Scribd
Upload
44 views3 pages

5.1.2 Cloud-Based Virtualization

Uploaded by

Aung Win Htut
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
44 views3 pages

5.1.2 Cloud-Based Virtualization

Uploaded by

Aung Win Htut
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

Integrating Cloud Computing with Virtualization

In the past, most virtualization deployments were implemented on-premise in the local
datacenter. Today, with cloud computing, virtualizations may be implemented on-premise, in the
cloud, or a combination of both.

On-Premise Virtualization
In an on-premise virtualization deployment, hypervisors are implemented on high-end physical
servers in the datacenter. They are connected to the physical production network, which allows
other devices in the organization to communicate with the virtual machines running on them.

An on-premise virtualization deployment also usually implements some type of dedicated


storage area network (SAN) to which all of the hypervisors are connected. For example, it could
be an iSCSI SAN or a Fibre Channel SAN. Either way, the virtual machines are stored on a shared
storage device (typically a high-end RAID array) that is also connected to the SAN. This
configuration provides high storage I/O throughput and makes it very easy to move VMs
between hypervisors.

Cloud-Based Virtualization
However, there are other ways to implement virtualization. Many organizations are increasingly
moving their virtualization solutions from their local datacenter to cloud-based virtualization
providers.

Advantages of Cloud-Based Virtualization


Cloud-based computing has several important benefits:

● Hardware and software costs are dramatically reduced. Instead of purchasing expensive
equipment for the datacenter, the cloud vendor is responsible to provide all of the
hardware and software needed for the deployment. All you need to do is provide a basic
network infrastructure that allows Internet access.
● Administration overhead is reduced. Because most of the virtualization infrastructure is
moved to the cloud, a large staff of administrators isn’t required. Instead, the cloud
vendor provides most of the administration staff required to keep the virtualization
solution running on their end.
● Some computing risks are shifted to the vendor. For example, the service level
agreement you sign with the cloud provider should include some type of guarantee in
terms of availability. This means the cloud provider is responsible for putting
redundancy mechanisms in place to ensure your services and information remain
available in the event of a disaster. In addition, the cloud provider should guarantee that
they have implemented the appropriate security controls to prevent data breaches and
malware infections.
● The datacenter can scale up and down dynamically as needed. In a physical datacenter,
scaling up means buying, installing, configuring, testing, deploying, and monitoring
additional virtualization components. This can be costly in terms of hardware, software,
power, space, and administrative overhead. In addition, if your computing needs scale
back in the future, you must determine what to do with the surplus hardware and
software that are no longer needed. In a cloud-based implementation, you can quickly
and easily purchase additional capacity when you need to scale up. When you need to
scale back down, you simply tell the vendor you don’t need the extra capacity anymore.
● Provisioning speed is enhanced. In a cloud-based deployment, pre-configured VMs can
be deployed within a few minutes. When you’re done, you simply de-provision them.

Disadvantages of Cloud-Based Virtualization


Implementing a cloud-based virtualization deployment also has several drawbacks:

● There is a learning curve. Cloud-based virtualization environments can be complicated


from a configuration and administration point of view.
● You lose control of your information. This is probably one of the most serious
disadvantages of a cloud-based virtualization deployment. Your data and services are no
longer stored on-premise. Instead, they are stored on one or more servers at one of your
cloud vendor’s sites. This raises many issues related to information protection and
regulatory compliance.
● Administrators tend to develop an “out of sight, out of mind” attitude. Because the
information does not reside locally, they tend to assume that it is the vendor’s job to
monitor, manage, and protect it. Even though the virtualization deployment is hosted by
a cloud vendor, it is still the local administrator’s job to monitor, manage, and protect the
organization’s services and data.
● It can be difficult to identify where your data is. Because the cloud provider hosts all of
your VMs, you probably don’t know where they are physically located. The problem
becomes even more complex in a hybrid environment where some of your VMs are
hosted on-premise and some are hosted by the provider. In this configuration, workloads
may dynamically shift between locations, making it difficult to identify where the
information physically resides at any given point in time.

Cloud-Based Virtualization Models


Two common models that organizations adopt when implementing cloud-based virtualization
include:

● Full cloud-based deployment


● Hybrid cloud-based deployment

Full Cloud-Based Deployment


In a full cloud-based virtualization deployment, the cloud provider hosts the entire virtualization
infrastructure. Users utilize an Internet connection to access the services and data hosted by
cloud-based virtual machines. Instead of using traditional management tools such as vCenter
Server or Hyper-V Manager, you use a web-based interface provided by the cloud vendor to
create and manage your VMs.

This deployment model dramatically reduces the amount of hardware, power, and space
required in your on-premise datacenter. It also significantly reduces your administration costs
because a smaller number of in-house administrators are required to manage the deployment.
Instead, the cloud provider is responsible for providing most of the administrative overhead.

However, this type of deployment also results in an almost complete loss of physical control of
your VMs and the information they contain. Their physical location may be unknown. In addition,
you are dependent upon the cloud vendor to protect your VMs from disasters and security
incursions.

Hybrid Cloud-Based Deployment


Some organizations aren’t ready to completely turn their virtualization environment over to a
cloud provider. Instead, they may want to move only some of their workloads over to a cloud-
based environment. This type of implementation is called a hybrid deployment because some
of the virtualization environment is hosted on-premise, while the rest is hosted by a cloud
provider.

This type of deployment costs more in terms of hardware, software, and human resources than
the full deployment because there are hypervisors running on-site that need to be deployed,
monitored, cooled, and managed. However, it also lets the organization have more control over
their VMs.

Using this model allows you to take advantage of the concept of cloud bursting. When the virtual
machines and hypervisors deployed on-premise become overloaded, some of the workloads
can be offloaded to resources provided by a cloud vendor. When demand return to normal,
those workloads are migrated back to on-premise equipment.

Cloud-Based Virtualization Vendors


In addition to selecting a cloud-based virtualization model, organizations that intend to move in
this direction must also select a vendor. This is probably one of the most difficult decisions that
must be made. As with any service or software product, each vendor will have unique
advantages and disadvantages. You must perform your own research and determine which
vendor is most appropriate for your organization’s policies and goals.

Some of the more commonly-used cloud-based virtualization vendors include:

● Microsoft Azure Hyper-V


● Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2)
● Amazon Web Services

There are many other smaller providers that you could choose to use as well. Compare your
organization’s requirements against the products and services these vendors offer and decide
which one is most closely aligned.

You might also like