- Virtualization of HIT Infrastructure Supports Value-Based Care
Hypervisors contain kernels and are used specifically for virtual machines. Hypervisors support kernels, which are necessary for all operating system deployments.
A kernel is the user interface between the hardware and applications that manages communication between hardware and software. In virtualization, kernel space is segregated and dedicated to running each user space to keep them functioning independently.
Research and Markets also said in a recent report that it foresees significant growth in the hypervisor market, especially as healthcare organizations are looking to virtualize and consolidate their datacenters.
“There are many reasons for enterprises to consider data center consolidation projects, including the cost reduction and acquisition of enterprises,” stated Research and Markets. “Consolidation helps in saving the cost up to 30%, reducing the power consumption by 55%, enhancing security up to 35%, and improving efficiency by 50%.”
“In the US, the federal government is involved in the consolidation of data centers to reduce operational costs and shift investments toward an efficient computing platform.”
The Research and Markets report found that the ease of management a virtual infrastructure offers is one of the main drivers of virtualization and subsequent hypervisor adoption.
Hypervisors can run more than one VM on a host machine, resulting in desktop virtualization technology. Data is no longer stored on the device used to access it (i.e., thin client), which enables smaller and less powerful devices to access the same information. The VM can be on the device used to access the data or installed in the cloud and accessed via a gateway.
Hypervisors allow organizations to implement virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) solutions. VDI environments give IT administrators more control over virtual desktops and let clinicians quickly and easily login to their person desktop from anywhere.
VDI uses abstraction to remote desktop operating systems to mobile devices. VDI also separates the desktop environment and application layer from a user’s endpoint device.
Users access their personal desktop via any thin client device on the network without having to go through a long login process. VDI deployments are made possible by hypervisors.
The desktop operating system is hosted on a centralized server in an organization’s datacenter. Instead of logging into a cloud service, bringing up a personal profile stored on the cloud, and logging into each app individually, VDI allows end-users to use a simulated version of the desktop on their main computer or endpoint device they use for access.
Hypervisors can also offer increased security for PHI and clinical data. Organizations can implement hypervisor-level and network integrated security, which does not impact the performance of virtual machines so it won’t add an extra burden to hardware or software. Hypervisor-level security is also proactive and can prevent cyberattacks from reaching the virtual machine.
Hypervisors are key to successful virtualized infrastructure deployments. The hypervisor layer acts as a buffer between the hardware and the virtual machines and controls how the hardware and software communicate. Without a competent hypervisor, organizations cannot deploy a successful virtual storage, desktop, or compute environment.
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