Server partitioning

First, let’s list the advantages of optimal server partitioning. These include:

• consolidating multiple applications into one physical server box (it helps centralize management, save space and decrease administrative and management costs);
• enhancing enterprise resource planning (applications are divided across multiple desktop clients, application servers and database servers.);
• hosting applications on different partitions within a single server, thereby improving performance;
• consolidating the work previously carried out by multiple independent servers.

All hard drive partitioning operations. There are also three methods of server partitioning described below.

Physical partitioning

Resources are divided along hardware boundaries. A single large server divides it into multiple smaller systems, each partition running its own copy of the operating system. Each partition is physically independent, self-contained server with its own processors, memory, input / output subsystem and network resources. The boundaries can be reset at any time.

Software-based, or logical partitioning

Partitions are more flexible because the boundaries between them aren’t physically defined. At least, a single processor can be divided among multiple logical partitions, or resources such as memory and disks can be shared dynamically between partitions. Flexibility allows applications to maximize the use of total system resources as needed instead of being confined by physical boundaries.

Dynamic partitioning

Users are able to create, resize or delete partitions without rebooting. It allows administrators to quickly allocate additional resources to applications - say, to handle a sudden spike in Web server traffic - without serious disruptions.