Virtualized server platform for a small office
Otto Metsähukala · Theseus (Ammattikorkeakoulujen) · 2010
The objective of this study was to explore server virtualization software Citrix XenServer and Microsoft Hyper-V comparing them to the VMware ESXi solution used by the company in question. The aim of this bachelor’s thesis was to find a virtualization solution especially suitable for small sites like sales offices. Because small sites do not have IT personnel on site the solution must be cost efficient and remotely manageable. An important part of this study was to investigate how the virtualized systems can be backed up and disaster recovered. The work started by taking a look at virtualization as a technology and its history. Virtualization brings new possibilities and it reduces costs because it enables using the full capacity of the server hardware. Therefore the amount of server hardware can be reduced, saving energy, cooling and space costs. Virtualization consists of seven different types. This study focuses on server virtualization which is divided into two subcategories: hardware virtualization and software virtualization. Before testing XenServer and Hyper-V in practice, the current ESXi solution in place was investigated. ESXi has been installed on a USB memory stick and the environment has been built on typical workstation hardware. The most important part of this study was a performance test that was run on all of the three different virtualization software using HP ProLiant ML110 G6 hardware. The test environment was built with three virtual machines running two test applications that produced load to the server. The performance test revealed that ESXi is still the best performing virtualization solution. Hyper-V also did well in the test and it was only slightly behind ESXi. The worst performer in the test was XenServer, which was clearly left behind. Among performance, manageability and disaster recovery are key factors when comparing the solutions. At the end of this study it was discovered that XenServer and Hyper-V do not currently have any so significant features that it would be worth for the company to change away from ESXi. The hardware used should, nevertheless, be upgraded to server hardware.