Introduction to virtualization

1. Introduction to virtualization

Hi, my name is Julia and I will be your course instructor as we dive into the conceptual foundations of the modern tech stack of Docker and Kubernetes. Virtualization and containerization are important technologies that I use in my professional life as a Consultant in Artificial Intelligence, and I'm excited to introduce them to you.

2. Course goals

While the first chapter focuses on defining and comparing containerization and virtualization, the second chapter focuses on the application of both technologies and how they relate to Docker and Kubernetes. As a teaser: We might even get our hands a little dirty! Let's dive right in by defining virtualization!

3. Computers empowering our lives

In our daily lives, we use personal computers such as laptops and smartphones. Since both examples are tangible devices, we can also call them physical machines. In the world of technology, servers play an important role. Servers are specialized computers that serve other computers (also called clients) on a network, performing tasks such as hosting websites or running data analytics.

4. Components of a computer system

Just to refresh our memories: A computer system consists of hardware, such as the Central Processing Unit, storage, motherboard, and software, such as the operating system and application software.

5. Limitations of physical machines

Things get a little tricky when we need our computers to do more than one thing at a time. That's where physical machines have the following limitations: They can be expensive. More tasks often mean more hardware, which means a bigger investment in buying and maintaining the equipment. Maintaining multiple physical machines can be a hassle. Updates or repairs require downtime, which can interrupt important work. Physical machines can be inflexible, especially when it comes to scaling. When a machine needs more resources, you have to replace entire hardware components, which can be a complex and time-consuming process.

6. Introducing virtual machines

This is where virtual machines come in. Instead of adding more physical hardware, we can create virtual machines. A virtual machine (or short: VM) is a simulated computer system inside another computer that has its own operating system and applications. Multiple VMs can run on the same host machine (this is the physical computer that hosts multiple VMs), and each virtual machine operates independently without interfering with other VMs.

7. Benefits of virtual machines

VMs offer advantages over physical machines: We can get the most out of our hardware by running multiple VMs on a single host machine. This maximizes resource utilization, resulting in cost efficiencies and sustainable usage. VMs can upgrade their hardware without having to purchase additional physical hardware, as long as the host machine has sufficient resources. VMs on the same host are completely isolated from each other, preventing the spread of potential threats between them and increasing security and stability. With VMs, different operating systems can run seamlessly on the same host machine.

8. Definition of virtualization

Simply put, virtualization is the process of creating a virtual version of a computing resource. There are different levels of virtualization. The most advanced level is the virtualization of an entire computer system, including both hardware and software. This results in a VM and is also called full virtualization. Other levels of virtualization include virtualizing a specific computer component, such as the operating system or storage, which does not result in a virtual machine. Next we will explore another level of virtualization, stay tuned!

9. Let's practice!

For now, let's test your understanding of virtualization!

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