Choosing between a standalone host and a clustered virtualization platform is a common architecture decision. In short: a single host is simple and cheap but a single point of failure; a cluster adds availability, live migration and operational flexibility at the cost of complexity and overhead. Below is a concise, practical guide to help you decide.
Core difference (one line)
- Single host: low complexity and cost, higher risk of single-point failure.
- Cluster: enables HA, live migration, centralized scheduling and easier DR—but adds storage/network dependencies and operational cost.
When to prefer a cluster
- Business requires high availability (24×7 services, financial systems).
- Need to minimize maintenance windows (live migration, host evacuation).
- You must support fast recovery and site-level disaster plans.
- Frequent scaling or regular VM migrations are expected.
- You require automated failover and pooled resource scheduling.
When a single host is fine
- Noncritical workloads (dev/test, docs, short-lived projects).
- Very tight budget and acceptable planned downtime.
- Infrastructure lacks shared storage or reliable network necessary for cluster features.
- Simpler operations are a priority and team size/skill is limited.
Quick decision checklist
- Define RTO / RPO requirements for each service.
- Compare total cost (licenses, storage, network, ops time).
- Confirm infrastructure capability (shared storage, low-latency network).
- Assess ops maturity — can you run HA drills and automation?
- Consider growth: will you need smooth horizontal scaling?
