NETACAD IT Essentials 7, ✔️ Chapter 9: Virtualization and Cloud Computing

Summary

This video, part of the Cisco NetAcad IT Essentials 7.0 course, explores virtualization and cloud computing. It covers the basics of virtualization, explaining how a single computer can host multiple virtual machines (VMs) and how cloud computing relies on virtualization. The video discusses server virtualization advantages like better resource utilization and reduced costs, and dives into client-side virtualization for testing different operating systems. It also explains cloud service models, including SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS, highlighting the characteristics of cloud computing such as on-demand services and resource pooling. The content emphasizes the growing role of virtualization in IT infrastructure.

Takeaways

• 😀 Virtualization allows a single physical computer to host multiple independent virtual machines (VMs), which share the host’s hardware resources.
• 😀 Cloud computing separates applications from hardware, with services like AWS and Azure managing cloud infrastructure, and virtualization being the foundation of cloud computing.
• 😀 Traditional server deployment often leads to wasted resources, server sprawl, and single points of failure, while server virtualization helps reduce these issues.
• 😀 Hypervisors are used in server virtualization to manage computer resources and provide VMs with access to hardware such as CPUs, memory, and disk controllers.
• 😀 Server virtualization offers advantages like better resource utilization, reduced space and energy consumption, cost savings, and improved disaster recovery capabilities.
• 😀 Client-side virtualization allows users to run various operating systems locally, such as Windows, Linux, macOS, and Android, on virtual machines.
• 😀 There are two types of hypervisors: Type 1 (native) runs directly on hardware and is typically used for server virtualization, while Type 2 (hosted) runs on top of an operating system and is common for client-side virtualization.
• 😀 Some examples of Type 1 hypervisors include VMware ESXi, vSphere, and Oracle VM Server, while Type 2 hypervisors include VMware Workstation, Windows Hyper-V, and Oracle VirtualBox.
• 😀 To run virtual machines, a host computer should have a compatible OS (Windows 10 Pro, Windows Server, or higher), 64-bit processor, sufficient memory, and adequate hard drive space for both the host and guest operating systems.
• 😀 Cloud computing services are divided into three categories: Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), with IT as a Service (ITaaS) being an extension of IaaS.
• 😀 Cloud computing has key characteristics including on-demand self-service, rapid elasticity, resource pooling, measured services, and broad network access.

Q & A

What is virtualization and how does it work?

Virtualization allows a single computer to host multiple independent virtual computers, called virtual machines (VMs). The VMs share the physical hardware resources of the host computer, and virtualization software separates the hardware from the virtual machines, enabling each VM to run its own operating system.

What are the primary benefits of server virtualization?

Server virtualization provides several benefits, including better utilization of resources, reduced space and energy consumption, lower costs, faster server provisioning, increased server uptime, and improved disaster recovery. It also supports legacy systems.

What is the role of a hypervisor in virtualization?

A hypervisor is a program that manages the computer’s resources and allocates them to different virtual machines (VMs). It ensures that the VMs have access to the necessary hardware, such as CPUs, memory, disk controllers, and network interfaces.

What are the two types of hypervisors and how do they differ?

There are two types of hypervisors: Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 hypervisors run directly on the hardware (native) and are typically used in server virtualization, while Type 2 hypervisors are hosted and work with the host operating system to manage VMs. Type 1 examples include VMware vSphere and ESXi, while Type 2 examples include VMware Workstation and Oracle VirtualBox.

What system requirements are necessary to run virtual machines on a computer?

To run virtual machines, the host computer should have a 64-bit processor with second-level address translation, sufficient RAM, and enough disk space to support the host OS and guest OS installations. Windows 10 Pro or Windows Server is commonly used as the host OS, with at least 15 GB of space per operating system.

How does cloud computing differ from traditional server deployment?

In traditional server deployment, organizations used dedicated servers for applications and services, which often led to wasted resources and single points of failure. Cloud computing, on the other hand, allows for on-demand, scalable services where resources are shared, and infrastructure is managed by cloud providers.

What are the three primary categories of cloud services?

The three primary categories of cloud services are Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). These services provide software, platforms, and virtualized infrastructure over the internet, respectively.

What are some characteristics of cloud computing?

Key characteristics of cloud computing include on-demand self-service, rapid scalability (elasticity), resource pooling, measured and metered services, and broad network access. These features make cloud computing flexible, efficient, and easily accessible.

What is the significance of virtualization in cloud computing?

Virtualization is the foundation of cloud computing. It enables the efficient use of physical resources by creating virtual machines that can be managed independently. This virtualization layer supports the scalability and flexibility of cloud computing services.

Can cloud computing services be used by individuals as well as organizations?

Yes, cloud computing services are used by both individuals and organizations. For example, individuals use cloud services for social media, online storage for photos, and accessing music libraries. Organizations use cloud services for scalable infrastructure, application hosting, and data storage.