NEW YORK, Feb. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Enterprises can save money and reduce overhead using server virtualization and the use of so-called "virtual machines." Unfortunately, they may also be opening themselves to some security risks that aren't self-evident, says Joshua Corman, Principal Security Strategist for IBM Internet Security Systems, in a video tutorial posted today on the Internet Evolution Website (http://www.internetevolution.com/tutorial_virtualizationsecurity.asp).
Server virtualization, where multiple operating systems and/or applications are handled by a single server (or a dynamic patchwork of servers), has helped enterprises reduce energy usage and management personnel. But as Corman describes in the tutorial, virtualization can be compared to putting all the eggs in one basket. "We used to have isolation - we had a single server running a single set of mission-critical applications," he explains. "Now, as enterprises begin to collocate these for greater efficiencies, we introduce more risk."
Corman explains the organizational and technical implications for security management, such as what happens when virtualization's "live migration" function gets activated, or what could occur when a suspended or frozen OS "instance" gets reactivated without proper patching. Policies and best practices are crucial in an era when software vulnerabilities are rampant, Corman explains in the tutorial series, and could provoke the ire of auditors and regulators for compliance infractions.
Server virtualization is either in use or being considered in data centers of all sizes, and the security implications shouldn't be overlooked, according to Internet Evolution Editor in Chief Terry Sweeney.
"Virtualization, VMs, and hypervisors are in wide use, and the technology is still new enough that most enterprise customers haven't completely thought through how it affects security management," Sweeney says. "Corman breaks down a complex issue into 12 digestible pieces, with prescriptions for avoiding common pitfalls, and some previews of coming attractions that will make virtualization even more secure in the future."
To view the virtualization security video tutorial on Internet Evolution click here: http://www.internetevolution.com/tutorial_virtualizationsecurity.asp
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