Windows Server® 2012 Unleashed

Understanding Microsoft’s Virtualization Strategy

Server virtualization is the ability for a single system to host multiple guest operating system sessions, effectively taking advantage of the processing capabilities of a very powerful server. Just a couple years ago, most servers in datacenters were running under 5% to 10% processor utilization, meaning that there was significant excess capacity on the servers unused. By combining multiple servers running within a virtual server host operating system, organizations can now utilize more capacity of a server. Even with server virtualization, however, organizations are still only pushing their servers to 40% to 50% utilization, leaving more than half the capacity of the server unused.

The key ...