Most software applications are run on their own server or servers in order to protect them from unwanted interactions from other applications, with the increased capabilities of modern servers this leaves systems running at a fraction of their capabilities with utilisation of some systems below 10%. Server virtualisation technology allows users to pool computing, storage and other resources across several different hardware platforms so they are used more efficiently, consolidation of numerous operating systems on to the one hardware system.
The clear market leader in the Intel server environment is VMware (now an EMC company) although there are numerous other virtual technology partners who can provide similar technologies
Some of the benefits of virtualising your environment;
- Increase hardware utilisation and reduce hardware requirements with server consolidation
- Reduce required datacenter rack space, reduce power and cooling,
- Increased hardware utilisation
- Decreased operating cost
- Improve application availability and business continuity independent of hardware and operating systems.
- Improve responsiveness to business needs with instant provisioning and dynamic optimisation of application environments.