Virtualization

Virtualization is the process of creating a virtual version of computing resources, such as hardware platforms, storage devices, operating systems, or network resources. It allows multiple virtual instances to run on a single physical system, improving efficiency, scalability, and resource utilization.

Types of Virtualization

1. Server Virtualization – Running multiple virtual servers on a single physical server using hypervisors (e.g., VMware ESXi, KVM, Hyper-V & Proxmox).

2. Network Virtualization – Creating virtual networks independent of physical infrastructure (e.g., VLANs, SDN).

3. Storage Virtualization – Pooling multiple storage devices into a single logical unit (e.g., SAN, NAS).

4. Desktop Virtualization – Running virtual desktops on a central server (e.g., VDI solutions like Citrix, VMware Horizon).

5. Application Virtualization – Running applications in a virtual environment without installation on the host system (e.g., Docker, ThinApp).