Definition

virtualization sprawl - virtual server sprawl

Part of the Virtualization glossary:

Virtualization sprawl occurs when the number of virtual machines on a network reaches a point where the administrator can no longer manage them effectively. 

Next Steps

Although virtual machines (VMs) are easily created, they have the same support, security and compliance issues that physical machines do. Network administrators should know how many virtual machines are running on their network, which physical machines are hosting them, where their storage is located, what software or operating system (OS) licenses are associated with them, why they were originally created and who created them. 

To prevent virtualization sprawl, the administrator should define and enforce a process for the deployment of VMs and create a library of standardized VM image files. VMs that are being under-utilized should be archived. 

Learn more

David Marshall and Dan Knezevic discuss the hidden costs of server virtualization.

Anil Desai shares some best practices for managing virtual machines to prevent VM sprawl.

Anne Skamarock shares some tools for avoiding virtual server sprawl.

 

See also: virtual appliance, server sprawl

This was last updated in August 2010
Posted by: Margaret Rouse

Related Terms

Definitions

  • VM stall

    - VM stall is the point where it becomes just as cost-effective to deploy a physical server as it is to deploy a virtual server. (SearchServerVirtualization.com)

  • virtual server farm

    - A virtual server farm is a networking environment that employs multiple application and infrastructure servers running on two or more physical servers using a server virtualization program such as ... (WhatIs.com)

  • Virtualization 101

    - Test your knowledge of the fundamentals of virtualization in the this quiz from expert Anil Desai. (WhatIs.com)

Glossaries

  • Virtualization

    - Terms related to virtualization, including definitions about virtualization technologies and words and phrases about server virtualization, desktop virtualization and storage virtualization.

  • Data centers

    - Terms related to data centers, including definitions about network operations centers (NOCs) and words and phrases about the storage, management and the transmission of data.

  • Network administration

    - Terms related to managing computer networks, including definitions about LANS or WANS and words and phrases about network design, troubleshooting, security and backups.

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