Expectations placed on the IT department these days are substantial. Business technology
is supposed to work wonders, but exactly how it happens is usually someone else's
problem. In order to create the magic that's increasingly expected by business leaders,
two factors must come together to get it all started: time and possibility.
Two of the most imposing obstacles that prevent the addition of new IT services are a lack of existing hardware possibility, and a lack of time for an IT team to accomplish the task. Conventional server architecture is limited by the needs of a one-to-one relationship between the hardware and operating system, which inefficiently sucks its available power and limits the possibility for expansion. It also requires more time to manage, with far more direct and laborious maintenance needs, sapping the IT team of otherwise valuable
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is
indistinguishable from magic.”
... ARTHUR C. CLARKE .Outlines
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Bare Metal Server Array
Services are segregated onto disparate servers for added stability each running their own operating system.
Virtualized Server
A single hardware server with a virtual layer runs multiple operating systems to separate services for stability.
Single Bare Metal Server
One hardware server with one operating system running all of a company’s services.
The Basics
V I R T U A L L A Y E R VIRTUALIZATION server services server OS OS OS OS server OS server OS server OS OS OS OSoperating system (OS)
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The Concept
Virtualization is a different way of harnessing the power of a computer. In the conventional scenario, a computer consists of three general components: the hardware, the operating system, and applications that run within it. The relationship between the hardware and the operating system is extensive, and only one operating system can be run at a time on a conventional server.
Virtualizing involves adding another component into the mix to introduce a huge improvement. The Virtual Layer is a software component that separates the hardware and the operating system. It turns the hardware resources into a uniformly applicable platform, where the services are provided 'on-demand' for multiple operating systems. The result is far higher use of available processing power and significantly more running on a single box, with no effect on its stability.
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Bare Metal Server Array
With operating systems separated out onto dedicated servers, each hardware/OS unit must be managed separately, with a limited posibility for pooling maintenance tasks.
Virtualized Server
With operating systems consolidated within a virtualized environment, all of the OS’s can be easily managed from the virtual layer, and there are fewer hardware servers to maintain.
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Simplified Management
VIRTUALIZATION server OS server OS server OS server OS server OS server OSFinding Time by Reducing Effort
An array of servers requires hands-on maintenance for all of that hardware, and each piece requires an involved process for manage-ment. Virtualization reduces the number physical servers needed to perform the same or even more services. Managing a Virtual server array is done from a single, central access point where all the operating systems and services can be conveniently accessed. The bottom line of this difference is a savings on IT hours. Instead of burning time performing inefficient maintenance tasks on a room full of under-utilized equipment, IT staff can spend their time investigating and implementing improvements to the infrastructure. Suddenly IT is a productive, forward-moving department that offers a strategic advantage to business development.
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Virtualized Server
A virtual layer provides a platform that allows far more fluid management of the whole system. Components can be added, swapped, backed up, and restored from backup almost entirely on the fly, without disturbing the rest of the server environment.
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Increased Flexibility
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An array of bare metal servers with individual operating systems running in silos produces a stagnant, inflexible environment. Failures often require total replacements, and OS migrations and restorations from backup can be overly laborious.
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The Power of Possibility
Many would cite the greatest advantage of Virtualization as it's welcomed introduction of flexibility and possibility to the server room. A business whose running a conventional server architecture is often handcuffed when they want to add a new IT service, and face the cost of adding hardware to make it happen. Adding and even changing capabilities turns out to be an expensive endeavour.
A Virtualized scenario is exactly the opposite. It's very nature allows for a flexible, modular approach to IT services, where adding, moving, backing up, restoring, and removing system components is simple. Essentially a service can be seen as a contained and portable module, inviting change.
Server Virtualization also offers advantages in the possible services that can be easily and cheaply on-boarded. A Virtual Appliance is a perfect example of the nimble and abundant possibilities available. Appliances, which package a service and a slim operating system that's installed auto- matically with it, offer a multitude of services ranging from process management software to blog platforms and media servers.
