Server Virtualization Explained: Types & Tools
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ScribdTranslationsServer Virtualization Explained: Types & Tools
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ScribdTranslationsWhat is server virtualization?
Virtualization is the process of creating a virtual (logically isolated) form of a
computer environment. There are different types of virtualization - virtualization of
["servers","application virtualization","storage virtualization","data virtualization"]
the virtualization of workstations and the virtualization of the network, which help to increase
efficiency and profitability. Traditionally, servers could only run a single
application and a single operating system, which led to a very resource usage
ineffective. With the help of virtualization technology, several applications and systems
operations can be executed on a single server, thus increasing the overall efficiency of
system
What is a virtual machine?
A virtual machine (VM) typically uses the physical hardware of the host, such as the
processor, the disk I/O and network adapters. The hypervisor, the layer between the spheres
physical and virtual, is the foundational core of any virtual infrastructure. It manages the resources
material of the host machine and it is his responsibility to allocate them efficiently between
different virtual machines (VMs).
Virtualization offers many advantages that help virtual machines to gain
terrain. It increases operational efficiency, agility, and scalability of IT, improves utilization of
resources and allows for considerable savings.
He helps businesses save on OPEX and CAPEX, reduce downtime, and ensure the
continuity of activities and recovery after disaster and to provision resources more quickly and
the applications.
Comparison of different server virtualization software
Microsoft Hyper-V, VMware vSphere, Citrix XenServer and Red Hat's KVM are the main ones.
open source hypervisors that have taken the virtualization market by storm. Companies have
often struggle to choose the best hypervisor that can perfectly complement their activity.
This article on the comparison of virtualization platforms - KVM vs Xen vs vSphere vs Hyper-V
should help IT decision-makers and end-users to select the best software
server virtualization for them.
The software has been sorted in alphabetical order by the names of their suppliers.
Citrix Xenserver
XenServer est un produit open source de Citrix, basé sur Xen Project Hypervisor. Il s’agit d’une plate-
form of virtualization without operating system with enterprise-level features that
can easily manage workloads, combined operating systems and the
network configurations. XenServer offers application performance for x86 workloads
in Intel and AMD environments.
It can respond to XenApp and XenDesktop deployments, and provide clients with graphs
enhanced virtualization with NVIDIA and Intel. XenServer services allow multiple systems
information systems to run on the same computer hardware.
Functionality
Multi-server management
Dynamic memory management
Live VM Migration
Site recovery
Protection against host failures
Active Directory Integration
Virtualization GPU
Microsoft Hyper-V
Hyper-V, also known as Windows Server Virtualization, is a system
ofvirtualizationbased on ahypervisor64 bits of the Windows Server 2012 version. It
allows a physical server to become a hypervisor and thus manage and host machines
commonly referred to as VMs (Virtual machines). Thanks to this technology, it is
It is possible to virtually run multiple operating systems on the same machine.
physical and thus isolate these operating systems from each other. The resources of
the hypervisor is then pooled for different VMs, which presents an interest
economical because previously it was necessary to consider a physical machine per server. Thanks to the
current virtualization technologies can reduce your costs, increase your
agility and achieve economies of scale. You can use Hyper-V as a product
autonomous or as an integral part of Windows Server.
With Hyper-V, it is also possible to run multiple instances simultaneously and efficiently.
Operating systems running in parallel on a single physical server (Windows, Linux, and others).
Windows Server 2012 broadens its capabilities with a wide range of features, a more
great scalability and other integrated reliability mechanisms.
Functionality
Scalability, performance, and density
Secure multi-client platform
Flexible infrastructure
High availability and resilience
KMV
KVM, Kernel Virtual Machine, has been integrated since kernel 2.6.20 and allows for virtualization.
material and therefore an acceleration of the virtualization of operating systems. It's a
optimized system for server virtualization. To virtualize systems of the type
on desktop, one can prefer virtualbox. KVM indeed seems to be more efficient in
CPU consumption but slower for graphics device emulation.
The use of a virtualized desktop in VirtualBox will therefore provide a better
impression on the user. However, you may still prefer KVM for its better
compatibility with old or unpopular operating systems. Nevertheless, KVM
is completely free, high-performing, and very easy to install and use. The graphical interface
virt-manager will help set up KVM and will make life easier for
network administrators. But you cannot use KVM at the same time as
VirtualBox. You will indeed need to close KVM to use VirtualBox and vice versa. Or
disable processor virtualization support in VirtualBox
Functionality
Evolutivity.
Limitation of disk I/O.
Hot connection of virtual resources.
Low-cost virtualization solution.
Live migration and storage migration.
Assign any PCI device to the virtual machines.
Container support.
Red Hat Satellite Integration.
VMware vSphere
VMware vSphere is a suite of server virtualization products that includes layers
of virtualization, management and interface. It includes the following basic components: the services
infrastructure, including VMware vCompute, vStorage and vNetwork; application services; vCenter
Server - single point of control over data center services; and clients who can
Access the data center via vSphere Client or via a web browser
Characteristics and components:
It extracts memory, processors, storage, and other resources from multiple
virtual machines.
VM File System: cluster file system for virtual machines.
Virtual SMP: allows a single virtual machine to use multiple physical processors
at the same time.
High availability: if a server fails, the VM is moved to another server
with a reserve capacity to allow for the continuity of activities.
Fault tolerance: generates a copy of the primary virtual machine to ensure its
continuous availability.
Distributed Switch (VDS): covers multiple ESXi hosts and allows for a reduction
considerable maintenance activities of the network and increases the capacity of the network.
Control of network and storage I/O.
Hot-add CPU and RAM resources
Comparison of hypervisors: KVM vs Hyper-V vs XenServer vs vSphere
Functionality Windows Hyper-V vSphere XenServer KVM
RAM/host 24TB 12TB 5TB 12TB
RAM/VM 12 TB for 6TB 1.5TB 6TB
generation 2
1 TB for
generation 1
CPUs/VM 240 for 128 32 240
generation 2
64 for generation
1
VM disk 64 TB for vhdx 62TB 2TB 10TB
2040 GB for VHD
format
VM live migration Yes Yes Yes Yes
VM replication Yes Yes Yes Yes
support
Overcommit No Yes No Yes
resources
Disk I/O throttling Yes Yes Yes Yes
Hot plug of yes Yes Yes Yes
virtual resources
