Differentiating between virtualization and cloud computing becomes a tricky task. The best way to do it is by saying the former is the technology and the latter is the service whose base that technology forms.
Talking about virtualization, it is a technology that allows you to create multiple simulated environments or dedicated resources from single physical hardware. Where virtualization is a technology and cloud is the environment. The main aim behind virtualization is to give you the benefit of running multiple operating systems. The best example to explain this is let’s say you are working on your MAC and need some applications that are generic to Windows. With the help of virtualization now you can enjoy the efficiency of MAC while operating on Windows applications on the same machine. What can be more revolutionary than this?
Virtualization brings its magic to server hosting by providing server consolidation. Server consolidation is a great contribution to virtualization in the field of cloud hosting. As for different functions, different servers were maintained. While the resources of a single server can be split to serve multiple purposes. Using multiple servers used to cost the king’s ransom as the resources were underutilized. Making the full utilization of resources saves a lot of money which was before wasted in managing so many servers. Cloud platform on virtualization is very important to get more out of fewer resources. Virtualization should be seriously being considered as an interim part of the business to further bloom in it.
Understanding the Technology behind Virtualization for Cloud Hosting Service
Virtualization is the practice of creating a computer inside a computer. It brought so radical changes like Linus based operating systems are now compatible to run applications or programs that were only compatible with Windows. The people who have maximum benefit from this are the cybersecurity researchers who can now examine the malware without the risk of corrupting their machine.
To create a virtual server, special software has to designed so that it ca trick computer’s CPU into providing processing power for multiple virtual machines. Nowadays some of the processors are already inbuilt with such capability to support multiple virtual servers like Intel and AMD.
Have you ever seen a data center, overcrowded by the over stacked racks consuming a lot of power and generating heat that can be incendiary at times. So definitely, the virtual server is the hero of the room. It takes full advantage of computer processing capabilities.
Types of Server Virtualization
- Hypervisor Based Virtualization – Also named as virtual machine monitor (VMM) grabs a chair between the host OS and the underlying hardware layer.
- Para and Full Virtualization- In this kind of virtualization, the guest operating system is modified even before the installation of the virtual machine.
- Hardware-Assisted Virtualization– Hardware-assisted virtualization aims to minimize the emulation been heard which is performed through hardware extensions.
- Kernel–Level Virtualization- When you want to run multiple virtual machines on a single host then instead of a hypervisor a separate version of Linux kernel is used as a device to build a communication between main Linux kernel and virtual machines.
- System-Level or OS Virtualization- When you are multitasking, you need multifaceted virtual machines that are logically distinct then OS virtualization helps you in it. The only restriction in system-level virtualization is that all the virtual machines should share the same operating system. This is its only drawback when compared to server virtualization that allows different VMs to have different operating systems.
Benefits of Virtualizing the Servers
The foremost benefit of virtualizing the servers is the ultimate reduction in hardware costs. Not only the reduced costs but it also simplifies and helps in saving the space as well.
The whole management processes are more transparent and centralized. Access to sensitive data or any intellectual property.
The physical appliances work more efficiently and for lasts longer as power is spread between the virtual environments. Electrical energy is also saved as less number of the server are functional.
The software becomes more reliable as any failure does not affect the other services.
IT staff also gets transparency through virtualization as now a single dashboard for operating and keeping a check on all the operations and workloads and making the performance seamless.
Load Balancing is another advantage of using a virtual server. Changing the platform of a virtual server is very easy and thus within a few hours, you get such improved performance.
The virtual server has this big advantage that it minimizes the re-installation and reconfiguration of systems to be migrated.
Downtime is also reduced a lot.
What does your Company Need?
Apart from having so many advantages, it depends on the type of company. As different type of organizations has their own needs and their other implications that are taken into account.
The range of options both cloud and the virtual server provides are quite different. Where cloud has the options as public, private and hybrid cloud, a virtual server has options like a virtual private server on a hosted plan to buying multiple physical servers which shows that virtualized machines have a wider choice.
The companies having in-house expertise and capacity to maintain, virtualization is the best option for them. Also, the companies that are based on software that does not go along so easily with the operating systems used over cloud networks. The organizations that store sensitive information or confidential data should also go with the virtual in-house server.
Cloud Hosting Service have their own set of advantages. Hosting done on a large scale like a cloud is beneficial for small level companies that cannot afford the enterprise-class resources. Hosting your website over a cloud server will lend you a helping hand in competing with big giants in the market. Hence reduces the costs for both hardware and software with unsurpassed scalability and availability.
Concluding by talking about future developments. The whole idea of hosting and servers revolves around virtualization of the network. As the market is maturing day by day but yes there is no development without the speck of challenge. You have to plan for your business keeping a long term plan in your head and should also meet the future demands.
