Virtualization

In computing, virtualization (or virtualisation) is the creation of a virtual (rather than

actual) version of something, such as a hardware platform, operating system (OS),
storage device, or network resources.
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!hile a physical computer in the classical sense is clearly a complete and actual
machine, "oth subjectively (from the user#s point of view) and objectively (from the
hardware system administrator#s point of view), a virtual machine is subjectively a
complete machine (or very close), "ut objectively merely a set of files and running
programs on an actual, physical machine (which the user need not necessarily "e aware
of).
$irtuali%ation can "e viewed as part of an overall trend in enterprise I& that includes
autonomic computing, a scenario in which the I& environment will "e a"le to manage
itself "ased on perceived activity, and utility computing, in which computer processing
power is seen as a utility that clients can pay for only as needed. &he usual goal of
virtuali%ation is to centrali%e administrative tasks while improving scala"ility and overall
hardware'resource utili%ation. !ith virtuali%ation, several operating systems can "e run in
parallel on a single central processing unit (()*). &his parallelism tends to reduce
overhead costs and differs from multitasking, which involves running several programs
on the same OS.
Types of virtualization
Hardware
Hardware virtualization or platform virtualization refers to the creation of a virtual
machine that acts like a real computer with an operating system. Software e+ecuted on
these virtual machines is separated from the underlying hardware resources. ,or e+ample,
a computer that is running -icrosoft !indows may host a virtual machine that looks like
a computer with *"untu .inu+ operating system/ *"untu'"ased software can "e run on
the virtual machine.
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In hardware virtuali%ation, the host machine is the actual machine on which the
virtuali%ation takes place, and the guest machine is the virtual machine. &he words host
and guest are used to distinguish the software that runs on the actual machine from the
software that runs on the virtual machine. &he software or firmware that creates a virtual
machine on the host hardware is called a hypervisor or Virtual Machine Monitor.
1ifferent types of hardware virtuali%ation include2
1. ,ull virtuali%ation2 3lmost complete simulation of the actual hardware to allow
software, which typically consists of a guest operating system, to run unmodified.
0. )artial virtuali%ation2 Some "ut not all of the target environment is simulated.
Some guest programs, therefore, may need modifications to run in this virtual
environment.
4. )aravirtuali%ation2 3 hardware environment is not simulated/ however, the guest
programs are e+ecuted in their own isolated domains, as if they are running on a
separate system. 5uest programs need to "e specifically modified to run in this
environment.
6ardware'assisted virtuali%ation is a way of improving the efficiency of hardware
virtuali%ation. It involves employing specially'designed ()*s and hardware components
that help improve the performance of a guest environment.
6ardware virtuali%ation is not the same as hardware emulation. In hardware emulation, a
piece of hardware imitates another, while in hardware virtuali%ation, a hypervisor (a piece
of software) imitates a particular piece of computer hardware or the entire computer.
,urthermore, a hypervisor is not the same as an emulator/ "oth are computer programs
that imitate hardware, "ut their domain of use in language differs.
See also2 -o"ile virtali%ation
Desktop
1esktop virtuali%ation is the concept of separating the logical desktop from the physical
machine.
One form of desktop virtuali%ation, virtual desktop infrastructure ($1I), can "e thought
as a more advanced form of hardware virtuali%ation. 7ather than interacting with a host
computer directly via a key"oard, mouse, and monitor, the user interacts with the host
computer using another desktop computer or a mo"ile device "y means of a network
connection, such as a .38, !ireless .38 or even the Internet. In addition, the host
computer in this scenario "ecomes a server computer capa"le of hosting multiple virtual
machines at the same time for multiple users.
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3s organi%ations continue to virtuali%e and converge their data center environment, client
architectures also continue to evolve in order to take advantage of the predicta"ility,
continuity, and 9uality of service delivered "y their (onverged Infrastructure. ,or
e+ample, companies like 6) and I:- provide a hy"rid $1I model with a range of
virtuali%ation software and delivery models to improve upon the limitations of distri"uted
client computing.
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Selected client environments move workloads from )(s and other
devices to data center servers, creating well'managed virtual clients, with applications
and client operating environments hosted on servers and storage in the data center. ,or
users, this means they can access their desktop from any location, without "eing tied to a
single client device. Since the resources are centrali%ed, users moving "etween work
locations can still access the same client environment with their applications and data.
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,or I& administrators, this means a more centrali%ed, efficient client environment that is
easier to maintain and a"le to more 9uickly respond to the changing needs of the user and
"usiness.
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3nother form, session virtuali%ation, allows multiple users to connect and log into a
shared "ut powerful computer over the network and use it simultaneously. ?ach is given a
desktop and a personal folder in which they store their files.
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. !ith -ultiseat
configuration, session virtuali%ation can "e accomplished using a single )( with multiple
monitors key"oards and mice connected.
&hin clients, which are seen in desktop virtuali%ation, are simple and@or cheap computers
that are primarily designed to connect to the network. &hey may lack significant hard disk
storage space, 73- or even processing power, "ut many organi%ations are "eginning to
look at the cost "enefits of eliminating Athick clientB desktops that are packed with
software (and re9uire software licensing fees) and making more strategic investments.
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*sing desktop virtuali%ation allows your company to stay more fle+i"le in an ever
changing market. 6aving virtual desktops allows for development to "e implemented
9uicker and more e+pertly. )roper testing can also "e done without the need to distur" the
end user. -oving your desktop environment to the cloud also allows for less single points
of failure if you allow a third party to control your security and infrastructure.
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Software
Operating system'level virtuali%ation, hosting of multiple virtuali%ed
environments within a single OS instance.
3pplication virtuali%ation and workspace virtuali%ation, the hosting of individual
applications in an environment separated from the underlying OS. 3pplication
virtuali%ation is closely associated with the concept of porta"le applications.
Service virtuali%ation, emulating the "ehavior of dependent (e.g, third'party,
evolving, or not implemented) system components that are needed to e+ercise an
application under test (3*&) for development or testing purposes. 7ather than
virtuali%ing entire components, it virtuali%es only specific slices of dependent
"ehavior critical to the e+ecution of development and testing tasks.
Memory
-emory virtuali%ation, aggregating 73- resources from networked systems into
a single memory pool.
$irtual memory, giving an application program the impression that it has
contiguous working memory, isolating it from the underlying physical memory
implementation.
Storage
Storage virtuali%ation, the process of completely a"stracting logical storage from
physical storage.
1istri"uted file system
Storage hypervisor
Data
1ata virtuali%ation, the presentation of data as an a"stract layer, independent of
underlying data"ase systems, structures and storage.
1ata"ase virtuali%ation, the decoupling of the data"ase layer, which lies "etween
the storage and application layers within the application stack over all.
Network
8etwork virtuali%ation, creation of a virtuali%ed network addressing space within
or across network su"nets.
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