How does virtualization technology work?

Asked 2 years ago
Virtualization technology is a method that enables multiple virtual instances of computers or operating systems to run on a single physical hardware platform. The core principle of virtualization lies in the abstraction of physical hardware, allowing for the creation of virtual machines that operate independently of one another, while sharing the underlying physical resources. At the heart of virtualization technology is a hypervisor, which is a specialized software layer that sits between the hardware and the operating systems. There are two main types of hypervisors: Type 1 or bare-metal hypervisors, which run directly on the hardware, and Type 2 or hosted hypervisors, which run on top of an existing operating system. The hypervisor is responsible for managing the allocation of hardware resources such as CPU, memory, and storage to each virtual machine, ensuring that they can operate concurrently without interfering with each other. By abstracting hardware resources, virtualization allows for better utilization of physical servers, as multiple workloads can run simultaneously on a single machine. This leads to improved efficiency, reduced costs, and simplified management. Virtualization also enhances flexibility, as virtual machines can be easily created, modified, or migrated without disrupting the underlying physical hardware. Furthermore, it supports multiple operating systems on a single server, which can be valuable for testing, development, and production environments. Overall, virtualization technology has revolutionized the IT industry, enabling organizations to be more agile, cost-effective, and efficient in their operations. For more detailed information on specific virtualization solutions, it may be helpful to explore the official VMware web page.
Jeff Whelpley is the editor / author responsible for this content.
Answered Aug 11, 2025

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