Enterprises use server machines to host data and programs on their network. Therefore, it has to be powerful and efficient to handle multiple operations at the same time. Server virtualization has gained popularity among enterprises to increase computing power and optimize physical space.
Enterprises opt for server virtualization over physical servers to cope with extensive workloads without sacrificing physical space. server virtualization helps, businesses distribute their workload effectively without adding more physical servers, increasing cost-effectiveness.
This blog explores everything you need to know about server virtualization solutions, their importance, types, benefits, and limitations.
What is server virtualization?
Server virtualization distributes physical servers creating multiple virtual instances on a single server via software applications. It can revamp the pathway of enterprise computing and get the best output from the servers.
How does Server virtualization Work?
Server Virtualization works using a software layer called a hypervisor, which sits between the hardware and the operating systems. The hypervisor creates and manages Virtual Machines (VMs), each runs its operating system and applications like separate physical servers.
Why is Server Virtualization Important for Businesses?
Server virtualization is cost-effective for businesses as it creates instances of one physical server into multiple VMs. Reducing the need for additional hardware, maintenance, and electricity expenses.
It enhances resource efficiency, and scalability, ensuring better utilization of server resources and minimizes underused physical servers. Moreover, it makes scalability easy for businesses, as they can quickly create, modify, or delete virtual servers without needing new physical hardware.
Categories of Server Virtualization
There are three main kinds of virtualization for servers, each category has its functionality that makes it distant from the other.
Application Virtualization
Application virtualization hosts and implements specific applications without taking down the operating system. Application virtualization is one of the quickest and most affordable ways to implement new software.
Client Virtualization
Sometimes employees may not have the required equipment or OS to run an application for their tasks. Client virtualization or desktop virtualization allows different OS simulations of the operating system to utilize server resources from other servers or PCs. Employees can then access server resources or applications from multiple machines using managed login credentials.
Security Virtualization
Security virtualization deploys software on VM to offer better security and protection. Typically, security virtualization is cloud-hosted and managed by third parties like UpGuard and Enzuzo. A major advantage is that services and functions seamlessly transition between virtual and physical machines within a network. This scalability also makes security virtualization one of the most cost-effective solutions for enterprises.
Types of Server Virtualization
These are the types of server virtualization, each type has its functionality. Depending on the approach, server virtualization uses a number of different components
Full Virtualization
Full virtualization creates a complete virtual environment including a set of applications, hardware, and operating systems. A hypervisor is a software that acts like a middleman and communicates with servers to monitor disk space CPU usage and server resource allocation.
Para Virtualization
In Para Virtualization, all the guest operating systems are aware of the utilized and remaining resources of the server increasing hypervisor efficiency. It allows the hypervisor to have direct hardware access to improve performance.
OS-level virtualization
OS-level virtualization is the basic form of server virtualization. Unlike para and full virtualization, it can be implemented with fewer resources. When using OS-level virtualization, there is no need for a hypervisor as the server’s OS handles all resources. The drawback of OS acting as a hypervisor is that each virtual machine must run the same operating system which limits the efficiency.
Hardware-Assisted Virtualization
Hardware-assisted virtualization operates similar to full and Para virtualization but requires hardware support. It relies on a hypervisor to create and manage VMs and uses built-in CPU features (Intel VT-x or AMD-V) to switch operations between software hypervisor and server hardware. This improves the overall performance and efficiency of the server system.
Kernel-Based Virtual Machine (KVM)
KVM is a virtualization infrastructure for the Linux kernel that turns it into a hypervisor. It allows the Linux kernel to run multiple isolated virtual environments by leveraging hardware-assisted virtualization features. KVM is used with management tools like QEMU and Virt-Manager.
Server virtualization components
Server Virtualization uses several components, these components include
- A host machine to apply virtualization
- A virtual machine that is abstracted from a traditional server environment.
- A hypervisor is a specialized software that creates and maintains VMs and can be run natively on bare metal servers.
- Hypercalls are sent between hypervisors and OSs to share resources using an API.
Benefits of Server Virtualization
Virtualization servers offer a wide range of benefits to Enterprises. Here are a few of the most significant and well-known advantages and uses of server virtualization:
Lower Cost with Simplified Server Infrastructure
fewer servers, requires fewer racks and cables, making deployment and troubleshooting easy. Businesses can achieve the same output by spending less on server space, power, and cooling equipment. This simplifies the server architecture, resulting in fewer expenses on server maintenance.
Versatility in Server Operating systems
Once you divide your physical server into multiple VMs, you can install different operating systems on each virtual server. The physical server has an operating system known as the host operating system, whereas the virtual server‘s OS is called the guest operating system. Each VM runs in its isolated environment, independent of the host server and other VMs. This prevents software conflicts and malware making your system secure.
Better Resource Management
Resource management and VM instance creation are centralized through virtualization. Modern Virtualization provides a handful of helpful features and tools for managing your resources simultaneously.
A VM can be transferred between two real servers with live migration features without causing a pause in work. Data protection features, like snapshots, capture the VM state at any moment, allowing VMs to recover from unanticipated failures or disasters.
Drawbacks of Server Virtualization
Virtualisation also has some drawbacks. Let’s explore the disadvantages that businesses can experience.
One Failure, Greater Disaster
Failure in a physical server damages only one server’s workload at a time. However, in server virtualization, one failure can affect several virtualization workloads, causing large-scale disruption to the company.
Virtual Machine Sprawl
Virtual machine sprawl is when an organization is increasing its number of VMs to a point where it becomes challenging to manage effectively. Unused VMs accumulate and utilize resources in virtualized systems, costing the organization.
This may result in a need for more resources and more equipment. Every business should carefully consider the number of VMs to upscale their business and reduce unnecessary costs.
Experience IT Staff
Buying servers for the business is not enough you’ll also need to manage and maintain them regularly. Servers are complex to run and manage efficiently, so you must hire IT experts to maintain stable operations to manage scalability.
Application of Server Virtualization
Server virtualization programs have a wide range of applications across various industries and IT environments, here are some key applications.
Server Consolidation
Server consolidation is the most prominent application of virtualization, which means performing multiple tasks simultaneously on one physical server. For example, 12 physical servers are running a single application. The development of virtualization allowed three VMs to run separate applications on each physical server. The company would only need four physical servers to handle the same twelve tasks.
Development of Testing
The servers for virtualization support production environments and workloads. The feasibility it brings to VM development makes it an ideal choice for development and testing initiatives. It is easier to test new software on a VM and tweak its configuration to get the best configuration for software build than to do it on a native physical server. Moreover, these VMs are often temporary and can be removed when testing is completed to avoid undesirable VM sprawl.
Centralized Controlling
Virtualization in servers has useful tools to track applications and associated servers. It helps organize run, and manage all VMs running across the environment. On top, server virtualization technologies and tools are highly recommended for automation like autonomous VM creation and management to speed up IT tasks.
Limitation of Server Virtualization
Server virtualization offers many benefits but also comes with limitations. it is not an ideal option for applications with high system requirements resulting in server shutdown or crashes. Every server has a limited capacity to handle VMs efficiently, creating VMs beyond the server capacity can impact the performance and limit storage capacity. Despite these challenges, companies invest in virtualization for its potential to reduce data center size, power consumption, and heat output.
Server Virtualization Software Vendors
Server virtualization can be implemented with the help of software applications, these are the top software used by enterprises for virtualization.
- VMWare
- Microsoft Azure Virtual Machines
- Citrix Hypervisor
Popular Server You Can Buy
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You can also request a bulk quote online for the top servers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is server virtualization secure?
Yes, server virtualization is secure if proper measures are implemented, such as regular patching, strong access controls, and network segmentation.
what is virtualization in cloud computing?
Virtualization in cloud computing works the same way, the only difference is it works on your cloud server instead of an in-house server.
What is an example of a virtualized server?
One type of server virtualization is VPS server hosting.
What is the difference between PC virtualization and server virtualization?
While server virtualization is a solution for businesses looking to enhance server efficiency, PC virtualization is for daily PC users.
What is the difference between server virtualization and network virtualization?
Server virtualization separates actual server hardware from guest operating systems (servers). In contrast, Network virtualization moves network applications inside networking devices to provide more features.
For the past decades, many organizations have used server virtualization for their server with Intel Xeon processor. This technology has played an essential role in an organization’s growth and in reducing expenses for many businesses.
Choosing virtualization with a team of experts can upscale your business. Moreover, invest in a virtualized environment after analyzing your needs and requirements. Nevertheless, server virtualization is a strong move if you want to update your data center and utilize your IT resources.
Stay tuned to the Computing Worlds blog for more tech information.
