Virtualisation technology offers users the ability to "pool" their hardware resources, so that they appear as one single unit. The technology is now playing a major role in making IT more flexible and cost-effective.

Deployment of virtualisation software allows many users to reduce their hardware assets, or to use them more efficiently, by running multiple "virtual machines" or virtual operating systems side by side on the same hardware, emulating different components of their IT systems. Each instance of the virtual machine hosts its own operating system in isolation, acting like a separate piece of hardware, thus allowing configuration and testing without affecting the "live" system.

Virtualisation has now moved beyond its traditional home of mainframes and servers, and has found its way into applications, networks and storage, among others.

Many organisations attribute their adoption of virtualisation to server consolidation, but an equivalent number are using the technology to make their server environments more flexible and agile. This reduces hardware costs, and allows quick recovery from systems failures as well as maintaining business continuity.

Call us to discuss how virtualisation can benefit your organisation.

 Click here to download issue 5 of our “Solutions Magazine”, focusing on Virtualisation.