Can’t Say Enough about Virtualization
In a piece I read on Networkworld, I was reminded just how much virtualization will become a successful component of cloud computing – and vice-versa.
Let me explain. There may be myriad definitions floating around out there about just what exactly is the cloud, but the goal of the cloud is very clear: to vastly improve the cost-effectiveness and dynamic provisioning of IT services. Better, faster, cheaper, says the story.
And to be even clearer about the value of the cloud, virtualization is included in the top considerations of what is most important in the new computing environment. Of course, virtualization is not a new concept (consider the existence of virtualized mainframes, VPNs and LANs). But in today’s computing world, almost every aspect of IT can be virtualized, including servers, desktops, applications, storage, network switches and routers.
The story also predicts that, more and more, we’ll see Input/Output on network switches, appliances such as WAN optimization controllers (WOC), application delivery controllers (ADC) and firewalls become virtualized.
While this all might seem pretty matter-of-fact to IT folks, the point here is that sometimes we have to take a step back and look at the broader view of how the cloud is changing almost every aspect of enterprise computing. Amazing!