Pros and Cons for adopting a Virtual Server Infrastructure

Abhishek Singh
9/13/2019
Server Virtualization is the process of masking server resources including individual physical servers, operating
systems, and processors. The system administrator uses applications such as VMware, Citrix to partition a
physical server into several virtual servers, each running separate operating systems. Virtualization seems
beneficial when compared to physical servers but it is not for everyone. This document will identify the
benefits and drawbacks of server virtualization and assist in deciding if a physical server or a virtual server is
best for an organization and its needs.

Virtual servers are proven to be beneficial as it allows running multiple operating system instances using the
partitioned physical server with help of virtualization software, resulting in greatly reduced cost to the company
by limiting the purchase of multiple individual servers. The cost-saving comes from three main categories:
operational expenditure savings, energy savings, expenditure savings. This is because the company need not
buy so many physical servers or related resources for similar computing power and scalability while saving on
data center square footage and energy savings.

Creation of several virtual servers can result in automation of several operations. A firm can also reduce the
number of IT professionals required by the services performed by virtualization technology. The patches and
updates can be easily rollout across all systems organization-wide in less time.

Virtualization software features backup and recovery options. Hence, they can be easily secured against
cyberattacks and power outages. Using regular snapshots, it is easy to recover lost information.

Despite the above listed strong benefits, a virtual server is not for everyone as evident from some of the
drawbacks. First, virtual server deployment requires high upfront costs. Virtualization not only requires the
purchase of a physical server but also requires licensing. Though the cost of the software is decreasing with new
players entering the market, the overall cost is still high.

Security is an important aspect of the virtual servers, but this is not always the case. Though virtualization
enables easy management of security but could open to risks as all the virtual servers are mounted on the same
physical server. The security issue can quickly cascade to other virtual servers. Therefore, it requires some
learning and understanding before implementing the deployment such as how you protect your data; any
limitations on implementing security on the cloud; if the server is PCI compliant; Will it qualify for HIPAA
compliance.

Virtualization also requires a steep learning curve. Even the IT professionals implementing the virtualization
confident in their ability to understand and manage physical server need time to grasp how a virtual server
works. It takes time to get used to the virtualization software and to understand how the new environment
works.

In some cases, some of the applications might not work well in a virtualized environment. Some simple tasks
such as the deployment of a virtual server might be a challenge for an inexperienced system administrator. An
inexperienced professional can accidentally create more servers than required, wasting space and energy,
commonly known as ‘server sprawl’. There could be a possibility of inability to virtualize as vendor software
may not support it.

Virtualization is helpful in big organizations where a lot of servers sits idle. Therefore, it is monetarily
beneficial to distribute the workload using already existing servers. A firm should navigate and choose the right
virtual machine to suit the business demands. It is also important to find out if long term savings and resource
utilization outweigh the initial expenditures for business. Generally, server virtualization is a better cost option,
but companies should investigate thoroughly before implementation. IT professionals and system administrators
should also weigh the licensing complications that may arise due to multiple hosts and migrations. A proper
plan should be put in place for the steps of migrations and should be verified by multiple people so that there is
no carelessness while allocating resources. Finally, it is also important to check whether the essential
applications are working smoothly and efficiently in a test virtual server while constantly monitoring IT security
and performance.

References
Carl, A. (2016, December 12). Pros and cons of server virtualization. Retrieved from http://techgenix.com/pros-cons-
server-virtualization/

Rivera, A. (2017, October 2). The Pros and Cons of Virtualization. Retrieved from
https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/6014-pros-cons-virtualization.html

The Pros & Cons of Server Virtualization. (2018, August 26). Retrieved from https://businessworld.net/blog/post/59/the-
pros-cons-of-server-virtualization

Totounji, A. (2019, March 28). Virtual Machines: Pros & Cons. Retrieved from
https://www.cynexlink.com/2017/08/18/virtual-machines-pros-cons/