VMware Definitions

This glossary explains the meaning of key words and phrases that information technology (IT) and business professionals use when discussing VMware and related software products. You can find additional definitions by visiting WhatIs.com or using the search box below.

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  • C

    Changed Block Tracking (CBT)

    VMware Changed Block Tracking is an incremental backup technology for virtual machines (VMs), comparable to snapshot differential or backup delta block.

  • E

    embedded hypervisor

    An embedded hypervisor is a hypervisor that is programmed (embedded) directly into a processor, personal computer (PC) or server. This architecture offers convenience at the cost of some flexibility compared with conventional hypervisors ... (Continued)

  • O

    Open Virtualization Format (OVF)

    The Open Virtualization Format (OVF) is an open source standard for packaging and distributing software applications and services for virtual machines (VMs).

  • P

    purple screen of death (PSOD)

    A purple screen of death (PSOD) is a diagnostic screen with white type on a purple background that's displayed when the VMkernel of a VMware ESXi host experiences a critical error, becomes inoperative and terminates any virtual machines (VMs) that are running.

  • R

    raw device mapping

    Raw device mapping (RDM) enables disk access in a virtual machine (VM) in the VMware server virtualization environment and allows a storage logical unit number (LUN) to be connected directly to a VM from the storage area network (SAN).

  • S

    Storage Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS)

    VMware DRS (Distributed Resource Scheduler) is a load balancing utility that assigns and moves computing workloads to available hardware resources in a virtualized environment. 

  • Storage vMotion

    Storage vMotion is a component of VMware vSphere that allows the live migration of a running virtual machine's (VM) file system from one storage system to another, with no downtime for the VM or service disruption for end users.

  • V

    virtual machine configuration

    Virtual machine configuration is the arrangement of resources assigned to a virtual machine. The resources allocated to a virtual machine (VM) typically include allocated processors, memory, disks, network adapters and the user interface.

  • virtual machine replication

    Virtual machine replication is a process used by information technology (IT) professionals to create backup versions of virtual machines (VMs) The backup can be kept and used to restore the machine in the event that its data is corrupted or lost.

  • VMkernel

    VMkernel is a POSIX (Portable Operating System Interface)-like operating system developed by VMware.

  • VMware

    VMware is a virtualization and cloud computing software provider based in Palo Alto, Calif.

  • VMware Cloud on AWS

    VMware Cloud on AWS is a hybrid cloud service that runs the VMware software-defined data center (SDDC) stack in the AWS public cloud.

  • VMware DRS (Distributed Resource Scheduler)

    VMware DRS (Distributed Resource Scheduler) is a utility that balances computing workloads with available resources in a virtualized environment. The utility is part of a virtualization suite called VMware Infrastructure 3.

  • VMware ESXi

    VMware ESXi, also called VMware ESXi Server, is a bare-metal hypervisor developed by VMware for vSphere.

  • VMware Lab Manager

    VMware Lab Manager is a software development and testing tool that enables designers and engineers to pool network and storage resources ... (Continued)

  • VMware resource pool

    A VMware resource pool is the aggregated physical compute hardware -- CPU and memory, as well as other components -- allocated to virtual machines (VMs) in a VMware virtual infrastructure.

  • VMware snapshot

    A VMware snapshot is a copy of a virtual machine (VM) in a VMware environment taken at a specific point in time.

  • VMware template

    A VMware template is a perfect, model copy of a virtual machine from which you can clone, convert or deploy more virtual machines.

  • VMware vApp

    A VMware vApp is a collection of virtual machines (VMs) and sometimes other vApps that host a multi-tier application, its policies and service levels.

  • VMware vCenter Mobile Access (VMware vCMA)

    VMware vCenter Mobile Access (VMware vCMA) is a virtual appliance used by admins to manage a data center from mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.

  • VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat (vCSHB)

    VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat (vCSHB) is VMware's OEM version of NeverFail, which is designed to ensure the high availability and disaster recovery of vCenter Server whether on a LAN or a Wireless Wide Area Network.

  • VMware VMCI (VMware Virtual Machine Communication Interface)

    VMware VMCI (Virtual Machine Communication Interface) is a high-speed interface that virtual machines (VMs) on the same host use to communicate with each other and the host kernel modules.

  • VMware vSAN

    VMware vSAN is an enterprise storage virtualization software that supports hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI).

  • VMware vSphere App HA

    VMware vSphere App HA is virtual appliance introduced with vSphere 5.5. It works with vSphere HA (high availability) host monitoring and virtual machine monitoring to improve application uptime.

  • VMware vSphere Client

    The VMware vSphere Client is a web-based application that connects to the vCenter Server so IT administrators can manage installations and handle inventory objects in a vSphere deployment.

  • VMware vSphere Web Client plug-in

    VMware vSphere Web Client plug-ins are programs that either come from VMware itself or from third-party developers and partners to extend the vSphere Web Client with custom menu selections and toolbar icons that provide access to custom capabilities and external functionality.

  • VMware Workstation Pro

    VMware Workstation Pro is a 64-bit hosted hypervisor intended to implement virtualization on Microsoft Windows and Linux endpoint computers, such as desktop systems.

  • vSphere HA (VMware High Availability)

    VMware vSphere HA (High Availability) is a utility included in VMware's vSphere software that can restart failed virtual machines (VMs) on alternative host servers to reduce application downtime.

  • What is VMware Aria Suite (formerly vRealize Suite)?

    VMware Aria Suite, formerly called vRealize Suite, is a software platform designed to help IT administrators build and manage heterogeneous, hybrid cloud environments.

  • What is VMware Certified Professional (VCP)?

    VMware Certified Professional (VCP) is a certification level designed to demonstrate technical competency with VMware vSphere and related technologies.

  • What is VMware Cloud Director (VCD)?

    VMware Cloud Director (VCD), formerly vCloud Director (vCD), is a cloud services delivery platform that helps cloud service providers offer secure cloud resources to their enterprise customers.

  • What is VMware NSX? Definition, features and use cases

    VMware NSX is a network virtualization feature that allows VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) subscribers to replicate their entire network infrastructure with software.

  • What is VMware vCenter Server?

    VMware vCenter Server is a centralized management platform for configuring, controlling and monitoring VMware vSphere virtual environments.

  • What is VMware vSphere?

    VMware vSphere is a virtualization platform that includes a suite of products for deploying and managing virtual environments.