Do two technology trends, the rise of server virtualization and the advance of cloud computing, go together like peanut-butter and jelly, or more like tunafish and pistachio nuts?
It depends on who you ask, but in general, virtualization is seen as complementary to cloud computing but not a necessity.
“Virtualization is one of a number of useful technologies for cloud computing. Not all applications of cloud computing require the use of the use of virtual machine technology,” according to Dan Kusnetzky, lead analyst of the Kusnetzky Group. “They may, however, use virtual access, application virtualization and/or storage virtualization.”