Abstract
Computer technology, as an advanced and dynamically developing industry, constantly offers users new options and software functionality. One of such developments is virtualization as a process that transforms traditional operating systems. Virtual machines that are individual files create the environment running on the host OS independently. This separation allows for enhanced operational capabilities and provides a number of valuable benefits, such as the combination of different operating systems, acceleration, scalability, cost savings, and security.
Compared to traditional operating systems, processes in a virtual environment help avoid interruptions and allow memory to be allocated efficiently, thereby reducing the load on hardware. Modern virtual machines differ in cost and installation capabilities on individual operating systems. In the future, manufacturers of this software will achieve even greater performance because today, they interact with hardware developers, and such collaboration may help create improved algorithms for storing and processing data.
Introduction
Virtualization is the process of creating a software version of a computer with dedicated CPU, memory, and storage resources that are borrowed from a physical computer or a remote server, for instance, in a cloud provider’s data center. A virtual machine is a file that is often called an image and acts as a regular computer. It can run in a window as an individual environment to run another operating system or even as an entire system, which is often done on networks. The virtual machine is separated from the rest of the system, and this means that such software cannot interfere with the main operating system.
The analysis of this technology and possible future trends in this environment can help highlight the main features of how the virtual environment maps memory, interrupts, processes, and other tasks when running as a guest or on a virtual machine. The technical characteristics of these systems allow them to be used as advanced components of operating systems and to be utilized as valuable tools for increasing productivity.
Virtual Machines’ Principles of Operation and Purposes of Application
A virtual machine is no different from physical computers, such as a laptop, smartphone, or server. It has CPU, memory, drives for storing files, and can connect to the Internet if needed. Although the hardware of a computer is tangible, virtual machines are often thought of as virtual devices or software-defined computers on physical servers, which exist only as a code (Contributor). These components can build and deploy applications in the cloud, and this technology is in demand in today’s world of large volumes of data transfers (Mirobi and Arockiam 1).
They can also test new operating systems, including beta versions, and deploy a new environment to simplify and speed up development and test scenarios (Bermejo and Juiz 328). In addition, virtual machines can back up an existing operating system, access virus-infected data, or run software or applications on operating systems for which they were not originally intended. As a result, a wide range of tasks can be implemented by utilizing the considered virtual computers and adapting them to specific tasks.
Benefits of Virtual Machines
Although virtual machines operate as individual computers with their own operating systems and applications, their main advantage is that they are completely independent of one another and the physical computer on which they are hosted. A special software component called a hypervisor or virtual machine manager allows running different operating systems on different virtual machines simultaneously (Bermejo and Juiz 324). For instance, this option provides an opportunity to run Linux software on Windows or run an earlier version of Windows on a later one. Since these components are independent, they are portable, which is another advantage (Bermejo and Juiz 347). One can move virtual machines in a particular hypervisor to another hypervisor on a different computer almost instantly. This flexibility and portability of virtual machines provide many benefits.
One of the critical benefits is the possibility of savings. By running multiple virtual environments from one piece of infrastructure, an operator can reduce the size of a physical infrastructure significantly (Contributor). This, in turn, increases profits because the number of servers in operation is reduced, as well as the cost of maintenance and electricity. Flexibility and speed are the benefits that enhance control over the software.
Starting a virtual machine becomes easier and faster than preparing a new developer environment. Virtualization speeds up development and test scenarios, thereby saving time (Contributor). Due to reduced downtime, virtual machines are suitable for backups in case a node suddenly interrupts. Since these software components are highly portable and can be easily moved from one hypervisor to another, operation time is not wasted.
Virtual machines make it easy to scale applications, which is a valuable option. According to Li et al., an operator only needs to add physical or virtual servers to distribute the workload across multiple virtual machines (335).
As a result, this improves the availability and performance of applications. Finally, security benefits should be taken into account as critical advantages. Since virtual machines run on multiple operating systems, using a guest operating system in a virtual machine can run applications with insufficiently reliable firewalls and protect the host operating system (Li et al. 333). For instance, virtual machines can provide better security and are often utilized to safely investigate computer viruses by isolating malware and preventing the host computer from infecting. All these benefits are crucial factors that confirm the value and convenience of applying virtual software.
Processes in the Virtual Environment
Whether running as a guest or in a virtual machine, a virtual environment has more options than a traditional operating system. All linked virtual machines are managed through a single web-based virtualization management console to speed up work (Bermejo and Juiz 325). Virtualization allows determining how much processing power and memory are essential to allocate to virtual machines (Bermejo and Juiz 353). In addition, since virtual machines are not technically connected to one another, this increases the security of the environment. In other words, virtualization creates additional capacity to run processes.
Unlike the host OS, a virtualized environment allows providing computing power to aggregate data from multiple sources. New sources can place and transform data according to user needs. Server-type virtualization implements software simulation by utilizing special software of the computer hardware – processor, memory, hard disk, and others (Contributor). An operating system can be installed on such a virtual computer, and it will work on it in the same way as on a simple device. As Li et al. note, the most important advantage of this technology is the ability to run several virtual computers inside a physical one (333). This benefit cannot be achieved on a standard operating system.
Through the use of a virtual environment, two operating systems can run on the same hardware. According to Bermejo and Juiz, this not only saves time on maintenance and improves security but also expands memory capabilities (327). The standard operating system has a limited amount of memory, but by combining two platforms through virtualization, this amount is increased, thereby improving performance (Bermejo and Juiz 338).
In addition, several users can access the same data at the same time. For these purposes, the server needs to have a mechanism for organizing updates so that the client could always receive the most current version of the data. Distributed file systems, as a rule, use file or database replication to protect against interrupts, thereby enhancing reliability and security (Bermejo and Juiz 354). Thus, the virtual environment helps optimize work and expands the capabilities of standard operating systems.
Popular Modern Virtual Machines
All the differences among the existing virtual machines lie in the list of supported operating systems and cost. In addition, individual manufacturers create unique products to support their brands. Among the wide list of this software, such programs for creating a virtual environment are worth noting as Microsoft Hyper-V, VMware Workstation Player, and Oracle VirtualBox. These products have similar options, but due to their individual functions and the ability to operate on distinctive operating systems, their use is limited to specific conditions.
All 64-bit versions of Windows 8 and Windows 10 operating systems already have a built-in Microsoft Hyper-V virtual machine. This software is designed to work primarily with Microsoft operating systems (Pickavance and Turner). When installing systems from other companies on it, problems are not excluded. Therefore, for instance, for testing Linux, users should pay attention to another virtual machine. Otherwise, there is a risk of failures due to incompatibility with the functionality of other operating systems.
The virtualization system VMWare Workstation is a powerful, paid, and highly reliable virtualization program that supports Windows and Linux. For MacOS virtualization, this machine cannot be applied, which is a limitation. At the same time, according to Pickavance and Turner, although this software is paid, users can use its free version – VMware Workstation Player. The player cannot assist in creating virtual machines but allows running previously created ones on VMware Workstation. This program may be useful in cases of testing, when, for instance, the developer of an automated system sends it for review in the form of a virtual machine image.
VirtualBox is a free and easy-to-use interface to create virtual machines. It has a capacity to run almost any OS as a guest, including Windows, MacOS, or Linux. VirtualBox allows taking snapshots of the guest operating system (Pickavance and Turner). This technology implies making restore points to which users can return the guest system in case of a failure. Creating virtual machines in VirtualBox is performed with a simple step-by-step algorithm. The program supports working with networks; therefore, if desired, one can give the virtual machine access to the Internet. All considered types of virtual software are relevant products, and the key selection criteria are purpose and price.
Future Trends of the Virtual Machine Industry
When comparing the performance of virtual machines with real computers, performance parameters differ slightly in favor of traditional OS. The difference is not critical, given the fact that virtual machines allow a user to switch to another OS without restarting the computer or starting another machine. Moreover, developers of virtualization platforms are constantly working by utilizing available technical solutions to equalize the speed of work. Probably, in the future, the paravirtualization of the guest operating system, additional buffering of requests, and other algorithms will become more advanced (Li et al. 333). These advances, in turn, can help optimize virtual machines, thereby achieving the same performance as in real computers.
In addition to working in their narrow environment, creators of virtual platforms are constantly in close cooperation with the hardware field. Its developers, in turn, do their best to implement new hardware functions in their products, which allow accelerating the exchange of data between the guest operating system and the host OS. The combined efforts of software and hardware companies of developers will surely lead to the fact that, sooner or later, the difference in the speed of real and virtual machines will become negligible (Li et al. 335). Therefore, given the current variety of products, users will be able to choose among various virtual software products with advanced options and the ability to run smoothly on different operating systems.
Conclusion
Due to their convenience, functionality, and independence, virtual machines are in-demand technologies that increase the productivity of computers and allow implementing valuable options. The combination of two operating systems, increased security, acceleration, scalability, and other significant advantages are essential benefits to take into account. The variety of these products allows choosing from a wide range of options and specifications. In the future, the trend of utilizing a virtual environment to expand memory and prevent interruptions will be strengthened through the joint efforts of software and hardware developers.
Works Cited
Bermejo, Belen, and Carlos Juiz. “Virtual Machine Consolidation: A Systematic Review of Its Overhead Influencing Factors.” The Journal of Supercomputing, vol. 76, no. 1, 2020, pp. 324-361.
Contributor, Staff. “What Is a VM? Why Use a Virtual Machine?” DNSstuff. 2020. Web.
Li, Yunfa, et al. “A Survey of Virtual Machine System: Current Technology and Future Trends.” 2010 Third International Symposium on Electronic Commerce and Security, 2010, pp. 332-336.
Mirobi, G. Justy, and L. Arockiam. “DAVmS: Distance Aware Virtual Machine Scheduling Approach for Reducing the Response Time in Cloud Computing.” The Journal of Supercomputing, 2021, pp. 1-12.
Pickavance, Mark, and Brian Turner. “Best Virtual Machine Software of 2021: Virtualization for Different OS.” TechRadar. 2021. Web.