CompTIA A+ 220-1201 (4.1 - Virtualization Concepts)

Virtualization

• One computer, many operating systems

- macOS, Windows 11, Linux Ubuntu, all at the same time!

• Separate OS, independent CPU, memory, network, etc.

- But really one computer

• Host-based virtualization

- Your normal desktop plus others

• Standalone server that hosts virtual machines

- Enterprise-level

• Been around since 1967

- IBM mainframe virtualization

Sandboxing

• Isolated testing environment

- No connection to the real world or production system

- A technological safe space

• Virtualize development process

- Try some code, break some code, nobody gets hurt

• Additional development features

- Roll back to a previous snapshot

- Run additional systems

Building the application

• Develop

- Secure environment

- Writing code

- Developers test in their sandboxes

• Test

- A separate virtual environment for testing

- Still in the development stage

- All of the pieces are put together

- Does it all work?

Legacy software and operating systems

• Need to run different application versions

on the same system

- Run each application instance in a separate VM

• Application only runs on a previous OS version

- Create a VM with the older operating system

Cross-platform virtualization

Windows / macOS / Linux doesn't do everything

- Each OS has strengths and weaknesses

• Run different operating systems at the same time

- Move between each OS seamlessly

- No rebooting

• Save time and resources - One physical computer