Virtualization is much more than a trend—it’s a transformative tool for business.
Virtualization is a word uttered frequently in the halls at iConvergence, but as we’ve realized, many folks are still unsure of what the technology encompasses and how it can produce positive business outcomes.
The concept of virtualization isn’t new. In fact, it’s been around since the era of mainframe computing. Running two or more operating systems along with their associated applications on a single server as ‘virtual machines’ is a tactic that’s been used in the world of IT for decades.
In the past ten years however, the use of virtualization has exploded. Realizing the benefits this technology can provide in the realm of cost-savings, simplification, and efficiency, a growing list of companies—from the enterprise level down—have begun to hop on the virtual bandwagon.
There are many advantages this technology can provide—here are just 5 of them.
Reduced hardware costs
Most servers housed within a strictly physical environment are vastly underused and employ only a small percentage of their overall capacity. By implementing virtualized server and cloud computing technologies, hardware utilization is increased since one server can contain numerous virtual machines. iConvergence customers who have implemented a virtualization strategy have reported a significant reduction in hardware and software expenditures.
Improved disaster recovery
The ease with which you can move a virtual server from one machine to another makes the backup of critical data effortless and quick. The majority of enterprise virtualization systems include software that helps to automate failover in the event of disaster. Furthermore, virtualization makes it easy to test disaster recovery failover. When disaster strikes your data center, you’ve got the infrastructure in place to ensure a speedy and safe recovery with little to no network downtime.
Speedy server provisioning and deployment
Server virtualization speeds up system provisioning and deployment making it possible to clone existing virtual machines in minutes rather than the hours it takes to install a physical server. The efficiency and cost-savings realized by just this one aspect of virtualization makes it an indispensable tool for modern business.
Increased employee productivity
Using fewer physical servers means your team has less to manage and maintain. Network tasks that in the past may have taken days or weeks to complete can now be finished in minutes, leaving your IT staff with time to focus on mission critical responsibilities like implementing new business initiatives and producing positive outcomes.
Significant energy savings
A decrease in physical servers means an overall reduction in hardware spelling out substantial cost-savings for your business. Furthermore, you can sleep well at night knowing that your company has taken steps to reduce energy consumption thereby decreasing its overall carbon footprint and helping our environment.
Virtualization, while not entirely new to the world of information technology, within the last decade has taken large steps forward and is now a mainstream component of many companies overall IT strategy. The benefits this technology can provide when combined with the power of the cloud, should make it an attractive option for every business.
If you’d like to learn how iConvergence could help to produce positive outcomes for your business through virtualization get in touch or leave a comment below.