Best Server Virtualization Solutions

There are three types of server virtualization, each one using a different approach to allocate resources from a physical server to a virtual one.

1. Full virtualization: Full virtualization uses a hypervisor, a software that abstracts applications and operating systems from hardware. By monitoring the physical server’s resources, it can keep each virtual server independent of and unaware of other virtual servers.
2. Paravirtualization: In contrast to full virtualization, paravirtualization requires an entire network to work together and to manage the operating system. The hypervisor does not use as much processing power.
3. OS-level virtualization: While full and para virtualizations use a hypervisor, operating system-level virtualization does not. For OS-level, the virtualization performs the same tasks as a hypervisor and is part of the operating system that belongs to the physical server.

Server virtualization software is a software whose architecture is designed to support more than one server operating system to act as a guest on a physical server host. The software becomes a virtual machine when the software is abstracted away from its physical machine and in this way the server technically believes it is running exclusively on the memory resources. Server virtualization software allows for a more efficient use of IT resources.

• Host machine: This is the physical server hardware where virtualization takes place.
• Virtual machines (VMs): Also referred to as guest machines, VMs have assets that are abstracted from a server environment.
• Hypervisor: A hypervisor is a type of software that acts as an emulator and creates and runs virtual machines.
• Hypercalls: Messages that are sent between operating systems and para-virtualized hypervisors in order to share resources by using an API are referred to as hypercalls.
• Containers: Often deployed inside of hypervisors, containers are unique user environments that are created within virtualized operating systems.

Server virtualization provides many advantages. Below are a few of the many benefits it provides:

• Decreased hardware costs: Hardware can be very expensive, especially if you have numerous physical servers all using the same network to handle workloads. Not only that, but money is wasted on hardware resources, maintenance, power, cooling, and other things. Virtualization makes it possible to reduce the amount of servers you need in order to conduct business efficiently.
• Fast and easy deployment: For several reasons, installing a physical server is a time-consuming, arduous, and pricey process. With server virtualization, you have the capability to clone a virtual machine all in a matter of minutes, and without the expensive cost.
• Save space: Dependent on the capacity of your data center, there are only so many physical servers you will have the space for. With virtual machines, this issue is eliminated because they only take up virtual space even though they still require a physical server.
• Energy cost reductions: Another major benefit of server virtualization is that you save on energy costs because not as many physical servers are needed and thus you do not need to spend more on cooling services to prevent them from overheating.
• Improved disaster recovery: Beyond server virtualization being extremely convenient, it provides a simplified disaster recovery where data backup and creating a replication of the virtual server can be done quickly.
• Increased efficiency: Because server virtualization requires fewer servers in your data center, IT staff will be able to be more agile, and consequently more efficient. With a reduced number of servers to manage and maintain, IT teams can spend more time focusing on other work priorities
• Elimination of server sprawl: Physical servers create issues with server sprawl. Server virtualization eliminates server sprawl because it creates multiple virtual servers within a single server. This way, admins do not have to over-allocate resources like they had to before virtualization existed.

Below is a list of server virtualization software common features:

• Hypervisor (type 1 or 2)
• Remote management of physical locations
• Workload rebalancing, server health monitoring, performance, and resolution of bottlenecks
• Ability to run numerous virtual machines while using different operating systems on the same server
• Automated VM (virtual machine) provisioning
• Options for performance logs and auditable activity tracking
• Secure infrastructure and apps that include guest operating system lockdown
• Antivirus and anti-malware hypervisor-level security
• The choice to migrate live virtual machines between hosts (during scheduled maintenance)
• Backup or patch virtual machines without having to interrupt service
• Ability to control and optimize your virtual machine environment centrally

Given the importance of virtualization to infrastructure strategy, current product offerings for server virtualization tend to be feature rich and highly sophisticated.

When evaluating server virtualization solutions, IT Central Station (soon to be Peerspot) member comments reflect the depth of functionality and nuances of products on the market today. Preferences go well beyond basics like wanting a virtualization package to be flexible and easy to install and configure.

Enterprises are now essentially running their entire infrastructures on top of server virtualization software. As a result, users look for capabilities like automatic mirroring/backup using snapshots on the runtime as a way to minimize the number of fail-recovery procedures and downtime. IT Central Station members pay attention to how well a server virtualization solution can handle multiple physical machines, maintaining relative processing demand to get to optimal usage of each physical machine. The goal is to minimize overload at peak times.

Infrastructure managers emphasize host clustering support. For instance, will a server virtualization software package support at least 8 nodes and 90 VMs? They pay attention to replication and disaster recovery as well as live migration in a VM/concurrent based migration without VM downtime. Users seem to want a granular administration model. Stability is prized.

Portability and usability also drive selection of virtualization managers. With admins on call anywhere, some users want the software to run on a laptop without using up much battery power. The quality of the web client also matters in this context.

CIOs and IT decision-makers need savvy IT infrastructure planning to be cost-effective and satisfy increasing expectations for end-user experience. Guess what—or who doesn’t know this—you betta get yer Server Virtualization on!

Go ahead, scratch your head. The legacy infrastructure dear to many IT folks has become more expensive than a properly managed set of virtualized platforms—as predicted by most IT enterprise analysts—and now sitting even stronger in the forefront of large and mid-sized enterprises as the way to go.

What are you waiting for? [We know you’re not waiting]

Here’s a five-point run down that we liked from the IT Solutions Blog at ConRes.

Five Refresher Tips for Server Virtualization

1. How will your software be licensed in a virtual environment? When you virtualize your systems, will you need new software licenses? The answer will vary by software. Find out in advance where you’ll need new licenses.
2. What is the best virtualization platform for your business? Each business has different requirements. And with the amount of virtualization options on the market, the choices can be dizzying. Work with a trusted IT advisor to determine the most cost-effective virtualization platform that will get the job done.
3. Does your virtualization plan mitigate failure risk? Virtualization should reduce system risks. But a poorly implemented virtualization plan can do just the opposite. Server virtualization means that one physical machine can act as multiple virtual servers. But what happens when that single machine goes down?The critical point is often the host server. Contingency plans need to be in place should the host server fail, and the virtualized platform should be designed so that all your critical elements aren’t on the same host server. In short, don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
4. Are you overloading your host servers? Each host server can only realistically accommodate a certain number of guest machines. While that number used to extend to 20 to 50 or even 100 virtual machines on a host, software and applications have become larger and more complex. Now, industry experts say that 15 virtual servers per host is the likely maximum number, with most enterprises achieving a 6:1 ratio for data applications such as CRM, ERP, databases and e-mail. It’s important to be realistic about host server capacity so you don’t overwhelm your systems.
5. Which servers and applications can be virtualized? Not every server or application can or should be virtualized. For example, servers that require special hardware or run resource-intensive applications aren’t good candidates for virtualization. And some common applications just won’t run in a virtual environment. With a little forethought, you can figure out which applications and servers can work in a virtual environment. Good candidates for virtualization? Older servers (to avoid upgrade costs or increases in maintenance costs), multiprocessor servers dedicated to single-processor applications (enabling you to optimize resources), and infrequently used severs (so you can consolidate resources).

Start following top Server Virtualization Software on IT Central Station and any other Products and Vendors you want.

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Hyper-V

Oracle VM

Citrix XenServer

VMware

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Server Virtualization Software allows you to run multiple virtual servers on a single physical machine. This reduces the need for multiple servers, cutting down on hardware costs. The ability to allocate resources dynamically means you can optimize the usage of existing hardware, prolonging its lifespan and delaying additional expenses. Transitioning to a virtualized environment can also lead to savings on power and cooling requirements, further reducing operational costs.

Server Virtualization Software enhances security by isolating virtual servers within the same physical machine. Each virtual machine can be configured with specific security settings, reducing the risk of a single point of failure. In the event of an attack on one VM, others remain unaffected. Built-in features, such as virtual firewalls and role-based access control, provide additional layers of security. This environment allows rapid deployment of security patches across all virtual instances, ensuring compliance and protection.

Server Virtualization Software simplifies disaster recovery by enabling quick replication and backup of virtual machines. You can easily clone and store VM snapshots in a safe location, ensuring fast recovery in case of a failure. This flexibility reduces downtime and ensures continuity within your organization. The ability to migrate VMs across different physical servers means that in the event of a hardware failure, you can resume operations with minimal interruption.

Server Virtualization Software typically includes performance monitoring tools that give you insights into resource usage and potential bottlenecks. These tools allow you to track CPU, memory, and network utilization in real-time, enabling proactive management of virtual resources. By analyzing performance data, you can optimize VM configurations to ensure efficiency. Alerts and detailed reports help in maintaining a high-performance virtual environment and planning future capacity needs.

Server Virtualization Software provides a seamless pathway to cloud integration by enabling virtual machines to be easily replicated or migrated to cloud platforms. This flexibility allows organizations to scale their operations up or down without the constraints of physical hardware. You can leverage hybrid cloud models, balancing resources between on-premises and cloud environments to meet your workload needs. Virtualization ensures compatibility and enhances collaboration across diverse cloud services.