Virtualisation has become a vital part of many IT systems; as a result, it affects all aspects
of the network. Networking professionals must understand the numerous ways in which server
virtualisation affects the network, including I/O bottlenecks, bandwidth capacity problems and how
virtual switches work in conjunction with the physical network. Our virtualisation networking guide many of the problems that arise and what
networking professionals can expect from server virtualisation.
In this virtualisation networking FAQ, our experts answer crucial questions about virtualisation
networking and how it affects the daily responsibilities of networking professionals.
•How server virtualisation improves
efficiency in a client-server model
•Monitoring virtual machine
performance
•How to get started with
virtualisation
•Virtualising streaming video
servers
•Four rules for virtual machine
migration
•Good tools, practice for VM change
management
How server virtualisation improves efficiency in a client-server model
Q. What are the advantages of virtualisation in a client-server model?
A. Well, isn't this one of the most talked about movements in the networking industry? What's interesting about this question is that the evolution of information technology continues to blur the lines of demarcation separating server, application and network...Continue reading.
Monitoring virtual machine performance
Q. How do you reconcile operating system tools clock cycle identification with non-corresponding
or non-awareness of the host clock and the impact on the clock-dependent metrics?
A. This is one of the hardest parts of working with performance monitoring for virtualisation -- translating virtual CPU calls to physical ones...>Continue reading.
How to get
started with virtualisation
Q. Could you offer some step-by-step advice on how to get started on a virtualisation
pilot?
A. You can start by reviewing the current product offerings from Microsoft and VMware, for example. Microsoft offers Virtual Server and PC, while VMware offers VMware Server and Desktop, as well as ESX or Virtual Infrastructure platform...Continue reading.
Virtualising streaming video servers
Q. My company uses video streaming technologies a great deal. Are there any options for
virtualisation here?
A. Depending on the performance requirements, front-end Web or database engines delivering the video can most likely be virtualised. However, the servers delivering the video may be another story...Continue reading.
Four rules for virtual machine migration
Q. What are some of the risks of moving from client/server computing to virtual machines (VMs)
and virtual servers? What do you recommend as a best practice to minimise the risks of a
physical-to-virtual migration?
A. As with any operation, the best advice is be prepared. The more you know about a particular process, the better equipped you'll be to handle it. Here are my four rules to virtualisation migration....Continue reading.
Good tools, practice for VM change management
Q. We've started using virtual machines in an effort to reduce the number of servers in our data
centre. Because virtual machines (VMs) are easy to move, we are running into change management
issues. Are there automated change management tools we can use? What are good practices for
documenting or limiting permissions for changes?
A. You ask a good question about a very common problem. Yes, several change management tools are available, all with significant dependence on what is a very important topic within IT right now: Information Technology Infrastructure Library, or ITIL...Continue reading.
This was first published in January 2011