Migrating to the cloud and leveraging it for improved performance is among today’s most topical issues for business leaders. Although benefits such as reduced resource wastage, near-instant scaling, and much lower computing-related overhead are well known, cloud computing itself is less so.
Since we started helping businesses find this and other solutions in 2008, KPI Analytics Inc. has seen the trend rapidly take hold.
If your business is at the beginning of defining its migration strategy, knowing the types of virtualization in cloud computing will help you understand this move’s full potential for your organization.
Learn more below.
Virtualization means creating an instance of a computer system on a device that is separate from the hardware powering the system.
In other words, it means that a computer uses software to simulate the presence and function of hardware.
At its core, virtualization is having a full-fledged, software-only computer run within your device, but completely powered by a connection to the cloud.
Now, let’s go over the various types of virtualization your business can use.
Physical servers are powerful machines with multiple processors that provide file and application hosting on a computer network. Typically, each server performs a single task within the network.
Once virtualized, each server runs as multiple machines. This makes it possible to allocate processing capabilities for vastly more efficient resource usage.
The browser you’re using to read this, for example, is installed on either your computer or phone. However, if you were running the browser virtually, you’d be using it just the same but without the computing resources coming from the device in your hands.
Instead, a server hosts the application. As a result, it’s possible to access it with full functionality on a different device and continue the same session. That makes for increased portability, use of the application across various operating systems, and fluid performance even on underpowered devices.
Another advantage is that, unlike with some software directly installed on physical devices, employees can run multiple instances of the same application.
Network virtualization combines resources within different physical networks into one consolidated software-based network. Or, this type can create a software network that connects entirely virtual machines.
All available bandwidth splinters into what are known as channels, essentially smaller units of ready-to-use processing power. As network resources increase, even because of a no-notice surge in activity across your business, the network scales computing resources in real-time.
Bringing your computer into the conversation again, you can run it exactly as you’re doing now without critical applications hosted on the device itself. This is true for all employees and computers across your organization.
Simply, a server hosts the entire desktop, rather than a single application. You are, as a result, able to access the whole of your workstation remotely.
Storage virtualization refers to combining multiple physical storage devices into a cluster that your organization’s administrator manages from one device. You and your employees can access the files hosted within on any device, with the only limits being user authorizations within the system.
To you and everyone within your company, the various combined devices appear as one.
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