| Virtualization is a growing technology that allows better control and management of a network. This white paper describes the basic technology and the reasons why a company would want to implement virtualization. |
In today’s ever-changing, complex IT landscape, one topic has been gaining more and more attention with no signs of slowing down: Virtualization. What is virtualization? In its simplest form, virtualization is a technique for masking the physical attributes and characteristics of a computing platform to end users, applications, operating systems, and other computing systems. Generally, virtualization is introduced into 
the IT arena to provide enhancements and improvements to corporate infrastructure, shop floor systems, and control networks.
There are essentially two types of virtualization. One virtualization strategy allows multiple computing platforms to appear as an individual computing platform. A second virtualization strategy allows a single physical computing platform to appear as multiple logical platforms. In today’s environment, neither particular strategy is chosen so much as they both are. Server virtualization has developed to the point that multiple physical systems can be masked together to form a single platform, and then that single platform is sliced into multiple logical systems performing many different functions.
Combining both strategies into a single solution allows for features such as resource pooling and dynamic load balancing. Resource pooling allows the usage of multiple processors, memory, storage space, as well as network connections in a shared environment. For example, if there is a total of four (4) 3.0 GHz processors in two physical systems – when used in a virtual environment, there is a total of 12 GHz available to the system. This 12 GHz can be sliced up accordingly between six (6) virtual machines (VM), or logical systems, running on a physical platform yielding 2.0 GHz of processing power per VM. In addition, multiple physical platforms can be configured to provide a high availability clustered solution for use in critical business environments. Another advantage is the ability to configure, manage, and monitor all of the virtual machines running on a physical platform from a single point. These are just a few of the features available in a virtual environment; there are many more depending upon the virtualization platform that is implemented.
A virtualized system is comprised of three distinct layers. Residing in the lowest layer is the physical hardware including processors, memory, network adapters, motherboards, and other components. The next layer (that exists on top of the hardware) is commonly referred to as a hypervisor, or virtual machine monitor. The hypervisor is a software platform that allows multiple virtual machines to run on the physical hardware. Hypervisors are available as either a “bare metal” solution that runs on the hardware outside of an operating system, or as a software stack that runs on an operating system installed on the physical server. The choice of hypervisor that is selected is largely based upon the type of hardware being used as well as the type of virtual deployment that best suits your organization’s needs. The final layer is what everyone is most familiar with – the operating system. The operating system is installed in a VM residing on top of the hypervisor. For all intents and purposes, the operating system is configured as though it is running on a single physical platform, when in fact it is running on a logical instance. The fact that the operating system is running in a virtual environment should be transparent to the end user.
Virtualization is taking off largely due to its ability to allow an organization to wisely grow its IT infrastructure or plant floor control network in a methodical, controlled fashion. Rather than simply throwing more servers and more workstations at a problem, virtualization strategies provide the ability to fully use previously underutilized equipment. This reduces server and workstation proliferation, overall power consumption, and time required to manage a mountain of individual physical servers, thus increasing return on investment.
[By Jonathan Couch, CCS Design Engineer]
Utilize our expertise! Contact CCS-Inc. if you would like more information on how CCS can assist with your virtualization needs.
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