. Process Optimization
One thing is certain: server virtualization is a big step towards optimizing companies’ IT processes.
In addition to all the benefits already mentioned, there is the automation of routine tasks and the creation of a centralized environment for managing IT processes. Through an accessible interface, you can manage version updates, implementation and homologation production environments, for example.
It is worth mentioning that server virtualization also improves the use of hardware, as it is very common for equipment to remain idle in a physical Data Center for a good part of the time or after the drop in initial demand. However, idle resources are reallocated whenever a machine is powered up in the virtual infrastructure.
Also Read: Why Care About Cloud Security?
