Cloud Computing and Virtualization

Type 1 Hypervisors
- Also known as bare-metal hypervisors.
- Work directly on hardware without any host operating system.
- Allow efficient VM operation with minimal interference.
- Enhanced security by reducing the risk of viruses and malicious software.

Allow multiple operating systems to run on a single physical machine.
Consist of guest operating systems such as Windows XP, Windows 7, and Ubuntu running on the hypervisor.
Type 2 Hypervisors
- Operate as regular programs on a host OS (e.g., Windows, macOS).
- Require the main operating system to function.
- Utilize more computer resources compared to Type 1 hypervisors.
Guest Operating Systems (Guest OS)
- Refers to OS running in a virtual environment (e.g., Windows, Linux).
- Older versions of Windows and multiple Linux distros can be virtualized.
- Common practice to run several servers (Windows/Linux) on a single physical machine.
Virtualization Benefits
- Allows multiple guest OS to share physical resources:
  - More than 1 CPU with multiple cores for higher power.
  - Increased memory and storage capacity.
- Enables the setup of nested virtualization (e.g., Windows inside Windows).
Use Cases of Virtualization
- Computer can simulate various machines, each performing different tasks.
- Isolation between virtual machines:
  - Issues in one VM (e.g., viruses) do not affect others.
  - Conceptually similar to separate apartments with neighbors.

Virtualization allows easy migration of virtual hosts to physical computers via files & folders.
Requires compatible virtualization software (e.g., VMware, VirtualBox).