Virtualization
There are many benefits to consolidating the number of Windows servers in your environment by taking advantage of the many different server and desktop virtualization products. These include:
- Lower number of physical servers - By using virtualization, one physical server can logically hold multiple servers (Multiple operating systems contained within one piece of hardware). Not only does this allow for less hardware maintenance and overhead, but allows you to allocate resources based on your companies needs.
- By implementing a server virtualization, you can increase the space utilization efficiency within your company. Servers that are capable of running virtualization can be as small as a DVD player. Mounting these types of servers on a rack can drastically reduce the amount of space that multiple tower servers can take up.
- By having each application within its own "virtual server" you can prevent one application from impacting another application when upgrades or changes are made. Along with this, if you have a custom application that can only run on an older operating system, server virtualization can help consolidate your servers so you won't have to keep the older server around. You can deploy multiple operating system technologies on a single hardware platform (i.e. Windows Server 2003, Linux, Windows 2000, etc).
- You can develop a standard virtual server build that can be easily duplicated which will speed up server deployment, allow for load balancing between servers, applications, and provide fault tolerance for your data and applications. Virtual servers are a great addition to any disaster recovery plan.
By taking advantage of server virtualization you can easily improve the efficiency of your company, as well as lower your cost of ownership.
