What is a virtual Server?

In today's digital age, businesses require robust and reliable server infrastructure to keep up with the increasing demands of their users. Virtual servers offer an innovative solution to this challenge. In this article, we will discuss the topic "What is a virtual server?". We will also examine how it works and some of its benefits and disadvantages. And finally, we will find out more about the importance of monitoring servers and how TSplus Server Monitoring can benefit your set-up.

What is a Virtual Server and How Does One Work?

There are two types of servers for the purposes of this article: virtual and physical. Physical servers are actual computers you have on your premises, tangible and solid. A virtual server is a software-based server that emulates the functionality of a physical server by using virtualization technology. It is non-tangible and a number of these may cohabitate in one same physical server.

A virtual server runs as a virtual machine on a physical host computer, sharing the resources within it (such as CPU, memory, storage and network). Hypervisors, such as VMware, Microsoft Hyper-V, or KVM, are used to create and manage virtual servers. These enable the creation of multiple isolated virtual environments on the same physical hardware.

Benefits of Virtual Servers:

Virtual servers offer several advantages over physical servers. These include cost savings, scalability, flexibility, improved resource utilisation and easier management. With virtual servers, businesses can reduce their hardware, power, and cooling costs. Additionally, they will easily scale up or down. Also, you can separately run different operating systems and applications within the same physical host. Finally, they enable better use of resources and simplify certain server management tasks.

Here is a little more detail about these advantages, should it be of interest:

1. Improved resource utilisation: virtualization enables better use of physical resources by allowing multiple virtual servers to share the same hardware.

2. Cost savings: it reduces the need for multiple physical servers, leading to lower needs (therefore in turn cost) for hardware, power and cooling.

3. Scalability: without the need for additional physical hardware, virtual servers can be easily scaled up or down by adjusting resources such as CPU, memory and storage.

4. Flexibility: multiple virtual servers can run different operating systems and applications on the same physical host. This, for example, allows greater flexibility in managing workloads.

5. Easier management: virtual servers can be quickly deployed, backed up and restored, thus simplifying server management tasks.

Disadvantages of Virtual Servers:

While virtual servers offer a lot of benefits, there are also some disadvantages to consider. Some of the most common are performance issues, resource allocation dependence on underlying software and security concerns.

Here are some further details about each of those:

1. Performance. Virtual servers can provide decent performance for most applications. Nonetheless, they may not be ideal for applications that require high-performance computing or high I/O operations. In these cases, a physical server may be a better option.

2. Dependence on the underlying hardware. Virtual servers are dependent on the hardware on which they run. If the underlying hardware fails, it can cause issues with the virtual server. This can be mitigated by using redundancy and failover systems, but it remains a potential disadvantage.

3. Resource allocation. While virtual servers allow for resource allocation and scaling, it's important to monitor resource usage carefully. If one virtual server is too greedy in resources, it can affect the performance of other virtual servers on the same physical machine.

4. Security. Virtual servers can be vulnerable to security risks, just like physical servers. However, with virtual servers, there is also the added risk of security breaches at the hypervisor level. This can unfortunately affect multiple virtual servers at once.

In comparison to other types of servers, virtual servers generally offer more flexibility and cost savings than physical servers, as they allow for more efficient use of hardware resources. However, it can be worth noting that they may not be as performant as dedicated servers. They may also not be suitable for certain high-performance computing tasks.

Self-hosted Virtual Servers or Cloud Based Services?

It is worth noting that virtual servers can be hosted on premises or remotely. Hosted in dedicated server farms, these remote Cloud servers also offer many of the benefits of virtual servers. They certainly won't involve the hand-on day-to-day upkeep of on-premises servers. Someone else, some place else will do that. On the other hand, they may come with additional costs for data transfer and storage since they are generally provided on subscription, as a service. They also raise questions of data security and privacy.

TSplus Server Monitoring for Physical and Virtual Servers

Server and network monitoring is an essential aspect of managing a virtual server infrastructure. In fact, it is paramount whether you use virtual servers, physical or both. Indeed, there are many aspects of server usage which need surveillance lest the server or network under-perform or, worse, crash.

At TSplus, we offer a powerful monitoring tool that provides real-time monitoring and alerts for critical server metrics. TSplus Server Monitoring keeps watch on such matters as CPU usage, memory usage, disk usage and network traffic. It enables administrators to proactively identify and address performance issues before they become major problems.

To Conclude on “What is a Virtual Server?”

Virtual Servers are a positive use of server resources and bring several benefits. According to your needs and usage, to your budget and other factors, you may choose virtual servers, physical servers, both, and you may host them yourself or have them “on loan”. Importantly, whatever the type of server, it is essential to monitor and keep it running optimally.

As a surveillance solution, TSplus Server Monitoring allows businesses to ensure that their virtual server infrastructure is running smoothly and efficiently at all times. Our tool provides detailed reports on server performance and usage trends. This means administrators can make informed decisions about server optimization and capacity planning. What is more, we also make sure our prices are affordable to SMB and corporate budgets alike.

To learn more about our Server Monitoring, visit tsplus.net and read on. Or, download our software to try it. Should you have questions, our team of experts can help you select the right tools for your business. We are more than happy to provide ongoing support. TSplus Server Monitoring can help you to ensure your virtual server infrastructure runs smoothly and efficiently.

Further Information on Server Monitoring and Other TSplus Products

In addition to Server Monitoring, TSplus also offers a range of other server management tools, including Remote Desktop, Advanced Security, and Web Access solutions. Our tools are designed to help businesses optimize their virtual server infrastructure, enhance security, and streamline remote access for users. Feel free to find out more about our application and desktop publication solutions, such as TSplus Remote Desktop and TSplus Advanced Security. In any case, our website is the place to discover how TSplus can help you take your server infrastructure to the next level.