1.3 Architectural Scenarios

Typical architectural scenarios for virtualized environments are illustrated in this section. You can use server and service virtualization at different levels to achieve your networking goals.

1.3.1 Only Service Virtualization

NCS can be installed on physical machines. Services are virtualized as cluster resources that can fail over between physical machines in the same cluster.

Figure 1-4 Service Resources on Physical Servers

1.3.2 Only Server Virtualization

Guest machines can be hosted on physical machines. No services are virtualized.

Figure 1-5 Guest Servers with No Clustering

1.3.3 NCS Managing Services on Guest Machines

NCS can be installed on guest machines. Services are virtualized as cluster resources that can fail over between virtual machines in the same cluster.

Figure 1-6 Guest Machines as Cluster Nodes

1.3.4 NCS Managing Services on a Cluster of Physical and Guest Machines

NCS can be installed on guest machines or physical machines. Any combination of physical machines and virtual machines that are running the same operating system can be in the same cluster. Services are virtualized as cluster resources that can fail over between the nodes in the same cluster.

Figure 1-7 Physical and Guest Machines as Nodes in a Cluster