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If your business is like most, you have a dedicated server for each application, with each server configured to handle the peak load of the application it hosts. Unfortunately, most of that server capacity goes unused most of the time, with average utilization rates of less than 25 percent common.
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Virtualization is the answer to server utilization and a host of other common challenges. The schematic to the right illustrates the basic concept surrounding virtualization, while the glossary below provides simple definitions to terms you’re likely to run across frequently.
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| Virtualization |
Presenting a single physical resource as many individual logical resources (platform virtualization), as well as making many physical resources appear to function as a singular logical unit (resource virtualization). |
| Virtualized environment |
Often includes servers, storage units, network connectivity and appliances, virtualization software, management software and user applications. |
| Virtual server or virtual machine (VM) |
An instance of some operating system platform running on any given configuration of server hardware. |
| Virtual machine manager or hypervisor |
The software that provides the virtualization. Can be run on bare hardware (native VM) or on top of an operating system (hosted VM). Create VMs that share hardware resources and transparently function as individual entities on the network. | 
| There are several applications available to the midmarket, and each has its own set of benefits. |

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Consolidating servers as VMs on a small number of physical computers can save money on hardware costs and make centralized server management easier. |
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Server virtualization also makes backup and disaster recovery planning simpler and faster, providing for a high level of business continuity and data protection. |
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Extending virtualization out to the client desktops creates a smoother, more secure, more agile infrastructure. |

| When it comes to the virtual machine manager software, HP offers you a choice of providers depending on your business needs. |

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provides fast and straightforward virtual deployments, multiple licensing options, the HP ProLiant Virtual Console, and more. |
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provides cost reduction, improved resource efficiency and management, with a full spectrum of consolidated management tools. |

HP has gone one step further in making virtualization accessible with the release of ProLiant iVirtualization, allowing you to start up a virtualized server out of the box within minutes, using VMware ESX Server 3i for ProLiant.
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