Maximizing virtualization performance is essential to making the virtualization process work out in the long run. The methods for maximizing performance change based on the type of virtualization used, but they generally amount to a few basic processes. In most cases, if you keep the virtualized system’s task load low, the performance increases. The difficult part is finding the sweet point between tasks and users.
Modern computer systems use many different types of virtualization. Three of the more common types are server and hardware virtualization, operating system virtualization and database virtualization. Each of these relies on a completely different set of methods and practices to maximize their virtualization performance.
The key to virtualization performance on a server or hardware system is preventing overloads. In the case of a server, multiple virtual systems run on top of a single physical hardware system. This design allows a server to operate at peak efficiency at all times; when one virtual server is idle, another is busy, so the whole process evens out. These servers are usually based on a recommended user and process load; if they exceed that, then too many operations are fighting for a limited amount of resources. If the servers operate within their normal specifications at all times, the server’s virtualization performance should stay quite high.
This goes for other forms of hardware virtualization as well. Whenever a software system emulates a physical system, there is another layer of commands that need processing for every action. By keeping the numbers of activities under recommended levels, there are rarely slowdowns, and the system operates better as a whole.
To maximize the virtualization performance of an operating system, it is important to look at the physical hardware. In the case of a virtual operating system, there are two different hardware systems running the programs. The main server sends the system to a dummy terminal where users access their own virtual desktops.
The main server needs to have enough power to handle a number of concurrent users to maximize virtualization performance. Generally, the more operations its processor can perform, the faster it can provide feedback to the terminals. On the terminal end, a solid network connection and high memory speeds improve the overall end-point processing.
Database virtualization is different from the others in that it operates almost entirely outside of the place it’s used. For most users, the difference between a virtual database and a normal one is negligible, because a software system handles the routing between the user and information. Off-site virtual databases are typically limited by a single factor—the speed of the connection between the two systems. By maintaining a high level of network performance, it is easier to keep database virtualization performance high.