Top 5 Server Virtualization Software Of 2023

In today’s hyper-connected world, everyone has more than one device and it gets difficult to use them if you have just one plug point in your room, right? Imagine your laptop and smartphone are both on 12% battery and you can only charge one at a time. Hence, many people buy extension boards. It helps them to use multiple devices at the same time with ease.

You must be confused why are we talking about extension boards while mentioning at the top that this article is about Server Virtualization Software. Well, this software also allows multiple virtual machines (VMs) to run on a single physical server with each VM acting as if it were a separate physical machine. Like an extension board, it helps you connect multiple devices, with each device acting as a separate entity.

So, read on to learn about the top 5 Server Virtualization Software of 2023!
 

Top 5 Server Virtualization Software Of 2023

Server Virtualization Software allows companies to use their server hardware more efficiently and reduces the need for additional physical servers, thereby reducing costs and simplifying management. Server virtualization software also enables greater flexibility. VMs can be moved between physical servers or data centers, allowing for easier load balancing, disaster recovery, and other use cases.

While umpteen Server Virtualization Tools are available in the market, here are our top 5 picks in no particular order.
 

Azure Virtual Machines	Oracle VM VirtualBox	VMware vSphere
Microsoft Hyper-V	Citrix Hypervisor

 

Tool 1: Azure Virtual Machines 

Azure Virtual Machines is a cloud-based server virtualization software offered by Microsoft Azure. Launched in April 2013, Azure Virtual Machines is available globally through Microsoft's network of data centers and has the same headquarters as Microsoft Corporation, i.e., Redmond, Washington, USA. Azure Virtual Machines won several prestigious awards including the CRN Tech Innovator Award 2020 and Cloud Awards 2019-2020, making it one of the best Server Virtualization Software and a hot favorite of brands such as NBC Sports, Jet.com, Schneider Electric, Airbus, GE Healthcare and Accenture.


Azure Virtual Machines is a Server Virtualization Software that allows users to create and run virtual machines in the cloud, running on top of a hypervisor and supporting various operating systems and software applications. This simplifies the deployment and scaling of applications and services without needing to manage the underlying infrastructure.

It also provides autoscaling, high availability and disaster recovery options, advanced security features and seamless integration with other Azure services. With a pay-as-you-go pricing model, businesses only pay for the resources they use, making it cost-effective for running applications and services in the cloud. Azure Virtual Machines, you are a beauty!

What You'll Love: Easy to scale, User-friendly interface, Advance data security, Cloud/SaaS/Web-based, Value for money.
 

Tool 2: Oracle VM VirtualBox

Do you know Oracle VM VirtualBox was originally developed by Innotek GmbH, which Sun Microsystems later acquired in 2008? Well, Sun Microsystems was then acquired by Oracle Corporation in 2010. As you may know, Oracle Corporation is headquartered in Redwood City, California, USA and has offices around the world. Companies such as IBM, Intel, NASA, Siemens, McAfee, Nokia, Autodesk, Toyota and Boeing use Oracle solutions. no wonder they won the Bossie Awards for Best Open Source Virtualization in 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017 and 2016. #AcingTheVirtualizationGame


Oracle VM VirtualBox is one of the best Server Virtualization Software on the market, as it offers cross-platform support and can run multiple guest operating systems. Additionally, it allows for snapshots and cloning, supports various types of virtual networking, offers USB device support, provides Guest Additions to improve performance, helps RDP for remote connections and offers a CLI for advanced management.

Do you really need more? Well, in that case, it also supports a wide range of operating systems and hardware configurations, to customize to your virtualization needs and demands. The smartest extension board, we must say!!

What You'll Love: Collaboration capabilities, Negligible downtime, Free trial available, Outstanding performance, Easy to use.
 

Tool 3: VMware vSphere

VMware is a subsidiary of Dell Technologies and is a leader in virtualization and cloud computing. The company was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Palo Alto, California with brands like Coca-Cola, Chevron, Nasdaq, Southwest Airlines, Cerner, Siemens, Lockheed Martin, JPMorgan Chase, Verizon and FedEx relying on VMware vSphere Server Virtualization Software. VMware vSphere has won numerous awards over the years, including CRN Tech Innovator Award (2020), Virtualization Review Editor's Choice Award (2020) and NetworkWorld Asia Readers' Choice Award (2020)


VMware vSphere enables organizations to consolidate and optimize their IT infrastructure by running multiple virtual machines on a single physical server. VMware vSphere uses a hypervisor to create virtual machines, allowing organizations to optimize their IT infrastructure and operations.

Its features include high availability, dynamic resource allocation, virtualized storage, security, disaster recovery, and cloud management. VMware vSphere is flexible, scalable, and secure and is widely used in data centers and cloud environments worldwide. Now, that’s a super resourceful extension board, we must say!

What You'll Love: Cloud-hosted, Remote-friendly, AI and Machine Learning Capabilities, Budget-friendly, Suitable for enterprises.
 

Tool 4: Microsoft Hyper-V

Here comes another gem from Microsoft's bag: Microsoft Hyper-V. This is a hypervisor and virtualization software included with Microsoft Windows Server operating systems. It was first released in 2008 as part of Windows Server 2008 and has since been updated and included with subsequent versions of Windows Server. Microsoft Hyper-V is the go-to Server Virtualization Software for brands like Xerox, Unilever, NASA, Fujitsu, Dell, Coca-Cola, Allscripts, Siemens and Accenture. It also won CRN Tech Innovator Award, CRN Tech Innovator Award and InfoWorld Bossie Award in 2019!


What excites us is that Microsoft Hyper-V is a virtualization platform that provides server virtualization capabilities, high availability features, scalability, flexible management, security and seamless integration with other Microsoft technologies. Hyper-V can be managed using various tools, including Windows Admin Center and PowerShell.

It also supports Shielded Virtual Machines to protect virtual machines from unauthorized access and breaches. It is a cost-effective solution for virtualization needs as it is included with Windows Server at no additional cost. Kudos, Microsoft Hyper-V!

What You'll Love: Value for money, Cloud-first, Cloud security, Allows cross-platform integrations, Best suited for SMEs and SMBs.

Tool 5: Citrix Hypervisor

If you don't know about Citrix Hypervisor, you’re not doing server virtualization right! Citrix Hypervisor (formerly Citrix XenServer) was released in 2007 by Citrix Systems, Inc. The company is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Brands such as Samsung, Fujitsu, NEC, AT&T, British Telecom, Verizon and Volkswagen use Citrix Hypervisor. In fact, the company has won coveted awards such as CRN Tech Innovator Award 2019 and the CRN ARC Award 2019, not to mention the Virtualization Review Editor's Choice Award 2018!


Citrix Hypervisor Server Virtualization Software enables organizations to create and manage virtualized computing environments. It offers robust performance, high availability and scalability. Besides, Citrix Hypervisor Server Virtualization Software supports multiple operating systems, including Windows, Linux, Unix and various advanced features such as automated workload balancing, live migration, virtual machine snapshots, and disaster recovery capabilities.

Additionally, it supports GPU virtualization, high-performance networking, and container-based virtualization integration with Docker, making it a versatile virtualization platform suitable for a wide range of use cases. Quite impressive, isn't it?

What You'll Love: Easy to scale, Easy to use, Value for money, Workflow automation, User authorization and access control.
 

Wrapping Up

Server Virtualization Software is a critical component of modern IT infrastructure, providing companies with cost-effective and flexible solutions to manage their computing resources. These server virtualization tools allow you to efficiently use hardware resources, reduce costs and provide greater flexibility in managing workloads. As technology continues to evolve, these Server Virtualization Software solutions are expected to keep pace and provide even greater capabilities to meet the demands of the digital age.