What is Virtualization? | IBM

To this point we’ve discussed server virtualization, but many other IT infrastructure elements can be virtualized to deliver significant advantages to IT managers (in particular) and the enterprise as a whole. In this section, we’ll cover the following types of virtualization:

• Desktop virtualization
• Network virtualization
• Storage virtualization
• Data virtualization
• Application virtualization
• Data center virtualization
• CPU virtualization
• GPU virtualization
• Linux virtualization
• Cloud virtualization

Desktop virtualization

Desktop virtualization lets you run multiple desktop operating systems, each in its own VM on the same computer.

There are two types of desktop virtualization:

• Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) runs multiple desktops in VMs on a central server and streams them to users who log in on thin client devices. In this way, VDI lets an organization provide its users access to variety of OS’s from any device, without installing OS’s on any device. See “What is Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)?” for a more in-depth explanation.
• Local desktop virtualization runs a hypervisor on a local computer, enabling the user to run one or more additional OSs on that computer and switch from one OS to another as needed without changing anything about the primary OS.

For more information on virtual desktops, see “Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS).”

Network virtualization

Network virtualization uses software to create a “view” of the network that an administrator can use to manage the network from a single console. It abstracts hardware elements and functions (e.g., connections, switches, routers, etc.) and abstracts them into software running on a hypervisor. The network administrator can modify and control these elements without touching the underlying physical components, which dramatically simplifies network management.

Types of network virtualization include software-defined networking (SDN), which virtualizes hardware that controls network traffic routing (called the “control plane”), and network function virtualization (NFV), which virtualizes one or more hardware appliances that provide a specific network function (e.g., a firewall, load balancer, or traffic analyzer), making those appliances easier to configure, provision, and manage.

Storage virtualization

Storage virtualization enables all the storage devices on the network— whether they’re installed on individual servers or standalone storage units—to be accessed and managed as a single storage device. Specifically, storage virtualization masses all blocks of storage into a single shared pool from which they can be assigned to any VM on the network as needed. Storage virtualization makes it easier to provision storage for VMs and makes maximum use of all available storage on the network.

For a closer look at storage virtualization, check out “What is Cloud Storage?”

Data virtualization

Modern enterprises store data from multiple applications, using multiple file formats, in multiple locations, ranging from the cloud to on-premise hardware and software systems. Data virtualization lets any application access all of that data—irrespective of source, format, or location.

Data virtualization tools create a software layer between the applications accessing the data and the systems storing it. The layer translates an application’s data request or query as needed and returns results that can span multiple systems. Data virtualization can help break down data silos when other types of integration aren’t feasible, desirable, or affordable.

Application virtualization

Application virtualization runs application software without installing it directly on the user’s OS. This differs from complete desktop virtualization (mentioned above) because only the application runs in a virtual environment—the OS on the end user’s device runs as usual. There are three types of application virtualization: 

• Local application virtualization: The entire application runs on the endpoint device but runs in a runtime environment instead of on the native hardware.
• Application streaming: The application lives on a server which sends small components of the software to run on the end user’s device when needed.
• Server-based application virtualization The application runs entirely on a server that sends only its user interface to the client device.

Data center virtualization

Data center virtualization abstracts most of a data center’s hardware into software, effectively enabling an administrator to divide a single physical data center into multiple virtual data centers for different clients.

Each client can access its own infrastructure as a service (IaaS), which would run on the same underlying physical hardware. Virtual data centers offer an easy on-ramp into cloud-based computing, letting a company quickly set up a complete data center environment without purchasing infrastructure hardware.

CPU virtualization

CPU (central processing unit) virtualization is the fundamental technology that makes hypervisors, virtual machines, and operating systems possible. It allows a single CPU to be divided into multiple virtual CPUs for use by multiple VMs.

At first, CPU virtualization was entirely software-defined, but many of today’s processors include extended instruction sets that support CPU virtualization, which improves VM performance.

GPU virtualization

A GPU (graphical processing unit) is a special multi-core processor that improves overall computing performance by taking over heavy-duty graphic or mathematical processing. GPU virtualization lets multiple VMs use all or some of a single GPU’s processing power for faster video, artificial intelligence (AI), and other graphic- or math-intensive applications.

• Pass-through GPUs make the entire GPU available to a single guest OS.
• Shared vGPUs divide physical GPU cores among several virtual GPUs (vGPUs) for use by server-based VMs.

Linux virtualization

Linux includes its own hypervisor, called the kernel-based virtual machine (KVM), which supports Intel and AMD’s virtualization processor extensions so you can create x86-based VMs from within a Linux host OS.

As an open source OS, Linux is highly customizable. You can create VMs running versions of Linux tailored for specific workloads or security-hardened versions for more sensitive applications.

Cloud virtualization

As noted above, the cloud computing model depends on virtualization. By virtualizing servers, storage, and other physical data center resources, cloud computing providers can offer a range of services to customers, including the following: 

• Infrastructure as a service (IaaS): Virtualized server, storage, and network resources you can configure based on their requirements.  
• Platform as a service (PaaS): Virtualized development tools, databases, and other cloud-based services you can use to build you own cloud-based applications and solutions.
• Software as a service (SaaS): Software applications you use on the cloud. SaaS is the cloud-based service most abstracted from the hardware.

If you’d like to learn more about these cloud service models, see our guide: “IaaS vs. PaaS vs. SaaS.”