virtualization

virtualizationis a process that creates multiple simulated computing environments from a single pool of physical system resources. This process is typically used to run multiple operating systems simultaneously on the same hardware system.

Hardware and software are independent of each other

With virtualization, resources that were once only available in physical form (such as servers, storage devices, or desktop systems) can be abstracted into digital form. This technology makes physical hardware independent of the software running on it. This can improve the efficient utilization of hardware resources by splitting the resources of a large system into smaller, more efficient, and easier to share multiple parts. These parts can then be allocated to multiple different applications and users with different needs through virtual machines (VMs). One of the most common uses of this technology is to run applications that can only be run by other operating systems, but without the need for a specific hardware system.

Breaking the dependence and limitations on physical hardware

Virtualization also eliminates the dependence on any single piece of hardware, thus providing greater flexibility and control. Applications running on VMs have access to the same hardware and software resources as when running on a dedicated machine. However, even though they may be running on the same host system, each VM is in isolation, which provides further security for other VMs as well as the host.

History of Virtualization

The history of virtualization dates back to the mainframe era of the 1960s, when these massive pieces of hardware could only handle one process at a time. Gradually, customers began to demand that these major investments support more than one user or process at a time, and in the late 1960s, IBM developed the CP-67 operating system, an early virtual machine monitor that introduced virtual memory to the company's System 360 server line. Other solutions allowing multiple users to use a server at the same time continued to emerge, but the development of virtualization as a niche technology remained stagnant for decades.

In the 1990s, as many organizations were challenged to keep up with single-vendor IT stacks and legacy applications, they recognized the need to more efficiently utilize previously underutilized server resources. Using virtualization technology, they could not only partition their server infrastructure more efficiently, but also run legacy applications on different operating system types and versions. The growth of the Internet has driven the adoption of virtualization because large networks consist of many different types of computers running different operating systems. As the adoption of virtualization has grown in popularity, it has allowed servers to be vendor-agnostic and has laid the groundwork for the growth of cloud computing.

How does virtualization work?

Virtualization is implemented through a software layer called a virtual machine monitor. The software is able to extract resources from the host system - whether it's CPU, GPU, memory, storage, or network bandwidth - and dynamically allocate resources to a number of virtual machines (VMs) running on the system based on incoming resource requests. Each VM runs as a single data file on the host system and can be easily moved from one system to another, even to a cloud environment, and work the same way when turned on again.

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Types of Virtualization

As virtualization technology continues to evolve, it is becoming more widely used.

Server virtualization is the most common application of virtualization technology in the market today. Since servers can handle a large number of tasks, partitioning them so that their components can be used more efficiently for multiple functions across the system can be of great benefit to many organizations.

Storage virtualization consists of a group of servers managed by a virtual storage system. This system manages storage from multiple sources as a single pool of storage, regardless of any hardware differences between host systems. This virtualization application makes it easier to perform backup, archiving and recovery tasks.

Application virtualization separates the application from the operating system and hardware that runs it. End users typically access virtualized applications on thin clients, while the applications themselves run on data center servers connected via the Internet. This can make it easier to run applications that require older versions of operating systems without risking other system resources.

Desktop virtualization, also known as virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), is the process of mirroring a user's desktop environment and "replicating" it into a software-based system that can be accessed remotely over the Internet. All elements of the physical workspace are stored on the server so that the end user has a similar experience regardless of the device being used. All user data and programs reside on the host server, not on the end-user's device.

Network virtualization separates the virtual network from its underlying hardware. Virtual switches handle all the management of the network. With network virtualization, administrators can more easily configure and allocate resources, resulting in better, more consistent network performance.

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Common Uses of Virtualization

Whether it's a small or medium-sized business or a large enterprise, any size business can benefit from virtualization. While it may seem very complicated to get started initially, the long-term benefits of virtualization are worth the investment.

Virtualization helps businesses utilize their IT infrastructure more efficiently. Multiple VMs or VDIs can be hosted on a single piece of server hardware, which not only cuts down on the cost of underutilized hardware, but also reduces energy and cooling costs. In addition, with less hardware on hand, maintenance and asset lifecycle management become easier.

Server virtualization is critical for many companies with an increasing number of remote or mixed work environments. With VDI, Remote Desktop Services (RDS), virtual desktops and similar technologies, workers can stay productive with reliable performance and easy access to the files and data they need to do their jobs.

Disaster recovery (DR) is another common use of virtualization. Backing up VM files on a limited number of servers takes much less time than backing up data on a large number of dedicated machines. In addition, using virtualization makes it easier to move data to other physical machines in the event of a hardware failure or other disaster.

In software or application development, virtualization reduces costs and simplifies the process of providing new resources to the development team. Not only can new VMs be started quickly, but they are independent of the underlying infrastructure and other VM instances on the same host. In this way, any problems in the development environment do not impact the rest of the system.

The security benefits of virtual machines extend beyond the development and testing process. To access suspicious files or data, you can run the required applications in an isolated environment or "sandbox", which minimizes the use of system resources and storage. Separating software and applications from each other in this way helps prevent malware or other threats from spreading through the system.

HPE Virtualization Solutions

Avoiding application disruption and downtime issues is a huge challenge for organizations adopting virtual infrastructures.HPE Infosight from HPE offers several support options for virtual machines.HPE InfoSight leverages cloud-based machine learning to diagnose root causes and recommend appropriate remedies through application- and resource-centric models to optimize VM performance. This AI-enabled autonomous operation uses VM- and data-centric analytics to promote deeper understanding of systems, thereby eliminating subjective guesswork.

Enhance the agility, reliability and scalability of Tier 1 and business-critical applications. HPE's storage infrastructure delivers the unique performance, integration, management and availability required for server virtualization deployments. with a modern architecture designed for virtualization and solutions for virtual environments of any size, HPE storage optimizes virtual machine density and storage efficiency while simplifying administrative tasks.

HPE SimpliVity systems are enterprise-class hyperconverged platforms that accelerate application performance, improve efficiency and resiliency, and back up/restore VMs in seconds. HPE Nimble Storage dHCI delivers an intelligent platform for business-critical applications, combining the simplicity of HCI with the flexibility of a converged infrastructure, and HPE Primera provides the world's most HPE Primera provides the world's most intelligent storage for business-critical applications, delivering superior resiliency and performance with cloud-like agility.

HPE also offers intelligent cloud and storage solutions for virtual machines as a service. HPE GreenLake brings together the edge, the cloud and the datacenter so that you can enjoy the cloud experience using your local infrastructure. HPE GreenLake delivers the solutions you need for your virtual machine infrastructure, built on a modular building block of industry-leading HPE hardware and supporting software and services. HPE GreenLake provides the solutions you need for your virtual machine infrastructure, built on a modular building block of industry-leading HPE hardware and supporting software and services. Solutions are available in a variety of configurations designed to meet the needs of a wide range of workloads. For enterprise users with high-volume, high-complexity requirements, HPE GreenLake Private Cloud Services is an HPE-managed, on-premise private cloud experience that delivers superior DevOps performance with a few simple clicks.