Businesses use servers and servers are very expensive. They are expensive to build and to maintain. Since most servers have top-of-the-line hardware inside them, and are only used for one purpose, a lot of a server’s available resources are left dormant, essentially wasted. The virtual machine allows expensive server hardware to host multiple virtual servers, allowing any business to get more out of its IT investments. Let’s take a look at the virtual machine and its uses.

Before we do that, let’s start you with some terminology that you should know:

Host and Guest

When committing to using virtualized resources, you need to understand that your VM is the guest of a host machine. The host machine is typically a high-powered server that you would have normally used to host your computing resources, while each virtual machine, whether it is a virtualized server or a virtualized desktop (or something else), are guests on the hosted machine. By being able to fit several guest machines on one host machine, you can save a substantial amount of money. 

Uses of Virtual Machines

Typically, a virtual machine is used for less-critical processes, but it can handle about any type of computing that you need it to. Virtual machines are often used in resource testing. Some more popular uses include:

Has your organization looked into using virtual machines to cut down on your physical IT infrastructure? Call NDYNAMICS’s experts today to discuss your virtualization options at 408-927-8700.