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Virtual Machine Stall

What Does Virtual Machine Stall Mean?

A virtual machine stall (VM stall) is a term for a network hardware phenomenon in IT that contrasts the use of physical servers with the use of virtual servers and virtual hardware. The term virtual machine stall uses the word "stall" to indicate a kind of breaking point where server virtualization stops being desirable and where plans to virtualize hardware may end. Typically, experts understand the term as referring to the cost effectiveness of different solutions, although other factors can be involved.

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Techopedia Explains Virtual Machine Stall

In looking at issues around VM stall, it’s useful to consider that different parts of an IT network have their own different demands. Some servers and applications will have higher performance demands than others, and some will be easier to virtualize. Another big factor is the cost of vendor solutions that support virtual hardware setups. Generally, businesses talk about either the price of vendor services for specific virtual network tools, or vendor support for services where a lack of support generates its own cost and operational difficulties for the business.

Another way to talk about virtual machine stall is that it happens when certain barriers pop up around practical virtualization, whether that’s a breakdown in support strategies, a price point, or a change in capacity. In some cases, virtual machine stall happens when systems outgrow managers’ abilities to handle them, in which case the company has to go back to the drawing board and look at an updated solution.

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