# Virtual Server Management Software - ManageEngine OpManager ## Virtual Server Management ## OpManager: The comprehensive virtual server management software OpManager provides comprehensive virtual server monitoring features that help IT admins identify bottlenecks and troubleshoot critical performance issues in virtual machines. It helps monitor hybrid virtual environments, offering robust support for [VMware monitoring](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/vmware-monitoring.html), [Hyper-V monitoring](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/hyperv-monitoring.html), [Nutanix monitoring](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/nutanix-monitoring.html), and [Citrix Hypervisor monitoring](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/citrix-xenserver-monitoring.html). ## Challenges in virtual server management Enterprises looking to improve the performance of their server infrastructure, maximize utilization and cut down on related costs typically turn to virtualization, as it enables them to run multiple applications and operating systems on fewer resources. Virtual servers come with a load of benefits ranging from reduced hardware expenses, faster provisioning and deployment, improved disaster recovery and energy savings, to increased productivity. However, virtualization isn't perfect. This means that IT administrators must periodically address various issues to ensure the health and availability of their virtual resources with the help of virtual server management software. Listed below are some of the most common challenges of **virtual server management.** ### VM sprawl There are a lot of advantages to deploying virtual machines (VMs) in an enterprise. However, after increased use of virtualization, it becomes difficult to manage these accumulated VMs, and together these VMs significantly drain computing resources. [VM sprawl](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/tech-topics/how-to-prevent-vm-sprawl.html) thwarts any advantage from virtualization and may even require businesses to make further investments into physical hardware. Virtual server monitoring tools can effectively tackle the VM sprawl issue in the network. ### Network traffic congestion In an attempt to achieve maximum utilization of hardware resources, companies will often consolidate multiple VMs onto a single server. Since most servers come fitted with a single network interface card (NIC) port, this consolidation causes increased traffic. Workloads sensitive to network latency may report errors or even crash. This may prove to be an expensive affair that can be best avoided with the help of a proper [virtual network management](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/virtual-network-management.html) solution. ### Server hardware issues [Server virtualization](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/server-virtualization.html) provides high flexibility in terms of business continuity and disaster recovery. However, underlying physical resources can still be negatively impacted by the consolidation of virtual servers. Server virtualization management helps maintain these resources at optimum utilization as well as monitor their health and performance. ## How does OpManager help with virtual server monitoring? ### 1. Virtual server monitoring OpManager provides key metrics on the processor, memory, disk, and network usage for **managed virtual servers** with the help of virtual server monitors. It also tracks inventory and allocated resources to avoid the unnecessary proliferation of VMs in your data center. [Virtual server performance monitoring](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/virtual-machine-monitoring.html) is essential to prevent virtual server bottlenecks which can affect network uptime. ![Virtual Sever Software - ManageEngine OpManager](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/images/virtual-server-management-1.PNG) ### 2. VM relationship mapping OpManager's **virtual server maangement software** has real-time [network topology maps](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/network-mapping.html) for better visualization of your virtual environment. You can proactively spot virtual servers that need attention and understand the relationship between hosts and VMs, networks, and datastores. ![Virtual Server Management - ManageEngine OpManager](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/images/virtual-server-management-2.png) ### 3. Capacity planning Capacity planning in your virtual environment can be a demanding task while creating multiple virtual servers, allocating resources, and moving applications across servers. OpManager, a virtual machine server software, offers out-of-the-box performance and availability monitoring capabilities. These provide critical insights into capacity planning and offer recommendations on enhancing the performance of your VMs. ![Server Virtualization Software - ManageEngine OpManager](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/images/virtual-server-management-3.PNG) ### 4. VMware workflow automation Virtual servers are administered remotely using virtual server management software such as OpManager that helps perform regular maintenance and fault remediation tasks on VMware servers using [IT workflow automation](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/it-workflow-automation.html). This will monitor your VMware server for events and will automatically execute workflow actions based on the configured trigger profile. ![Managed Virtual Server - ManageEngine OpManager](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/images/virtual-server-management-4.PNG) ### 5. VM migration tracking VM migration is a feature provided by most major virtualization software providers, that allows live migration of virtual machines. It enables IT administrators and data center managers to easily migrate virtual machines from one physical host to another with minimal disruption. This can be beneficial in distributing consolidated virtual servers that consume a lot of bandwidth across physical resources to minimize network traffic congestion. With OpManager's server virtualization software, monitor virtual server migration, track these changes, and provides complete network visibility without the slightest disruption. ### 6. Alerts via email and SMS OpManager, the virtual server tool has an intelligent [fault management](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/network-fault-management.html) module that provides instant email and SMS notifications on performance hiccups, downtime, and faults. You can also leverage workflow automation and self-healing scripts to automate fault remediation. ![Virtual Server Management Software - ManageEngine OpManager](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/images/virtual-server-management-5.PNG) Learn more about [email](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/fault-monitoring.html#Alerts) and [SMS alerts](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/help/sms-alerting.html). ### 7. VM reports OpManager, the virtual management software provides over 70 out-of-the-box reports on processor, memory, disk, and network utilization for hosts and VMs. These reports help in identifying utilization trends, troubleshooting resource allocation issues, and making the right capacity addition decisions. ![Server Virtualization Management - ManageEngine OpManager](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/images/virtual-server-management-6.PNG) In conclusion, OpManager stands as the best **virtual server software** with it's virtual server management capabilitites which includes virtual server performance monitoring, VM relationship mapping, workflow automation, migration tracking, fault remediation, and VM reports. This provides essential support and insights for maintaining a healthy and efficient virtual environment within your enterprise network. Sign up today for a free 30 day-trial or book a personalized demo with our product experts to learn how to efficiently monitor your virtual servers with [OpManager](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring). ## FAQ - Virtual server management ### What is virtual server management? Virtual server management is the act of managing virtual servers and monitoring their performance in real-time. A virtual server management solution helps effectively identify and solve performance issues, optimize resource utilization, prevent hardware failure, and maintain virtual servers at peak performance. ### Benefits of deploying a virtual server software Following are some of the benefits of having a dedicated virtual server software to manage virtual networks: - A virtual server software helps proactively monitor virtual networks and infrastructure for performance, availability, and health. This helps businesses prevent unanticipated downtime and save the costs associated with it. - A robust virtual server software helps identify and rectify server faults. This helps expedite the troubleshooting process thus reducing the mean-time to repair (MTTR) in turn increasing network uptime. - The right virtual server software possesses ample scope for automation. This helps eliminate manual intervention and reduce human error. - An optimal virtual server software helps spot underutilized resources, plan capacity, and help provision resources effectively.