A Virtualized Environment Security (VES) model for a secure virtualized environment

Security in virtualized environments has become a serious concern, as it gained acceptance in corporate data centers. The importance of the operational, organizational and economic context has been placed into the background, while much of the focus remained on the virtualization technology itself. The security of a virtualized environment requires a multi-faceted approach, where technical as well as non-technical aspects need to be taken into account. For example, securing the virtual machine alone will not secure the virtualized environment. The management of the virtual machines, users´ roles and permissions, as well as the implementation of policies and procedures in the organization all plays a role in the overall security of the virtualized environment. Without compliance and best practice guidelines, amongst others, the organization is at risk. This paper will discuss the Virtualized Environment Security (VES) model, illustrating the necessary dimensions needed in order to secure a virtualized environment.