Virtualization in a Virtual World

Virtualization means partitioning one physical server into several virtual servers, or machines. Each virtual machine can interact independently with other devices, applications, data and users as though it were a separate physical resource. Different virtual machines can run different operating systems and multiple applications while sharing the resources of a single physical computer. And, because each virtual machine is isolated from other virtualized machines, if one crashes, it doesn’t affect the others. In addition to using virtualization technology to partition one machine into several virtual machines, you can also use virtualization solutions to combine multiple physical resources into a single virtual resource. A good example of this is storage virtualization, where multiple network storage resources are pooled into what appears as a single storage device for easier and more efficient management of these resources.

Virtualization can help you shift your IT focus from managing boxes to improving the services you provide to the organization. If you are managing multiple servers and desktops, virtualization can help you to save money, energy, time, and reduce desktop management headaches. For all of the upside virtualization isn’t magic, and it can introduce some new challenges. But in most cases the many cost and efficiency advantages will outweigh any issues, and virtualization will continue to grow gain popularity. If you click on the title, you will notice that it is a link I used as a reference for this post. It provides more extensive information on the topic.