Hardware and Software virtualization

Hardware Virtualization

Hardware virtualization is a type of virtualization; it is the abstraction of computing resources from the software that uses cloud resources. In this embedding virtual machine software into the servers hardware component. The hypervisor software does the task of managing the shared physical hardware resources between the guest operating system and the host operating system. The hardware that is abstracted is indicated as actual hardware.

The meaning of virtualization is an abstraction, and hardware virtualization is done by abstracting the physical hardware part by using VMM (virtual machine monitor) or hypervisor. Hypervisor relies on command set extensions in the processors to accelerate common virtualization tasks for improving the performance.

When the VMM or virtual machine monitor software or any hypervisor gets direct installed on the hardware system, then the term virtualization is used. The main task that is performed by the hypervisor is to process monitoring, memory, and hardware controlling. When hardware virtualization is done, different operating systems can be installed, and different applications can run on it. If hardware virtualization is done for server platforms, then it is called server virtualization.

Types of Hardware Virtualization

There are various type of hardware virtualization

1. Full virtualization
2. Emulation virtualization
3. Para-virtualization

1. Full virtualization: - In full virtualization, the hardware architecture is completely simulated. Guest software doesn’t require any change to run applications.
2. Emulation virtualization:- In this, the virtual machine simulates the hardware, and the guest operating system does not require any hardware.
3. Para-virtualization:-In Para-virtualization, the hardware is not simulated; rather the guest software runs its isolated system.

Advantages of Hardware Virtualization

1. Efficient resource virtualization: - In hardware virtualization, physical resources can be shared among virtual machines. In this, if there is needed for unused resources allocated by one virtual machine can be used by another virtual machine.
2. Increase IT flexibility: - By using virtualization, the fast development of hardware resources became possible.
3. Low cost:-Due to server consolidation, the cost is low, and multiple operating systems can exist in a single hardware.
4. Advanced hardware virtualization features:- With the advancement of modern hypervisor,  more difficult operations maximize the abstraction of hardware and ensure maximum

Update and this technique help to change an ongoing virtual machine from one host to another host dynamically.

Software Virtualization

Software virtualization is also called application virtualization. Software virtualization is the same as virtualization but can abstract the software installation procedure and create virtual software installations. Example: VMware software, virtual box, etc.

Most of the applications and their distributions became difficult tasks for IT firms and departments. The mechanism for installing an application varies. So to solve this type of problem, virtualized software is introduced, which is an application that will be installed into its self- contained unit and provide software virtualization.  

Advantages of Software Virtualization

1. Client deployment became easier:-We can easily install virtual software by copying a file to a work station or linking a file in a network.
2. Easy to manage:-Software virtualization is easy to maintain. You only need to update at one place and deploy the virtual update application to all cloud.
3. Software migration:- Without software virtualization, moving from one software platform to another platform takes more time for deploying and impact on an end-user system with the support of virtualized software environment support the– migration became easier.