Virtualization is the creation of a virtual (rather thanactual) version of something, such as an operating system, a server, a storagedevice or network resources. Virtualization is a computing technology thatenables a single user to access multiple physical devices. This paradigmmanifests itself as a single computer controlling multiple machines, or oneoperating system utilizing multiple computers to analyze a database.Virtualization is about creating an information technology infrastructure thatleverages networking and shared physical IT assets to reduce or eliminate theneed for physical computing devices dedicated to specialized tasks or systems.
Cloud computing is a style of computing in which dynamicallyscalable and often virtualized resources are provided as a service over theInternet. Through cloud computing, a world-class data center service andcolocation provider such as Consonus offers managed IT services through ahosted or "Software as a Service" model. A server or database can bephysically located in a highly-secure, remote location while the data isaccessed from a client's computer, using the database's server to retrieve,sort, and analyze the data. This arrangement eliminates the need for a costlyin-house IT department and hardware and the associated capital expense.Instead, a cloud computing provider owns the hardware while providing hosted,managed services to its clients on a usage basis. Cloud computing generallyutilizes virtualized IT resources such as networks, servers, and computingdevices.
Virtualization Paradigm
Virtualization comes in many types, all focusing on controland usage schemes that emphasize efficiency. This efficiency is seen as asingle terminal being able to run multiple machines, or a single task runningover multiple computers via idle computing power. Virtualization is also seenin a central computer hosting an application to multiple users, preventing theneed for that software to be repeatedly installed on each terminal. Data fromdifferent hard drives, USB drives, and databases can be coalesced into acentral location, both increasing accessibility and security throughreplication. Physical computer networks can be split into multiple virtualnetworks, allowing a company's central IT resources to service every departmentwith individual local area networks.
A computing device dedicated to individual members of staffor allocated to one specialized software application is highly inefficient, notto mention expensive. Just as the industrial revolution blossomed when peoplerealized one water wheel could run multiple textile looms, so can today's high-poweredcomputers run multiple processes. Virtualization is an approach toconsolidating technology resources for improved efficiency and the elimination ofredundancy by leveraging every opportunity to utilize idle resources and findplaces where multiple processes can be run at one time.
Cloud Computing
The widespread availability of cheap computing power inbusiness and in homes has created the next advance in information technology.With all of the spare computing devices available, the time has come where theneed for a business to own their own central server and database can beconsidered an obsolete notion.
By not locating a server or database in-house, data centerservices can be obtain from an IT server provider that has invested indeveloping world-class IT infrastructures that are secure, resilient, androbust. The entire capital expenditure of a state-of-the-art server room can beavoided while obtaining those services on a usage basis. Managed IT Servicefees are similar to or less than the operating costs of an in-house data centersolution. With the potential to completely avoid capital costs and eliminateany increases in operating costs, cloud computing is an extremely attractiveoption.
This cost savings is possible thanks to the leverage ofefficiencies. A typical IT department is created to service the peak usageneeds of a company. However, the vast majority of the time, that potential sitsidle. Most servers are not operational outside of business hours and when theyare in use, they rarely operate at 100% of their capabilities. Data centerservices provided by a third party are in dynamic use. Powerful computingresources and robust hosted, managed services become available 24x7x365. Thisfluid scaling of computing resources allows each client to utilize thoseresources at a competitive price.
A key advantage of Virtualization and Cloud Computing is asignificant improvement in security, availability, and data protection. Adecentralized IT infrastructure managed by an IT service provider that iswholly dedicated to its resilience and availability is immune to physical ordata disasters. Replication over multiple systems ensures data backups. Adedicated data center service provider is better able to keep up with thelatest security methods and technology upgrades. Through the provision ofmanaged IT services, all of these benefits are embedded in the cloud computingmodel.
Ultimately cloud computing is about leveraging computingresources to their fullest potential. For the majority of companies outside ofthe technology industry, this means utilizing hosted, managed services ratherthan trying to maintain an in-house system that would ultimately provewasteful. This fits into the virtualization paradigm whereby the efficientutilization of an IT service provider renders unnecessary an in-house ITsolution. Together, they represent the next step in IT infrastructure: reducingcosts while increasing efficiency.
About the Author
Steve Bulmer is CTO and an author for Consonus, a solutionsprovider of data centerservices, IT consulting and infrastructure and managed services. Consonusoffers
Source:goarticles.com
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