Azure virtual machines get a free upgrade
Virtualization is difficult to understand. The technology itself is complex, and the industry is dominated by vendors that the average business owner has never heard of. Almost everyone knows Microsoft though, and its virtualization platform just got a big speed boost that won’t cost users a thing — if they know how to take advantage of it. Azure: Microsoft’s virtualization platform As a full-service cloud solution, Azure is a secure and flexible data center that businesses of all sizes can benefit from. Azure services include cloud storage, web hosting, and even some customizable AI features. With the help of a trained professional, Microsoft’s platform can provide access to virtual machines, which are fully-furnished desktops users can log into and work from via the internet. One of the reasons Azure is such a flexible cloud solution is because it can easily integrate with solutions businesses maintain on premises to become a hybrid platform. Faster virtualization options Microsoft has been testing a new feature — referred to as Accelerated Networking — for a year and a half, and it’s finally available for all users. Without getting too technical, this upgrade allows Azure to remove enormous computing workloads from its service delivery process. Any business that uses Microsoft’s cloud service for virtualization solutions can now access up to 30 gigabits per second of network throughput, which means Azure-based virtual machines and applications will be even faster than before. Do SMBs really need this much speed? Although the Accelerated Networking feature is free, enabling it requires quite a bit of IT expertise, so don’t expect it to be set up overnight. In fact, for small businesses that pay for tech support per project or by the hour, this upgrade may not be worth it. However, if you’re on an unlimited support plan from a managed IT services provider, you might as well — it won’t cost you anything extra! With our team as your 24/7 technology resource, you don’t need to understand the intricacies of virtualization. Whether it’s speed enhancements or security optimizations, our team will make sure your solution always gives you the best return on your investment. Call us today to learn more about our virtualization services. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
Virtualization vendors fix processor flaws
Everyone has been trying to make sense of recently discovered vulnerabilities that affect almost every computer in use today. All you really need to know about the Spectre and Meltdown bugs is that they make it very easy to spy on private information stored on a computer. But if you’re using virtual desktops or servers, you’re probably safe. What are the risks of an unpatched computer? Regardless of whether you are using a computer with all its hardware sitting on your desk, or you’re connected to a virtual computer drawing most of its computing resources coming from a cloud server, you’ll be using something called a central processing unit (CPU). As unbelievably efficient pieces of technology, CPUs have been programed to recognize patterns. When a CPU recognizes a pattern, it stores everything it needs to complete that task in a temporary place. If the pattern changes, the information is thrown out. Spectre and Meltdown allow hackers to not only view trashed patterns, but also to trick a CPU into thinking a specific pattern has changed and should be dumped into this vulnerable storage. In worst case scenarios, this could affect credit card information, passwords, and personally identifiable information. And even though a virtual desktop or server is created with software that partitions hardware resources on a large computer into several smaller, standalone computers — Spectre and Meltdown flaws are still present. How are they fixed? Because these are hardware-level vulnerabilities, the only way to truly fix them is by replacing the CPUs. But because there aren’t any processors currently available without the Spectre and Meltdown flaws, software patches are the only option. Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, and Google have all installed updates that essentially tell CPUs to stop recognizing patterns to store data ahead of time. However, predictive functions significantly increased the computing speeds of modern computers, meaning turning them off will slow down computer performance. Virtualization is more cost effective than ever This all sounds terrible, but it’s actually a huge selling point for virtual desktops and servers. First, it proves that big-name cloud platforms can push out urgent security updates to thousands upon thousands of clients in a relatively quick fashion. Those using “traditional” computers (remember, the ones with all the hardware sitting on your desk), need to apply these patches one-by-one, on-site. Second, most virtualization platforms charge on a pay-for-what-you-use model. So, you’re not paying for hardware and its flaws, you’re paying for the actual work that is finished on your web-accessible computer. Spectre and Meltdown will continue to affect the computing world for several months to come. However, businesses that use virtualization technology will not be hit nearly as hard. There’s no better time to make the switch than now — give us a call today. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
Virtualization Containers 101
New technological developments such as cloud computing and virtualization are prying small- and medium-sized businesses away from traditional client-server architecture. In contention now lie Containers, a technology influenced by cloud computing that offers a less complex alternative to virtualization. Discover its benefits and see why they apply to your business. What are containers and why are they so popular? Virtual containers are similar to shipping containers, which have made the transport of bulky goods much easier. Prior to the introduction of containers, virtual workstations and servers granted users access to software and computing power across a local network or the internet. This is what has become known as “cloud computing,” as it created entire desktop experiences over the internet. However, there was room for improvement, as virtual machines are known to take up a lot of system resources.This is because they run a virtual copy of an operating system alongside a virtual copy of all the hardware that the operating system needs to run. Such heavy load on one machine quickly takes up a lot of RAM and CPU cycles, slowing processes down. Containers improve on the inefficiencies of cloud computing by promising developers that their software will run smoothly, regardless of the type of computer their end users are running. How do they improve on virtual desktops? Virtual desktops deliver thousands of applications to meet the needs of your business. These applications also use different languages, databases, and tools. To deploy, configure, manage and deliver these complex machines takes a lot of time and money. Containers are essentially a better way to package these applications and their components. This technology helps organizations become more consistent and agile by extracting the host’s underlying operating system, meaning applications can be packaged with all their dependencies. This in turn, allows developers to choose the right environments and tools that best suit their projects. As of now, only a few types of software create and deliver containers, with the most popular being Docker. Container technology had been around for a while before the introduction of Docker, but it was complex to implement and manage. With the popularity of virtualization services, software vendors gained resources to develop and offer simple, user-friendly container solutions. Although containers have improved enterprise computing as a whole, virtual machines have not been made obsolete, and can still be used under certain circumstances. Regardless, both solutions — containers and virtual machines — can repurpose old hardware to utilize software hosted in the cloud. All you need to get started is an internet connection and an experienced IT professional by your side. Want to maximize your business potential through virtualization and containers but don’t have an IT professional to consult? Call us today. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
5 Types of virtualization
The age-old proverb “There’s more than one way to skin a cat” is especially relevant when budgeting for IT services. With the right technology consulting and support, any business can afford customized solutions that employ creative methods to achieve its end goals. As just one example, let’s review all the ways you can use virtualization technology! What is the core concept of virtualization? By virtualizing any of the items below, you can trick software into recognizing hardware when none actually exists. The easiest way to explain this is with examples from the most common type of this technology: hardware virtualization. If you had one high-powered computer processor, virtualization would allow you to split it up and run four separate operating systems (Windows, Apple OS, etc.), each seemingly running on a standalone, low-powered processor. Conversely, virtualization could also be used to connect four high-powered processors to create what your operating system would recognize as one ultra-fast piece of hardware. This technology can be applied in a number of ways to create opportunities for more efficient resource utilization and cost savings. Desktop virtualization Sometimes referred to as cloud desktops, this form of virtualization grants you access to a fully functioning computer that you access via a local network or the internet. Somewhere, a server has allocated a portion of its hardware resources for your virtual desktop. With a keyboard, monitor, mouse, and extremely low-end computer, you can connect to this virtual desktop and utilize all the processing power and storage the server has set aside for it. Application virtualization By installing a program on a server hard drive, your employee workstations can use their computing resources to run the program, but restrict data from being stored on their hard drives. The program and the documents it creates will never leave the server hard drive, making it much harder for hackers to compromise them. With more advanced virtualization solutions, your server can also allocate the computing resources necessary to run the program, meaning your workstations are merely a window to your server. Storage virtualization Similar to hardware virtualization, this strategy makes it easy to organize how your data is stored. In addition to combining hard drives across several computers into a massive virtual drive, storage virtualization also stores data based on how important it is. Frequently used documents are saved to your fastest drives and can be automatically backed up to the cloud. Network virtualization If your office has more than 10 workstations, it makes sense to consider network virtualization, which allows you to separate vulnerable devices. For example, if you had one server that handles a lot of web traffic and another that stored sensitive documents, you might want to connect them to different networks to avoid a cross contamination. Network virtualization would allow you to do that without buying any new hardware! Even with our simplified explanations, virtualization is still a complicated subject. Rather than try to figure it out in a few hundred words, give us a call and we’ll show you in person! Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
How do idle VMs cost businesses
Thanks to virtualization software, the time it takes to bring virtual machines (VMs) online is faster than ever. You could deploy a fleet of them in minutes, but as with most technologies, there are some drawbacks. Experts say too many VMs can cause a logistical nightmare and cost your business a lot of money. The dangers of VM sprawl VM sprawl is a phenomenon that occurs when there are too many virtual machines on a network. Although VMs can be deployed quickly, it’s important to understand that they have the same licensing, security, and compliance requirements as your other computers and servers. So when administrators are given free rein to create as many virtual instances as they want, issues concerning the management of VM licenses and security begin to appear. In addition, having too many virtual instances running at the same time exhausts server resources and forces IT administrators to work overtime. What’s worse is some VMs are forgotten about, which can lead to security risks and higher costs. In fact, recent studies found 30% of all virtual servers are ‘comatose,’ which means companies are paying for licenses they’re not using. Unused VMs are also not patched and maintained properly, leaving them exposed to escape attacks — a type of hack whereby an attacker exploits a vulnerable VM to compromise an IT infrastructure. With this in mind, here are a few things you can do to stay on top of VM sprawl. Establish VM creation policies Businesses should have policies in place for limiting the creation of unnecessary VMs. For instance, you can have a policy that forbids users to deploy a new VM unless they specify a good reason. This way, they’re more likely to think twice before requesting resources they may not need. You should also place limits on how many VMs each department can create to keep your virtualized environment small and manageable. Document VMs Documenting every VM in your network should be standard protocol in your company. They should be organized by their purpose (e.g., backups, app testing, resource-intensive software usage), who they are assigned to, and what patch version they are currently on. This will make it easier to manage software updates and identify non-essential VMs. Implement lifecycle management tools For businesses with large-scale VM deployments, lifecycle management tools can give you total visibility of how many VMs are running on the network, how they’re being utilized, and who created them. Such tools also allow you to review which VMs are necessary to your operations and automatically decommission the ones that no longer serve a purpose. For example, you can set time-based policies which remove VMs that were needed for only a short time (e.g., those used for app testing). This ensures you’re not wasting resources on idle VMs. Although virtualization is a powerful solution, it must be carefully managed if you want to realize its cost-cutting and efficiency-boosting benefits. So if you’re experiencing VM sprawl or other virtualization issues, call our experts today! Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
What is “serverless” computing?
Thanks to economies of scale, cloud computing resources are cheaper and more stable than those on a local area network, but the cloud is still made up of servers that require expert configuration. Serverless computing is one way to reduce management burdens. What is it? Outsourcing workloads to the cloud — like websites and apps — requires just as much hardware as if the computations were performed in an on-site server. The only difference is the location of the server. Office 365 or Google Docs are great examples of this model. Thousands of servers are set up to run these apps so there is always enough capacity to handle the millions of people who use these apps at any given moment. Microsoft and Google need to manage and maintain these servers 24/7 to keep up with demand so they’re always on and always ready to handle more workloads, even during off-peak hours. Serverless computing changes everything by allowing developers to create apps and websites that use cloud resources only when they’re needed. So, if you were to create a web app, you wouldn’t need to pay for a dedicated cloud server. The cloud provider would host your app’s programming code and run it only when a user requested it. The cloud provider would take care of allocating the appropriate resources and charge by the second for what you use. Who can benefit from it? Serverless computing is for users who use cloud resources for processing power. If you’re using the cloud only to store files, serverless services aren’t going to help you. However, if you use the cloud to process information and turn it into something more useful, serverless computing will help you immensely. An everyday example of this is Amazon’s Alexa. Every command the AI assistant responds to is nothing more than an app that sits dormant until a user tells Alexa to run it. Small businesses are creating apps in Amazon’s cloud that can be processed by the voice assistant without the burden of setting up a dedicated server. Serverless computing isn’t about getting rid of servers; it’s about using their raw computing power without being forced to fine tune them first. It falls under the umbrella of virtualization technology and is another step in the right direction for small businesses working with limited budgets. For more information about how virtualization can help you lower costs and increase efficiencies, give us a call today. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
Secure mobile devices with virtualization
Mobile device security is paramount in today’s unpredictable IT landscape. There are plenty of ways to be sure your employees are accessing data safely away from the office, but there is one solution we recommend for the best results: combining mobile security efforts with virtualization technology. Mobile device management and virtualization Simply put, mobile device management (MDM) is about controlling how users on any device — from laptops to internet-connected printers — view, share, and store sensitive information. For example, if you have a user who accesses data via a company-provided laptop, an office copier and a personal smartphone, IT administrators can install an application on each device that enforces policies created from a centralized console. There are dozens of standalone MDM solutions that consolidate device administration, but by using one that integrates with your virtualization platform, you can standardize policies for any industry across a range of company-owned, line-of-business, and personal devices. Users are constantly picking up and discarding devices. Solutions like VMware’s AirWatch and Citrix’s XenMobile mean you no longer need to manage security settings for each device; instead, you can configure one virtualized environment for one employee, and its settings will be applied regardless of which device it’s accessed from. What are the benefits? Beyond a centralized approach to device management and data access rights, virtualized MDM solutions allow you to enjoy a number of other benefits. For example, IT administrators can remotely lock or erase data on employee devices if the device has been lost or stolen. You can also benefit from Single Sign-On security. This means your users need only one set of login credentials to access all their applications. Technically, each application will still use a different username and password, but your virtualized solution will securely store each of the credentials and automatically log in users whenever they sign in to your MDM platform. Hardware and software are evolving so fast that it’s almost impossible to secure them without extensive IT training. With a little help from trained professionals, virtualization is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways for business owners to simplify user settings and management. It only makes sense that the next step would be unifying virtualized desktops, laptops, smartphones and other mobile devices under a single solution. Call us today to get started. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
Better virtualization options on the way
The virtualization market is dominated by two vendors: Amazon Web Services and VMware. Both have the largest market share in their respective fields, the former in cloud-based solutions and the latter in on-premises virtualization. Now, those two platforms are compatible with each other. Virtualization review Traditional servers and desktops use computer hardware inefficiently. Their multitasking capabilities are limited and a lot of computing power is wasted on unnecessary tasks. Virtualization software alleviates these problems by splitting one physical server into smaller virtual machines so power is more evenly distributed. For example, if you need your server to handle both an in-house database and an online service, you might want to limit the resources it devotes to the in-house database so your customer-facing website never lacks capacity. Or, you might want to create 10 virtual desktops on your server so employees can access their work from cheap workstations with little more than an internet connection. On premises vs. the cloud There are countless ways you can use virtualization to make your IT more efficient, but only two options for implementing the infrastructure it is based on. You can either virtualize servers directly connected to your local network, or you can virtualize cloud-based servers that you connect to via the internet. VMware is the most popular choice for virtualizing on-premises servers. It requires a bigger upfront investment in hardware and IT maintenance than cloud-virtualized servers require, but gives you more control over how everything is set up and secured. Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the most popular choice for cloud-based virtualization because it is simple and affordable. In the early days, moving from on-premises virtualization to the cloud meant rebuilding the entire setup from the ground up. Fortunately, AWS announced last year that VMware users would be able to essentially copy and paste their on-premises (virtualization) servers to the cloud. That upgrade finally became available to users in August 2017. Virtualized disaster recovery This new partnership is great news for VMware users. If your business has a local virtualized server, it can be configured to automatically move to the cloud when your office is damaged or without power. When handled properly, customers and remote employees can continue to access your servers without any interruption of service. So in addition to significantly reducing hardware expenses, virtualization improves business continuity. To get the most out of this technology in your office, give us a call today. Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.