Virtual systems are computer-based simulations that run on software systems, running on top hardware. They can provide a number benefits to your business including IT efficiency and cost savings.
Virtual machines can be used to test new software, or deploy Wikis and Jabber IM and also to create backup images of the system currently in order to recover faster from the aftermath of a catastrophe. VMs can be replicated and moved between physical servers to create high availability configurations that minimize downtime.
The capability to virtualize multiple systems allows for significant reductions in server hardware, energy and maintenance costs. IT teams will spend less time working on maintenance tasks such as updating software because the entire virtual infrastructure is managed through a centralized platform. This efficiency boost allows your team to concentrate on strategic projects which will propel your business forward.
Improved Data Security and Disaster Recovery
VMs are hardware-independent, meaning that they can be moved from one physical server to another just as easily as moving files on IT infrastructure: the backbone of modern enterprises your desktop or laptop. This is helpful in situations where the company that developed an older piece of software goes out of business or is not supported anymore by the original equipment manufacturer.
The type of hypervisor that is used in a virtualized environment can make or brake its management. A bare-metal hypervisor, such as VMware vSphere or Microsoft Hyper-V, provides more control and is independent of the host operating system. A hosted hypervisor, such as KVM, (built into Linux kernel), passes VM requests to the host OS which may slow VM performance.