A Hypervisor, Term Paper Example

Virtualization

A single piece of hardware is divided into multiple instance by a technology is known as virtualization. The hardware and an operating system (OS) is the same before virtualization. The division of hardware makes the resource transmission simple as, an operating system (OS) needs to utilize all resources that are available in a box. A single box with the help of resources can host several instances or nodes. For example RAM, CPU, Permanent storage space (I/O capacity), network address (Bandwidth) etc. Likewise, this procedure facilitates an effective method for resource management of web application.  For instance, a web application that is hosted on a relatively small node works on reduced cost of using entire box and still manages to provide resources from one node to another. In order to enhance the efficiency an unused resources in a box are moved.  Optimal resource management is achieved by virtual server; we can also say that there is no requirement for deploying a web application and its components for migration of web services to some other hosts that are subjected to re-installation of new operating system. Consequently, virtualization fulfills the last process by utilizing a hypervisor. Likewise, the hypervisor hosts operating system that provides management of resources for many guest operating systems and nodes. Hence, when a web application is deployed with virtualization technology, we can get a guest operating system powered by hypervisor. This is the major factor that provides scalability and assignment of more resources for the web application by clicking few buttons (Kusnetzky, 2011).

Virtage from Hitachi is relatively a new virtualization platform that is compatible on Blade symphony Hitachi servers. Likewise, Hitachi’s Virtage deploys a system that incorporates logical partitions that are linked with configuration of physical hardware configuration. The logical partition system can be utilized for provision of high availability of databases and cluster systems. Hitachi’s Virtage is specifically designed to give transparency over hardware for logically created servers. Likewise, the logical partition system provides the following benefits (Lin et al., 2010):

• The virtual and physical environments can use the same file system, as the deployment of a system disk can be used in both virtual and physical environment
• Moreover, the central processing unit can be set to dedicated mode and shared mode
• Performance overhead is minimized by governing virtualization

After examining the workload under the Virtage virtualization platform, results demonstrates that it provides relatively better scalability in terms of performance and small administrative overhead. Likewise, in the Virtage environment, guest can directly access the details of hardware specifications; there are some factors that may not meet end user requirements. For instance, if a new system with a new chipset is installed, it will be compatible with the old operating system running on old or legacy systems. Likewise, the new system might not be compatible with the old or legacy system hardware.

It is unnecessary to state that virtualization appeared in the 1960 as there are numerous hypervisors present to choose from them. The most popular virtualization appliances are Xen and Virtual Box (Kusnetzky, 2011). They both of are open-source projects as, well as commercial offerings through corporations such as VMware and Nimbus data systems. However the process of virtualization is actually without responsibility. In fact, some disadvantages are also associated with its implementation. For example, “a hardware box’s configuration is not clear to node users. A hardware box could be near its overall hardware limit, in which case more resources for a node could be limited, even requiring migration to another box”. In addition, it could appear as a weak virtualized resource such as I/O capacity. In this situation multiple nodes in the same box try to read/write from the same set of hard drives thus resulting in amplified latency. Moreover, the sidebar contains more information on the topic virtualization and I/O capability. Many of these last virtualization disadvantages are at the heart of vertical and horizontal scaling strategies (Blokdijk & Menken, 2010).

Network Attached Storage

In order to store a data present in web applications, initially we need to trust on DAS. As the web application grows the storage demand increases and can grow into the TEBI BYTE and PEBI BYTE range. This can be impossible for the hardware to store such amount of DAS due to several limitations associated to HBA. A web application’s data storage is frequently deputized to an isolated box that helps in communication along with a host box as if it were rightly attached. This would simplify the large amount of data management process thus reducing hardware limitations related to HBA. This is called as NAS or Network Attached Storage. NAS is a hardware box also known as appliance. It comprise of all the elements and resources such as RAM, CPU, Bandwidth etc. the network file system protocols acts as communication channel between NAS and the host box.

The network file system protocols contain less efficiency as compared to HBA or DAS protocols counter parts. Moreover, between the most prevalent networks file system protocols you will find the Network File System (NFS) protocol for Unix/Linux file systems and the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol for Windows file systems. The protocols that are discussed above are present in hardware that are located across a network in another box and thus can allow a host to get access into files.

Storage Area Network

Storage Area Network (SAN) demonstrates a more complex explanation for storing data as compare to Network Area Storage (NAS) that utilize network file system (NFS) protocols for configuring the communication between the two nodes i.e. NAS and the host. Likewise, SAN is dependent on protocols such as SCSi and other protocols that are used by DAS. Organizations save cost by deploying NAS instead of DAS and SAN. As the SAN architecture is dependent on DAS based protocols, it is called as appliance embedded with many HBA that are accomplished by providing storage that has more capacity than DSA based storage. Moreover, a SAN is recognized as a large storage solution with massive capacity (Goldworm & Skamarock, 2007).

A question comes in mind that what is the difference between NAS and SAN, as they are both separate devices. The physical architecture of NAS comprises of connected physical cables, as it is dependent on network file system (NFS) based protocols. Likewise, these features make it cost effective and more convenient to manage different storage boxes embedded with storage devices. In contrast, SAN has a physical architecture that demonstrates connection via HBA that is identical to DAS. These features make it more costly along with complex data storage management (Goldworm & Skamarock, 2007).

The NAS and SAN hybrid appliances along with architectures are now a days becoming common. This permits both DAS type protocol support for high-performance applications as well as, network file system protocol support without experiencing in the cost penalties of DAS. In addition, it also provides high storage capacities outside DAS. The dissimilarity among NAS and SAN solutions are difference in storage types. 

Recommendations for Vendor

I would like to recommend Hewlett Packard to be my vendor for this product. As HP is a renowned name in the industry and deploys best practices for installation and configuration of Microsoft Vmware ESXi. Moreover, HP is a reliable name with a reputable after sales support and maintenance for any known issues that may occur. Ranging from corporate business solutions and small and medium businesses, their expert consultants provide advice and recommendation for known issues and risks that may occur during migration to Vmware. For the converged infrastructure, HP may recommend ways that may prevent additional cost. Furthermore, HP also provides support for specific situations, for instance, there are support communities that may help solve issues that are common on a wide scale, product and troubleshooting tab provides ample amount of information and guidance for specific products and system software with other supported tools and applications are also archived at the website.

Impact on System Administrator

Information Technology infrastructure equipped with virtual solution facilitates the administrative staff. For instance, images are created for every instance that is operational on the virtual server. The administration staff needs to manage backups effectively for meeting recovery point objectives and recovery time objectives. Likewise, if there is a business continuity plan in place, the administrative staff only required to manage backup effectively and replicate the instances on a disaster recovery site. Proper training needs to be scheduled for initiating disaster recovery procedures. One of the procedures may incorporate steps of how to load an image residing at the disaster recovery site to the virtual console. Once the image is loaded, only IP address configurations for local area network and wide area network is required. Therefore, there is no need for extensive training except for the recovery and restoration procedures initiated at the disaster recovery site. This concludes that there is low administrative overhead and total cost of ownership is also on the lower side. For instance, there is no need to manage fifty physical servers hosting different in-house applications, email servers, domain controllers etc. moreover, risks associated with these fifty servers is also on a higher side. On the other hand, these fifty physical servers can be managed virtually on a single location with fifty different instances. However, one risk is involves i.e. a single point of failure, as there is only one physical server that hosts all the fifty instances. The network administrators do not need to configure every physical server instead, instances running at the primary location are configured once and the same image is replicated at the disaster recovery site. Furthermore, virtualization also facilitates the infrastructure team to maximize the recovery point objectives and minimize the recovery time objectives for restoring critical business processes in case of a disaster. Total cost of ownership is minimized as fewer resources are required to configure, maintain, monitor and execute disaster recovery procedures at the disaster recovery site. Training requirements are also relatively easy and can be fulfilled by training employees for initiating the recovery procedures documented in the disaster recovery plan.

References

Blokdijk, G., & Menken, I. (2010). Virtualization – the complete cornerstone guide to virtualization best practices: Concepts, terms, and techniques for successfully planning, implementing and managing enterprise IT virtualization technology – second edition Art of Service.

Goldworm, B., & Skamarock, A. (2007). Blade servers and virtualization: Transforming enterprise computing while cutting costs Wiley.

Kusnetzky, D. (2011). Virtualization: A manager’s guide O’Reilly Media, Incorporated.

Lin, H. X., Alexander, M., Forsell, M., Knüpfer, A., Prodan, R., Sousa, L., . . . Streit, A. (2010). Euro-par 2009, parallel processing – workshops: HPPC, HeteroPar, PROPER, ROIA, UNICORE, VHPC, delft, the netherlands, august 25-28, 2009, workshops Springer.