VM

VM (Virtual Machine):
A Virtual Machine (VM) is a software-based emulation of a physical computer, allowing users to run an operating system and applications in a contained environment, independent of the host hardware. By using virtualized hardware, a VM can operate as if it’s a separate physical machine. VMs are highly valuable for tasks like testing, development, and running multiple OS environments on one device.

Benefits of Using VMs

  • Isolation and Security: VMs are isolated from the host system, which means that any issues within a VM won’t affect the host or other VMs.
  • Resource Efficiency: Multiple VMs can run on one physical machine, saving costs and physical space.
  • Flexibility: VMs can be created, modified, and deleted quickly, making them ideal for testing different configurations and setups.

Hypervisors: The Foundation of Virtualization

Hypervisors are the software layer that makes virtualization possible by managing the hardware resources of the host and distributing them to VMs. There are two main types:

  1. Type 1 (Bare-metal Hypervisors):
    These hypervisors run directly on the physical hardware, without an underlying operating system, which makes them efficient and ideal for enterprise use. Examples include Proxmox, VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V, and Xen.
  2. Type 2 (Hosted Hypervisors):
    These run on top of an existing OS and are commonly used on personal computers for development and testing. Examples include Oracle VirtualBox, VMware Workstation, and Parallels Desktop (for macOS).

How VMs Operate

When you create a VM, the hypervisor allocates a portion of the host’s CPU, memory, and storage to it, allowing the VM to operate as if it has its own dedicated hardware. Each VM can have its own OS and applications, isolated from the host and other VMs, providing a secure and manageable environment for various purposes.