Virtual Machine (VM)

What is a virtual machine?

A virtual machine (VM) is a software-based replica of a physical computer. It allows multiple operating systems and applications to run simultaneously on a single piece of hardware by virtualizing the host system’s resources such as CPU, RAM and storage. VMs run in an isolated environment, which means that they work independently of each other and do not influence each other.

Advantages and areas of application

VMs offer flexibility as they can be created, configured and deleted quickly. They are often used in development and test environments, server consolidation and for disaster recovery. Companies benefit from cost savings, as less physical hardware is required, and from greater scalability, as resources can be allocated as required.