Server and desktop virtualization have been improving computing efficiency and data security for years. But with all the talk about mobile BYOD policies and corporate data protection on smartphones, the National Security Agency (NSA) believes virtualization is the key to true security.

Virtualization is a great way to save money and increase the efficiency of your existing IT hardware, but how exactly do you implement a virtualization solution? There are several vendors that provide software solutions, but there’s one almost everyone has already worked with: Microsoft.

Virtualization comes with several benefits for small- and medium-sized businesses. One of the most important is cybersecurity, but even within that subset are several strategies for protecting your organization. One of such strategy is referred to as sandboxing, and it’s worth learning about.

Every now and then, we need to reset the conversation about virtualization and review how it works in its most basic form. With so many advances, it can be hard to keep up if you’re not a regular reader. This article not only defines virtualization and its benefits, it also includes a real-world workstation for you to experiment with!
What is virtualization?
The simplest definition is this: It’s the act of creating a virtual (rather than physical) version of something, including hardware platforms, storage devices, and computer network resources.

Azure and XenDesktop may not be household names, but the newest partnership between Microsoft’s cloud platform and Citrix’s virtualization client are making big waves in the industry. Announced at Citrix’s annual partner Summit, the newest thing in virtualization is a win for everyone.

If knowing is half the battle, virtualization is one for the ages. With more than a decade of history, it’s a tough topic that business owners would be hard-pressed to ignore. Over the years, the terminology has changed and capabilities have gotten even more confusing.

Although data storage is only one of the many ways to benefit from virtualized hardware, it’s still the most common use of the technology. Despite this popularity, virtualized storage is susceptible to a number of mismanagement catastrophes. We’ve outlined the three most common mistakes when utilizing this technology, right here.

If you thought virtualization was confusing, wait until you hear about hyperconvergence. By consolidating a number of virtualization services into a single piece of hardware, that runs a single piece of software, small- and medium-sized businesses can enjoy the simplicity, cost effectiveness, and security of a cloud infrastructure, in one on-site “box.

It’s a new year, and it’s time to start thinking about what information technology will look like in 2017. That could mean anything from forecasting the costs of adopting new technology to upgrading your products to better integrate with new trends.

We’ll just go ahead and say it: cloud migration is a smart business move and we highly recommended it. The potential for greater efficiency, more manageable storage capacity, and cost savings are all but guaranteed. Virtualization, however, is not a walk in the clouds.