Virtual reality (VR) is a rapidly growing industry with many unique business opportunities. However, VR equipment can be expensive and requires a powerful computer to work properly. VR can also cause discomfort, such as eye strain and motion sickness, if used long-term.
Product designers can use VR to explore designs that were previously cost- or time-prohibitive. Similarly, Boeing technicians use VR smart glasses to visualize wiring repairs and reduce repair times.
Desktop virtualization
Desktop virtualization (VDI) enables you to connect to a virtual desktop from any device with an internet connection. It uses a central server to host multiple virtual machines (VMs). A connection broker decides who can access which VM and manages these connections. VDI is often used in combination with application virtualization, which allows you to manage applications and user profiles centrally.
VDI is a great option for remote workers, as it reduces hardware costs and helps you to deploy computers quickly. It also gives you greater control over locally installed software, as you can update it on the server side without affecting end-users.
Virtualization can improve productivity by eliminating the need to send programs and data to remote devices. This was important when home broadband and cellular networks had limited speed and quality, but it’s less critical now that high-speed Wi-Fi and 4G are common. It can also save on storage. In addition, it can cut down on e-waste.
Server virtualization
Server virtualization involves the use of hypervisor software that creates a layer of abstraction between physical hardware and operating systems. This allows multiple servers to share the same physical hardware, reducing hardware and facilities costs. Server virtualization can also help with a variety of management ideas such as monitoring, reporting and logging.
Another benefit of server virtualization is its portability and ease of migration. With traditional hardware, moving a computer from one location to another requires physical media and the installation of a new operating system. With a virtualized environment, however, the VM can be saved as an ordinary memory image file and quickly cloned on a new physical computer.
It’s important to remember that not all computers are candidates for virtualization. Those that require high service levels or have privacy concerns may not be suitable for a virtualized environment. But a partner who educates their SMB customers on the benefits of server virtualization can save them money on hardware upfront and offer long-term IT, energy and maintenance savings as well as opportunities for reoccurring revenue.
Network virtualization
Network virtualization decouples network services from the underlying hardware and allows them to be provisioned in software. This enables a business to scale their network infrastructure in minutes rather than days, while also saving on CapEx and OpEx. It is commonly used with virtualization technologies such as VMware NSX and SDN/NFV.
SMBs can save money through network virtualization by reducing the need for costly upgrades to accommodate traffic spikes or changes in their network topology. In addition, a virtual environment can eliminate downtime from mechanical hard drive failures and improve security through segmentation of data to limit malware penetration.
Businesses can improve their recovery times from attacks by allowing them to quickly and easily restore data that has been isolated to a specific virtual network that only authorized users can openly access. This is known as micro-segmentation, which can help organizations avoid breaches that exploit gaps in their perimeter protection. It can also help them comply with regulatory requirements.
Cloud computing
Cloud computing focuses on the concept of remote access to data and applications. It is a major shift away from the traditional model of local storage and computing power. It combines a number of business ideas, such as on-demand self-service, broad network access, resource pooling, rapid elasticity and measured service.
Whether your business is an SME or a large enterprise, the benefits of cloud technology can be substantial. These benefits include a lower cost, more agility and improved productivity. Cloud technologies also allow businesses to scale as they need, allowing you to pay only for what you use.
In addition, many cloud platforms offer a mobile app that enables users to access work on any device with an internet connection. This flexibility can be a valuable incentive for employees, especially in an environment where the majority of work is done remotely. It can also enable a business to be agile and responsive to new business opportunities, such as working with clients or conducting research.