[Term of the Day]: Virtualization
Term of the Day
βVirtualizationβ
Definition β What is Virtualization and it does?
Virtualization is a technology that creates a virtual version of a device or resource, such as a server, storage device, network or even an operating system where the framework divides the resource into one or more execution environments.
It is a software that looks and behaves like hardware to create an abstraction layer over computer hardware that allows the hardware elements of a single computer processor, memory, storage and more to be divided into multiple virtual computers, commonly called virtual machines (VMs).
The main goal of Virtualization is to increase IT agility, flexibility and scalability while creating significant cost savings and often overall capability and performance and in a broad range of applications. Today, virtualization has become a standard practice in enterprise IT architecture that drives cloud computing economics. It 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.
Types of Virtualization:
Operating System Virtualization
The most common form of virtualization that allows to run multiple operating systems on a single piece of hardware. It involves separating the physical hardware and software by emulating hardware using the software. When a different OS is operating on top of the primary OS by means of virtualization, it is referred to as a virtual machine.
Network Virtualization
Using network resources through a logical segmentation of a single physical network. This reduces the number of physical components like switches, routers, servers, cables, and hubs that are needed to create multiple, independent networks, and itβs particularly popular in the telecommunications industry.
Server Virtualization
Partitioning a physical server into smaller virtual servers.
Storage Virtualization
It is the amalgamation of multiple network storage devices into what appears to be a single storage unit. This is usually implemented via software applications and often used in Storage Area Network (SAN), a high-speed subnetwork of shared storage devices, and makes tasks such as archiving, back-up, and recovery easier and faster.
Application Virtualization
Also called application service virtualization that deceives a standard application into believing that it interfaces directly with an operating system's capacities when, in fact, it does not. In standard computing, applications install their settings onto the host operating system, hard-coding the entire system to fit that application's needs.
With application virtualization, each application brings down its own set of configurations on-demand, and executes in a way so that it sees only its own settings. This leaves the host operating system and existing settings unaltered.