Thursday, September 29, 2016

Current Event: Servers and Virtualization

While not a new technology, an ongoing and evolving technology is server virtualization. It is the common solution for businesses who need to save money on hardware and IT costs, while still providing all the horsepower needed to run a business. Virtualization is basically running multiple operating systems of a server on one physical machine. This is achieved by creating a virtual hard drive for each virtual machine, and so they each think they are their own computer when they actually run on the same machine. It is extremely useful in a business setting since it means a business doesn't need to buy 10 $2,000 servers, create a backup plan for all 10, and provide power for all 10. Instead, the business can buy one $4000 server, and run 9 more virtually while only having 1 power source and 1 backup plan .

The way that many businesses implement this technology is by careful consideration to see if they even need it. Depending on the size of a business, 1 server may be enough. However, if the size dictates that multiple servers are needed, the business needs to carefully consider the type of hardware that will host the multiple servers. The hardware needs to be high quality and durable, as it will be running nearly every important aspect of the company. Also, a backup system will need to be put into place in case of a disaster. Also, limiting the number of Virtual Machines is always a good idea, since each one sucks up resources just by being on. Plus, it is more organized. Lastly, businesses need to keep on top of security requirements. Software is always being updated to prevent security breaches, and businesses need to have "on-the-ball" network administrators to ensure this happens.

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