Final Project Plan

Introduction

Virtualization in cloud computing is where a user of cloud technology is able to share the data in the cloud such as application software. It provides a virtual environment in the cloud. In virtualization, the software application and server needed by the providers of cloud technology are maintained by third parties. This allows reductions in costs in introducing new versions of an application and its release to customers. This paper looks into cloud technology and virtualization, the need for the two, expected cost savings, possible reductions of human capital, and competitive advantage.

Support the need for the use of cloud technology and virtualization within the company.

Cloud computing and virtualization entails making a virtual platform made up of server storage devices and operating systems. This assists the user through the provision of multiple machines concurrently and in a way that allows the sharing of instances of applications or resources to multiple users. Virtualization helps manage workloads by making computing increasingly efficient, economical and scalable (Marappan, 2017). One of the key features of virtualization in cloud computing is that it allows applications to be shared with multiple companies and customers.

Cloud computing can be envisaged as platform as a service, software as a service and infrastructure as a service. Infrastructure as a service is computing, networking and storage infrastructure i.e. a virtualized environment being offered on the internet. Platform as a service is where implementation, testing, and creation of a computing platform is facilitated without the need for maintenance and purchase of needed infrastructure and additional software. Lastly, software as a service is where applications, management, and an interface are provided i.e. a complete operating environment is provided. Cloud computing is where applications and services are delivered to help a virtualized environment that can either be private or public (Hawilo, 2019). Users are able to reduce the needed physical systems and maximize resources with the help of virtualization.

Virtualization can be in one of the following types. Storage virtualization where physical storage from numerous storage devices is grouped in a way that it looks like only one storage device. Hardware virtualization where virtual machine software is installed in the hardware system. Server virtualization where software is directly installed on the server system. The utilization of a single physical server can be divided into numerous servers balancing the load and is accessible on demand. Lastly, operating system virtualization where virtual machine software is installed in the host’s operating system and not on the hardware system. Virtualization can be beneficial as follows.

Better data transfer. Data can be retrieved or transferred to the virtual server at any time. This means that there is no need to use hard drives to look for data. Data can be easily allocated and transferred where it is needed in a way that is not curtailed by any size limits (Zhang et al., 2017). This is provided in virtualization after paying minimum fees and additional storage can also be provided.

Reduced risk of system failure. Virtualization helps users perform similar tasks in multiple devices concurrently. Data can be stored in the cloud and can be retrieved from any device and at any time. There are two servers that work together to ensure the accessibility of data and if one crashes, the data is still accessible through the other one.

Flexibility. Business operations can become more agile and efficient with the help of a virtual network. This means that technical issues in physical systems can be resolved eliminating the need for recovering data from corrupted devices (Ren et al., 2017). This is time-saving and implements such as the network switch allow for increased flexibility.

Security. Security can be facilitated using firewalls that would ensure confidentiality and prevent unauthorized access. This means that data can be protected from cyber threats including malware and viruses. Encryption happens in a way that there are protocols that help secure the data. This means that users can securely virtualize data stores and creates backups on the server.

Assess expected cost savings in hardware infrastructure.

Costs savings of virtualization and cloud computing for hardware infrastructure are as follows.

Better backups. Virtualizations means that businesses can back up their entire data centers in a way that is less demanding. This is due to the fact that virtual machines take server snapshots that are updated and redeploys them to another device seamlessly (Pandey et al., 2017). Virtual backups reduce the time needed for server reboots, unlike physical servers that require the creation of backups of current and server data.

Less hardware. Virtualization eliminates the need to purchase more hardware in order to supplement company requirements. There is no need to update and maintain unnecessary hardware which translates to less money and time spent on running and maintaining servers and also undertaking support activities.

Lower costs of electricity. Data centers, personal computers, and servers require huge amounts of electricity to cool the environment the machines operate and to power the machines themselves (Liu et al., 2017). The consolidation of hardware and software operations on lesser servers means that the business can reduce its carbon footprint and energy demand by using less electricity.

Savings through the consolidation of hardware. Instead of running numerous servers with minimal energy efficiency, virtualization allows the user to consolidate workloads into a few servers or even none at all.

Determine the possible reductions of human capital that can be realized from implementing cloud and virtualization technologies.

Successful implementation of virtualization and cloud technology means that reduced human capital is required. This can be seen in virtualized servers that run numerous computing environments reducing the number of server administrators needed to only one or two. Virtualization not only enables the concurrent running of computing environments but also ensures the support of different applications. The management and configuration of resources are done using a simple interface that enables access to programs and data (Gowri, 2019). This means that less human capital is needed for these roles and also in terms of support for and maintenance of data centers as the number of servers needed will be reduced in virtualization.

Figure 1: Cloud and Virtualization Technology Alignment with Business Processes

Provide a compelling recommendation for solution providers and partners that could help the company secure a firm competitive advantage by using cloud and virtualization technologies.

The ability to undertake analysis of big data in cloud computing systems using virtualization creates a competitive advantage through affordability and access to complex software for organizations. Traditionally, analysis of big data required the acquisition of expensive hardware, licensing and software platforms on the cloud. This meant that businesses could hardly have any competitive advantage by using cloud systems due to the huge costs involved (Li et al., 2019). Current big data analytics on the cloud do not need sophisticated technical expertise to compute.

The improvements of competitive advantage drawn from collaboration systems using cloud computing are a result of the rapid exchange of decision capable information to the consumers of decision information. The sharing of decision information in cloud platforms from any type and format of information enables higher levels of value and business collaboration through decision analysis, speed, and accuracy.

Conclusion

Cloud computing and virtualization are crucial to how businesses can effectively and efficiently conduct business in the future. These systems allow for cost reductions and competitive advantage by ensuring that the computing environment of the business is accessible from any location at any given time. Businesses no longer need to invest heavily in hardware infrastructure as the development of virtualization and cloud computing means that businesses can have computing facilitation online and in a way that is remotely accessible. These systems are secure and enable backups that are virtual. They also do not break down easily and ensure that if a single server fails, another server can provide the needed information or resources. This paper looks into cloud technology and virtualization, the need for the two, expected cost savings, possible reductions of human capital, and competitive advantage.

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