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\nVirtualization is a process that allows for more efficient utilization of physical computer hardware and is the foundation of cloud computing.<\/p>\n
\nVirtualization is a process that allows for more efficient utilization of physical computer hardware and is the foundation of cloud computing.<\/p>\n
Virtualization uses software to create an abstraction layer over computer hardware that allows the hardware elements of a single computer\u2014processors, memory, storage and more\u2014to be divided into multiple virtual computers, commonly called virtual machines (VMs). Each VM runs its own operating system (OS) and behaves like an independent computer, even though it is running on just a portion of the actual underlying computer hardware.<\/p>\n
It follows that virtualization enables more efficient utilization of physical computer hardware and allows a greater return on an organization\u2019s hardware investment.<\/p>\n
Today, virtualization is a standard practice in enterprise IT architecture. It is also the technology that drives cloud computing economics. Virtualization enables cloud providers to serve users with their existing physical computer hardware; it enables cloud users to purchase only the computing resources they need when they need it, and to scale those resources cost-effectively as their workloads grow.<\/p>\n
Virtualization brings several benefits to data center operators and service providers:<\/p>\n
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Several companies offer virtualization solutions covering specific data center tasks or end user-focused, desktop virtualization scenarios. Better-known examples include VMware, which specializes in server, desktop, network, and storage virtualization; Citrix, which has a niche in application virtualization but also offers server virtualization and virtual desktop solutions; and Microsoft, whose Hyper-V virtualization solution ships with Windows and focuses on virtual versions of server and desktop computers.<\/p>\n
Virtual machines (VMs) are virtual environments that simulate a physical compute in software form. They normally comprise several files containing the VM\u2019s configuration, the storage for the virtual hard drive, and some snapshots of the VM that preserve its state at a particular point in time.<\/p>\n
A hypervisor is the software layer that coordinates VMs. It serves as an interface between the VM and the underlying physical hardware, ensuring that each has access to the physical resources it needs to execute. It also ensures that the VMs don\u2019t interfere with each other by impinging on each other\u2019s memory space or compute cycles.<\/p>\n
There are two types of hypervisors:<\/p>\n
To this point we\u2019ve discussed server virtualization, but many other IT infrastructure elements can be virtualized to deliver significant advantages to IT managers (in particular) and the enterprise as a whole. In this section, we’ll cover the following types of virtualization:<\/p>\n
Desktop virtualization lets you run multiple desktop operating systems, each in its own VM on the same computer.<\/p>\n
There are two types of desktop virtualization:<\/p>\n
Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI)<\/strong> runs multiple desktops in VMs on a central server and streams them to users who log in on thin client devices. In this way, VDI lets an organization provide its users access to variety of OS’s from any device, without installing OS’s on any device. See “What is Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)?” for a more in-depth explanation. Network virtualization uses software to create a \u201cview\u201d of the network that an administrator can use to manage the network from a single console. It abstracts hardware elements and functions (e.g., connections, switches, routers, etc.) and abstracts them into software running on a hypervisor. The network administrator can modify and control these elements without touching the underlying physical components, which dramatically simplifies network management.<\/p>\n Types of network virtualization include\u00a0software-defined networking (SDN)<\/strong>, which virtualizes hardware that controls network traffic routing (called the \u201ccontrol plane\u201d), and\u00a0network function virtualization (NFV)<\/strong>, which virtualizes one or more hardware appliances that provide a specific network function (e.g., a firewall,\u00a0load balancer, or traffic analyzer), making those appliances easier to configure, provision, and manage.<\/p>\n Storage virtualization enables all the storage devices on the\u00a0network\u2014 whether they\u2019re installed on individual servers or standalone storage units\u2014to be accessed and managed as a single storage device. Specifically, storage virtualization masses all blocks of storage into a single shared pool from which they can be assigned to any VM on the network as needed. Storage virtualization makes it easier to provision storage for VMs and makes maximum use of all available storage on the network.<\/p>\n Modern enterprises store data from multiple applications, using multiple file formats, in multiple locations, ranging from the cloud to on-premise hardware and software systems. Data virtualization lets any application access all of that data\u2014irrespective of source, format, or location.<\/p>\n Data virtualization tools create a software layer between the applications accessing the data and the systems storing it. The layer translates an application\u2019s data request or query as needed and returns results that can span multiple systems. Data virtualization can help break down data silos when other types of integration aren\u2019t feasible, desirable, or affordable.<\/p>\n Application virtualization runs application software without installing it directly on the user\u2019s OS. This differs from complete desktop virtualization (mentioned above) because only the application runs in a virtual environment\u2014the OS on the end user\u2019s device runs as usual. There are three types of application virtualization:<\/p>\n Data center virtualization abstracts most of a data center\u2019s hardware into software, effectively enabling an administrator to divide a single physical data center into multiple virtual data centers for different clients.<\/p>\n Each client can access its own infrastructure as a service (IaaS), which would run on the same underlying physical hardware. Virtual data centers offer an easy on-ramp into cloud-based computing, letting a company quickly set up a complete data center environment without purchasing infrastructure hardware.<\/p>\n CPU (central processing unit) virtualization is the fundamental technology that makes hypervisors, virtual machines, and operating systems possible. It allows a single CPU to be divided into multiple virtual CPUs for use by multiple VMs.<\/p>\n At first, CPU virtualization was entirely software-defined, but many of today\u2019s processors include extended instruction sets that support CPU virtualization, which improves VM performance.<\/p>\n A GPU (graphical processing unit) is a special multi-core processor that improves overall computing performance by taking over heavy-duty graphic or mathematical processing. GPU virtualization lets multiple VMs use all or some of a single GPU\u2019s processing power for faster video, artificial intelligence (AI), and other graphic- or math-intensive applications.<\/p>\n Linux includes its own hypervisor, called the kernel-based virtual machine (KVM), which supports Intel and AMD\u2019s virtualization processor extensions so you can create x86-based VMs from within a Linux host OS.<\/p>\n As an open source OS, Linux is highly customizable. You can create VMs running versions of Linux tailored for specific workloads or security-hardened versions for more sensitive applications.<\/p>\n As noted above, the cloud computing model depends on virtualization. By virtualizing servers, storage, and other physical data center resources, cloud computing providers can offer a range of services to customers, including the following:<\/p>\n What is virtualization? Virtualization is a process that allows for more efficient utilization of physical computer hardware and is the foundation of cloud computing. Virtualization uses software to create an abstraction layer over computer hardware that allows the hardware elements of a single computer\u2014processors, memory, storage and more\u2014to be divided into multiple virtual computers, commonly …<\/p>\n
\nLocal desktop virtualization<\/strong> runs a hypervisor on a local computer, enabling the user to run one or more additional OSs on that computer and switch from one OS to another as needed without changing anything about the primary OS.<\/p>\nNetwork virtualization<\/h3>\n
Storage virtualization<\/h3>\n
Data virtualization<\/h3>\n
Application virtualization<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nData center virtualization<\/h3>\n
CPU virtualization<\/h3>\n
GPU virtualization<\/h3>\n
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Linux virtualization<\/h3>\n
Cloud virtualization<\/h3>\n
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