Data access and recovery solutions for virtual machines

The main idea of it was to build up few abstract information management layers able to work with their own logical means within the framework of a single machine. As a result, the combination of networks virtualization along with virtualization of data storage systems and computing resources gave birth to a new software category - virtual infrastructure.

Nowadays many companies implement the virtualization technology on workstation and servers. This technology presupposes logical organization of computer powers that differs from a physical one. A virtual machine originated exactly as a new "device" aimed at programs execution. Its application on workstations is advantageous in many ways. First of all, many absolutely different programs and operating systems can coexist on one computer. Therefore, computer resources are regarded as a single pool. Secondly, virtual machine failure does does affect a computer at all.

However, it is a server that enjoys the biggest benefit of virtualization. It has contributed a lot to an efficient corporate resources use, considerable reduction both in hardware costs and operating needs. Dramatic rise in virtual servers in comparison with actual computers computers used in business is apparent.

What stands behind a virtual server? The answer is ability to shift functionality of many servers onto one server. Once installed on a server, virtual software allows to get few virtual servers. Besides, each of them has a different chief task (mail server, web server, database server, etc.). Moreover, virtual servers have their own system resources data sets, operating systems, programs and applications.

The fields that benefit a great deal from virtualization are basically logical IT-infrastructure consolidation and continuous business-operations assurance. Quick recovery under emergency circumstances and software development & testing systems profit from virtualization as well. Indeed, with a virtualized infrastructure organizations can drive greater, whereas more effective utilization of storage assets enables flexibility and responsiveness to rapidly changing business demands.

Nevertheless, a company that has implemented virtualization infrastructure can face a problem of difficult access. What is meant here? Employees from their own experience of working with virtual machines know that reading a file on a virtual drive is possible only after virtual machine is started and configured. As a result, they are forced to spend precious work time on these operations so that to gain access to necessary data . Moreover, the employees are prevented from files copy to a desktop. You will ask why it happens? The problem is absence or inaccessibility of file exchange software. In most cases such programs are not installed on a virtual machine.

UFS Explorer is a universal tool that allows to gain access to data on a virtual machine or back up copies in the shortest possible time without the need of virtual machine startup operation and configuration. It should be emphasized that with UFS Explorer one can copy files from a virtual machine to a main operating system in no time and thereby neglect any virtualization software installation. Besides, UFS Explorer supports most popular guest operating systems as well as commonly used virtualization software products.

It can not be even doubted that a hampered access problem is second to the risk of data loss. Since more and more companies become too dependent on immediate data recovery from both virtual systems and regular ones, virtual drive back up operation on virtual servers has become customary for organizations. Basically, it serves as a protection means from possible hardware&software failures, human errors that can lead to deletion of modification of data on a virtual drive.

What to do in the event of logical virtual drive failure that caused a critical data loss?

With UFS Explorer a system administrator not starting up a virtual machine and changing settings can access a required back up copy on a virtual drive and gain the wanted information. Furthermore, a situation where there is no virtual drive back up copy does not raise difficulties to our software on the way to data recovery as well. After UFS Explorer installed, data lost on a failed virtual drive can be exceptionally restored by a system administrator. For both virtual machines and original computers data recovery standards are very high.