3.C] What is virtualization, and what are its benefits? – 6 Marks
Answer:-
- Virtualization is a technology that enables the creation of virtual versions of physical resources such as hardware, software environments, storage, or networks.
- It allows multiple virtual environments, or “virtual machines,” to run on a single physical machine, each with its own operating system and applications.
- The process is managed by a virtualization layer or hypervisor that isolates and allocates resources to each virtual machine.
Benefits of Virtualization:
- Managed Execution & Isolation:
- Virtualization creates secure and controlled execution environments, often used as sandboxes, where guest programs cannot affect the host system or other guests.
- It ensures that resource allocation and partitioning between virtual environments are efficient, simplifying resource management.
- Portability:
- Virtualized environments are typically represented by self-contained files that can be easily moved between physical systems, making them highly portable.
- This feature supports migration techniques and enables users to carry their virtualized system on the go, like a personal operating environment in a virtual machine.
- Efficient Resource Utilization:
- Virtualization allows multiple systems to share physical resources of the underlying host, increasing the utilization of resources like CPU, memory, and storage.
- It facilitates server consolidation, reducing the number of physical machines needed by running multiple virtual instances on a single physical host.
- Cost Savings:
- Virtualization reduces maintenance costs as fewer physical machines are required, while virtual machines can be easily managed and maintained.
- It lowers operational costs by optimizing resource usage, energy consumption, and hardware requirements.
- Security:
- Since each virtual machine operates independently, virtualization offers increased security by isolating different environments, preventing a failure or attack in one VM from affecting others.
- Flexibility and Scalability:
- Virtualization enables dynamic allocation of resources, making it easier to scale up or down based on workload demands, improving system flexibility and responsiveness.
These benefits make virtualization an essential technology in cloud computing and data centers, enabling on-demand services and improving efficiency while reducing costs.