VIRTUALIZATION

UNIT-1
1.NEED FOR VIRTUALIZATION

NEED FOR VIRTUALIZATION:

Virtualization is widely used in various IT environments, including data centers, cloud

computing and enterprise environments, due to its numerous benefits that can help organizations
achieve cost savings, simplify administration, enable fast deployment and reduce infrastructure
costs.

Here are some key aspects of how virtualization addresses these needs:

● Cost savings: Virtualization can lead to significant cost savings by optimizing the
utilization of hardware resources. By creating multiple Virtual Machines (VMs) on a
single physical server, organizations can reduce the number of physical servers
needed, resulting in lower hardware acquisition costs, reduced power consumption
and decreased data center space requirements. Additionally, virtualization enables
organizations to consolidate their workloads onto a smaller number of servers, which
can reduce operational costs, such as maintenance, licensing and support for hardware
and software.

● Administration efficiency: Virtualization simplifies IT administration by providing

centralized management tools that allow for efficient management of virtual
resources. Administrators can easily create, configure, monitor and manage VMs
from a central location, reducing the time and effort required for managing physical
servers individually. Virtualization also enables automation of routine tasks, such as
VM provisioning, patch management and backup, which can further streamline
administration processes and reduce operational overhead. administrative cost

● Fast deployment: Virtualization enables rapid deployment of VMs, allowing

organizations to quickly provision new virtual resources as needed. This can
significantly reduce the time required to deploy new applications or services
compared to traditional physical deployments, which may involve lengthy
 procurement and provisioning processes for physical servers. With virtualization,
organizations can quickly create VMs from templates or snapshots, configure them
with the desired settings and deploy them in minutes, enabling faster time-to-market
for new initiatives.

● Infrastructure cost reduction: Virtualization can help organizations reduce their

infrastructure costs by optimizing the utilization of existing hardware resources. By
consolidating workloads onto a smaller number of physical servers, organizations can
reduce their hardware procurement costs and lower ongoing operational costs, such as
power consumption and data center space. Virtualization also enables organizations
to dynamically allocate and reallocate resources based on demand, which can help
optimize resource utilization and reduce waste, leading to further cost savings.

● Increased flexibility: Virtualization provides flexibility in terms of resource allocation

and usage. Organizations can allocate resources, such as CPU, memory, storage and
networking, to VMs based on their requirements and easily adjust these allocations as
needed. This enables, organizations to dynamically scale resources up or down based
on workload demands, providing flexibility and agility in adapting to changing
business needs.

● Resource Utilization: Virtualization enables better utilization of physical hardware

resources. By partitioning physical servers into multiple virtual machines (VMs), each
VM can run its own operating system and applications, making more efficient use of
available CPU, memory, and storage resources.

● Hardware Independence: Virtual machines are not tied to specific physical hardware,
allowing them to be easily migrated or replicated across different servers. This
flexibility enables workload balancing, disaster recovery, and efficient resource
allocation.

● High Availability: Virtualization platforms often include features for high availability,
such as live migration and automatic failover. These features ensure that VMs can be
 moved between physical hosts with minimal downtime, maximizing uptime for
critical applications.

2.TYPES OF VIRTUALIZATION

Types of Virtualization
● Application Virtualization
● Network Virtualization
● Desktop Virtualization
● Storage Virtualization
● Server Virtualization
● Data virtualization

1. Application Virtualization:
Application virtualization helps a user to have remote access to an application from a
server. The server stores all personal information and other characteristics of the application but
can still run on a local workstation through the internet. An example of this would be a user who
needs to run two different versions of the same software. Technologies that use application
virtualization are hosted applications and packaged applications.

2. Network Virtualization:
The ability to run multiple virtual networks with each having a separate control and data
plan. It co-exists together on top of one physical network. It can be managed by individual
parties that are potentially confidential to each other. Network virtualization provides a facility to
create and provision virtual networks, logical switches, routers, firewalls, load balancers, Virtual
Private Networks (VPN), and workload security within days or even weeks.
3. Desktop Virtualization:
Desktop virtualization allows the users’ OS to be remotely stored on a server in the data
center. It allows the user to access their desktop virtually, from any location by a different
machine. Users who want specific operating systems other than Windows Server will need to
have a virtual desktop. The main benefits of desktop virtualization are user mobility, portability,
and easy management of software installation, updates, and patches.

4. Storage Virtualization:
Storage virtualization is an array of servers that are managed by a virtual storage
system. The servers aren’t aware of exactly where their data is stored and instead function
more like worker bees in a hive. It makes managing storage from multiple sources be managed
and utilized as a single repository. storage virtualization software maintains smooth operations,
consistent performance, and a continuous suite of advanced functions despite changes, breaks
down, and differences in the underlying equipment.

5. Server Virtualization:
This is a kind of virtualization in which the masking of server resources takes place.
Here, the central server (physical server) is divided into multiple different virtual servers by
changing the identity number, and processors. So, each system can operate its operating
systems in an isolated manner. Where each sub-server knows the identity of the central server.
It causes an increase in performance and reduces the operating cost by the deployment of main
server resources into a sub-server resource. It’s beneficial in virtual migration, reducing energy
consumption, reducing infrastructural costs, etc.

6. Data Virtualization:
This is the kind of virtualization in which the data is collected from various sources and
managed at a single place without knowing more about the technical information like how data
is collected, stored & formatted then arranged that data logically so that its virtual view can be
accessed by its interested people and stakeholders, and users through the various cloud
services remotely. Many big giant companies are providing their services like Oracle, IBM, At
scale, Cdata, etc.

Uses of Virtualization
● Data-integration
● Business-integration
● Service-oriented architecture data-services
● Searching organizational data

3.TYPES OF HYPERVISORS

TYPES OF HYPERVISORS:
A hypervisor is a software that you can use to run multiple virtual machines on a single physical
machine. Every virtual machine has its own operating system and applications. The hypervisor
allocates the underlying physical computing resources such as CPU and memory to individual
virtual machines as required.

Type 1 hypervisors

A Type 1 hypervisor runs directly on the host machine's physical hardware, and it's referred to as
a bare-metal hypervisor. The Type 1 hypervisor doesn't have to load an underlying OS. With
direct access to the underlying hardware and no other software -- such as OSes and device
drivers -- to contend with for virtualization, Type 1 hypervisors are regarded as the most efficient
and best-performing hypervisors available for enterprise computing. In fact, Type 1 hypervisors
are often referred to as the virtualization or virtual operating system. Hypervisors that run
directly on physical hardware are also highly secure. Virtualization mitigates the risk of attacks
that target security flaws and vulnerabilities in OSes because each guest has its own OS. This
ensures an attack on a guest VM is logically isolated to that VM and can't spread to others
running on the same hardware.

Type 1 hypervisor uses and capabilities

Type 1 hypervisors have long been preferred and are the de facto standard for enterprise-class
virtualization. The ability to create VMs of almost any size and configuration makes bare metal
VMs well-suited for hosting large and complex enterprise workloads. The close connection
established between the VM and the underlying hardware allows excellent performance,
especially once virtualization command sets were added to modern microprocessors.

The Type 1 hypervisor provides several key benefits for the enterprise:

● Reliability. IT organizations use Type 1 hypervisors for production-level workloads

that require increased uptimes, advanced failover and other production-ready
features.
● Scalability. The typical Type 1 hypervisor can scale to virtualize workloads across
several terabytes of RAM and hundreds of CPU cores.
● Advanced features. In addition, Type 1 hypervisors often provide support for
software-defined storage and networking, which creates additional security and
portability for virtualized workloads. However, such features come with a much
higher initial cost and greater support contract requirements.
● Strong management. The typical Type 1 hypervisor requires some level of external
management -- with interfaces such as Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine
Manager or VMware vCenter -- to access the full scope of the hypervisor's abilities.
 ● Foundation for the cloud. Virtualization, and Type 1 hypervisors in particular, played
an enormous role in enabling cloud computing technologies. The ability to provision,
deploy and manage virtual environments on-demand through software was a pivotal
characteristic for computing efficiency and the key to software-based, on-demand,
user-driven capabilities that are endemic to successful cloud computing. There can be
no cloud without virtualization and its related hypervisors.

Type 2 hypervisors

A Type 2 hypervisor is typically installed on top of an existing host OS. It is sometimes called a
hosted hypervisor because it relies on the host machine's preexisting OS to manage calls to CPU,
memory, storage and network resources.Type 2 hypervisors trace their roots back to the early
days of x86 virtualization when the hypervisor was added above the existing systems' OSes.
Although the purpose and goals of Type 1 and Type 2 hypervisors are identical, the presence of
an underlying OS with Type 2 hypervisors introduces unavoidable latency. All the hypervisor's
activities and the work of every VM must pass through a single common host OS. Any security
flaws or vulnerabilities in the host OS could also potentially compromise all of the VMs running
above it.

Type 2 hypervisor uses and capabilities

The traditional limitations of a Type 2 hypervisor have limited its use to client or end-user
systems, or experimental environments where performance and security were lesser concerns
than a full production environment. For example, software developers might use a Type 2
hypervisor to create VMs to test a software product prior to release. Similarly, Type 2
hypervisors have seen significant use in smaller high-volume virtual instances, and IT
organizations typically use Type 2 hypervisors to create virtual desktops common in VDI
deployments.Still, Type 2 hypervisors have seen a strong surge in popularity because of several
attractive benefits:
● Small and fast. Type 2 hypervisors don't need individual operating systems like Type
1 VMs. This results in simpler and smaller logical entities that use far fewer
resources, are faster to create, and are easier to migrate or manipulate.
● Highly scalable. Because a Type 2 VM can use far fewer computer resources than a
Type 1 VM, a computer can potentially host many more Type 2 VMs than Type 1
VMs.
● Foundation for containers. The concept of Type 2 hypervisors is core to the
emergence of virtualized containers. Containers use specialized Type 2 hypervisors
called container engines, such as Docker or Apache Mesos, which let containers
share a common OS. Container technology has spawned a new and highly efficient
type of application architecture called microservices.
● Foundation for cloud. Most public cloud providers offer native services that directly
support the creation and management of virtual containers alongside traditional Type
1 VMs.
4.CLOUD COMPUTING IN VIRTUALIZATION

Virtualization and Cloud Computing:

Virtualization is a technology that allows for the creation of virtual instances or

representations of physical resources, such as servers, storage devices an networks,
usin specialized software called a hypervisor or Virtual Machine Monitor (VMM).
These virtual instances can then be used to run multiple operating systems,
applications or services, independently and concurrently, on a single physical host
machine.
Host machine :

The machine on which the virtual machine is going to be built is known as Host
Machine.

Guest machine :

The virtual machine is referred to as a guest machine.

Working of virtualization in cloud computing:

Virtualization plays a crucial role in cloud computing as it allows users to share

infrastructure in the cloud, leading to cost savings. In a cloud computing
environment, users store their data in the cloud and virtualization enables them to
utilize shared physical resources. Cloud vendors manage the physical infrastructure
and charge users for their services. However, virtualization enables users or
organizations to maintain their require services through external third-party
providers, reducing costs. This is how virtualization contributes to the functioning
of Cloud Computing."

Characteristics of virtualization:

Enhanced security : Virtualization enables the transparent control of guest

program execution, opening up new possibilities for a secure and controlled
execution environment. Guest program operations are typically performed against
the virtual machine, which then translates and applies them to the host programs.

Managed execution : Virtualization offers various features, including

sharing, aggregation, emulation and isolation.

Sharing : Virtualization allows for the creation of separate computing

environments within the same host.

Aggregation : Vitualization permits the sharing of physical resources

among multiple guests and it also facilitates aggregation, which is the opposite
process.

Benefits of Virtualization:

Increased resource utilization

Improved Scalability

Faster provisioning and deployment

Enhanced flexibility and mobility

Cloud computing is a model for delivering computing resources and services over
the internet, enabling on-demand access to a shared pool of resources, including
computing power, storage, and applications. Cloud computing allows users to rent
or subscribe to these resources and services, which are provided by cloud service
providers, rather than building and maintaining local IT infrastructure.

1. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) : IaaS provides virtualized computing

resources over the internet, including virtual machines, storage and networking
capabilities. Users can provision and manage these resources remotely, allowing
for flexibility in scaling up or down based on demand.

Examples of IaaS providers include Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft

Azure and Google Cloud Platform (GCP).

2. Platform as a Service (PaaS) : PaaS provides a platform or framework for

users to develop, run and manage their applications, without having to worry about
the underlying infrastructure. PaaS offerings typically include tools, libraries and
services for application development, databases and middleware.

Examples of PaaS providers include Heroku,Microsoft Azure App Service and

Google App Engine.

3. Software as a Service (SaaS) : SaaS provides fully functional applications that

are accessible over the internet, allowing users to access and use software
applications without having to install or manage them locally. SaaS offerings cover
a wide range of applications, including Customer Relationship Management
(CRM), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and productivity tools, such as email
and collaboration software.

Examples of SaaS providers include Salesforce, Microsoft Office 365 and Google
Workspace.

Cloud computing offers several advantages,

Scalability and elasticity : Cloud computing allows for easy scalability of

resources, allowing users to quickly provision or release resources based on their
needs. This enables businesses to scale their IT infrastructure up or down rapidly in
response to changing demands, without having to invest in and manage local
hardware.

Cost-effectiveness : Cloud computing follows a pay-as-you-go model, where

users only pay for the resources and services they use, without upfront costs for
hardware or infrastructure. This allows for cost-effective usage of resources, as
users can optimize their spending based on actual usage.
Flexibility and mobility : Cloud computing provides users with the flexibility to
access resources and services from anywhere, using any device with internet
access. This enable remote work, collaboration and mobility, allowing users to
work and access resources on the go.

Rapid provisioning and deployment : Cloud computing allows for rapid

provisioning and deployment of resources and applications, reducing the time
required to set up and configure IT infrastructure. This enables faster time to
market for applications and services.

Managed services : Cloud computing providers typically offer managed services,

such as automated backups, security and monitoring, reducing the operational
burden on users and allowing them to focus on their core business rather than IT
infrastructure management.

Global availability : Cloud computing services are typically available in multiple

regions and data centers globally, allowing users to deploy resources and services
in different geographical locations for improved performance, reliability and data
redundancy.

UNIT-2

1.SERVER VIRTUALIZATION

DEFINITION:

Server virtualization is a technology that allows multiple virtual instances of servers to run
on a single physical server. Instead of dedicating one physical server to one specific application
or task, virtualization enables the consolidation of multiple virtual servers onto a single physical
server, maximizing hardware utilization and efficiency.

WORKING OF SERVER VIRTUALIZATION:

· Hypervisor: A hypervisor, also known as a virtual machine monitor (VMM), is a

software layer that allows multiple operating systems (OS) to run concurrently on a
 single physical server. It abstracts the physical hardware and allocates resources such
as CPU, memory, storage, and network bandwidth to each virtual machine (VM)

· Virtual Machines (VMs): Each VM acts as a self-contained virtual server with its own
OS, applications, and resources. Multiple VMs can run simultaneously on a single
physical server, each isolated from the others.

· Resource Pooling: The hypervisor manages the physical server's resources and
allocates them dynamically to the VMs based on their needs. This allows for efficient
utilization of resources and better scalability.

· Isolation: VMs are isolated from each other, meaning that if one VM crashes or
experiences issues, it does not affect the others. This isolation provides better security
and stability.

· Migration and Flexibility: Virtual machines can be easily moved or migrated between
physical servers without downtime using features like live migration or vMotion. This
allows for workload balancing, hardware maintenance without disruption, and better
disaster recovery capabilities.

· Consolidation and Cost Savings: By running multiple VMs on a single physical

server, organizations can reduce the number of physical servers required, leading to
lower hardware and energy costs, as well as reduced space and cooling requirements.

Server virtualization offers increased flexibility, scalability, efficiency, and cost savings
for organizations by abstracting physical hardware and optimizing resource utilization. It has
become a fundamental technology in modern data centers and cloud computing environments.

ADVANTAGES:

· Each server in server virtualization can be restarted separately without affecting the
operation of other virtual servers.

· Server virtualization lowers the cost of hardware by dividing a single server into several
virtual private servers.
 · One of the major benefits of server virtualization is disaster recovery. In server
virtualization, data may be stored and retrieved from any location and moved rapidly
and simply from one server to another.

· It enables users to keep their private information in the data centers.

DISADVANTAGES:

· The major drawback of server virtualization is that all websites that are hosted by the
server will cease to exist if the server goes offline.

· The effectiveness of virtualized environments cannot be measured.

· It consumes a significant amount of RAM.

· Setting it up and keeping it up are challenging.

· Virtualization is not supported for many essential databases and apps.

2.TYPES OF SERVER VIRTUALIZATION

Server virtualization is a foundational technology in modern data centers, enabling

more efficient resource utilization, improved scalability, and simplified
management. It involves creating virtual instances of servers, operating systems,
storage devices, or network resources on a single physical server. There are various
types of server virtualization techniques, each with its own advantages and use
cases. In this detailed explanation, I'll delve into the most common types of server
virtualization, providing in-depth insights into their workings, benefits, and
considerations.

1. Full Virtualization : Full virtualization, also known as hardware virtualization,

is one of the earliest and most widely adopted forms of server virtualization. In full
virtualization, a hypervisor is installed on the physical server hardware. The
hypervisor abstracts the underlying hardware resources, allowing multiple virtual
machines (VMs) to run independently with their own guest operating systems.
 - Hypervisor Types : There are two main types of hypervisors in full
virtualization: Type 1 and Type 2.
- Type 1 Hypervisor (Bare Metal) : Installed directly on the physical hardware,
Type 1 hypervisors have direct access to hardware resources. Examples include
VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V, and Citrix XenServer.
- Type 2 Hypervisor (Hosted) : Installed on top of a host operating system,
Type 2 hypervisors are more commonly used for desktop virtualization. Examples
include VMware Workstation, Oracle VirtualBox, and Parallels Desktop.

- Virtual Machine Monitor (VMM) : Also known as the hypervisor, the

Virtual Machine Monitor is responsible for managing and allocating physical
resources to virtual machines.

- Advantages :
- Isolation: VMs are completely isolated from each other, enhancing security
and stability.
- Hardware Independence: Guest operating systems are unaware of the
underlying hardware, allowing for greater flexibility and portability.
- Resource Optimization: Resources can be dynamically allocated and adjusted
to meet changing workload demands.
- Live Migration: VMs can be migrated between physical hosts without
downtime, facilitating maintenance and load balancing.

- Considerations :
- Overhead: Full virtualization imposes overhead on the system due to the
additional layer of abstraction.
- Licensing Costs: Some hypervisor solutions may involve licensing fees,
adding to the overall cost of implementation.

2. Para-Virtualization : Para-virtualization is a virtualization technique that

involves modifying the guest operating system to be aware of the virtualization
layer. Unlike full virtualization, which requires emulating hardware, para-
virtualization provides direct access to physical hardware, resulting in better
performance.
 - Modified Guest OS : Guest operating systems in para-virtualization are
modified to communicate with the hypervisor through a specialized API, allowing
for more efficient resource management.

- Advantages :
- Improved Performance: By eliminating the need for hardware emulation, para-
virtualization achieves better performance compared to full virtualization.
- Lower Overhead: The absence of hardware emulation reduces overhead on the
system, resulting in higher efficiency.
- Scalability: Para-virtualization can scale efficiently to support a large number
of virtual machines.

- Considerations :
- Guest OS Modification: Para-virtualization requires modification of the guest
operating system, which may not be feasible for all environments.
- Limited Guest OS Support: Not all operating systems support para-
virtualization, restricting the choice of guest OS.

3. Operating System-Level Virtualization (Containerization) : Operating

system-level virtualization, commonly known as containerization, enables multiple
isolated user-space instances, or containers, to run on a single host operating
system kernel. Unlike traditional virtualization, containers share the host OS kernel
and binaries, resulting in lightweight and efficient virtualization.

- Container Engine : Containerization is facilitated by a container engine, such

as Docker or LXC (Linux Containers), which manages the creation, deployment,
and execution of containers.

- Advantages :
- Lightweight: Containers consume minimal resources since they share the host
OS kernel and binaries, enabling efficient resource utilization.
- Rapid Deployment: Containers can be deployed quickly, making them ideal
for microservices architectures and DevOps practices.
- Portability: Containers are portable across different environments, ensuring
consistency and flexibility in deployment.
 - Considerations :
- Limited Isolation: Containers share the host OS kernel, leading to potential
security vulnerabilities if not properly configured.
- OS Dependency: Containers must run on compatible host operating systems,
limiting cross-platform compatibility.
- Performance Impact: While lightweight, containerization may incur
performance overhead compared to bare-metal execution.

4. Hardware-Assisted Virtualization (HVM) : Hardware-assisted virtualization

utilizes special CPU features, such as Intel VT-x or AMD-V, to improve the
efficiency of virtualization. These hardware extensions provide additional support
for virtualization, allowing hypervisors to execute guest operating systems with
minimal overhead.

- Virtualization Extensions : CPU vendors, such as Intel and AMD,

incorporate virtualization extensions into their processors to accelerate
virtualization tasks, such as memory management and privilege level transitions.

- Advantages :
- Reduced Overhead: Hardware-assisted virtualization offloads virtualization
tasks to the CPU, resulting in lower overhead and improved performance.
- Improved Security: Hardware virtualization extensions enhance security by
providing hardware-enforced isolation between virtual machines.
- Compatibility: HVM is compatible with a wide range of operating systems
without requiring modifications or special drivers.

- Considerations :
- Hardware Requirements: Hardware-assisted virtualization requires CPU
support for virtualization extensions, which may not be available on older
hardware.
- Vendor Lock-in: HVM implementations may vary between CPU vendors,
potentially leading to vendor lock-in for certain virtualization platforms.
Conclusion:
server virtualization plays a crucial role in modern IT infrastructure, offering a
range of techniques to meet diverse workload requirements. From full
virtualization to containerization, each approach has its own strengths and
considerations, allowing organizations to tailor their virtualization strategy to
specific use cases and performance objectives. By understanding the intricacies of
different virtualization techniques, businesses can harness the power of
virtualization to improve efficiency, scalability, and agility in their IT operations.

3.DESKTOP VIRTUALIZATION

Desktop virtualization is the concept of isolating a logical operating system (OS) instance from
the client used to access it.

There are several different conceptual models of desktop virtualization, which can be broadly
divided into two categories based on whether the technology executes the OS instance locally or
remotely. It's important to note that not all forms of desktop virtualization technology involve the
use of virtual machines (VMs).

How desktop virtualization works?

Desktop virtualization employs hardware virtualization technology. Virtual desktops exist as

VMs, running on a virtualization host. These VMs share the host server's processing power,
memory and other resources.

Users typically run a remote desktop protocol (RDP) client to access the virtual desktop
environment. This client attaches to a connection broker that links the user's session to a virtual
desktop. Typically, virtual desktops are nonpersistent, meaning the connection broker assigns the
user a random virtual desktop from a virtual desktop pool. When the user logs out, this virtual
desktop resets to a pristine, unchanged state and returns to the pool. However, some vendors
offer an option to create persistent virtual desktops, in which users receive their own writable
virtual desktop.
Desktop virtualization deployment types:

There are three main types of desktop virtualization: virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI),
Remote Desktop Services (RDS) -- formerly, Terminal Services -- and desktop as a service
(DaaS).

When most people think of desktop virtualization, VDI is probably the first thing that comes to
mind. VDI is a technology in which physical servers host virtual desktops in an organization's
own data center. Like server computing and virtualization, VDI relies on underlying hardware
virtualization technology. Users sometimes use the terms desktop virtualization and VDI
interchangeably, but they aren't the same.

While VDI is a type of desktop virtualization, not all types of desktop virtualization use VDI.
VDI refers exclusively to the use of host-based VMs to deliver virtualized desktops, which
emerged in 2006 as an alternative to Terminal Services and Citrix's client-server approach to
desktop virtualization technology.

Other types of desktop virtualization -- including the shared hosted model, host-based physical
machines and all methods of client virtualization -- aren't examples of VDI.

RDS is also an on-premises desktop virtualization technology. Unlike VDI, however, RDS
doesn't rely on hardware virtualization, nor does it use desktop OSes. Instead, the server acts as a
session host, running a Remote Desktop Session Host. One potential disadvantage of using this
method is that application virtualization can be a problem. RDS runs desktop applications on
Microsoft Windows Server, and an application that's designed to run on Windows 10 won't
necessarily run on Windows Server. This is especially true for Microsoft Store apps.

DaaS is a public cloud-based desktop virtualization service that vendors offer. Organizations
lease virtual desktops on an as-needed basis from a cloud provider. DaaS is generally accessible
from anywhere using an RDP client.
Choosing a deployment model:

The primary decision that organizations must make when they choose a deployment model is
whether to deploy an on-premises VDI platform or subscribe to a cloud-based DaaS provider.

An on-premises platform is best suited to organizations that have already acquired, or have the
budget to purchase, server hardware and any other required resources. An on-premises platform
might also be a good choice for organizations that wish to repurpose their existing desktop OS
licenses. Lastly, on-premises VDI is a good fit for organizations that lack the internet bandwidth
needed to support a cloud computing DaaS offering.

A cloud-based option tends to be a good fit for organizations that don't have the IT expertise or
budget to support an on-premises virtual desktop deployment. Cloud-based deployments are also
well suited to organizations that employ seasonal or temporary workers because administrators
can add or remove end-user capacity on an as-needed basis without incurring a significant
investment in server hardware.

Benefits of desktop virtualization (and some drawbacks):

Like any other technology, there are both advantages and disadvantages to using desktop
virtualization. One of the primary advantages of desktop virtualization is that virtualization often
makes it easier for IT professionals to manage the desktop environment. Rather than maintaining
countless physical desktops, administrators can focus their attention on a small number of
desktop images that they deploy to the users.

Conversely, there are some circumstances in which the use of desktop virtualization can increase
an organization's management burden and its licensing costs. For example, if an organization
allows users to connect to virtual desktops from their physical desktops, then the IT staff must
license and maintain both the physical and virtual desktops.
Another advantage to desktop virtualization is that users can access their virtual desktops from
anywhere. Even if a user is working from home or a hotel room, they can still work from the
same desktop environment that they use in the office.

A potential disadvantage, however, is that virtual desktops can't function without connectivity to
the VDI environment. As such, an internet connectivity failure or a server hardware failure could
make an organization's virtual desktops inaccessible to users.

4.TYPES OF DESKTOP VIRTUALIZATION:

Types of desktop virtualization technologies

Desktop virtualization refers to the process of running a virtual instance of a desktop operating
system (OS) on a centralized server or data center, allowing users to access their desktop
environments remotely from various devices. There are several types of desktop virtualization,
each with its own characteristics and use cases

1. Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) :

- Description : In VDI, each user's desktop environment runs on a virtual machine (VM)
hosted on a centralized server. Users can access their desktops remotely via thin clients, PCs, or
other devices connected to the network.

- Characteristics :

- Dedicated desktop experience: Each user gets their own isolated virtual desktop instance.

- Centralized management: IT administrators can manage desktop images, applications, and

user settings from a central location.

- Scalability: VDI allows for flexible scaling of virtual desktops to accommodate changing
user requirements.
 - Support for various client devices: Users can access their virtual desktops from thin clients,
PCs, laptops, tablets, or smartphones.

- Use Cases :

- Remote work: Allows employees to access their desktop environments from anywhere with
an internet connection.

- Bring Your Own Device (BYOD): Facilitates BYOD initiatives by enabling users to access
corporate desktops from personal devices.

- Secure access: Enhances security by keeping data and applications centralized in the data
center, reducing the risk of data loss or theft from endpoint devices.

2. Remote Desktop Services (RDS) :

- Description : Formerly known as Terminal Services, RDS enables multiple users to access a
shared desktop environment on a server simultaneously. Users connect to the server using
Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) or similar protocols.

- Characteristics :

- Shared desktop experience: Multiple users share the same server-based desktop
environment.

- Resource efficiency: RDS optimizes resource utilization by allowing multiple users to

access a single server.

- Application virtualization: Users can run virtualized applications alongside their desktop
sessions, improving flexibility and compatibility.
 - Use Cases :

- Task workers: Suitable for scenarios where users perform similar tasks and require access to
standardized desktop environments.

- Cost-effective solution: Helps organizations save costs by consolidating desktop resources

and reducing hardware requirements.

3. Application Virtualization :

- Description : Application virtualization isolates applications from the underlying operating

system, allowing them to run in virtualized containers. Users can access virtualized applications
without installing them locally.

- Characteristics :

- Application isolation: Virtualized applications run independently of the local operating

system, reducing conflicts and compatibility issues.

- Centralized management: IT administrators can deploy, update, and manage virtualized

applications from a central location.

- Compatibility: Helps ensure application compatibility across different operating systems and
environments.

- Use Cases :

- Legacy application support: Allows organizations to run legacy applications on modern

operating systems without compatibility issues.
 - BYOD environments: Facilitates access to corporate applications from personal devices
while maintaining security and compliance.

4. Desktop as a Service (DaaS) :

- Description : DaaS providers deliver virtual desktops to users over the internet. Users
subscribe to a service that hosts their desktop environments in the cloud.

- Characteristics :

- Cloud-based delivery: Desktop environments are hosted in the cloud and accessed over the
internet.

- Subscription model: Users pay a subscription fee for access to virtual desktops, typically on
a per-user/per-month basis.

- Scalability and flexibility: DaaS providers offer scalable solutions that can accommodate
changing user requirements and workloads.

- Use Cases :

- Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs): Provides SMBs with access to enterprise-
grade desktop virtualization solutions without the need for significant upfront investment.

- Temporary or seasonal workers: Ideal for organizations that need to quickly provision
desktop environments for temporary or seasonal workers.

Each type of desktop virtualization has its own benefits and considerations, and the choice of
which to implement depends on factors such as organizational requirements, budget, security
considerations, and scalability needs. By understanding the characteristics and use cases of each
type, organizations can make informed decisions about which desktop virtualization solution best
fits their needs.