Virtualization is the ability to have one server and run several virtual devices such as servers, desktops, routers, webservers and other types of devices or servers inside. There are two leading virtualization platforms, Microsoft Hyper-V and VMWare. Microsoft offers a single server license for the actual hardware server and allows two more virtualized windows servers to be run as part of the original license. VMWare’s pricing is based on the number of CPU’s and is more expensive depending on what options you need.
Virtualization is great for Information Technology disaster recovery and redundancy. Virtual devices or machines can be easily placed on new hardware because virtual machines are hardware independent. It’s possible to cluster hardware so that virtual machines can be automatically migrated when a hardware failure occurs.
Traditionally roles such as file servers, mail servers, and domain controllers each occupy a separate hardware server which makes the cost for ownership high if you wanted an on-premise server farm. With virtualization, as long as there are enough resources available (memory, disk space, CPU power) in the actual hardware server, all those roles can be placed on one server which reduces cost. If you are looking for an IT consulting firm in the Fraser Valley, contact Myriad Information Technology Solutions and an IT consultant can assist you in assessing whether virtualization will benefit your company and save you money while increasing IT efficiency.