Difference between Cloud Computing and Virtualisation

This article was originally posted by Andreas Rivera on businessnewsdaily.com.

Cloud Computing vs. Virtualisation:What’s the Difference?  

Cloud Computing and Virtualisation are two terms that often seem interchangeable if you’re not familiar with how either work. Although the two technologies are similar, they are not the same thing, and the difference is significant enough to affect your business decisions. Here is a guide to help demystify the tech behind the jargon.

What is Virtualisation? 

Virtualisation is the fundamental technology that powers cloud computing.

This software separates compute environments from physical infrastructures, so you can run multiple operating systems and applications simultaneously on the same machine. For example, if you do most of your work on a Mac but use select applications that are exclusive to PCs, you can run Windows on a virtual machine to get access to those applications without having to switch computers.

“Virtualisation software … enables businesses to reduce IT costs while increasing the efficiency, utilisation and flexibility of their existing computer hardware,” said Mike Adams, senior director of cloud platform product marketing at VMware.

Virtualisation has many practical applications. For software developers, virtualisation allows them to test out their applications on different environments without having to set up several different computers. If the application crashes on the virtual machine, they can simply close and restart the virtual machine to a previous state without causing damage to their computer.

One of the biggest benefits of virtualisation is sever consolidation. Instead of maintaining multiple servers that each have a different function, server virtualisation allows you to split the resources of a single server for multiple purposes. Often server resources are under-utilised, resulting in businesses spending too much on server upkeep for a little output.

How is Virtualisation different to Cloud Computing?

Virtualisation is software that manipulates hardware, while cloud computing refers to a service that results from that manipulation. You can’t have cloud computing without virtualisation….

This article goes on to include:

• What are the advantages of a virtualised environment over the cloud?

• How do you know if your business needs a virtualization solution?

• How do businesses know if they should use a true cloud solution?

• What should businesses look for in a virtualization provider?

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