Virtualization and Cloud Computing are big buzz words these days, and this technology has me (and many other IT people) incredibly excited. It’s as big a change as the switch from mainframe to PC style computing was 30 years ago.
Virtualization? Is that even a word?
Citrix and VMware sure want you to think so. In essence, you take data or an application and upload it into a "virtual" server running on one or many physical servers at once. The virtual server is then treated as an application; it can be started and stopped just like a normal application running on a desktop.
Cloud Computing?
Cloud computing is a broad term, but generally means to take a virtualized application and make it available to users via the Internet. This concept is the the key to our
Virtual IT product.
So what does this mean for you?
IT exists to support your company’s vision. It’s our modern day equivalent of a hammer; our basic tool to get the job done. If we can improve the hammer, we can improve the houses we build. If we improve our information technology… well, you get the idea.
By moving your OS and applications into the cloud, you unlock a host of benefits:
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You gain the freedom to work from anywhere without the constraints of a traditional remote control solution (no more "did I remember to leave my work PC on?")
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It makes IT more responsive to your needs. Centralization of IT infrastructure makes it much easier to manage. Applications and even entire virtual desktops can be deployed in minutes instead of days or weeks.
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It helps you achieve an uninterrupted workday. Advanced backup and snapshot technology give IT much finer control over the state of your virtual machine, and a much easier time testing patches and updates. Botched upgrades can be avoided far more easily.
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It unlocks true IT cost predictability. If you are a business owner owner or accountant, this probably trumps all the other benefits alone. Virtual IT makes it possible for your business to exit the cycle of continual hardware replacement and maintenance because your infrastructure is hosted in the cloud. It's our problem, all you need to worry about is Internet access.
And this is only the beginning…
Virtual IT is now a burgeoning technology. The capabilities I described above only begin to scratch the surface of what we will be able to do with it, ultimately.
