Virtual Environment | Cloud Computing Flashcards
(24 cards)
Virtualization
The process of creating a virtual version of a physical IT resource such as a server, storage
device, network or even an operating system.
Virtualization requirements
○ Fidelity
○ Performance
○ Safety
★ Enables multiple operating systems or applications to run on a single physical machine,
allowing organizations to improve resource utilization, flexibility, and scalability while
reducing hardware costs.
★ Enhance security by isolating workloads from one another (sandboxing) and allowing for
easier backup and disaster recovery. There are several types of virtualizations, including
server virtualization, storage virtualization, network virtualization, and desktop
virtualization.
Virtual Machines (VMs)
Software emulations of a computer system.
★ A VM runs on a host computer and provides a complete operating system environment that
can run applications and processes just like a physical computer.
★ Created through virtualization software (virtual manager), which allows multiple VMs to
run on a single physical machine.
★ Can replicate legacy software that require older/outdated systems.
Resource management
can be configured to use specific amounts of CPU, memory, and
storage resources.
○ Provide an isolated environment that can run applications and processes
independently from the host operating system.
○ Security: if a VM is compromised, the attacker will only have access to the VM’s
resources, rather than the entire host machine.
○ Scalability: can be easily created, cloned, and deleted, which makes it easy to scale up
or down the number of computing resources available.
○ Compatibility: can run different operating systems, making it possible to run
applications that require specific operating systems or software configurations.
Types of current virtual machines
● VMWare Fusion
● Oracle Virtual Box
● Windows 10 Hyper-V
Virtual Sandbox
a secure and isolated environment in which users can safely test software or perform
other tasks without risking damage to their computer or network.
○ Create an environment that is separate from the user’s operating system, but that can
run on the same physical hardware.
○ Can be easily reset to a previous state.
○ Especially useful when testing software.
○ Useful for testing malware or other malicious software
Virtualizing legacy applications
the process of running older applications in a virtual
environment, rather than on the original hardware or operating system for which they were
designed.
Cross-platform virtualization
the ability to create and run a VM/container that can run on
different operating systems and hardware platforms.
○ Allows software applications or entire operating systems to be run on a variety of
different systems without modification.
VMware
VMware provides a range of virtualization solutions for desktops, servers,
and cloud environments, allowing virtual machines to be created and run on a
variety of different operating systems and hardware platforms.
VirtualBox
a free and open-source virtualization platform that allows virtual machines to
be created and run on a variety of different operating systems, including Windows, Linux,
and macOS.
Docker
a containerization platform that allows applications to be packaged and run on
different systems, providing a lightweight and portable way to deploy applications across
different platforms.
Hypervisors
are used to create and manage virtual machines and come in 2 types
Type 1 (bare-metal) hypervisor
runs directly on the host system’s hardware, without the
need for an underlying operating system.
○ Typically used in data centers and enterprise environments where virtualization is a
critical part of the infrastructure.
○ Virtualization layer sits directly on the physical hardware and manages the resources
of the host system, including CPU, memory, and storage.
VMs are then created on top of this layer, isolated from the host system and other
VMs running on the same hypervisor.
○ Known for their performance, scalability, and security.
○ Ideal for enterprise virtualization deployments
○ Examples of Type 1 hypervisors include: VMware ESXi, Citrix XenServer, and
Microsoft Hyper-V
Type 2 hypervisor
the virtualization layer sits on top of the host OS and creates virtual
machines within it
Typically used for desktop virtualization, development, testing, and other non-critical
applications
○ Less efficient than Type 1 hv because the host OS must manage the resources of the
VMs in addition to its own.
○ Easier to install and manage than Type 1
○ Can be used on a wider range of hardware and operating system platforms.
○ Examples of Type 2 hypervisors: Oracle VirtualBox, VMware Workstation, and
Parallels Desktop.
Containers
A container is a lightweight, standalone, and portable software package that includes:
Your application code
All libraries, tools, and dependencies needed to run it
It runs isolated from other processes, but shares the host system’s OS, making it much more efficient than a virtual machine.
🧳 Think of a container as a self-contained backpack that carries everything your app needs to run — no matter where it goes.
★ Differences vs VMs:
○ Much lighter weight
○ Only includes the application and its dependencies and not an entire guest OS.
★ Example container providers: Docker, Kubernetes (open source), and Amazon Elastic
Container Service (ECS)
Cloud computing
the delivery of computing resources, including servers, storage,
databases, software, analytics, and intelligence, over the internet (the cloud) to offer faster
innovation, flexible resources, and economies of scale
○ Allows businesses to access infrastructure and services on-demand, without having
to maintain and manage them on-premises.
○ Offers several benefits, including cost savings, scalability, agility, high availability,
disaster recovery, and improved security.
Cloud “as a Service” (aaS)
cloud-based services that provide a variety of infrastructure,
platforms, software, and data storage services to users
○ Cloud “as a service” benefits: flexibility, scalability, cost-effectiveness, and easy
maintenance
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - a cloud computing service model that provides
virtualized computing resources over the internet
○ Provides virtualized computing resources, such as servers, storage, and networking,
that can be used to build and deploy applications.
○ Allows businesses to rent computing infrastructure, including virtual machines,
storage, servers, and networking hardware
○ Cloud service provider is responsible for maintaining the physical hardware and
infrastructure
○ User is responsible for managing the software, applications, and data that run on the
virtualized infrastructure
○ Allows users to easily scale up or down computing resources based on needs without
having to invest in hardware or maintenance and upgrades
○ Examples of IaaS providers: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and
Google Cloud Platform.
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
service that provides a platform for developers to build, run,
and manage applications without having to worry about the underlying infrastructure.
○ Provides a platform on which developers can build and deploy web applications
without having to worry about the underlying infrastructure
○ Provides a development and deployment environment that includes the OS, web
server, and database
○ Also provides application development frameworks, testing tools, and deployment
automation
○ Can be used for developing/testing web and mobile applications, enterprise
applications, collaborative development, and rapid prototyping and experimentation
Scalable, flexible, and cost-effective solution for application development and
deployment
Software as a Service (SaaS)
software applications are provided over the internet on a
subscription basis
○ Provides a complete software application that is accessed and used over the internet,
without the need for any installation or maintenance on the user’s end.
○ Software vendors host and maintain the software.
○ Customers access and use the software through a browser or other interface.
○ Eliminates the need for customers to install and maintain software on their own
servers and computers.
○ Users only pay for the services they use on a subscription basis.
○ Business uses include applications such as customer relationship management
(CRM), enterprise resource planning (ERP), and human resource management
(HRM)
○ Personal use includes applications such as email, file storage, and collaboration tools.
Desktop as a Service (DaaS)
a service provider delivers virtual desktops to end users over
the Internet, licensed with a per-user subscription.
○ Provider takes care of maintenance, backup, updates, and data storage.
○ Providers may also manage security and applications for the desktop, or users may
manage these service aspects individually.
○ There are two kinds of desktops that are available in DaaS—persistent and non-
persistent.
■ Persistent desktop: Users can customize and save a desktop so it will look the
same way each time a particular user logs on.
● Require more storage than non-persistent desktops, which can make
them more expensive.
■ Non-persistent desktop: Desktops formatted each time the user logs out -
simply access shared cloud services.
Public Cloud
infrastructure is owned and managed by a third-party cloud service provider
and are available to the public over the internet
Private Cloud
infrastructure is owned and managed by a single organization and the cloud
services are only available to the members of the organization.
○ High up-front costs
Hybrid Cloud
A hybrid cloud is a combination of public and private cloud infrastructure.
An organization can use a combination of on-premises and cloud-based services to meet
their specific business needs.
Community Cloud
A community cloud is a cloud infrastructure shared by several
organizations with similar interests, such as a group of healthcare organizations or
educational institutions.
