Stephan Freiermann

Stephan

What is server virtualization?

“Server virtualization” means that a server’s capabilities and resources are made unknown to its users, including the number and identity of each physical server, their processors, their operating systems, etc. While this may sound like someone is getting cheated out of server resources, virtualization is really just a way for a user to maximize investment in server use. The hosting company or server administrator uses an application to split a server into several separate virtual environments. The virtual environments are sometimes called “virtual private servers,” but are also called “guests,” “instances,” “containers” or “emulations.”

What does virtualization do?

Virtual machines are based on the “host/guest” model. Each “guest” works from a virtual imitation of the actual hardware. This method enables the guest operating system to work without any changes. Additionally, it enables the administrator to allow more people (operating as “guests”) to use different operating systems. A guest knows nothing of the host’s operating system because it doesn’t know that it’s not operating on actual hardware. Although it does require actual computing resources from the host. Because of this fact, the guest uses a hypervisor to oversee instructions to the central processing unit. The hypervisor, also known as a “virtual machine monitor,” validates all the guest-issued CPU instructions and coordinates any activities that require other privileges. Both VMware and Microsoft Virtual Server work from the virtual machine model.

Are there different kinds of virtualization?

There are two primary types of virtualization technologies that allow a single physical server to operate as multiple virtual servers: “hypervisor-based” and “software-container-based.” Hypervisors virtualize access to the hardware, while containers virtualize operating system access. You may select the technology best suited to your requirements: VMWare ESXi, Citrix XenServer and Microsoft Hyper-V, built on hypervisor technology, or Parallels Virtuozzo, based on software-container technology.

Why does a business need virtualization?

Virtualization maximizes the value of your hosting investment by using your hardware more efficiently. Server virtualization is a small component of a general virtualization trend in enterprise information technology that includes storage virtualization, network virtualization, and workload management. Virtualization is an off-shoot of “autonomic computing,” which allows a server environment to manage itself based on perceived activity. A business can use server virtualization to increase server efficiency, improve resource availability, assist in disaster recovery, testing and development, and to centralize server administration. If your business seeks to process more data using limited server resources, server virtualization is a service that could benefit your bottom line.

Tags: education, market, web hosting