Virtualization

Terms related to virtualization, including definitions about virtualization technologies and words and phrases about server virtualization, desktop virtualization and storage virtualization.

OVE - VMW

overlay network - An overlay network is a virtual or logical network that is created on top of an existing physical network.
oVirt - OVirt is an open source data center virtualization platform developed and promoted by Red Hat.
OVSDB (Open vSwitch Database Management Protocol) - The Open vSwitch Database Management Protocol (OVSDB) is an OpenFlow configuration protocol that is designed to manage Open vSwitch implementations.
Parallels - Parallels is an application and desktop virtualization software vendor that offers management and delivery platforms for Apple macOS and Microsoft Windows desktop deployments.
Parallels Desktop for Mac - Parallels Desktop for Mac is desktop virtualization software that allows Microsoft Windows, Linux and Google Chrome OSes and applications to run on an Apple Mac computer.
paravirtualization - Paravirtualization is an enhancement of virtualization technology in which a guest OS is modified prior to installation inside a virtual machine (VM) in order to allow all guest OSes within the system to share resources and successfully collaborate, rather than attempt to emulate an entire hardware environment.
PCoIP (PC over IP) - PC over IP (PCoIP) is a remote display protocol that Teradici developed for delivering remote desktops and applications to endpoints.
physical to virtual (P2V) - Physical to virtual (P2V), also called hardware virtualization, refers to the migration of physical machines to virtual machines (VMs).
platform - In IT, a platform is any hardware or software used to host an application or service.
published applications - Published applications are virtual software programs that function as if they were installed locally.
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.
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).
Red Hat Virtualization (RHV) - Red Hat Virtualization (RHV) is an enterprise-class virtualization platform produced by Red Hat.
remote desktop - A remote desktop is a program or an operating system feature that allows a user to connect to a computer in another location, see that computer's desktop and interact with it as if it were local.
remote desktop connection broker - A remote desktop connection broker allows clients to access various types of server-hosted desktops and applications.
Remote Desktop Connection Manager (RDCMan) - Remote Desktop Connection Manager (RDCMan) is a free Microsoft tool that enables IT administrators to organize, group and control multiple remote desktop connections.
Remote Desktop Services (RDS) - Remote Desktop Services (RDS) is an umbrella term for features of Microsoft Windows Server that allow users to remotely access graphical desktops and Windows applications.
ROADM (reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer) - An ROADM (reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer) is a device that can add, block, pass or redirect modulated infrared (IR) and visible light beams of various wavelengths in a fiber optic network.
Scalable Processor Architecture (SPARC) - Scalable Processor Architecture (SPARC) is a 32- and 64-bit microprocessor architecture developed by Sun Microsystems in 1987.
SDDC (software-defined data center) - An SDDC (software-defined data center) is a data storage facility in which networking, storage, CPU and security are virtualized and delivered as a service.
Second Level Address Translation (SLAT) - Second Level Address Translation (SLAT) is a technology designed to reduce the overhead in a hypervisor CPU while easing the management of a hypervisor's memory and is often found with Hyper-V.
second-level address translation (SLAT) - Second-level address translation (SLAT) is a hardware virtualization technology that reduces hypervisor overhead.
service mesh - A service mesh is a dedicated infrastructure layer that controls service-to-service communication over a network.
service virtualization - Service virtualization is the process of creating replicas of systems that new applications depend on to test how well the application and systems integrate.
Software as a Service (SaaS) - Software as a service (SaaS) is a software distribution model in which a third-party provider hosts applications and makes them available to customers over the Internet.
software-defined storage (SDS) - Software-defined storage (SDS) is a computer program that manages data storage resources and functionality and has no dependencies on the underlying physical storage hardware.
SPI model - SPI is an acronym for the most common cloud computing service models, software as a service, platform as a service and infrastructure as a service.
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 virtualization - Storage virtualization is the pooling of physical storage from multiple storage devices into what appears to be a single storage device -- or pool of available storage capacity.
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.
stretched cluster - A stretched cluster is a deployment model in which two or more virtualization host servers are part of the same logical cluster but located in separate geographical locations.
syslog - Syslog is an IETF RFC 5424 standard protocol for computer logging and collection that is popular in Unix-like systems including servers, networking equipment and IoT devices.
thick provision eager zeroed - Thick provision eager zeroed is a provisioning format for a virtual machine (VM) disk that creates a virtual disk in a default thick format.
thick provision lazy zeroed - Thick provision lazy zeroed is a provisioning format for a virtual machine (VM) disk that creates a virtual disk in a default thick format.
thick provisioning - Thick provisioning pre-allocates storage capacity on a disk rather than on an as-needed basis.
translation lookaside buffer (TLB) - A translation lookaside buffer (TLB) is a type of memory cache that stores recent translations of virtual memory to physical addresses to enable faster retrieval.
Type 2 hypervisor (hosted hypervisor) - A Type 2 hypervisor, also known as a hosted hypervisor, is a virtual machine manager that installs on top of a host's operating system.
unified computing system (UCS) - A unified computing system (UCS) is is a converged data center architecture that integrates computing, networking and storage resources to increase efficiency and enable centralized management.
USB redirection (Universal Serial Bus redirection) - USB redirection lets end users plug peripheral devices into local USB ports and access them from virtual desktops.
VCAP (VMware Certified Advanced Professional) - VMware Certified Advanced Professional (VCAP) is VMware's third highest certification level out of four levels.
VDA (Virtual Desktop Access) - Windows Virtual Desktop Access (VDA) is an authorization strategy that requires each device seeking access to a virtual desktop in a Microsoft Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) to be licensed.
VHDX (Hyper-V virtual hard disk) - VHDX is a Hyper-V virtual hard disk (VHD) format found in Windows Server 2012.
virtual - In computing, the term virtual refers to a digitally replicated version of something real, whether it's a machine, a switch, memory or even reality.
virtual address - A virtual address is a binary number in virtual memory that lets a process use a location in primary storage (main memory) or, in some cases, secondary storage.
virtual agent - A virtual agent (sometimes called an intelligent virtual agent, virtual rep or chatbot) is a software program that uses scripted rules and, increasingly, artificial intelligence applications to provide automated service or guidance to humans.
virtual call center - A virtual call center -- or virtual contact center (VCC) -- is a call center in which the organization's representatives are geographically dispersed, rather than situated at workstations in one location.
virtual CPU (vCPU) - A virtual CPU (vCPU) also known as a virtual processor, is a physical central processing unit (CPU) that is assigned to a virtual machine (VM).
virtual desktop - A virtual desktop is a computer operating system that does not run directly on the endpoint hardware from which a user accesses it.
virtual desktop pool - A virtual desktop pool is a group of virtual desktops that are hosted on identically configured virtual machines.
virtual file system (VFS) - A virtual file system (VFS) is programming that forms an interface between an operating system's kernel and a more concrete file system.
virtual firewall - A virtual firewall is a firewall device or service that provides network traffic filtering and monitoring for virtual machines (VMs) in a virtualized environment.
virtual GPU (vGPU) - A virtual GPU is a computer processor that renders graphics on a server rather than on a physical endpoint device.
virtual hard disk (VHD) - A virtual hard disk (VHD) is a disk image file format for storing the entire contents of a computer's hard drive.
virtual hard drive - A virtual hard drive file is a container file that acts similar to a physical hard drive.
virtual LUN (virtual logical unit number) - A virtual LUN (virtual logical unit number) is a representation of a storage area that is not tied to any physical storage allocation.
virtual machine (VM) - A virtual machine (VM) is an operating system (OS) or application environment that is installed on software, which imitates dedicated hardware.
virtual machine configuration - Virtual machine configuration is the arrangement of resources assigned to a virtual machine.
Virtual Machine Disk format (VMDK) - VMware Virtual Machine Disk format (VMDK) is a format specification for virtual machine (VM) disk image files.
virtual machine escape - Virtual machine escape is an exploit in which the attacker runs code on a VM that allows an operating system running within it to break out and interact directly with the hypervisor.
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.
virtual memory - Virtual memory is a memory management technique where secondary memory can be used as if it were a part of the main memory.
virtual memory ballooning - Virtual memory ballooning allows a physical host to recapture unused memory on its guest virtual machines and allocate the resource where needed.
virtual mobile infrastructure (VMI) - Virtual mobile infrastructure (VMI) is a delivery platform which does not require an application or operating system (OS) to run locally on a mobile device.
virtual network adapter - A virtual network adapter is software that operates like a physical network adapter within the host operating system (OS) or through an application installed on the endpoint or server.
virtual network functions (VNFs) - Virtual network functions (VNFs) are virtualized tasks formerly carried out by proprietary, dedicated hardware.
virtual networking - Virtual networking is the abstraction of network resources from the underlying physical network infrastructure.
virtual phone number - A virtual phone number is a telephone number is used to route calls to the user's actual phone number or numbers.
virtual private server (VPS) or virtual dedicated server (VDS) - A virtual private server (VPS), also called a virtual dedicated server (VDS), is a virtual server that appears to the user as a dedicated server, but that is actually installed on a computer serving multiple websites.
virtual reality - Virtual reality is a simulated 3D environment that enables users to explore and interact with a virtual surrounding in a way that approximates reality, as it is perceived through the users' senses.
virtual routing and forwarding (VRF) - Virtual routing and forwarding (VRF) is a technology included in Internet Protocol (IP) network routers that enables multiple instances of a routing table to exist in a virtual router and work simultaneously.
virtual SAN appliance (VSA) - A virtual SAN appliance (VSA) is a software bundle that allows a storage manager to turn the unused storage capacity in his network's virtual servers into a storage area network (SAN).
virtual server - A virtual server, also known as a virtual machine (VM), is a partitioned space inside a real server and is transparent to users, replicating the functionality of a dedicated physical server.
virtual server farm - A virtual server farm is a networking environment that employs multiple application and infrastructure servers running on two or more physical servers using a server virtualization program such as VMware or Microsoft Virtual Server.
virtual storage - Virtual storage is the pooling of physical storage from multiple network storage devices into what appears to be a single storage device that is managed from a central console.
virtual storage area network (VSAN) - A virtual storage area network (VSAN) is a logical partition in a physical storage area network (SAN).
virtual switch (vSwitch) - A virtual switch (vSwitch) is a software program that enables one virtual machine (VM) to communicate with another.
virtual to physical (V2P) - Virtual to physical (V2P) involves transferring or porting a virtual machine (VM) onto a physical machine.
virtual to virtual (V2V) - Virtual to virtual (V2V) refers to the migration of an operating system (OS), application program and data from a virtual machine (VM) or disk partition to another virtual machine or disk partition.
virtualization - Virtualization is the creation of a virtual -- rather than actual -- version of something, such as an operating system (OS), a server, a storage device or network resources.
virtualization architecture - A virtualization architecture is a conceptual model of a virtual infrastructure that is most frequently applied in cloud computing.
virtualization sprawl (VM sprawl) - Virtualization sprawl is a phenomenon that occurs when the number of virtual machines (VMs) on a network reaches a point where administrators can no longer manage them effectively.
VLAN (virtual LAN) - A virtual LAN (VLAN) is a logical overlay network that groups together a subset of devices that share a physical LAN, isolating the traffic for each group.
VM BIOS (virtual machine basic input/output system) - A VM BIOS (virtual machine basic input/output system) is the set of instructions that controls the booting process of a virtual machine.
VM hardware version (virtual machine hardware version) - The VM hardware version (virtual machine hardware version) designates the virtual hardware functions supported by a virtual machine (VM), which relates to the hardware on the host server.
VMkernel - VMkernel is a POSIX (Portable Operating System Interface)-like operating system developed by VMware.
VMQ (Virtual Machine Queue) - VMQ (Virtual Machine Queue) is a type of hardware packet filtering that delivers packet data from an outside virtual machine network directly to a virtualized host operating system.
VMUG (VMware User Group) - A VMUG (VMware User Group) is an international community of VMware users whose goal is to share knowledge.

AFF - OPE

VMW - ZER