Virtual machine technology is a concept that should be considered as part of any organization’s strategy. Benefits of adopting this technology include the potential to reduce operational costs, increase IT capabilities, improve reliability and flexibility, and give IT staff greater control to respond to increasing demand.
It is important to familiarize yourself with the advantages and processes of virtual machine technology prior to implementation. Failure to do so may result in significant delays to IT projects and financial losses. Although virtual machine technology can appear complex at first, many users find it to be less complicated than they had initially thought. This is dependent on the specific technology chosen.
For starters, let’s define the concept of “virtual machine technology.”
The initial step is to tackle the most essential problem. Technology created for Virtual Machines allows your IT team to establish virtual machines. These VMs function within a host environment.
As an example, a server equipped with a virtual machine platform can host numerous guests via the virtual machine management software, such as Linux. The host system must be capable of supporting the desired number of guests for this to be possible. In this scenario, the host system is running Windows server and the virtual machine management solution is deployed on it.
The key financial benefit of using virtual machines should be clear. Utilizing a single computer to run multiple operating systems, as opposed to purchasing individual machines for each, can lead to considerable cost savings. This is one of the major advantages of virtual machines.
Next, we need to know what kind of technology is employed to set up those virtual machines.
Hypervisor — what does that term mean?
The software that controls and manages virtual machines is called a hypervisor. The two most common kinds of hypervisors are:
- Type 1 hypervisors, often known as bare metal hypervisors, do not need a full-fledged operating system to function.
- The second kind of hypervisor, known as a hosted hypervisor, runs inside an existing operating system.
All hypervisors have their own benefits and drawbacks. A Type 1 Hypervisor, which does not require a conventional operating system, can free up extra system resources for use by virtual machines. Whilst Type 1 Hypervisors can be complex, Type 2 Hypervisors are much easier to use.
The final decision of which type of hypervisor to use will depend on the processing power of the host server, the resource requirements for the virtual machines, and the technical expertise of your IT team in managing the more advanced Type 1 Hypervisor.
Hypervisors of the Type 1 Kind
There are a number of good choices to be made if you decide to take the Type 1 way.
Utilizing ESX/ESXi on VMware vSphere
VMware vSphere with ESX/ESXi is a renowned example of a Type 1 Hypervisor. Over the years, VMware has been at the forefront of virtual machines. Their offerings are of a commercial grade and competitively priced. vSphere has a number of features, such as a reduced footprint, improved security, the capacity to build hosts with up to 128 vCPUs and 6 TB of RAM, role-based access, comprehensive logging and auditing, and support for a wide variety of OEM hardware.
KVM
KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) is a comprehensive virtualisation solution for Linux on x86 hardware that requires virtualisation extensions such as Intel VT or AMD-V to work. As a free and open-source alternative to VMware, KVM offers a range of features including live migration, scheduling, resource management, kernel samepage merging, CPU hotplug support and nested guest capabilities.
Virtualization Software Developed by Microsoft.
Microsoft Hyper-V is a widely-used Type 1 Hypervisor, and is highly regarded, despite the absence of some features found in VMware. If you wish to benefit from a no-cost option, then this is available, however, if you require the additional graphical user interface and advanced features, such as live migration and dynamic memory, then you will need to purchase a license.
Virtual Machine Managers (VMMs) of Type 2
Type 2 hypervisors are becoming increasingly popular at lower levels of the IT infrastructure, due to their user-friendly nature and ability to be installed and run like any other programme. Below are some of the most commonly used Type 2 Hypervisors.
VirtualBox for Oracle VM
Oracle’s VirtualBox is a free and open-source virtualisation platform that can be used to host an array of guest virtual machines. It is an ideal solution for both individual engineers and small businesses working with virtual machines on a local area network (LAN) due to its features such as PXE Network boot, snapshots, virtual networks and cloning, allowing for guests with up to 32 vCPUs.
Microsoft Virtual PC
VMware Workstation Pro is a Type 2 Hypervisor offered by the company. This solution facilitates easy migration of desktop virtualisation solutions onto the cloud, with its cutting-edge capabilities and seamless integration with VMware vSphere.
Software for Creating Multiple Desktops at Once
Parallels Desktop may be the ideal solution if you require virtual machine technology for a development environment or if you wish to run multiple operating systems simultaneously on macOS. Parallels has been updated to support the latest hardware, including Apple’s M1 processor. With Parallels, you can switch between two different OSes without any disruption on your Mac. The Parallels platform enables the creation of Windows and Linux virtual machines.
Conclusion
Ultimately, it is down to your own needs to decide which type of hypervisor is best for you. If speed is of the utmost importance, then a Type 1 hypervisor such as VMware vSphere or KVM may be the best option. If user friendliness is key, then opting for a Type 2 hypervisor, such as VMware Workstation Pro or Oracle VM VirtualBox, may be the way forward. It is important to make an informed decision in order to avoid wasting both time and money.
