Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Virtualization Security - What It Is

Virtualization is the process of dividing one server into multiple servers so that resources can be increased at significantly reduced costs. It is also called stacking servers. This process is good for a management point of view but it creates security problems. Virtualization security deals with security for stacked servers.

The biggest security problem is that something might be overlooked. IT departments are normally in charge of virtualization security and it is easy for them to miss something. This is even more important when it comes to remote servers.

Here are a few common problems that need to be looked for:

Sprawl
The process of creating multiple servers is easy to do and people often go overboard when doing so. The problem with this is that the more the number of servers the more difficult it gets to monitor them. This makes it easier for hackers to strike. Another problem this creates is that keeping the security up to date is more difficult.

Responsibility
The more servers that are created the more confusion in terms of who is responsible for which server. This creates opportunities for hackers and data thieves.

Virtual Security
When data is exchanged between servers it cannot be detected. This can be a big problem if firewalls and are not installed and kept up to date.

Organizations that are looking to keep their data safe need to install virtualization security protocols to protect their data. They can do so by installing security software that is designed for this purpose.

Source: ezinearticles.com