Virtual Machines

A virtual machine (VM) is an emulation of a particular computer system, a program that acts as a virtual computer. It runs on your current operating system, the host operating system, and provides virtual hardware to a guest operating systems. Virtual machines are built to furnish users with their own virtual hardware, including a virtual CPU, memory, hard drive, network interface, and other devices. Simply put, a virtual machine is a file that contains a full operating system with programs and files just like a typical computer. Even simpler, it's a computer inside a computer or a server inside a server.

Some common uses for Virtual Machines

Testing newer versions of operating systems:

With Virtual Machines, you can adopt a safe method of testing a newer operating system such as Windows 10, MacOS 10.13 High Sierra, or Windows Server 2016. This method allows you to run a trial without installing a possibly unstable version on your computer. You can also test updates to your operating system without putting your main system in jeopardy.

Virtualization of personalized desktops

IT communities are trending towards storing end user's desktops, applications, and operating systems in a separate virtual machine stored on a centralized server and using individual computers as a "thin client" to that server. Each user is isolated from all other users and the maintenance of the applications is shifted from each user's desktop to the datacenter. This allows each user to login on any machine on the network and have access to their own personalized desktop and operating system. This has the added benefit of allowing the IT department to maintain applications from one location AND give control of who has access to those applications. This saves time and money.

Test and run data with different operating systems

Developers that are writing applications for use on different platforms can run their tests from one machine using several virtual machines. Saves time and money on equipment and manpower.

There are many situations where businesses have important applications that only run on older operating systems. You can install the old OS in a virtual machine and run that rather prehistoric application in the virtual machine. This saves the headache of finding hardware that will support that operating system AND allowing you to avoid the extra cost of another machine.

Mac and Linux users can also run Windows in a virtual machine to run Windows software. Windows users can run MacOS in a virtual machine and use Mac software. Compatibility issues are avoided.

Moving Virtual Machines or Upgrading Server Hardware

Virtual machines are literally just a file. This makes it relatively easy to move a Virtual Machine from one server to another or to migrate to faster hardware. This also provides for easy recovery when hardware fails. Backups of virtual machine files are mandatory for this solution

Consolidation

With virtual machines, it eliminates the need to dedicate a single machine to one application. For example, running your email server, database server, and file server on the same machine without compromising the security or speed of each application. Old and new applications can run simultaneously with their respective operating systems. The latest operating system versions and new applications can also be deployed without purchasing new hardware.

Safety and Security

Due to the isolation of virtual machines, an attack or a hacking breach in one does not affect the others. The fault tolerance and security brought about by the isolation of each virtual machine is a major benefit of virtualization. Most web hosting providers give an option to have a VPS (Virtual Private Server). This is simply a virtual machine running on a large server with many other virtual machines. This saves space and money for the provider and provides the same safety and security of a dedicated server for the end user.

Data Recovery from a Virtual Machine Server

Since virtual machine software is usually run on some kind of RAID system, virtual machine data recovery generally means we are potentially doing 3 separate recoveries. First, we recover the individual drives that have failed. Then we must recover the RAID to get access to the virtual machines. Then we must recover the virtual machine to get access to the end user's data.

Fusion Data Recovery engineers are experienced in dealing with and recovering data from complicated virtual file systems (VMware, HyperV, VirtualBox, and more). When your organization can't afford to lose your critical files stored on your virtual machine server, Fusion Data Recovery can get it back. We offer many levels of service, including 24/7 emergency service for super fast turnaround time.