4.2: Client-Side Virtualization

Client-side virtualization

Running multiple operating systems on a single physical machine.

Host-based virtualization

Running virtual machines on top of an existing desktop OS.

Standalone hypervisor

A dedicated server that hosts and runs VMs without an underlying OS.

Legacy OS support

Run older OS/software in virtual machines to maintain compatibility.

Cross-platform virtualization

Running different OSs (e.g., Linux, Windows) on the same host simultaneously.

Hypervisor

Software that creates, runs, and manages virtual machines.

Type 1 hypervisor

Runs directly on hardware (bare-metal); used in enterprise.

Type 2 hypervisor

Runs on top of a host OS (e.g., VirtualBox, VMware Workstation).

Virtualization Resource Requirements

Need:

• Either Intel’s Virtualization Technology (VT) or AMD’s AMD-V

• Beyond host OS memory requirements

• Enough disk space to store each guest OS’s own image

• Virtual network switch and network configurations on each guest OS

Guest OS

An operating system installed inside a virtual machine.

Host OS

The main operating system that manages the physical hardware and virtualization platform.

Sandboxing

Isolated environment for testing software without affecting host system.

Snapshot

A saved state of a VM that can be restored later.

Rollback

The process of reverting a VM to a previous snapshot.

Virtual switch

Software-based switch used to connect VMs internally or externally.

Shared network address

VM shares IP with host via NAT.

Bridged network address

VM gets its own IP address on the physical network.

Private network address

VM only communicates within the internal virtual network.

VM escaping

A security breach where malware escapes a VM to attack other systems or the hypervisor.

Rogue VM

Unauthorized or malicious virtual machine introduced to a system.

VM security measures

Use antivirus, firewalls, and security updates on guest OSs.