No more constraints: a single operating system runs on servers, with only fraction in those used or isolated workstations.
From now on, do consolidate several platforms, on which different operating systems run, and also several applications on a single efficient and reliable platform.
From now on, do perform several strategic workloads on unique systems, without any human intervention or without any interruption in other workloads.
From now on make the choice for virtualization / consolidation with reduction of the number of hardware servers necessary for applications:
virtual computer (virtual machine) simulated inside a real computer .
software installed inside a computer, simulation a hardware device running; as that device not normally operating with this computer
creation of several operating environments on a single computer; each of them emulating the host computer
control over the multiplication of servers : launching of software applications within virtual machines, on a very limited number of servers
The advantages are financial:
reduced number for required systems / environments / servers
reduced software licence cost per server
reduced administration and management cost (manpower and technical support)
The advantages are for flexibility and ease of management:
standardization of testing and development procedures for several environments on a single workstation.
cloning possible with quick replication of applications from a virtual machine to another
isolation of operating systems from their applications as well as material resources from the platform
The advantages are for stability and security:
isolation of resources (disk, memory, CPU, even network) specific to each virtual machine operated on a physical server : the crash on an environment does not influence the other
stopping and restarting each virtual machine does not impede the other activities on the server
independent partitions : the errors or the attacks on software are limited to a single virtual machine
|