What is Virtualization ? Easy Definition , Types And Example

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Virtualization is a technology that allows you to create multiple virtual instances of computer systems or resources on a single physical hardware platform. It essentially enables you to run multiple operating systems or applications on a single physical machine, sharing its resources efficiently.

Types of virtualization include:

1. Hardware Virtualization: 

This type of virtualization allows you to create virtual machines (VMs) that mimic the behavior of physical computers. Each VM has its own operating system, applications, and resources, but they all run on the same physical hardware. Examples include VMware, Hyper-V, and KVM.

2. Storage Virtualization: 

It abstracts the storage resources and presents them as a single pool of storage, which can then be allocated and managed as needed. Examples include Storage Area Networks (SAN) and Network Attached Storage (NAS).

3. Network Virtualization: 

It allows you to create virtual networks that are logically isolated from each other, even though they might be running on the same physical network infrastructure. Software-defined networking (SDN) is an example of network virtualization.

4. Desktop Virtualization: 

Also known as VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure), it allows multiple virtual desktops to run on a single physical machine. Users can access these desktops remotely, providing flexibility and centralized management. VMware Horizon and Citrix XenDesktop are examples.

Example:

Let's say you have a powerful server but you want to run different operating systems and applications on it. Instead of dedicating the entire server to a single OS or application, you can use virtualization to create multiple virtual machines on the same server. Each virtual machine can run its own OS and applications independently, utilizing a portion of the server's resources. This allows for better resource utilization, cost savings, and easier management compared to running separate physical servers for each OS or application.