Virtualization offers an ability to create a software-based or virtual representation of something rather than a physical one. Applied to applications, servers, storage, and networks, it provides an effective tool for reducing IT expenses while boosting efficiency and agility for all types of businesses.

By using virtualization software to simulate hardware and create a virtual computer system, businesses can run more than one virtual system including multiple operating systems and applications on a single server. This can provide economies of scale and greater efficiency.

Key Benefits for IT Management

Each self-contained virtual machine is completely independent, and multiple VMs on a single computer will enable several operating systems and applications to run on just one physical server or host. Benefits include:

• Network footprint reduction and an ability to easily do hardware cost/benefit analysis
• Streamlined management of network hardware
• An ability to do both server and desktop virtualization
• Network architecture analysis tools to optimize performance and efficiency.
• Enhanced ability to enhance selection of server solutions and recommendations on ways to improve network operation and management
• Fault and security isolation at the hardware level
• Run multiple operating systems on one physical machine

Integration of Cloud services

Cloud computing is a natural extension of virtualization as a way to enable delivery of shared computing resources (software and/or data) on demand through the Internet. Layer 3 works with customers on how to optimize the combination of virtualization and cloud hosting services.

Cloud services such as Microsoft Azure offer key advantages by reducing hardware management costs and hardware failures, improved network agility and testing environments and effective solutions for disaster recovery, offsite storage along with increased flexibility in determining how to protect important company data.

Scalability is the backbone of any good cloud provider. A cloud service provider makes it easy, for example, to scale compute power up or down with nothing more than the click of a button. With this scalability structure, businesses have the flexibility to pay for only what they use.

Using the cloud also allows businesses to launch both customer applications and internal apps in the cloud, which saves on infrastructure costs while reducing the hardware and maintenance burdens on in-house IT management.

Layer 3 works with each client to determine virtualization/cloud services that maximizes performance while in the context of managing hardware, software and support costs.