Virtualization is one of those technology buzzwords that actually lives up to its hype. It not only  “greens” your data center by saving energy and space, it saves you green on your monthly bills. Let’s talk about the basics: what virtualization is, how to make it work for your company, and how to get started.   

What is virtualization?

Virtualization is a way of running multiple “virtual” operating systems on just a single computer. It emulates a computer/server by using software that creates a “virtual machine.” Each of these virtual machines (VM) can be a separate OS environment—for instance, one for Linux, one for Mac, one for Windows Server, and so on. Multiple VMs allows several operating systems to run simultaneously on a single physical machine. In other words, it allows you to consolidate and reduce the amount of hardware you need. If your data center currently has several servers running concurrently even servers running multiple operating systems there is a good chance you could virtualize each of them onto a single server with the right tools.  

Good for you, good for the environment.

Why would you want to virtualize? Well, the advantages are numerous. First, you’ll save physical space in your data center and maximize your hardware investment. Suddenly there might even be room for your IT technician to work in there! More importantly, reducing the number of servers reduces energy costs—not only powering the servers, but also cooling the room. Many businesses can save 80-percent off their electricity bill, although this number depends on your current setup and how many servers you have running at the moment. According to leading supplier of virtualization solutions, for every server virtualized you save about 7,000 kilowatt-hours, or four tons of CO₂ emissions every year.  The bottom line here is that less hardware means less energy used saving the environment and your wallet from losing valuable resources.
   

Is virtualization the answer for all my computers?

No, unfortunately virtualization is not a panacea for all computing environments. As you’ve learned, virtualization is primarily aimed at saving you money and maintenance on your server infrastructure or data center—not your everyday desktops and laptops in the bullpen. It is the perfect solution for applications that reside remotely, and for server clusters already in use, or which you are considering expanding. For many businesses, there is a lot of money to save in going green.
   

Getting started with virtualization. 

DataSource is offering a free webinar to go over the basics of virtualization with one of our technology experts skilled in the leading virtualization solutions from industry leaders like Microsoft. It’s probably the fastest way to get an overview of the technology and decide whether virtualization can meet your company’s cost-saving goals.   

Sign up for one of these upcoming webinars:

06/03 at 10:30AM (PST)

06/17 at 2:30PM (PST)

06/29 at 10AM (PST)

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