Virtualization software refers to a set of technologies and tools that enable the creation and management of virtual machines (VMs) or virtual environments on a physical computer or server. It allows multiple operating systems (OS) and applications to run simultaneously on a single hardware platform, sharing its resources such as memory, processing power, and storage.
Virtualization software creates a layer of abstraction between the underlying hardware and the virtual machines, allowing each VM to operate independently as if it were running on its dedicated physical machine. This abstraction enables better resource utilization, improved scalability, and flexibility in managing and deploying applications and services.
The virtualization software typically consists of a hypervisor, which is responsible for managing and allocating the hardware resources to the virtual machines. The hypervisor can be either a Type 1 hypervisor (bare-metal), which directly runs on the host hardware, or a Type 2 hypervisor (hosted), which operates within a traditional operating system.
Virtualization software offers various benefits, including efficient utilization of hardware resources, consolidation of servers, easier migration and deployment of applications, increased security through isolation, simplified disaster recovery, and the ability to test and develop software in isolated environments. It is widely used in data centers, cloud computing, server consolidation, software testing, and other IT environments to optimize resource utilization and improve operational efficiency.
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Server Virtualization Software
Server virtualization software is a type of virtualization software that enables the creation and management of virtual servers on a physical server. It allows multiple virtual servers, each with its own operating system and applications, to run simultaneously on a single physical server. Server virtualization software typically includes a hypervisor or virtual machine monitor (VMM), which manages the virtual servers and provides them with access to the underlying physical resources.
The hypervisor software creates virtual machines (VMs) that mimic the hardware of a physical server, including CPU, memory, storage, and network interfaces. Each virtual server operates independently and is isolated from other virtual servers, allowing for better resource utilization and improved flexibility.
What is a Hypervisor in Virtualization?
Hypervisors are an important component of modern IT infrastructure. Let’s explore the definitions of a hypervisor, its key benefits, hypervisor advantages and disadvantages, what is hypervisor in virtualization, and how it helps enable edge computing, improve security, and enhance data protection.
Definition: A hypervisor, or virtual machine monitor (VMM), is software that manages VMs and translates requests between physical and virtual resources. Hypervisors allow a single piece of hardware, called a host, to support multiple VMs, called guests, by virtually sharing its resources like memory, storage, and processing. The hypervisor doesn’t perform the actual CPU execution; it simply manages the resourcing and scheduling.
Hypervisor Examples: Watch this on-demand demo to see Scale Computing’s KVM-based hypervisor in action.
There are two types of hypervisors. A hypervisor is a software layer that allows multiple VMs to run on a single physical machine. There are two types of hypervisors: Type 1 and Type 2. The main differences between them are as follows:
Type 1 Hypervisor
Hypervisor Type 1 is a bare metal hypervisor that runs directly on the host's hardware. It does not require an underlying operating system to run, as it provides direct access to the physical resources of the host machine to the VMs. Type 1 hypervisors are also called "native" or "bare-metal" hypervisors, and examples include VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V, and Citrix XenServer.
Type 2 Hypervisor
A type 2 hypervisor runs on top of a host operating system, such as Windows or Linux. It provides an abstraction layer between the physical hardware and the VMs. Type 2 hypervisors are also called "hosted" hypervisors, and examples include Oracle VirtualBox, VMware Workstation, and Parallels Desktop.
In summary, Type 1 hypervisors run directly on the host hardware, while Type 2 hypervisors run on top of a host operating system. Type 1 hypervisors are typically used in data centers and other enterprise environments, where performance and security are critical, while Type 2 hypervisors are often used for desktop virtualization and development/testing environments.