virtualization

By means virtualization technology, which allows you to split a physical server into several virtual ones. There are two basic types of virtualization: hardware and software. Hardware Virtualization uses some features of the platform and use it on a device from another manufacturer, as a rule, not possible. Examples of such virtualization are mainframe with the partition under sections (partitioning), blade servers, and solutions such as Sun Enterprise 10000, in which one physical server can be divided into several. Thus for each server, usually secured its own set of resources to automatically change the distribution of this application may not.

In most cases, are better suited for the consolidation of the software solutions that provide for the establishment within the same operating system, multiple virtual environments (Virtual Environment - VE), in which applications are running can not directly interact with programs from other VE. Examples of such products is VMware, Connectix, and Virtuozzo. They all work on the so-called standard server architecture (ie x86), although the developers do not see the Virtuozzo problems in porting their product to other hardware platforms.

Software-based virtualization can be divided into two subtypes: emulates your computer or create a virtual execution environment. In the first case, the emulator allows you to execute in a single operating system, applications written for the other. Virtualization allows the runtime to run the application in a VE only one particular operating system. Emulator products are VMware and Connectix. They are usually not very efficient use of server resources, since a significant portion is spent on the conversion of data formats and different context switching operating systems. Because virtualization allows a computer to run on one physical server to only a few virtual. With the help of virtual execution environments can achieve greater efficiency and stratify a single server to thousands of individual VE. Used for the consolidation of the two approaches, since in some cases, important work applications for various platforms, and some - the efficiency of the resulting solutions.