When it concerns data center operations there’s plenty to take into consideration. From the physical infrastructure, to software abstraction, to hardware optimization and more there’s a vast variety of factors that can affect business performance and overall productivity.
Virtualization of data centers is a way to make things simpler. Virtualization enables IT administrators to configure and provision IT resources at any time, something that would not be possible without technology. The automation does more than speed processes, but also helps ensure that policies are consistently enforced and that the proper configurations are in place.
Virtualization is the process of combining servers, storage devices and networking equipment to create a system where multiple IT functions run on the same server. By doing this, you can optimize the use of servers and cut down on hardware costs. Furthermore the ability to adjust dynamically the allocation of resources improves scalability, eliminating capacity that is under utilized.
Another benefit of virtualization is the ease with which you can implement new IT services and applications. Installing a virtual machine takes a few minutes as opposed to the days and hours it would take to configure hardware. This flexibility lets businesses quickly adapt to market demands and gain competitive edge.
IT administrators must still be aware that a hyper-virtualized data center is not without risks. For instance, if IT departments are too relaxed about the creation of new VMs and VMs, it could lead to VM sprawl. This use-up of hardware and resources can result in performance degradation cost increases, and a variety of attacks.
