Virtualisation for Business & Education
A hybrid network combines the established physically centred network and the new virtual or logical environment
What is Virtualisation?
Virtualisation is a computing technology that simulates hardware functionality to create software-based IT services like applications, servers, storage and networks. By creating a virtual version of a resource or device from one computer system, virtualisation enables you to maximize the efficiency of computer hardware resources.
Different types of Virtualisations
Server Virtualisation
Server virtualisation enables multiple operating systems to run on a single physical server as highly efficient virtual machines.
Key benefits include:
Greater IT efficiencies
Reduced operating costs
Faster workload deployment
Increased application performance
Higher server availability
Eliminated server sprawl and complexity
Network Virtualisation
Network virtualisation allows applications to run by completely reproducing a physical network. The virtual network can run with greater operational benefits and all the hardware independencies of virtualisation.
Network virtualisation presents logical networking devices and services to connected workloads. This includes logical ports, switches, routers, firewalls, load balancers, VPNs and more.
Desktop Virtualisation
Deploying desktops as a managed service enables IT organisations to respond faster to changing workplace needs and emerging opportunities. Virtualised desktops and applications can be quickly and easily delivered to branch offices, outsourced and offshore employees, and mobile workers using iPad and Android tablets.
Storage virtualisation
Storage virtualisation is when the physical storage from multiple devices on a network is pooled together in a unified virtual storage device that’s managed from a central console. To virtualise storage, you need virtualisation software that can identify available capacity from physical devices and aggregate that capacity together in a virtual environment. For end users, virtual storage looks like a standard physical hard drive.
Virtual storage is an important component in IT strategy like hyper-converged infrastructure and allows IT administrators to streamline storage activities like backup, archiving, and recovery.
Virtualisation vs. Cloud Computing
Although equally buzz-worthy technologies, virtualisation and cloud computing are not interchangeable.
Virtualisation is software that makes computing environments independent of physical infrastructure, while cloud computing is a service that delivers shared computing resources (software and/or data) on demand via the Internet.
To manage these complementary solutions, we would recommend organisations begin by virtualising their servers and then move to cloud computing for even greater agility and self-service.
