A virtual machine (VM) is an emulation of a computer system that functions like a physical computer. It operates on the concept of virtualization, which allows multiple VMs to run on a single physical machine. Each VM runs an isolated operating system (OS) and applications, and has its own virtual hardware, including CPU, memory, storage, and network interface. VMs can be used to consolidate servers, test applications, run legacy software, and create reliable development environments.
With VMs, organizations can improve resource utilization, reduce hardware costs, and simplify management. They provide flexibility and scalability, enabling businesses to easily add or remove VMs based on their needs. VMs also offer isolation, allowing each application or user to have its own dedicated virtual environment. This enhances security by preventing interference between different applications or users on the same physical machine.
VMs are widely used in various industries, including cloud computing, software development, IT infrastructure management, and research. Cloud providers and data centers heavily rely on VMs to optimize hardware utilization and deliver services to customers. Virtualization technologies like VMware, Hyper-V, and KVM are commonly used to create and manage VMs, providing features such as live migration, high availability, and resource allocation.
Overall, virtual machines play a crucial role in modern IT infrastructure, offering a cost-effective, scalable, and flexible solution for running multiple independent operating systems and applications on a single physical machine.