ArticlesThe corporate IT landscape is evolving rapidly, and one of the significant challenges that looms over businesses is their persistence in maintaining legacy systems for their critical operations. This once-indispensable hardware which used to be a cornerstone of business operations but now stands as a relic of a bygone era. Nearly 65% of businesses are still relying on outdated legacy hardware that is now obsolete and is escalating maintenance costs.
Relying on aging hardware can result in increased unplanned downtime, operational inefficiency, security risks, and support unavailability. Did you know that businesses lose an average of $2.3 million due to data loss from hardware failure? However, as more organizations recognize the challenges of aging hardware, they are looking for innovative solutions like server virtualization to transform their business infrastructure. In this blog, we’ll address ‘what is server virtualization,’ explore its benefits, and show how server virtualization services can liberate businesses from the shackles of outdated hardware while enhancing operational agility and cost-effectiveness.
Server virtualization solutions allow businesses to split their servers into separate, isolated servers via software. This methodology creates virtual servers on a single physical server with multiple operating systems. This way, legacy applications can seamlessly run on new server hardware while boosting performance.
In the early 2000s, with VMware at the forefront, server virtualization software gained traction in enterprises. Previously, it was integrated into Windows operating systems to run LINUX OS side by side. The advantage of having two different OS running on the same hardware was a novelty. Since then, integration with server virtualization software has proliferated due to its extensive benefits.
Server virtualization solutions transforms the traditional concept of physical servers used in data centers. Physical servers are hardware devices comprising specific computing, storage, memory, and network components. Virtualization abstracts these resources with specialized software known as the hypervisor. It creates VMs (virtual machines) that are software-based representations of computer systems.
These hypervisors act as an intermediary in managing the placement of physical resources in VMs. It creates aliases for memory, storage, processors, and network interfaces in the virtual machine and isolates it from the physical server to work independently. This virtual machine can now work with its own virtual resources, operating systems, applications, and software independent of the physical infrastructure. This concept enables businesses to optimize their servers by running multiple applications across a cluster of servers regardless of the physical hardware limitations. This methodology results in a more flexible, efficient, and reliable IT environment that efficiently maximizes the usage of processors and enhances workloads’ overall performance.
The components used in server virtualization software depend on its approach. Here are all the components used in virtual servers.
There are three different types of server virtualization software approaches. Virtualization’s primary objective is to enhance the efficiency of physical servers by creating a partition and flexibly allocating resources. However, the method of virtualization implementation varies depending on the requirements of the businesses.
In full server virtualization, the hypervisor creates and manages completely autonomous virtual machines that do not require any further modification to work for different operating systems. This process can be carried out with the software-assistance approach, but the hardware-assistance full virtualization approach has also become popular since AMD and Intel created a new x86 CPU expansion in the 2000s. Some popular virtualized products are Oracle VM VirtualBox, Microsoft Hyper-V, and VMWare vSphere.
In paravirtualization, APIs (application programming interfaces) are used to send hypercalls between the operating system and the hypervisor. This means each VM can easily communicate with one another and share its resources. Paravirtualization, or PV, can also run on systems that do not have hardware-assisted virtualization support. Several products that have enabled full virtualization also enable paravirtualization.
OS-level virtualization is performed with any hypervisor, as the physical server’s operating system has the virtualization ability to act like a hypervisor to create containers or multiple-user ecosystems. One such widely used OS-level virtualization product is Oracle Solaris.
It is nearly impossible to create a cloud computing environment without virtualization, as it is a core element of a cloud platform. Moreover, virtualization is essential for cloud computing, where the cloud service providers operate the workloads in a cloud environment. This environment utilizes consolidation, abstraction, and shared distribution of resources across the network infrastructure. Cloud platforms like IBM Cloud, AWS, Google Cloud Platform, Microsoft Azure Cloud, and Oracle Cloud offer self-service access, dynamic resource pools, and infrastructure scaling.
Cloud service providers utilize server virtualization solutions to effectively manage large data centers with several physical servers. They do not provide direct access to the hardware but offer virtualized server instances of different sizes and configurations depending upon the business requirements. This approach allows them to offer a wide range of services like Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS).
In the Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) module, businesses can rent VMs, networking resources, and storage. At the same time, Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) enables businesses to develop, deploy, and manage applications efficiently. Businesses get access to cloud-hosted software applications in the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) module.
Many cloud providers also offer combinations of these services. With the option of server virtualization solutions, cloud service providers get the advantage of scalability, flexibility, and resource management. This technology enables them to optimize their hardware infrastructure and software resources effectively, which results in cost-effective service offerings for businesses. This ability to efficiently allocate resources and create virtual ecosystems allows cloud providers to manage the requirements of diverse customers while maintaining operation efficiency.
Virtual servers are not a new technology. They became popular in the early 2000s and have been evolving since then. Server virtualization solutions are gradually becoming mainstream for businesses as they simplify the organization’s IT infrastructure with its virtual servers.
Here are some points that will help you understand server virtualization benefits and their importance to businesses:
Virtualization saves money because there is no need to track down technicians who can work with and repair outdated server systems, which they often do at a high cost. However, via resource optimization, virtualization also helps you save time, money, and energy.
In basic terms, instead of having an outdated system that lacks capacity, server virtualization allows you to switch to a much more robust system that generally has more capacity. And you can put that extra capacity to good use in ways such as:
When your system is working efficiently and effectively in these ways, crashes, data loss, wasted time, and frustration quickly become things of the past.
Statistics reveal a compelling case for server virtualization. Studies show that businesses leveraging virtualization solutions experience up to 80% reduction in total cost of ownership (TCO) and a 70% increase in operational efficiency. Furthermore, virtualized environments boast an impressive 90% improvement in application uptime, ensuring uninterrupted service delivery and customer satisfaction.
Cloud virtualization can also allow a business to stop relying on on-premises hardware and even eliminate it if desired. And, when hardware goes away, so do its high costs and the cost of maintaining, running, and housing it and its infrastructure. Moreover, virtualized environments boast a 60% decrease in energy consumption, contributing to sustainability efforts. It is another way virtualization makes sense for modern businesses; for some, it can be the solution that allows them to continue operating and dramatically reduces overhead costs.
One significant upside of virtualized servers is data transfer from one server to another. Furthermore, it gives businesses the advantage of integrating a robust disaster recovery plan. Virtualization of servers allows enterprises to develop replication sites without any complications. There is also an option for testing disaster recovery backup systems on virtual servers.
Virtual servers boost businesses’ productivity by allowing them to operate seamlessly without any disruptions. They eliminate downtime issues, ensure the data is always accessible, and offer live migration of information from one server to another without terminating any server activity, thus elevating business continuity.
The virtualized server offers better storage capacity management and ensures all the applications are easy to process and run relatively faster than the old and traditional storage systems. As the admins can adjust storage allocations, the efficiency of the storage can be guaranteed. Also, server virtualization solutions provide centralized management, which means the operations can be observed and modified accordingly. Thus, removing multiple-point management and saving time.
In enterprise IT, legacy servers are akin to cherished heirlooms, cherished for their reliability but burdened by obsolescence. The imperative to adapt and evolve is palpable, yet the path forward is shrouded in uncertainty.
While there are different kinds of virtualization to choose from, here at Stromasys, we are confident that we can find the perfect solution for you and your needs. Our Cross-Platform Server Virtualization options are designed to work for every business and every challenge. They enable businesses to extend the lifespan of their mission-critical applications without the constraints of obsolete hardware or software dependencies.
To learn more about how we can empower your business and bring it into the present and beyond.
Server virtualization software is now powering the cloud ecosystem to drive innovations across all industry sectors. This technology enhances performance, scalability, and security and is cost-effective. Server virtualization enables businesses to preserve their critical legacy applications while modernizing their infrastructure. From streamlining app development to facilitating business intelligence and ensuring compliance, server virtualization software offers a comprehensive solution for transforming business infrastructure. However, server virtualization is not one-size-fits-all, and businesses can choose from different options depending on their requirements and constraints.
1. Define server virtualization.
Server virtualization creates multiple virtual servers on a single piece of hardware. This methodology uses hypervisor software to divide one physical server into several isolated virtual servers that can run independently.
2. What are the different types of server virtualizations?
There are three different types of server virtualizations:
3. What are server virtualization benefits?
Here are some server virtualization benefits:
4. How does server virtualization software work?
Server virtualization uses a hypervisor to create a range of VMs on a single physical host server by abstracting the hardware resources. Each VM operates independently and has its own operating system and applications, which enables efficient resource allocation and management within the virtual environment.
5. How long does it take to implement server virtualization effectively in a business?
The timeline of server virtualization depends on the size and complexity of the business’s IT infrastructure.
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