Virtualization With Dual-Core Systems

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Buyers looking for the biggest bang for the buck are turning to dual-core systems. And why not? Dual-core technology brings the power of two processors at a price only slightly higher than that of one processor. And the additional power of a second processor means a system can accomplish more work in a given amount of time.

Extra processing power also lets users multitask more effectively. For example, one core could be used for surfing the Web, while the second core is handling an anti-virus scan. (Processor affinity settings handle this; it is usually an automatic process, with no user intervention required.)

The simple equation: Two heads are better than one. Both AMD and Intel offer dual-core CPUs, and both chipmakers describe dramatic speed advantages offered by the technology. Unfortunately, much of the hype has been focused on how dual-core CPUs can speed applications, games and other multitasking functions. It's ignored what may be the biggest opportunity for those selling dual-core systems: virtualization.

While virtual technology has received a great deal of press—even Microsoft has unveiled a virtualization licensing plan—the message has become overly complicated and is usually mentioned in the same sentence as "data center" or "servers."

In fact, virtualization holds promise for users of everything from notebooks to the data center, and multicore technology makes that possible. Basically, virtualization lets users maximize their productivity. Users can deploy a single computer to emulate several systems, better known as virtual machines. These virtual machines, in turn, can be used to solve compatibility problems, migrate to new operating systems, or even create test environments.

For system builders, selling virtualization is a matter of simplifying the technology to a layperson's terms and extolling the benefits. Here are several bullet points you may wish to use in your pitch to customers and other users:

• Virtualization lets users maximize the capabilities of their PCs and servers by allowing multiple operating systems to run concurrently. Examples include running multiple applications—each in its own isolated environment—to maximize CPU usage. Another example: Running legacy applications or proprietary software without impacting the performance or availability of newer applications or operating systems.

• Virtual machines are portable. Simply put, a virtual environment is nothing more than a special data file—or virtual hard disk—run by the virtualization software. That file can be copied from one physical machine to another or duplicated (cloned) and run from a removable device.

• Virtual machines can be used as part of a business-continuity plan. Most virtualization software on the market supports "snapshot technology," which lets a virtual machine be quickly backed up and rolled back to a working version in case of a hardware or software failure.

• Virtualization costs next to nothing. Both Microsoft and VMware offer free virtualization products. Today's hardware should need little or no upgrading to get started.

• Virtualization offers flexibility for supporting training tasks and testing software. Virtual machines provide an ideal environment for learning new products or testing new software. Users can mess around with a virtual machine to see what works and what doesn't with a new software package or operating system, all without interrupting production environments. Also, virtual machines can be pre-defined with as a test environment, making installation and removal of software to be tested a simple process. Users no longer have to dedicate a PC to a test environment.

In essence, virtualization offers something for everyone. Its benefits should not be ignored. And the biggest challenge for system builders is to clearly present the technological benefits in terms that nontechnical users can understand, appreciate, and ultimately buy.

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