The use of virtualization and cloud computing is growing quickly among companies of all sizes. Currently, 30 percent of servers are virtualized, and surveys show that by 2012, that number will grow to 50 percent.
Virtualization and cloud computing go hand-in-hand, and virtualizing servers is just the tip of the iceberg. The trend to virtualize everything from servers to processing power to software offerings actually started years ago in the personal sector. In the recent past, it was common for individuals within major organizations to use virtualized services or cloud computing when at home, but at work they weren’t using those services at all. Why? Because corporate IT didn’t trust the lack of security of the cloud, and they weren’t sure it was a hard trend–something that was definitely here to stay. Today, we know better.
In order to fully understand how virtualization and cloud computing will transform the business world, let’s first look at the evolution of these capabilities.
Cloud Computing
When talking about virtualization, cloud computing is a natural component. Cloud computing, which refers to companies using remote servers, which can store data and allow users to access information from anywhere, takes three different evolutionary forms.
The first is a public cloud. This could be something like Google docs to store data or Flickr to store photos. Basically, you’re storing files somewhere else other than your hard drive and in a place accessible from any device, at any time, as long as you have an Internet connection.
The second form of cloud computing, i.e. using a private cloud, is emerging rapidly. A private cloud exists when a company wants added security with cloud computing, while allowing its employees to have access to bigger files and larger databases from any device, anywhere. Since it is private, it is secure, and the public does not have access to it. Companies are now beginning to establish private clouds.
The third iteration of cloud computing is the private/public cloud–also called a hybrid cloud. In this configuration, you have a private part of your corporate cloud, which is secure and only accessible by employees, but you also have a part of the cloud that is public where strategic partners, vendors, and customers can access limited content.
