Bigger isn’t always better, particularly when it comes to servers. Thanks to server virtualization, it’s no longer necessary to dedicate one server for each application. Multiple applications peacefully coexist on the same server in the virtual environment, which saves money, frees up space in your office and improves uptime. Take a look at seven ways you can benefit from virtualization.
#1: Reduced IT Footprint
Is space in short supply in your office? Reducing the number of physical servers can provide the floor space you need for employee workstations or equipment. When you consolidate applications on one server, you’ll reduce your electricity consumption. Since multiple servers generate considerable heat, you’ll also save on cooling costs.
#2: Lower Hardware and Maintenance Costs
Cost containment is one of the most important benefits of virtual servers. When you make the switch, your maintenance costs will decrease, plus you won’t have to buy new machines when you need to add a new server. The virtualization process uses special software that splits one server into several virtual machines. Although servers reside on the same machine, they use their own operating systems.
#3: Rapid Deployment
When you realized that you needed a new server in the past, you had to buy a machine, wait for it to be delivered, then spend several hours installing the operating system and applications. With server virtualization, you can add a new server in minutes, not hours. Redeployment is just as easy. If there’s ever an issue with an application, simply access a virtual snapshot backup and redeploy it on a newly created virtual server.
#4: More Uptime
Downtime decreases with a virtual server. Thanks to innovative features like live migration, high availability and distributed resource scheduling, your virtual machines can bounce back quickly if there’s an outage. Keeping everything up and running is a simple as moving to another virtual server if there’s a problem. When automatic failovers are built into your system, you don’t even have to lift a finger (or click a mouse) when an outage occurs.
#5: Risk-Free Testing
Virtual environments make testing a significantly less risky experience. Your users won’t be affected while you test and can remain online without any problems or slowdowns. Once you’re happy with your results, deployment only takes a few seconds.
#6: Increased Productivity
When your employees don’t have to spend hours maintaining physical servers or provisioning new machines, they’ll have more time to devote to other crucial tasks. Although increased productivity may not be the first thing you think of when you consider virtualization, it’s a very important benefit.
#7: Easier Cloud Migration
Have you been considering moving to the cloud? Migration is quick and easy when your servers are already virtualized. If you’re worried about your cloud management abilities, you’re not alone. Thirty-two percent of companies surveyed in RightScale’s State of the Cloud Survey reported that lack of resources and expertise was a key concern. Luckily, you don’t have to run your company and manage virtualization and cloud migration yourself. SOHO Solutions offers comprehensive service plans that cover cloud and server installations and upgrades.
Server virtualization is the ideal small business IT solution. If you’d like to learn more about the many benefits of virtualization and how it can help your company, give us a call.
