Virtualisation Consolidates Hardware/Software into Software-based Units

Most IT infrastructure still runs individual applications on dedicated servers–a mail server for email, a database server for database programs. Virtualisation consolidates these stand-alone servers into one “virtual machine” capable of handling the work of between five and eight dedicated servers.

“Instead of many servers on a rack, have just one: an integrated platform that shares resources and exchanges data.”

Instead of many servers on a rack, you have just one “server in a box”: a tightly integrated platform that efficiently shares resources and exchanges data, accessed by a familiar point-and-click interface. Contingencies are handled by redundant applications and mirroring the virtualised environment.

Virtualisation may appear somewhat abstract but the benefits are very tangible: elimination of server sprawl, more efficient use of server resources, centralised administration, improved availability, more robust disaster recovery, testing and development, and reduced Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).

A virtualised server is partitioned into multiple, isolated environments* based on the host/guest relationship. Each application (“guest”) runs on a virtual imitation of the hardware layer (“host”). You don’t need to modify the application because virtualisation masks all resources (the identity and number of individual servers, processors, and operating systems) from the applications running on them: the guest cannot differentiate between a dedicated environment and the virtual imitation of it.

Virtualisation: Check if it’s Right for You

The same approach is applied to network virtualisation. In internal network virtualisation, a single system is configured with containers and control interfaces to create a “network in a box,” which improves on single system performance because containers can exchange data without first having to pass it onto an external network. In external network virtualisation, one or more LANs are combined or subdivided into virtual networks (VLANs) connected by switches, which allocate resources physically attached to the same LAN to different VLANs.

Virtualisation is part of an IT trend that includes servers, storage, networks, and resources in general. Talk to a knowledgeable IT partner about how your infrastructure might benefit from it. For example, an e-commerce company with one LAN and seven dedicated applications servers would be wasting time and money virtualising the LAN but might save a lot by virtualising its servers.

Virtualisation products are available for Microsoft and Linux platforms, Hyper V for MS, VMware ESX for Linux.

*Virtualised environments go under a variety of names: virtual private servers, containers, emulations, partitions, instances and guests etc.

Ask us about the tangible benefits you might get from network virtualisation.