Virtualization Concepts Lesson 001: General Terms

What is virtualization good for?

Virtualization can be used to run multiple operating systems and application environments on one system.

Virtualization

Host computer installed with a hypervisor that's used to install and run multiple guest operating systems or virtual machines.

What is a virtual machine also known as?

VMs.

Hypervisor

Software that enables a single computer to run multiple operating systems simultaneously..

Provisioning

The process of creating, configuring, and setting up a virtual machine (VM) to be ready for use.

What is a hypervisor used for?

To manage distribution of hardware resources of a server or host to virtual machines.

Virtual Network Interface Card (NIC)

A type of virtual adapter that can be configured on logical partitions to provide a network interface.

Why is a Virtual NIC necessary?

It is needed so that virtual NIC can be paired and mapped to a physical NIC to get the VM onto the network.

Type 1 Hypervisor (Bare-Bones / Bare Metal)

Runs directly on the host hardware and it functions as the operating system itself.

What are some examples of bare-bones / bare metal hypervisors?

Hyper-V, XenServer, ESXI, and vSphere.

Type 2 Hypervisor (Operating System)

A hypervisor that runs within a normal operating system.

What are some examples of a type 2 hypervisor?

VMWare Workstation or Virtual Box.

Host Operating System

The operating system that is natively installed on the computer.

What does every virtual machine need, regardless of if it is operating on a type 1 or type 2 hypervisor?

An operating system that still needs to be updated.

Why is it important to keep operating systems updated?

To ensure security.

Terminal Services

Server-based virtualization solution that runs the application on servers in a centralized location.

How are terminal services accessed?

Through a remote client protocol.

What are some examples of terminal services?

Microsoft Terminal Services or Citrix XenApp.

Application Streaming

Client-based virtualization solution that allows an application to be packaged up and streamed directly to a user's PC.

What is an example of an application streaming application?

Microsoft's App-V.

What is the benefit of using terminal services or application streaming?

Additional security protections can be enforced on those applications.

What are some examples of security protections that can be enforced via use of terminal services or application streaming?

Encryption, access control to the server, and preventing data from being stored locally.