Use Virtualization to Test Lion Server

Using virtual machines is a great way to test new Lion Servers before putting them into production. You don’t have to dedicate a Mac to the task. You can run Lion Server (or Windows Server) in a virtual machine on any general-purpose Mac.

You can also use a single Mac to create multiple server configurations to test different settings, with different services turned on and different third-party applications installed. With virtual machines, you can test new versions of a server alongside the older versions in order to run comparisons.

You can add Lion and Windows clients in virtual machines and have a little test network all on one Mac, not connected to your real network. To do this without virtualization, you’d have to use multiple Macs, or a Mac with multiple hard drives or partitions. You’d have to reboot the Mac every time you needed to run a different configuration.

If you’re going to run your production server in a virtual machine, test it in one. After you get your test server configured and tweaked just as you like it, you can easily migrate it to a production server that you want to run in a virtual machine.

You don’t have to install server software and any extra applications and then configure it all over again. Just move the virtual machine files over to the server Mac.

When testing or setting up a server in a virtual machine, you can use a feature called a snapshot. It records the complete state of a virtual machine when you take the snapshot, including the software installed in the guest OS and the various server configurations.

You can revert to a snapshot if you decide you want to go back to an earlier configuration. You can have multiple snapshots as well. Keep in mind that each one can consume several gigabytes of disk space.

Cloud Computing Glossary

cloud computing

A networking solution in which everything — from computing power to computing infrastructure, applications, business processes to personal collaboration — is delivered as a service wherever and whenever you need.

Cloud Computing Glossary

cloud service

The delivery of software, infrastructure, or storage that has been packaged so it can be automated and delivered to customers in a consistent and repeatable manner.

Cloud Computing Glossary

deprovision

The release of cloud services that are no longer needed.

Cloud Computing Glossary

federating

Linking distributed resources together over the cloud.

Cloud Computing Glossary

hypervisor

An operating system that acts as a traffic cop, managing the various virtualization tasks in the cloud to ensure that they make things happen in an orderly manner.

Cloud Computing Glossary

multi-tenancy

The sharing of underlying resources by multiple companies over a cloud.

Cloud Computing Glossary

network attached store

Storage that has its own network address through which it is accessed by the network's workstation users. Acronym: NAS

Cloud Computing Glossary

service level agreement

A contract that stipulates the type of service you need from providers and what type of penalties would result from an unexpected business interruption. Acronym: SLA

Cloud Computing Glossary

solution stack

An integrated set of software that provides everything a developer needs to build an application.

Cloud Computing Glossary

storage area network

A storage systems that is flexible and scalable because it's available to multiple hosts at the same time. Acronym: SAN

Cloud Computing Glossary

vertical industry groups

Workgroups comprised of members from a particular industry such as technology and retail.

Cloud Computing Glossary

virtual memory

The portion of your hard drive that Windows uses to expand the available RAM

Cloud Computing Glossary

virtualization

Using computer resources to imitate other computer resources or whole computers to maximize performance and flexibility.