Cloud computing has taken a new turn with the widespread launch of various cloud platforms like Amazon EC2, GoGrid and others. Cloud computing consists of remotely storing all the memory systems and processors of a computer. The user logs on to the Internet and retrieves a full operating system running on a remote system. The advantages are comfort and safety. Users can store their information and projects away from their physical location and access them when needed. Cloud servers differ markedly from traditional virtual private server environments.
A virtual private server, or VPS, is a special type of server created through a process called virtualization. Typically, a server is assigned one task at a time. Servers are the nodes that connect the Internet to each other. Web browsers retrieve the pages they display from servers. Virtualization effectively creates multiple virtual servers that use the same physical machine. A program called a hypervisor is used to interact with each virtual server and keep the others unaware of each other’s existence. Virtualization increases server productivity at the risk of overloading memory and processing power. Each server has limits that can be reached through virtualization.
Cloud computing can use virtual private server platforms, but this creates several problems. First of all, the hypervisor can keep each server separate, but the unfortunate result is that VPS platforms tend to be overbooked. This leads to misallocation of resources which can cause server crashes and memory leaks. The worst case scenario is total data loss from such a situation. Cloud servers that don’t use virtualization work much better because their resources are dedicated to one user at a time. That said, some forms of virtualization can mimic traditional servers in terms of performance.
Cloud servers provide a dedicated central processing unit (CPU) allocation along with dedicated memory. Cloud servers are almost never oversold. A hidden benefit is that many servers allow users to gain additional unused CPU cycles. Combining virtualization with cloud servers can lead to some interesting benefits. Virtualization allows a user to launch a new server instance from any server that is already in their account. Storing sensitive data is also easier since the storage is on the host server. Data is preserved in the event of an unexpected malfunction, such as a server crash, so data can be recovered once the server is back online.
Some hosting companies can accomplish this through their unique implementations of a hypervisor program. Open source applications are becoming much more popular as users and businesses look to reduce borrowing costs. Open source hypervisors often lend themselves to unique interpretations. Virtualization combined with cloud server technology is opening the door to a new era. The way servers are used will change as cloud computing begins to catch on, despite lingering security concerns. Cloud servers free a business or consumer from staying in a physical location.
