How virtual machines can benefit your business
Virtual machines are a tool that even small businesses can make good use of, here’s what you need to know.
Server virtualisation is how a server divides its resources to meet the varied needs of its user base. The server’s processor cores, RAM, storage and other hardware resources are divided into several virtual – and completely isolated – containers. These containers – or guests – effectively convert your single server into two or more separate machines. Each guest can then provide specific services, from hosting a company’s website or email server to providing virtual desktop infrastructure across your entire company. Most servers run Microsoft’s Windows Server, which employs a specific type of virtualisation: Hyper-V. This is a form of hypervisor, a function that isolates operating systems and applications from the underlying hardware. Hyper-V allows entire computers to be emulated in separate containers known as virtual machines and, thanks to the extra resources provided by high-end servers like ASUS’s RS520-E9-RS12-E, makes it possible to run a wide range of different applications and services from a single piece of hardware. Benefits of virtualisation There are numerous ways in which virtualisation is great for businesses. The first is the efficient use of hardware. Instead of investing in separate PCs for different tasks, you can save both energy and floorspace by investing in fewer, more powerful computers, each capable of handling multiple tasks simultaneously. Virtualisation is also a smart move if you’re looking to move into – or expand existing – private cloud infrastructure. Thanks to the way you can easily adjust and expand virtual setups, it can grow or shrink alongside demand. If you adopt ASUS’s Azure Stack HCI offering, you can also plug into Azure cloud services when required.
Another potentially game-changing use for virtual environments is to move some, or all of your workforce over to a VDI (virtual desktop infrastructure) environment. Simply deploy both Hyper-V and a RD Virtualization Host on the same server, and you’ll be able to transition colleagues to thin clients, with all the associated benefits they provide. Hyper-V can also help reduce the impact of downtime – whether scheduled or unexpected. This is achieved by snapshotting, whereby an entire VM’s memory space can be saved to disk in seconds without impacting on performance. It makes it easier and quicker to recover in the event of disaster, reducing potentially damaging interruptions. Virtualisation also comes with security safeguards in place – each virtual machine is placed in its own so-called ‘sandbox’, which keeps it completely isolated from other VMs and the server’s base hardware. If one VM becomes compromised or develops a problem, it can’t spread to other virtual machines. There’s one final benefit to consider: virtual machines aid development, testing and maintenance. They do this by making it easy to emulate different hardware setups without having to invest in actual physical systems. Key requirements To make the most of virtualisation’s flexible nature, look to invest in a scalable system that can easily grow with your needs. Take the ASUS Azure Stack HCI, the RS520-E9-RS12-E system, for example. It’s designed to expand over time as you add additional services or find that existing ones need more hardware resources. The RS520 can support two Intel Xeon Scalable processors offering up to 56 cores in total, 2TB RAM, plenty of storage, dual-port 25GB Ethernet, fast PCI-E expansion for graphics plus other high-end add-ons. So, if the idea of virtualisation appeals, ASUS Azure Stack HCI has you covered from all angles – not just now, but well into the future too. Click here to find out more about how virtualisation can benefit your business
