Agencies Saving one-Fifth of IT Budget Through Virtualization, Survey Finds

More than 80 percent of federal information technology leaders say their agencies have implemented some manner of server virtualization and, overall, the government is saving nearly 20 percent of its IT budget through virtualization, according to a recent survey.

Virtualization essentially allows users to complete computer tasks with Web-based tools rather than physical ones. In the case of virtualized servers it means those servers are able to use deceptively simple hardware to do complex tasks. For virtualized desktops, workers can access Web-based versions of their desktop tools from a home computer, tablet or smartphone.

Server virtualization is a major component of the government's transition to cloud computing storage, which IT leaders say will save about $5 billion annually by 2015. It's also critical to a related plan to shutter or consolidate about 40 percent of the government data centers during the next several years...