Virtualization demystified: Top 6 benefits

Ever wondered what virtualization is exactly and why it’s viewed as a transformative force in the realm of IT infrastructure?

You’re in the right place! This article will explore the top six benefits of virtualization and provide some straightforward ways to implement it.

How does virtualization work?

Before diving into the numerous benefits of virtualization, it’s crucial to build a solid foundation of understanding regarding what virtualization is and how it works. 

Virtualization, at its most fundamental level, involves creating a layer of abstraction with software that allows a single physical piece of hardware to operate multiple Virtual Machines (VMs) for various purposes. This process effectively decouples the software from the hardware, allowing for a more flexible and efficient use of resources.

VMs are software emulations of physical computers, complete with virtual hardware, operating systems (OS), and applications. Each VM functions independently and can perform operations just like a separate computer, running everything from basic applications to complex programs. This capability allows businesses to consolidate their resources, reducing the need for physical hardware and minimizing their IT footprint.

At the heart of virtualization technology lies the hypervisor – an important software layer that orchestrates the operation of multiple operating systems and applications on a single machine. 

The hypervisor sits between the physical hardware and the virtual machines, dynamically allocating resources to each VM according to need. It ensures that each virtual machine remains isolated from others, maintaining system stability and security across the virtual environment.

“It’s important to remember that virtualization is not a one-size-fits-all technology. It encompasses various types that target different components of IT infrastructure. These include – but are not limited to – server virtualization, network virtualization, and storage virtualization, each designed to optimize specific aspects of the IT environment.”
– Ken Wallace, Product Manager, VMware at Liquid Web

6 key benefits of virtualization

1. Reduced expenses

Virtualization significantly reduces expenses across various facets of an organization’s IT infrastructure by allowing multiple VMs to run on a single piece of physical hardware. This consolidation means businesses can:

• Dramatically decrease the amount of hardware they need to purchase and maintain: Companies can save on the costs associated with housing, securing, and cooling server rooms or data centers.
• Lead to a substantial decrease in energy consumption: With fewer servers to power and cool, companies can see a notable reduction in their energy bills, making virtualization not just a cost-effective choice but an environmentally friendly one as well.

2. Reduced downtime and advanced resiliency

Downtime, or periods when systems are unavailable, can have a crippling effect on operations, directly impacting productivity, revenue, and reputation. 

Hardware systems are particularly vulnerable, with downtime arising from various causes such as hardware failure, maintenance, or software issues. These incidents not only disrupt business but can also be time-consuming and costly to fix and redeploy, exacerbating their impact.

Resilience, in this context, refers to the ability of a system to withstand and quickly recover from disruptions, ensuring continuous operation. Virtualization contributes to resilience in several key ways:

• Facilitates the creation of easily restorable snapshots of VMs: These snapshots can be quickly rolled back to in the event of a failure, significantly reducing recovery time and minimizing downtime. Also, virtualization supports automatic failover mechanisms, where if one VM fails, its tasks are automatically shifted to another without disrupting the overall system operation.
• Enhances server stability: The architecture of virtualized environments inherently improves server resilience. By isolating individual VMs, issues or failures in one VM do not affect others. This isolation ensures that a problem in a single application or operating system instance can be contained, preventing it from causing widespread disruption.
• Simplifies and accelerates the recovery process: Restoring or redeploying a virtual machine is typically much faster and easier than dealing with physical hardware. Copies of virtual machines can be made and moved to different physical servers without the need for complex configurations or setups, making it possible to quickly respond to and recover from hardware failures or other issues that could cause downtime.
• Business continuity: By ensuring that systems can be quickly restored and that failures are isolated, virtualization helps businesses keep their operations running smoothly, even in the face of unexpected disruptions. This level of continuity is crucial for maintaining customer trust and protecting the bottom line, making virtualization an invaluable asset in any modern IT strategy.

3. Increased efficiency

When multiple operating systems and applications run on a single physical machine through virtualization, the maintenance burden is dramatically decreased. Instead of having to individually maintain, update, and secure several physical servers, IT teams can focus their efforts on a much smaller number of physical hosts. This setup:

• Simplifies tasks such as installing updates and security patches and reduces the potential for human error, further enhancing system reliability and stability.
• Allows for a more effective use of hardware resources, as virtual machines can share the underlying physical hardware without interfering with each other. As a result, businesses can achieve higher utilization rates from their hardware investments, avoiding the waste associated with underutilized servers.
• Facilitates the process of scaling IT resources to meet changing demands. Resources such as CPU power, memory, and storage can be dynamically allocated or reallocated among virtual machines, allowing businesses to respond more swiftly to spikes in demand. This flexibility ensures that resources are not lying idle during low-demand periods and that they can be quickly ramped up when needed, without the need for physical interventions or costly hardware acquisitions.

4. Facilitates DevOps

DevOps, a methodology that combines software Development (dev) with information technology operations (ops), aims to shorten the development lifecycle while delivering features, fixes, and updates frequently in close alignment with business objectives. 

Virtualization is a key enabler of this agile methodology, fostering an environment where continuous integration, delivery, and deployment can thrive.

One of the foundational benefits of virtualization within a DevOps context is the creation of standardized environments across the development, testing, and production stages. This consistency eliminates the “it works on my machine” dilemma, where code behaves differently in production than in development due to environmental discrepancies. 

“With virtualization, development teams can replicate production environments closely, ensuring that any tests are valid and reliable indicators of how the software will perform when actually deployed. This uniformity not only reduces bugs and issues but also accelerates the development cycle, making it smoother and more predictable.”
– Ryan MacDonald, Chief Technology Officer at Liquid Web

Additionally, virtualization shines in its ability to facilitate rapid prototyping and speedy deployment of applications. Developers can leverage VMs to quickly spin up or clone environments for testing new features or updates without risking the stability of the production environment. This capability is necessary for maintaining a fast-paced DevOps cycle, allowing for iterative testing and development that doesn’t interfere with the ongoing operations.

The use of virtual environments means that development and operations teams can work in parallel, further shortening the time from concept to deployment. Version control becomes more manageable when each version can be tested in an isolated yet identical environment, ensuring that only fully vetted updates are rolled out.

By allowing developers to clone a virtual machine and run tests on the cloned environment, virtualization ensures that development can proceed rapidly without negatively impacting the production environment. This separation safeguards operational stability and encourages experimentation and innovation, as developers can explore new ideas in a controlled, risk-free setting.

5. Benefit from new technologies

The ecosystem surrounding VMs and virtualization is vibrant and rapidly evolving, with developers and technologists continuously pushing the boundaries to enhance performance, security, and functionality.

For businesses employing virtualization, this means access to cutting-edge technologies and the ability to integrate them seamlessly into their existing infrastructure. Unlike physical hardware, which may require manual upgrades or replacements, virtual machines can be updated, modified, or expanded with far greater ease. 

This software-centric approach ensures that businesses can quickly benefit from the latest software updates, security patches, and performance improvements without the downtime and logistical challenges associated with hardware-centric updates.

The marriage of virtualization and new technologies fosters an environment ripe for innovation. Companies are not only able to keep pace with technological developments but can also experiment with emerging tools and platforms with minimal risk and investment. 

This encourages a culture of innovation, where ideas can be tested and deployed rapidly, further propelling businesses ahead of their competition.

6. Create a greener IT infrastructure

Today, more than ever, businesses are being scrutinized not just for their financial performance but for their impact on the planet and society. Virtualization’s role in creating greener IT infrastructures aligns with global efforts to combat climate change, offering a tangible way for businesses to contribute to these critical objectives. 

As companies increasingly seek to minimize their environmental impact and align with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) objectives, virtualization stands out as a powerful tool in their sustainability arsenal. It enables them to achieve more with less and foster a healthier planet for future generations.

Virtualization directly reduces the total number of servers required for operations, which has a domino effect on energy consumption and carbon emissions. Fewer physical servers mean lower energy requirements for powering and cooling, which are among the primary environmental concerns associated with data center operations. This reduces the carbon footprint of IT infrastructures and makes a direct contribution to environmental sustainability.

Implementing virtualization with Liquid Web

Navigating the intricacies of virtualization can be daunting, especially for organizations without extensive IT expertise. To harness the full potential of virtualization while ensuring a smooth transition, partnering with a specialized service provider is key.

Liquid Web is a leading hosting provider, offering a comprehensive suite of IT solutions tailored to meet the diverse needs of businesses embarking on their virtualization journey. 

Among its offerings, cloud VPS (virtual private server) is a dedicated virtualization solution designed for flexibility and reliability. Operating on a scalable cloud infrastructure, cloud VPS allows businesses to customize their virtual environment to their specific requirements, ensuring they have access to the resources they need when they need them.

Beyond cloud VPS, Liquid Web’s portfolio encompasses a range of virtualization options, from fully managed VPS solutions for those seeking a hands-off approach to unmanaged solutions that provide more control and flexibility to businesses with in-house IT expertise. 

Regardless of the chosen path, all Liquid Web solutions benefit from the latest technological advancements backed by comprehensive support and documentation. Regular updates are a staple, focusing on enhancing security, performance, and overall functionality, ensuring businesses remain competitive.

Capitalize on the benefits of virtualization with Liquid Web

The benefits of virtualization, ranging from significant reductions in IT costs to remarkable improvements in operational efficiency, make it compelling for businesses of all sizes to adopt.

Liquid Web is an exemplary partner with a comprehensive suite of virtualization solutions, including the highly flexible and scalable cloud VPS. By choosing Liquid Web, you’re not just implementing virtualization; you’re setting the stage for a future where your business can thrive in the digital landscape.

Reach out to a Liquid Web representative today and explore how virtualization can transform your business.