What are the objectives of Virtualization?

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There are four main objectives to virtualization, demonstrating the value offered to organizations:

• Increased use of hardware resources
• Reduced management and resource costs
• Improved business flexibility
• Improved security and reduced downtime.

Increased use of Hardware Resources

With improvements in technology, typical server hardware resources are not being used to their full capacity. On average, only 5-15% of hardware resources are being utilized. One of the goals of virtualization is to resolve this problem. By allowing a physical server to run virtualization software, a server's resources are used much more efficiently. This can greatly reduce both management and operating costs. For example, if an organization used 5 different servers for 5 different services, through virtualization, instead of having 5 physical servers, these servers could be run on one single physical server operating as virtual servers.

Reduced Management and Resource Costs

Due to the sheer number of physical servers/workstations in use today, organizations have to deal with issues such as storage space, power and cooling. Not only is this excess power usage bad for the environment, but is also very costly for businesses. So is hiring, buying or building more space for servers. Using a virtualized infrastructure, businesses can save large amounts of money because they require far fewer physical machines.

Improved Business Flexibility

When a business needs to expand its number of workstations or servers, it is often a lengthy and costly process. An organization first has to make room for the physical location of the machines. The new machines then have to be ordered, set up, etc. This is a time consuming process and wastes a business's resources both directly and indirectly.

Virtual machines can be easily set up. There are no additional hardware costs, no need for extra physical space and no need to wait around. Virtual machine management software also makes it easier for administrators to set up virtual machines and control access to particular resources.

Improved Security and Reduced Downtime

When a physical machine fails, usually all of its software content becomes inaccessible. All the content of that machine becomes unavailable and there is often some downtime to go along with this, until the problem is fixed. Virtual machines are separate entities from one another. Therefore if one fails or contracts a virus, they are completely isolated from all the other software on that physical machine, including other virtual machines. This greatly increases security, because problems can be contained.

Another great advantage of virtual machines is that they are not hardware dependent. What this means is that if a server fails due to a hardware fault, the virtual machines stored on that particular server can be migrated to another server. Functionality can then resume as though nothing has happened, even though the original server may no longer be working.

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For more information on Virtualization and to sign up for our Cloud Computing Certification courses, have a look at the Virtualization Certification Kit.