Fundamentals of Virtualization
What is virtualization, and how does it work?
Virtualization separates multiple software environments (OS, drivers, and applications) from each other and the physical hardware by using a software layer, allowing multiple OSs to run on the same hardware.
What is a sandbox, and how is it used in virtualization?
A sandbox is an isolated virtual environment used to safely analyze malware and test software without risking the host system or network.
What is cloud computing, and how does it differ from traditional IT infrastructure?
Cloud computing provides on-demand IT resources (e.g., servers, storage) over the Internet, with no need for the user to manage the underlying infrastructure.
What is Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), and what are its advantages?
VDI provisions corporate desktops using VMs. Advantages include centralized data backup, easier troubleshooting, improved security, and reduced hardware costs.
What are examples of Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions?
Examples include Microsoft Office 365, Salesforce, and Google Workspace.
What are the benefits of virtualization in terms of resource utilization?
Virtualization increases resource utilization by pooling resources, enabling centralized management, and providing flexibility for testing and training.
How can client-side virtualization support legacy software?
Older operating systems can be installed as virtual machines, enabling users to access legacy applications incompatible with newer OSs.
What does "high availability" mean in cloud computing, and what is an example?
High availability means minimal downtime. For instance, "Five Nines" (99.999%) availability results in only about 5 minutes and 15 seconds of downtime annually.
What is software-defined networking (SDN), and what are its three layers?
SDN is a model for automating network provisioning. Its three layers are the application layer (business logic), control layer (SDN controller), and infrastructure layer (physical/virtual devices).
What are the key security challenges in virtualization?
What is a hypervisor, and what are its primary functions?
A hypervisor is software that allows multiple operating systems (guest OSs) to run on a single physical machine by emulating hardware resources and preventing conflicts between the OSs.
What is client-side virtualization, and how is it different from server-side virtualization?
Client-side virtualization is designed for desktops/workstations where users directly interact with the virtualization host. Server-side virtualization is for deploying server roles as virtual machines.
What are the four common cloud deployment models?
Public cloud, Private cloud, Community cloud, and Hybrid cloud.
What is container virtualization, and how does it differ from hypervisor-based virtualization?
Container virtualization enforces resource separation at the OS level without using a hypervisor. Containers share the host OS kernel, unlike hypervisor-based virtualization, which runs multiple OSs.
What is the purpose of Second Level Address Translations (SLAT) in virtualization?
SLAT improves the performance of virtual memory when running multiple VMs. Intel implements it as Extended Page Table (EPT), and AMD implements it as Rapid Virtualization Indexing (RVI).
What are the two types of hypervisors, and how are they different?
What are the resource requirements for running a Windows 10 guest OS on a virtualization workstation?
A virtualization workstation must have at least 4 GB of RAM (2 GB for the host OS and 2 GB for the Windows 10 guest OS).
What is metered utilization in cloud computing?
Metered utilization refers to pay-per-use billing based on resource consumption, such as storage, processing power, or bandwidth.
What is cloud file storage, and what are its key features?
Cloud file storage allows for file synchronization and sharing between multiple devices. Key features include automated backups, collaborative editing, and replication across datacenters for faster access.
What distinguishes Platform as a Service (PaaS) from Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)?
PaaS provides a platform for application development (e.g., web/database platforms), while IaaS provides raw infrastructure like servers and storage.
What is the role of virtualization extensions like Intel VT-x and AMD-V?
These CPU extensions improve the performance of virtualization by enabling hardware-assisted virtualization and enhancing virtual memory management.
What is cross-platform virtualization?
Cross-platform virtualization allows testing of software applications under different operating systems and resource constraints.
What are the benefits of using hybrid cloud models?
Hybrid clouds allow organizations to use public cloud resources for scalability while keeping sensitive data or regulated infrastructure on private clouds.
What is Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), and provide two examples?
IaaS provides virtualized IT resources like servers and storage. Examples include Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) and Microsoft Azure Virtual Machines.
What is application virtualization, and how does it benefit organizations?
Application virtualization allows users to access or stream applications from servers. This ensures all users have the latest application version and reduces installation and management overhead.