What Is Virtualization
From Vi-Pedia - Virtualization Wiki
In computing, virtualization, in context of Platform virtualization, is the creation of virtual instances of computers or operating systems on a single physical machine. These virtual instances are commonly known as Virtual Machines or “VMs”. Virtual Machines share the resources of that single computer across multiple environments. Different virtual machines can run different operating systems and multiple applications on the same physical computer.
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Concept
The term "virtualization" was coined in the 1960s, to refer to a virtual machine. The creation and management of virtual machines has been called platform virtualization, or server virtualization, more recently.
Platform virtualization is performed on a given hardware platform by host software, which creates a simulated computer environment, a virtual machine, for its guest software. The guest software, which is often itself a complete operating system, runs just as if it were installed on a stand-alone hardware platform. Typically, many such virtual machines are simulated on a single physical machine, their number limited by the host’s hardware resources. Typically there is no requirement for a guest OS to be the same as the host one. The guest system often requires access to specific peripheral devices to function, so the simulation must support the guest's interfaces to those devices. Examples of such devices are hard disk drive or network interface card.
Why Virtualize?
Virtualization helps reduce capital costs by requiring less hardware and lowering operational costs while increasing your server to admin ratio. A virtual machine can be more easily controlled and inspected from outside than a physical one, and its configuration is more flexible. Some good reasons to virtualize is:
- Get more out of your existing resources: Run multiple operating systems on a single physical host. This allows you to run multiple applications on a single physical host instead of the using the "one application to one server" model.
- Reduce datacenter costs: By virtualizing your infrastructure, you'll be reducing your physical infrastructure and improve your server to admin ratio so you can save on costs of additional cooling, power and hardware.
- Improved business continuity: Increase availability of hardware and applications.
- Gain operational flexibility: Virtualization provides dynamic resource management, faster server provisioning and improved desktop and application deployment.
- Improve desktop manageability and security: Deploy, manage and monitor secure desktop environments that users can access locally or remotely, with or without a network connection, on almost any standard desktop, laptop or tablet PC.
