Server Virtualization Software
Best Server Virtualization Software
- Top Rated Server Virtualization Software include: VSOM, Kernel-based Virtual Machine, RHEV, vSphere, Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), VMware ESXi, Oracle VM VirtualBox, and Nutanix Acropolis.
- Other Server Virtualization Software on the TrustMap include: VMware Workstation, Hyper-V, XenServer, Oracle VM Server, and Proxmox VE.
- A complete list of Server Virtualization Software is available here.
TrustMaps are two-dimensional charts that compare products based on satisfaction ratings and research frequency by prospective buyers. Products must have 10 or more ratings to appear on this TrustMap, and those above the median line are considered Top Rated.
Server Virtualization Overview
What is Server Virtualization Software?
The concept of virtualization generally refers to separating the logical from the physical. For servers in a datacenter, the norm is for one machine to run a single operating system. Virtualization allows multiple operating systems to be run completely independently on a single machine. Virtualization uses specialized software called a Hypervisor that encapsulates a guest version of the operating system and emulates a range of hardware resources like server CPU, memory, hard disk and other resources so that these resources can be shared across multiple virtual machines. In this way multiple operating systems can be run on a single machine.
The benefits of this approach are clear: reduced need, physical hardware systems; lower maintenance costs, and subsequent reduced power and cooling requirements.
The recent emergence of Docker has given an impetus to an alternative to server virtualization called containerization. The difference between these two approaches is that containerization achieves far greater efficiency by eliminating the hypervisor and its multiple virtual machines. Each application shares a single instance of the operating system and runs on the “bare metal” of the server.
Server Virtualization Features & Capabilities
Server virtualization products have a large number of potential features, but among the most common are:- Automation of virtual machine provisioning
- Ability to centrally control and optimize the virtual machine environment
- Ability to backup running virtual machines without interrupting service
- Ability to migrate live virtual machines between hosts during scheduled maintenance
- Hypervisor-level security, including antivirus and anti-malware
Server Virtualization Products
Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2)
Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (or EC2) from Amazon Web Services offers scalable cloud capacity for setting up a virtual server.
Oracle VM VirtualBox
Oracle VM VIrtualBox is Oracle's cross-platform virtualization offering, acquired with Sun Microsystems in early 2010. The software was originally developed by Innotek GmbH.
VMware Workstation
VMware Workstation is virtualization software which allows running multiple x86-based operating systems on one PC.
Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization
Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization (RHEV) is an enterprise level virtualization solution.
Nerdio
Nerdio provides streaming IT services over the Internet by virtualizing hardware and software. Companies using Nerdio no longer have to maintain servers, desktops and software, but instead plug into virtual services in the cloud.
Kernel-based Virtual Machine
Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) is a virtualization solution developed by small Israeli software company Qumranet and supported by Red Hat since that company's acquisition in 2008.
Oracle VM Server
Oracle VM Server is Oracle's server virtualization offering for enterprises.
Odin Virtuozzo
Virtuozzo, formerly Parallels Cloud Server is a container based server virtualization technology.
OpenVZ
OpenVZ is container-based virtualization for Linux supported by Odin and fundamental to that company's commercial offering, Virtuozzo.
vSphere with Operations Management (VSOM)
VSOM from VMware delivers vSphere server virtualization but also adds capacity management and performance monitoring features.
Evolve IP Virtual Server
The Evolve IP Virtual Data Center is a Virtual Private Cloud Computing Service that is designed to enable customers to leverage guaranteed resource reservation pools (processor, memory and disk resources) at Evolve IP’s data centers. The vendor says that by using the Virtual Private Cloud (VPC)...
Netherlands VPS Servers
HostSailor’s Netherlands VPS Servers is virtual service provider solution (VSP). This solution includes free DDoS protection for all VPS plans in Romania as well as free technical support.
VMware Cloud Foundation on IBM Cloud
VMware Cloud Foundation on IBM Cloud brings together VMware vSphere, vSAN, and NSX into a natively-integrated stack of virtual compute, virtual storage, and virtual networking built upon IBM Bluemix bare metal servers.
VMware vCenter Server on IBM Cloud
VMware vCenter Server on IBM Cloud automates deployment of the underlying vSphere and vCenter layers needed to build a flexible and customizable VMware solution.
VMware vSphere on IBM Cloud
VMware vSphere on IBM Cloud is a customizable virtualization service that combines VMware-compatible bare metal servers, hardware components, and licenses.