A building management system (BMS) is a computer-based control system installed in buildings that controls and monitors the building’s mechanical and electrical equipment such as ventilation, lighting, plumbing, fire systems, and security devices.
A BMS typically consists of software running on one or more central hardware platforms which are connected to the various devices and sensors in the building via a communications network. The software monitors and controls the equipment based on a schedule or present conditions, and can also provide alarms & alerts, energy management & reporting, and other functions.
The term “virtualization” refers to the creation of a virtual (instead of physical) version of something, such as an operating system, a server, a storage device or network resources. In the case of servers, virtualization allows multiple virtual servers to run on a single physical server.
This can greatly increase the utilization of server hardware resources, since each physical server can now be divided into multiple virtual servers, each with its own operating system and applications.
Virtualization can also refer to the creation of virtual versions of storage devices or networks. For example, you could create a virtual storage device that exists within a storage area network (SAN). This would allow you to use the same storage device from multiple servers simultaneously, without having to physically connect each server to the storage device.
