How Cloud Computing uses Server Virtualization (Architecture Examples)
How Cloud Computing uses Server Virtualization. Server virtualization is an integral part of enterprises’ modern day IT and cloud infrastructure. It enables the infrastructure to use all the servers in place and saves the wastage of expensive servers. Virtualization has important role in the cloud computing technology. In cloud computing, users share the data present in the clouds like application etc, but with virtualization users can share the Infrastructure.
Cloud computing virtualization is simply the process of creating a virtual server for your cloud. Cloud computing uses server virtualization but also cloud computing virtualization can be used to create any virtual machine. The utilization of servers helps businesses reduce costs and achieve their desired business outcomes effectively.
There’s a lot of information you need to understand before you decide to use server virtualization for your cloud computing.
Before we talk about server virtualization in cloud computing, let’s understand the basics of it.
What is Server Virtualization?
Virtualization in a cloud infrastructure creates a virtual version of servers, storage devices, network resources or operating systems.
Server virtualization, it is the installation of virtual machine managers or virtual machine software on the server system.
Once the load of your server increases and there’s a demand for more servers, you can use server virtualization, where a single physical server is divided into multiple virtual servers that can help streamline the processes.
It’s the type of virtualization in which you mask the server resources. Once the division happens, the new virtual servers are provided with their identity number and processors. Each operates in an isolated way with its operating systems.
The primary server resources are deployed in the sub server resources, which boosts the effectiveness and performance of the infrastructure and minimizes the cost of the servers. Each sub server knows the identity of the central server, which results in reduced energy consumption, easy virtual migration, and reduced infrastructural cost.
In the modern digital era many companies have a significant amount of servers that they don’t use optimally. It results in the wastage of servers.
With server virtualization in enterprise infrastructure, the utilization of servers increases, and it’s highly beneficial for medium or small scale applications.
These were the basics regarding how Cloud Computing uses Server Virtualization.
Types of Virtualization in Cloud Computing
1. Application Virtualization
2. Network Virtualization
3. Desktop Virtualization
4. Storage Virtualization
5. Server Virtualization
6. Data virtualization
Let’s understand different types of server virtualization in cloud computing.
Types of Server Virtualization
There are three types of server virtualization you can use in your cloud computing infrastructure. Let’s understand their nitty gritty elements.
Hypervisor Types
Also Read
The layer between the operating system and hardware is known as a hypervisor. It is responsible for the successful operation of multiple operating systems in a cloud infrastructure.
It can return and dispatch the hardware request, handle queues, and other vital tasks in administering and managing virtual machines. The hypervisor is divided into two parts:
- Type 1 Hypervisor – Bare metal Hypervisor
- Type 2 Hypervisor – Hosted Hypervisor
The bare metal hypervisor manages different hardware resources and is installed on the host hardware. It helps to allocate the hardware resources to the virtual machines.
The type 2 hypervisor is installed on top of the operating system and is used in a non production environment.
Para virtualization
The simulation in confining overhead in software virtualization happens in para virtualization. The para virtualization model is based on the guest operating system, hypervisor, and modified compiled entries for installing virtual machines.
Once the modifications happen, the cloud infrastructure’s performance increases because of the direct communication between the hypervisor and the guest operating system.
Full virtualization
Full virtualization emulates the underlying hardware and is quite the same as para virtualization. The machine operation used by the OS is further used to perform input and output or change the system status.
The operating system that is left unmodified runs on top of the hypervisor because the operations are emulated inside the software. Also, the status codes are delivered similarly to the real hardware.
Architecture of Server Virtualization
The architecture is Hypervisor based. The hypervisor isolates the operating systems and applications from the underlying computer hardware The machine runs on 1 or several virtual machines. Users share the physical resources, like memory space.
Virtualization in Cloud Computing
The image below illustrates how the Virtualization works in Cloud Computing.
The basic principle of working server virtualization in a cloud computing infrastructure is that every virtual server performs as a unique physical server space that runs its operating system.
Software designed towards achieving the desired principle is used, and the administrator in the software is responsible for converting one physical server into multiple virtual servers.
The multiple virtual servers are responsible for using machine processing power so that there’s no wastage in your enterprise infrastructure.
The CPU can complete multiple complicated tasks that work with multiple processors seamlessly. Most virtual servers use a small portion of the overall capacity and dedicate their usage to perform a specific task better and more effectively.
With the increase in the cloud computing network, the complexity of the server also increases, and it becomes a bit difficult to use server virtualization.
You can use server virtualization for web applications and provide your clients with web hosting services at affordable prices. In web server hosting, the requirement for a separate computer is eliminated as a single web server can handle the work due to its significant amount of virtual servers.
Now that we understand the working of server virtualization in a cloud computing infrastructure, a single web server can handle the work. Let’s see why you need to use server virtualization for your enterprise.
Benefits of Server Virtualization
Higher Server Capability
You can move the workload to a virtual machine if the load on the physical server increases. It enables you to address sophisticated issues on time, and it uses special software used for the conversion process to simplify things for businesses.
Cheaper Operational Cost
It allows you to manage and use your server resources effectively and efficiently. Server virtualization helps you eliminate high hardware costs and divide the workload into different virtual servers to improve the network’s performance to solve a dedicated task.
Different virtual servers act as individual devices that can operate their operating system and work in isolation. A single web server can handle the work.
Cost effective
You can save the cost of physical hardware as the server virtualization divides a single server into multiple virtual servers eliminating the need for physical devices.
The application no longer runs on the physical server as the newly created virtual machines handle the process effectively. The load of the servers decreases. Thus, it minimizes the maintenance cost of the physical servers so that the enterprise can save thousands of dollars.
It helps to increase the life of the physical servers, and you don’t need to purchase new physical machines for improved infrastructure performance.
Fast provisioning and deployment
It takes minutes for the deployment and provisioning process of server virtualization. You can replicate the existing server machine and ensure that all of the system capabilities are utilized with the help of server virtualization.
The administrator in the special software designed especially for server virtualization aids in dividing the physical server into multiple virtual servers and delivers fast deployment and provisioning.
The software is reliable and removes human errors causing discrepancies in the task.
Disaster recovery
The data movement from one server to another is virtually done with complete safety and agility. You can store and retrieve data anywhere and anytime in the virtual space. The downtime is minimized, and the process is completed in minimal time.
There’s less risk of data loss, and you can safely store back your vital information on the virtual cloud servers. The complexity of the virtual servers makes it difficult for hackers to penetrate the ecosystem and harm your organization.
In case of faults in the physical server, your data can be recovered from the virtual servers created by server virtualization.
Boost in productivity
The overpowering number of virtual servers compared to physical servers makes it easy to maintain and work smoothly. The division of server space increases the productivity of your infrastructure, and you can accomplish the different complex tasks with increased efficiency.
You can provision and convert services effectively using multiple tools available in the market to achieve the highest level of productivity with server virtualization.
There are multiple other benefits if you use server virtualization in your cloud computing infrastructure, but we have highlighted the top benefits.
This wraps up our detailed discussion regarding how cloud computing uses server visualization.
How Cloud Computing uses Server Virtualization-Conclusion
Without Server Virtualization, the servers will only use a tiny section of their processing power. So, by having every physical server divided into multiple virtual servers, each virtual server will behave as a unique device. With the ability to create multiple virtual server machines within an ecosystem, server virtualizations can quickly help your business complete complex tasks.
With different virtual machines having the power to run operating systems individually, they can minimize the workload of the physical server and boost the overall performance of the infrastructure. You can save the cost of your operation and maintenance of the servers and still boost your operational power of the ecosystem.
With Cloud Computing Server Virtualization it leads to increased efficiency , reduced energy consumption, easier migration to another server, disaster recovery and quick provisioning. Many companies are investing in server virtualization and in time the need for huge data centers could decline.
Server power consumption and heat output could also decrease, making server utilization not only financially attractive, but also a green initiative. This will result in larger, more efficient computer networks. With significant benefits in the offering, you can use server virtualization to scale and enhance your business to new heights.
