What type of virtualisation is best for optimising your IT resources?

What type of virtualisation is right for your company? Given the many benefits of virtualisation, the issue of virtualisation in business is more than relevant.

This IT technique, which enables a virtual version of physical machines and associated resources to be created and run, is winning over more and more professionals. Over the years, it has emerged as a guarantee of flexibility, reduced costs and fewer hardware constraints.

But what is virtualisation really all about? And, above all, shouldn't we be using the term in the plural and talking about virtualisations, to encompass the various variations associated with the process?

To help you see things more clearly, and identify the solutions best suited to your needs, this article details and presents the advantages of the different types of virtualisation most commonly encountered.

But first, a quick look at the precise definition and benefits of the virtualisation concept.

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Definition and principle of virtualisation

According to the most common definition :

Virtualisation is an IT mechanism that involves running several systems, servers or applications on a single physical server.

In other words, thanks to virtualisation technology, several systems, initially running on different physical environments, run and coexist on a single machine.

To achieve this, software is used to create a virtual representation of the resources and underlying hardware (the physical part of the computing devices) concerned.

This virtualisation of systems is not unlike Cloud Computing or containerisation. However, they are not the same thing.

Virtualisation ≠ Cloud Computing

While Cloud Computing is based on virtualisation, the two concepts differ:

• virtualisation allows IT environments to be uncoupled from their machines;
• Cloud Computing involves hosting and operating data on remote servers, via the internet network.

Virtual machines ≠ containers

The concept of a container is also often likened to that of virtualisation. But once again, there are differences.

As its name suggests, a virtual machine is the virtual imitation of a computing device created, in the context of virtualisation, using hypervisor software, and equipped with a complete operating system (or OS).

Containerisation virtualisation, on the other hand, consists of partitioning directly at operating system level. Each container runs its own environment, but shares the same host OS. This is why containers are generally used to virtualise a program, rather than an entire server.

The benefits of virtualisation

There are a number of advantages to choosing virtualisation for your business:

• lower costs: virtualisation means fewer servers, less space to host them, lower maintenance costs, etc. ;

• energy savings: fewer servers = less digital pollution;

• better use of resources: until now often under-utilised, a company's hardware capacity is greatly optimised thanks to virtualisation;

• Business continuity: in the event of a disaster or interruption, virtualisation facilitates the disaster recovery plan ( DRP).
• greater agility: by freeing you from hardware constraints, virtualisation encourages process flexibility and team mobility.

Convinced by the benefits of introducing and deploying virtualisation within your company?

You should know that there are different levels and types of virtualisation, designed to meet different needs. Let's take a closer look.

The different types of virtualisation

Server virtualisation

Server virtualisation is the first type of virtualisation encountered. This technique involves grouping several virtual servers into a single physical server, using a software layer. Each of the virtual machines created then acts autonomously and in isolation, running its own operating system and applications.

This type of virtualisation is based on the role of the hypervisor, i.e. the software installed on the physical server that manages the various guest OSs.

There are two types of hypervisor:

• Type 1 hypervisor, or bare metal: this operates directly on the hardware, and thus becomes the operating system's control tool. Guest operating systems run on top of this hypervisor.

Examples of type 1 hypervisors: vSphere from VMware, or KVM, the free hypervisor for Linux.

• Type 2 hypervisor, or host metal : this runs inside another operating system.

Example of a type 2 hypervisor: VirtualBox, Open Source software published by Oracle.

💡 Why opt for server virtualisation?

• The number of servers used is reduced, a timely advantage when you consider that in a non-virtualised environment, each server is only used to 15-20% of its capacity ;
• Resources are optimised, and hardware and maintenance costs reduced.

Operating system virtualisation

Operating system virtualisation, sometimes used on a domestic scale, enables several different OSes to be run on the same machine, without interfering with each other.

For example, you can switch from a Windows environment to a Linux environment on the same computer.

These virtualised operating systems also result from the use of a hypervisor, like Hyper-V (also known as Windows Server Virtualisation).

💡 Why opt for operating system virtualisation?

• Thanks to this type of virtualisation, you can launch an application that requires an operating system other than your own, or an earlier version of it ;
• Operating system virtualisation is also a good way of familiarising yourself with an OS that you are not familiar with.

Desktop virtualisation

One of the most popular types of virtualisation used in businesses is desktop virtualisation. This technique reproduces the environment of a computer, so that professionals can access their files and personal applications from any workstation.

This type of virtualisation is made possible by hosting the virtual desktop on a VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) server, which runs the entire desktop environment (operating system and applications). TS2log (an alternative to Citrix) and Virtuel Bureau are good examples of solutions offering this secure access to virtualised desktops.

💡 Why opt for desktop virtualisation?

• Desktop virtualisation offers a great deal of flexibility, particularly in mobile situations ;
• This technique makes it easier to transfer working environments to subcontracted teams ;
• The costs associated with increasing the number of workstations, particularly those associated with software licences, are reduced.

Example of an administration console for a virtualised desktop:

Application virtualisation

Applications are virtualised when they run in an encapsulated form (grouping of raw data) that is independent of the underlying operating system.

Example: using a Linux application on a Windows environment.

💡 Why opt for application virtualisation?

• With this type of virtualisation, use your favourite applications, regardless of the operating system, the device used or the latest update ;
• Run multiple versions of the same application on a single OS;
• As with desktop virtualisation, application virtualisation encourages flexibility and agility, and facilitates mobility.

Storage virtualisation

Storage virtualisation (also known as Software Defined Storage, or virtual SAN ) involves grouping all physical storage devices into a single simulated device. This is managed from a central console.

A solution such as SANsymphony, developed by DataCore, a pioneer in the field, enables a scalable virtualisation layer to be placed on storage infrastructures. In this way, cohabitation between different storage materials is possible.

💡 Why opt for storage system virtualisation?

• Easily group together your different storage technologies, regardless of where they come from (different networks, different data centres, etc.) ;
• Readjust your storage capacities according to your needs and the structural evolution of your business, without requiring too much investment.

Network virtualisation

Network virtualisation is the process of reproducing a physical network and its various components (ports, routers, etc.). Using virtualisation software, this technique enables isolated, partitioned networks to be made available, but operating on a shared infrastructure.

💡 Why opt for network virtualisation?

This type of virtualisation is particularly advantageous for deploying IT infrastructures quickly, and replicating them.

Thanks to the network virtualization module of WhatsUp Gold software, you simply map your virtual environment while monitoring its performance via advanced and customizable features:

• An automatic alert system for your virtual infrastructure based on processor, memory, disk and interface usage thresholds,
• automatic generation of dynamic maps of your Hyper-V and VMware infrastructure in just a few clicks,
• a 360° dashboard view of your wired and wireless network and your physical and virtual servers, so you can quickly assess the health of your entire IT infrastructure, and much more!

See all software Virtualization

The right type of virtualisation for every business

Virtualisation offers proven solutions for improving IT productivity, seizing opportunities and protecting your resources and data. At the same time, we've seen that it can reduce costs, and therefore ultimately increase the value of your business.

But let's make no mistake: a company's virtualisation needs depend on its size, structure and the nature of its business: A small business will see the benefits of desktop or software virtualisation, while server virtualisation will be more appropriate for large accounts.

Have you ever used virtualisation? If so, what software solution have you used? Don't hesitate to give us your feedback in the comments section.