Category
Development Tools
Level
Basics
Number
42
What is VM ??
- Virtual Machines (VMs) play a crucial role in creating secure and isolated environments for various computing tasks.
- A VM is essentially an emulation ( tries to copy something exactly ) of a physical computer system, capable of running its own operating system (OS) and applications as if it were a separate physical machine.
- This technology enables organizations to consolidate multiple virtualized systems on a single physical server, optimizing resource utilization and reducing hardware costs.
How VM’s works ??
- VMs work by utilizing a hypervisor → a software layer that sits between the physical hardware and the VMs.
- The hypervisor is responsible for managing and allocating the physical resources (such as CPU, memory, storage, and networking) to each VM, ensuring that they operate independently and securely.
- There are two main types of hypervisors:
- Type 1 → runs directly on the host's hardware without the need for an underlying OS
- Type 2 → runs as an application on a host OS.
Role of hypervisors in virtualization ??
- maintaining security within VM environments.
- provide isolation between VMs, preventing one VM from accessing or affecting the resources of another VM.
- This isolation is vital in cybersecurity as it helps contain potential threats and reduces the risk of malware spreading across the virtual infrastructure.
- hypervisors offer features such as snapshotting → which allows for quick backups and restoration of VMs
Summary:
- Virtual Machines (VMs) → emulate physical computer systems and run their own OS and applications.
- Hypervisors → are software layers that manage and allocate physical resources to VMs, ensuring security and isolation.
- Type 1 hypervisors run directly on hardware
- Type 2 hypervisors run on a host OS.
- Hypervisors play a critical role in cybersecurity by providing isolation between VMs, preventing malware spread, and offering backup and restoration capabilities.