Virtualization is generally defined as the creation of a virtual version of a computer object. The computer objects may be hardware objects such as virtual machines (VMs), virtual storage disks (vdisks), or network resources such as virtual networks, virtual Central Processing Units (CPUs or VCPUs), virtual keyboards, virtual mice, and so on. The computer objects may also be software objects such as virtual operating systems (VOS), virtual desktops interfaces (VDIs), virtual memory (VMEM), virtual device drivers (VDDs), and so on. The virtualization market has seen tremendous growth as businesses embark on strategies to virtualize hardware and/or software. Companies such as VMware, Microsoft, and Citrix have invested heavily in virtualization-based solutions for these businesses.

Write a four to five (4-5) page paper in which you: Determine whether hardware virtualization helps businesses and organizations in terms of: cost management systems performance and scalability systems management and administration Determine whether software virtualization helps businesses and organizations in terms of: cost management systems performance and scalability systems management and administration Compare and contrast VMware, Microsoft, and Citrix in terms of: market adoption technical architecture technical support Determine which vendor you would recommend for a virtualization strategy and explain why.

Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources. Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format.