Virtualization is a popular technology that optimizes hardware and applications. It can be applied to servers, desktops, software, storage, and networks. The most common applications are server, desktop, and application virtualization, which all maximize resource usage and offer benefits such as reduced management overhead and power consumption. More innovative virtualization solutions are expected in the future.
Virtualization is a hot commodity in the IT world and a technology that enables organizations to get the most out of their hardware and applications. While it is mostly associated with servers, it can be applied in a number of ways. The most common virtualization applications involve servers, desktops and software applications.
Server virtualization is perhaps the most widely recognized of all virtualization applications. This is facilitated by a hypervisor, also known as a virtual machine monitor or virtualization manager. A thin layer of software, a hypervisor partitions a single machine and simulates multiple virtual machines within it. One of the many benefits of this application is optimal hardware utilization, which can result in reduced management overhead and power consumption.
The modern desktop is proof that virtualization applications are not limited to server hardware. In it, the virtualization process involves separating the applications on a desktop from the physical machine, creating a virtual desktop that can usually be accessed by the user on a remote server. The keyboard, mouse, display, and other features of a virtual desktop are usually redirected across a network using one of several remote protocols. The benefits of desktop virtualization include centralized access and management, reduced power consumption, and lower cost of ownership.
Most virtualization applications share common elements, and application virtualization is a prime example of this. This type is quite similar to desktop virtualization due to its ability to separate applications from physical hardware. Likewise, it takes the concept used in servers and applies it to software programs. Application virtualization creates an abstract layer between the operating system and the programs that run within it. This process allows programs to be provided as dynamic services that can be added or removed without being physically installed.
While often associated with computer hardware and software, there are many other applications of virtualization. For example, IT professionals have discovered the benefits of virtual storage, virtual networks, and virtual infrastructure. Though unique in their own way, each application borrows the concept of maximizing resource usage.
The range of virtualization applications reveals that this technology is much more than a server-based concept. It can be applied across a broad range of computing areas, enabling organizations to maximize everything from their desktops and applications, to networks and storage facilities. When you consider the speed with which new virtual solutions are being introduced, it’s safe to assume that more innovative virtualization applications are on the horizon.
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