| Introduction | | | | and then you would install any applications you need |
| In a nutshell, virtualization allows you to run a "virtual | | | | on the XP image. |
| computer" as an application on your desktop | | | | III. Advantages |
| alongside your other applications. A virtualization | | | | |
| program will allow you to run an instance of an entire | | | | 1. Because a virtualization software work as if it were |
| operating system such as Windows XP, Windows | | | | in it's own "container" you can freely test software |
| Vista, or Linux as a individual program - just as Word, | | | | such as alpha and beta releases without worrying |
| Excel and Firefox are individual programs. | | | | about affecting your actual operating system. |
| The easiest way to explain this concept is with an | | | | 2. Running virtualization software and virtual images |
| example. Let's say you are running Windows XP and | | | | can save a significant amount money because you |
| you'd like to see if one of your commonly used | | | | do not need to worry about additional hardware |
| applications would run on Windows Vista. You could | | | | costs to run the virtual operating systems. Note that |
| purchase a computer with Windows Vista installed, | | | | you still need to follow appropriate licensing laws for |
| and then test the software. If it works - great. If | | | | OS software where applicable. Microsoft, however, |
| not, you've spent a lot of money for nothing. | | | | does provide time-limited Virtual PC-compatible image |
| Let's now do the same thing with virtualization. By | | | | for Windows XP. |
| installing a virtualization program and a Windows Vista | | | | 3. You can easily delete and reinstall a virtual image. If |
| image (we will discuss both of these topics later) you | | | | you install programs on your Virtual PC Windows XP |
| can run an instance of the Windows Vista operating | | | | installation, and accidentally corrupt the system, you |
| system right on your Windows XP desktop - without | | | | only have to quickly re-setup the image, and not |
| having to purchase additional software. You can install | | | | have to spend hours reinstalling the operating system. |
| the application on the virtual version of Windows | | | | IV. Disadvantages |
| Vista, and now evaluate your software without | | | | |
| having to purchase new hardware. | | | | 1. A reasonably powered computer is required for |
| To clarify, Microsoft Virtual PC is the virtualization | | | | virtualization. If you use an underpowered machine to |
| software that is running in this example, and virtual | | | | run a virtual machine, you will find the performance |
| pc is, in turn, running a Windows XP image. | | | | sluggish and it will be frustrating. |
| II. Terminology | | | | 2. If you do allow your virtual machine to have |
| Virtualization Software - an application that allows you | | | | access to the internet, (and especially if you allow |
| to run a virtual operating system on your computer. | | | | the virtual machine to also access your actual |
| Examples of virtualization software programs are | | | | operating system) you MUST take the normal |
| Virtual PC, VMware Player, and VirtualBox. Think of | | | | security precautions by installing the appropriate |
| the virtualization software as a brand-new computer | | | | anti-virus and anti-malware software. |
| that has no operating system installed on it. | | | | Get Started. |
| Virtual Image or Virtual Machine - in order to use | | | | I encourage you to test out virtualization software |
| virtualization software, you need to install an | | | | for yourself to see if it's right for you. Once of the |
| operating system such as Windows XP or Linux. | | | | easiest ways to get started is with the free |
| Virtual Images are pre-fabricated operating system | | | | Microsoft Virtual PC and one of the free time-limited |
| images. You would download, for example, a Linux | | | | Windows XP or Windows Vista virtual images (also |
| image for Vmware Player, and use the Vmware | | | | known as VHD's or Virtual Hard Disks). |
| Player software to run the Linux image. You can | | | | Remember that this article only covers the basic |
| think of the virtual image as the actual operating | | | | introduction to the concept of virtualization. In the |
| system software. | | | | enterprise environment, virtualization technology can |
| So to run a virtual operating system, you would install | | | | be extremely powerful in leveraging and maximizing |
| a virtualization program such as Virtual PC, you would | | | | use of resources, servers, and remote access among |
| then install a virtual image (e.g. a Windows XP image), | | | | other things. |