Key to virtualization

lemin created the topic: Key to virtualization

Virtualization is creation of the virtual version of a device or resource such as operating system, server, storage device or network resources. It is a key technology used in data centers to optimise resources; there are versatile functions and applications of virtualization. This process is used to include new features into the operating systems quite easily. It also facilitates ease in tasks such as system migration, backup and recovery. Virtualization is an important concept in building secure computing platforms. Moreover, virtualization is evolving the concept of virtual machines, these virtual machines are used to create operating systems or run multiple operating systems simultaneously. These machines are also used to consolidate the work loads of several servers that are utilised less to fewer machines and even to single machine in the process known as server consolidation. virtualization is a process included by large IT corporate organisations such as Dell, Oracle and Microsoft. Oracle designs a variety of server virtualization products that support workloads of OS such as Linux, Windows and Oracle Solaris. Data virtualization is also gaining importance as a certain type of virtualisation besides network virtualization, server virtualisation, storage virtualization and operating system virtualization. The data virtualization is a data integration approach used in organisations to access all the data they require instantly as they require it. It is used by business leaders, consumers, integration developers or IT leaders in business and IT organisations. Operating System virtualization is another type of virtualization; this server virtualization allows multiple isolated user space instances instead of one.

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Top 5 Virtualization tools for Developers | List of Virtualization tools | scmGalaxy

top-5-virtualization-tools

Software developers are busier now than ever before. They want to do more work in less time with quality. But, as we all know it’s not possible without right set of tools in your arsenal. So, it’s always good to find tools that can make work faster and make you more productive. Today we are going to talk on Virtualization tools. In this article I’m going to share a list of top 5 virtualization tool which will definitely help developers to improve their productivity and allow them to build better applications faster.

But, before that let’s have Quick introduction to Virtualization

Virtualization is a process in which, with the help of tools you can create a virtual version of resources like memory, operating system , server or networks instead of deploying the actual resource. In simple words you can understand it like this way: Virtualization let you run or operate a single computer into multiple ones. It let you run a Mac OS on Linux or Windows system in a single computer simultaneously. The Windows, Mac, Linux, or other system running in the virtual machine acts exactly as if it were running on real hardware. The same thing apply with storage, server or networks.

Basically Virtualization tools are used for server consolidation. But they are useful for software developers for writing or testing software.

If we look on to the benefits than these are the major benefits of Virtualization.

  1. Lessen the number of Hardware Resources
  2. 80% server use possible
  3. Cut IT costs
  4. consolidated hardware to achieve higher productivity from fewer servers
  5. multiple operating systems and applications on a single computer
  6. simple IT infrastructure with low upkeep
  7. Quickly deployment of new applications

So, Now without any further ado lets check out the Top 5 tools and their features.

1. Vagrant

Vagrant is an open source virtualization tool which developed by Hashicorp and written in Ruby. But, it’s support projects written in other languages too, like as Java, javascript, C#, Python and PHP. It’s work on platforms Linux, FreeBSD, macOS, and Microsoft Windows.

Features:

  • Open Source
  • Cross Platform: Linux, FreeBSD, macOS, and Microsoft Windows essential
  • Natively supports Docker containers
  • Can work with Puppet & Chef
  • Users can share running environment via Internet

 

2. VirtualBox

VirtualBox is also an open source virtualization tool which is developed by originally by Innotek GmbH and now being developed by Oracle Corporation. This virtualization tool is written in C, C++, x86 Assembly. It is one of the oldest tool in the industry which is used by developers.
Features:
  • Open Source
  • Virtualization Type: Hardware Assisted Virtualization & Paravirtualization
  • Cross Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux and Solaris
  • Easy to install and use-friendly
  • Video capture support
  • VirtualBox adds support for touchscreens

3. VMware

 

VMware is a veteran in the software industry which is developed by VMware Inc. and comes in 3 different packages by name VMware Workstation, VMware Fusion and VMware workstation Player in which player comes free for users who are looking to run virtual machines on their Windows or Linux systems. The first one is good option which is designed for professionals and the second one is for home users who simply wants to run windows on MAC. VMWare products are mostly written in c, C++ and assembly but different different languages are used in various other bits.
Features:
  • Free and Paid
  • Cross Platform: Windows, Linux and Mac OSX
  • Comes in three packages
  • Virtualization Type: Full Virtualization, Hardware Assisted Virtualization & Paravirtualization
  • Easy to use
  • Quick Installation

4. Xen

 


Xen
is initially developed by University of Cambridge but now it’s belongs to Linux Foundation. Xen runs on Linux and Unix. Xen is included with most popular Linux platforms like Fedora, RHEL, CentOS, Ubuntu, and Debian.
Features:
  • Open Source
  • Platform: Linux/Unix
  • Virtualization Type: Paravirtualization & Hardware Assisted Virtualization
  • Guest Os: Windows Server 2003, Windows XP and Windows 2000
  • Also supports Red Hat, SUSE and Debian Linux guest OS.

5. KVM

Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) is also an open source intended for personal and small-medium business solutions. It’s originally developed by Qumranet and now belongs to Red Hat. KVM is written in C and it;s suitable for Linux. If you need or looking for command line interface virtualization tool which comes with updated solutions, boundless use mode and without extra features and permitting charges than this is the right tool you can have.
Features:
  • Open Source
  • Platform: Linux
  • Virtualization type: Full Virtualization, Hardware Assisted Virtualization and Paravirtualization
  • Powerful command line interface
So, This is my list of Top 5 virtualization tools. Now, what you think about my list or if you are not agree with my selected tools or if you think this list should contain some other Virtualization tools instead of this, than write in comment section below.
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Understand Cloud Computing in Simple Terms – Maximumbit Inc

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Cloud Computing is an emerging computing technology that uses the internet and central remote servers to maintain data and applications. Cloud computing allows consumers and businesses to use applications without installation and access their personal files at any computer with internet access. This technology allows for much more efficient computing by centralizing storage, memory, processing and bandwidth. Cloud computing is broken down into three segments: “applications,” “platforms,” and “infrastructure.” Each segment serves a different purpose and offers different products for businesses and individuals around the world.

Cloud computing comes into focus only when you think about what IT always needs: a way to increase capacity or add capabilities on the fly without investing in new infrastructure, training new personnel, or licensing new software. Cloud computing encompasses any subscription-based or pay-per-use service that, in real time over the Internet, extends IT’s existing capabilities.

In June 2009, a study conducted by Version One found that 41% of senior IT professionals actually don’t know what cloud computing is and two-thirds of senior finance professionals are confused by the concept, highlighting the young nature of the technology. In Sept 2009, an Aberdeen Group study found that disciplined companies achieved on average an 18% reduction in their IT budget from cloud computing and a 16% reduction in data center power costs.

Depending on who you are talking to, you will see different perceptions about what Cloud Computing actually is, from the simplest web-hosted solutions right through to virtualized processing environments with Web-Service initiated provisioning and decommissioning.

The main challenges for Cloud Computing before it is likely to enjoy wide-spread adoption are the following:

Persistence & Availability – The ability to continue working during outages or the ability to mitigate outages.
Privacy and National Security Concerns – The hosting of information outside of your country’s borders does concern Public Sector organizations. The US Patriot Act for example is a concern for some countries in adopting cloud services. It is thought that Country-silted Clouds may be able to address this.
Geo-Political Information Management Concerns – The Political risk a country takes on by housing information for another country.

Cloud Computing is all about:

1. SaaS (Software as a Service)


These type of cloud computing delivers a single application through the browser to thousands of customers using a multitenant architecture. On the customer side, it means no upfront investment in servers or software licensing; on the provider side, with just one app to maintain, costs are low compared to conventional hosting.

2. Utility computing


The idea is not new, but this form of cloud computing is getting new life from Amazon.com, Sun, IBM, and others who now offer storage and virtual servers that IT can access on demand. Early enterprise adopters mainly use utility computing for supplemental, non-mission-critical needs, but one day, they may replace parts of the datacenter. Other providers offer solutions that help IT create virtual datacenters from commodity servers, such as 3Tera’s AppLogic and Cohesive Flexible Technologies’ Elastic Server on Demand. Liquid Computing LiquidQ offers similar capabilities, enabling IT to stitch together memory, I/O, storage, and computational capacity as a virtualized resource pool available over the network.

3. Web services in the cloud


Closely related to SaaS, Web service providers offer APIs that enable developers to exploit functionality over the Internet, rather than delivering full-blown applications. They range from providers offering discrete business services to the full range of APIs and even conventional credit card processing services.

4. Platform as a service


Another SaaS variation, this form of cloud computing delivers development environments as a service. You build your own applications that run on the provider’s infrastructure and are delivered to your users via the Internet from the provider’s servers.

5. MSP (managed service providers)


One of the oldest forms of cloud computing, a managed service is basically an application exposed to IT rather than to end-users, such as a virus scanning service for e-mail or an application monitoring service (which Mercury, among others, provides). Managed security services delivered by Secure Works, IBM, and Verizon fall into this category, as do such cloud-based anti-spam services as Postini, recently acquired by Google. Other offerings include desktop management services, such as those offered by Center Beam or Ever dream.

6. Service commerce platforms


A hybrid of SaaS and MSP, this cloud computing service offers a service hub that users interact with. They’re most common in trading environments, such as expense management systems that allow users to order travel or secretarial services from a common platform that then coordinates the service delivery and pricing within the specifications set by the user. Think of it as an automated service bureau. Well-known examples include Rearden Commerce and Ariba.

7. Internet integration


The integration of cloud-based services is in its early days. OpSource, which mainly concerns itself with serving SaaS providers, recently introduced the OpSource Services Bus, which employs in-the-cloud integration technology from a little startup called Boomi. SaaS provider Workday recently acquired another player in this space, CapeClear, an ESB (enterprise service bus) provider that was edging toward b-to-b integration. Way ahead of its time, Grand Central — which wanted to be a universal “bus in the cloud” to connect SaaS providers and provide integrated solutions to customers — flamed out in 2005.

 

Citrix Cloud Center

C3 is designed to give cloud providers a complete set of service delivery infrastructure building blocks for hosting, managing and delivering cloud-based computing services. C3 includes a reference architecture that combines the individual capabilities of several Citrix product lines to offer a powerful, dynamic, secure and highly available service-based infrastructure ideally suited to large-scale, on-demand delivery of both IT infrastructure and application services. This architecture consists of four key components:

Platform – Powered by Citrix XenServerTM Cloud Edition:  The new XenServer Cloud Edition is a powerful virtual infrastructure solution optimized for service provider environments. It combines the cloud-proven scalability of the Xen® hypervisor which powers most of the world’s largest clouds, with all the virtualization management and dynamic workload provisioning capabilities of the full Citrix XenServer product line enabling cloud providers to host and manage any combination of Windows® and Linux environments. XenServer Cloud Edition also features an innovative consumption based pricing model to meet the needs of service providers that charge their customers based on metered resource use.

Delivery – Powered by Citrix® NetScaler’s®:  Through its rich policy-based AppExpert engine, Citrix NetScaler’s delivers cloud-based resources to users over the Web, continually optimizing user application performance and security by dynamically scaling the number of virtual machines (VMs) or servers available in response to changing workload demands and infrastructure availability. This allows cloud providers to balance workloads across large distributed cloud environments and transparently redirect traffic to alternate capacity on or off premise in the event of network failures or datacenter outages.  NetScaler’s can also dramatically reduce server requirements in large cloud centers by offloading protocol and transaction processing from backend server pools. NetScaler’s proven architecture is designed for highly scalable, multi-tenant Web applications and delivers Web services to an estimated 75 percent of all Internet users each day.

Bridge – Powered by Citrix WANScaler:  As larger enterprises begin experimenting with cloud-based services for parts of their own infrastructure and application hosting strategy, cloud providers will also need reliable and secure ways to provide a seamless bridge between hosted cloud services and premise-based enterprise services. Over time, C3 will incorporate a set of open interfaces that allow customers to easily move virtual machines and application resources into a cloud-based datacenter and back again as needed. WANScaler technology will play a critical role in this enterprise bridge by accelerating and optimizing application traffic between the cloud and the enterprise datacenter, even over long distances.

Orchestration – Powered by Citrix Workflow Studio TM: Tying it all together, Citrix Workflow Studio provides a powerful orchestration and workflow capability that allows the products in the C3 portfolio to be dynamically controlled and automated, and integrated with customer business and IT policy. Workflow Studio allows customers to control their infrastructure dynamically–integrating previously disconnected processes and products into a single powerful, orchestrated and cohesive system. This unique capability will make it easier for cloud providers to enable highly efficient burst able clouds that automatically scale resources up and down based on demand, shifting hardware resources to where they are most needed and powering them down for maximum power savings when not needed.

Today, with such cloud-based interconnection seldom in evidence, cloud computing might be more accurately described as “sky computing,” with many isolated clouds of services which IT customers must plug into individually. On the other hand, as virtualization and SOA permeate the enterprise, the idea of loosely coupled services running on an agile, scalable infrastructure should eventually make every enterprise a node in the cloud. It’s a long-running trend with a far-out horizon. But among big megatrends, cloud computing is the hardest one to argue with in the long term.

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Cloud Computing: The Computer is out the Window!

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Debates have been heating up about Cloud Computing (CC). Biggest challenge is security and bigger bigger challenge is ‘control’ of a company’s tech assets. The only limitation so far has been internet bandwidth, reason why it took CC a while to become mainstream. Futurists such as Nicolas Negroponte saw it coming a while back and evangelized about it repeatedly in his book ‘being digital’ (a masterpiece). Entrepreneurs like Marc Andreessen saw the opportunities early and started Loud Cloud back in 1999 (now Opsware) and Amazon today generates millions in revenue because of Amazon Web Services (Amazon launched its Elastic Compute cloud (EC2) for companies to use back 2006: yes, commercially). What really triggered CC is none other than Web 2.0: all them browser-based enterprise applications! In Summary: we’ve all contributed to Cloud Computing, without realizing it. You’ve been using Cloud Computing.

Cloud Computing is fantastic for emerging economies and their speed in adopting ‘affordable’ new technology. Look what’s happening in Africa, where mobile internet and new telecom infrastructures are making it possible to leap into internet adoption. So why a computer in the first place. Computers are becoming more of a luxury item vs. a need?

Conclusion: Cloud Computing is not a trend, but a major shift in how we ’smartly’ manage technology. For those who are still in denial and resisting change, they’re already lagging and need to catch up fast, cuz that computer is out of the Window!

Great reference here on the history of CC and how far it dates back (60’s) thanks to Computer Weekly http://tinyurl.com/yj7rln3

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