Why Server Virtualization Improves Security & Utilization
Wednesday December 29, 2010
Server virtualization is the concealing of server resources from server users which includes the identity and number of distinct physical servers, operating systems, and processors. With server virtualization, an individual physical server can provide a number of virtual environments that are entirely separate from one another.
The server host uses a software application to partition one physical server into a number of separate virtual environments. Server virtualization, also referred to as instances, virtual private servers, guests, or containers, allows a user to greatly reduce the number of physical servers and reduce the hosting costs. Each guest runs on a virtual replication of the hardware layer and it permits the operating system to run without any modifications.
Managing a group of physical servers can be very time-consuming. Server virtualization management allows users to simplify management. Server virtualization permits the administrator to create virtual servers that use different operating systems. By utilizing virtualization platforms, you can manage your entire hosting infrastructure through a central management interface. This means that such tasks as: duplicating OS environments, implementing updates and patching, removing virtual servers, and resource monitoring, can be performed much more quickly and efficiently. Basically, server virtualization allows you to scale at a much faster rate.
The virtualization options that are offered by server virtualization providers will allow you to control your server environment with immediate changes. You can immediately add servers, remove servers, and upgrade and downgrade. Server virtualization allows for more efficient utilization of server resources, improved server availability, and assistance in disaster data recovery. As well, you will decrease your hardware maintenance costs due to the decreased number of physical servers and increased space utilization efficiency in your data center.
A virtual server has effective security as it has its own programs to trap worms, viruses and other malevolent programs. Server virtualization provides many advantages that include: upgrades or changes will not cause one application to impact another application, ability to develop a standard virtual server build that can be easily duplicated, and server virtualization will deploy multiple operating system technologies on a single hardware platform. A virtual server works as a model testing environment due to its isolated environment. Virtualization assures high availability as one virtual server can take over when another server goes down and it helps businesses maintain business continuity by making recovery fast and convenient.
Server virtualization is the process of treating a physical server as multiple logical servers. Because virtualization allows for the fast creation of different operating system environments, it very simple to run applications in tandem with new versions, migrate applications to new environments, and restore systems after a disaster has occurred. It is fast becoming an indispensable tool to help a business maintain and protect its server and all of its data and components.