Virtualization Concept and History

Virtualization refers to a creation of software- based representation or a virtual resource that can apply on application, servers, desktop, operating system storage and network. It is used to reduce the expense while increasing the ability of businesses. The concept of virtualization is to provide an environment where multiple independent systems can run at the same time sharing a resource.(1) [ref: vmware.com]

History of virtualization

Virtualization is believed to have its origin, when IBM started to develop robust time sharing solution in late 1960s and early 1970s. The aim of IBM was to develop a robust time sharing solution which will increase efficiency among a group of users who share a common resource. It helped in dropping the cost of providing computing capability for each individual in an organization. market.(2)[Ref: docs.oracle]

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IBM worked on S/360 mainframe system design as a replacement to other system to maintain compatibility. On July 1, 1963 MIT introduced project MAC which stands for Mathematical and Computation. They were in need for new computer hardware capability for simultaneous user, since GE had a commitment towards a time sharing method MIT choose GE as their vendor. Bell Labs were also in need for similar system. In response to MIT and Bell Labs IBM designed CP-40 mainframe.CP-40 was not sold to customer and was used only in labs.CP-40 was later evolved into a commercial Main Frame to support virtualization called CP-67.CP-67 was referred to as CP/CMS where CP was the program in virtual machine and CMS stood for Console Monitor System. CMS was single operating system designed to be interactive. CP/CMS was released to public in 1968, but the stable version was released in 1972. Now VMware, Microsoft’s Hyper-V, Xen and KVM take up to 93% of the total market share in virtualization.(3)[Ref:everythingvm.com]

Relevant for data centers: Virtualization technique is used in data centers for abstraction of physical hardware, create pools of logical resource consisting of CPUs, file storage, memory, and networking and offer those resources to users in virtual machines. There are various advantages of data center virtualization, some of them are heat reduction, cost reduction, easy backup, testing using snapshot (if a mistake is done it can be easily tested by backtracking the snapshots), vendor lock-in not required as the abstraction between hardware and software makes the virtual machine run on any hardware, and easier to migrate on cloud.(4)[Ref: techrepublic.com]

Relevant for cloud computing: Virtualization is the basics for data sharing in cloud computing. It helps the guest user with tools required to execute their request and it helps the provider with giving the ability to house different guests with no additional cost. Virtual machines from the provider’s server to the user’s screen is one of the different various approaches developed to secure and ensure privacy of the cloud. Cloud computing can exist without virtualization but it will be inefficient and difficult as it enables rapid scaling of resources. It can be practical only if the backend is flexible and efficient.(5)[ref IEEE paper by Meryeme Alouane and Hana El Bakkali]

Virtual Machine running in different servers and emulating hardware can create complexity in virtualization. There are security issues working for and against virtualization. If virtual servers are isolated it helps in reducing security issues although it may not be aware of each other guest system and an attack to the host may impact all the running virtual machine on that particular server. Until every company integrate virtualization into their existing IT framework, the standard of virtualization will not exist.

Bibliography

1. http://www.vmware.com/solutions/virtualization.html
2. https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E26996_01/E18549/html/VMUSG1010.html
3. http://www.everythingvm.com/content/history-virtualization
4. http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/10-things/10-benefits-of-virtualization-in-the-data-center/
5. IEEE paper- Virtualization in Cloud Computing: existing solution and new approach by

Meryeme Alouane and Hana El Bakkali.

Published : 2016 2nd International Conference on Cloud Computing Technologies and Applications (CloudTech)

http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7847687/