Experiment No: 19

Aim: Study the concepts of virtual machines and virtualization.

Date:

Competency and Practical Skills:

1. Understand the fundamental principles behind virtual machines and virtualization.
2. Differentiate between various types of virtualization.
3. Recognize the benefits and potential challenges of implementing virtualization in an IT
environment.
4. Conceptualize how hypervisors work and differentiate between Type 1 and Type 2
hypervisors.

Relevant CO: Evaluate the requirement for process synchronization and coordination
handled by operating system

Objectives:
1. To introduce students to the foundational concepts of virtual machines and the broader realm of
virtualization.
2. To impart knowledge about the advantages, challenges, and use cases of virtualization in modern
IT infrastructures.
3. To educate on the roles and functions of hypervisors in a virtualized environment.
4. To provide insights into various types of virtualization, enabling students to make informed
decisions in real-world applications.

Equipment/Software: PC/Laptop, Windows Operating System, Installation file of Linux OS

Theory:
1. Virtual Machines (VM):
- A Virtual Machine (VM) is a software-based simulation of a physical computer. It runs in an
isolated environment on a host system with the help of virtualization software. A VM operates
similarly to a physical computer, having its own CPU, memory, disk space, and I/O.

2. Virtualization:
- Virtualization refers to the act of creating a virtual (rather than physical) version of computing
resources. It allows for the creation of multiple virtual environments on a single physical system.
- At the heart of virtualization is the *hypervisor*, a software layer or platform that manages the
distribution of the underlying hardware resources to the virtual machines. There are two types of
hypervisors:
a. Type 1 (Bare Metal): Runs directly on the system's hardware.
b. Type 2 (Hosted): Runs atop a conventional operating system.

Advantages of Virtualization:

1. Resource Efficiency: Multiple VMs can run on a single physical server, optimizing hardware
usage.
2. Isolation: VMs are isolated from each other. If one VM crashes, it doesn’t affect others.
3. Snapshot and Cloning: VMs can be snapshotted to capture their current state, allowing easy
rollback. They can also be cloned for quick deployment.
4. Flexibility and Testing: VMs can run different operating systems on the same physical host,
which is beneficial for application testing across different environments.
5. Cost Savings: Virtualization can reduce the need for physical hardware, leading to cost savings
 in hardware procurement and energy consumption.

Types of Virtualization:

1. Hardware/Platform Virtualization: Creation of VMs which act like real computers with an
operating system.
2. Network Virtualization: Splitting available bandwidth in a network into independent channels
which can be assigned to particular servers or devices.
3. Storage Virtualization: Pooling physical storage from multiple devices and presenting it as a
single storage device.
4. Application Virtualization: Packaging an application along with its runtime environment to run
on any compatible underlying OS.

Observations:

What is a Virtual Machine (VM)?

A Virtual Machine (VM) is a software-based emulation of a physical computer. It runs an operating

system and applications just like a real computer does, but it does so within another system, known as the
host machine.
You can think of it as having another computer inside your computer. For example, you can run Linux
inside Windows, or Windows inside macOS, without needing separate hardware.
Each virtual machine operates independently and has its own CPU, RAM, storage, and network interface
(all virtually allocated from the host).

How Was It Established?

In the 1960s, IBM rst introduced the idea of virtualization to maximize usage of their large, expensive \
mainframe computers.
They created systems where multiple users could run isolated environments on the same machine — a very
early form of virtual machines.
The concept evolved through the 1990s, and by the early 2000s, companies like VMware brought
virtualization to personal computers.
Today, cloud computing platforms like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud heavily rely on virtual machines
to provide scalable computing environments to users worldwide.
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vmware setup

VMware ESXi
Dashboard

Microsoft Hyper-V Manager

 Case Study: Virtualization and Virtual Machines in cloud computing

Background:
Net ix, one of the largest streaming platforms in the world, delivers content to millions of users across the

globe. To ensure high availability, scalability, and performance, Net ix moved its infrastructure from

physical servers to virtualized and cloud environments.

Problem:
Initially, Net ix operated its services using physical data centers. However, they faced challenges like:

• Hardware failures causing service disruptions

• Dif culty scaling during peak traf c (e.g., weekends or new releases)

• Slow deployment cycles for new features

Solution – Embracing Virtualization:

Net ix migrated its infrastructure to the cloud (speci cally AWS – Amazon Web Services), heavily relying

on virtualization technologies.

Key Steps Taken:

1. VM Deployment: Instead of using physical machines, Net ix deployed virtual machines (EC2
instances) for all backend services.

2. Auto Scaling: Virtualization allowed them to automatically scale VMs up or down based on demand.

3. Containerization: Later, Net ix also adopted containers (OS-level virtualization using Docker) for
microservices, improving speed and resource ef ciency.

4. Disaster Recovery: With virtual machines and cloud storage, they set up fault-tolerant systems that
replicate data across regions.

Quiz:

1. What is the primary software component responsible for managing virtual machines and
their access to the physical hardware?
2. Name the two types of hypervisors.
3. Why might an organization opt to use virtualization in their data center?
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Suggested Reference: < to be provided by the faculty member>

References used by the students: (Sufficient space to be provided)

Rubric wise marks obtained:

Rubrics 1 2 3 4 5 Total
Marks
 Experiment No: 20
Aim: Study the concepts and functionalities of Hypervisors, focusing on VMWare
ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V, Xen Server, and the Java Virtual Machine.

Date:

Competency and Practical Skills:

1. Understand the foundational principles and types of hypervisors.
2. Recognize the features, advantages, and potential use cases of VMWare ESXi,
Microsoft Hyper-V, and Xen Server in virtualized environments.
3. Understand the JVM's role in executing Java applications and its importance in platform-
independent computing.
4. Compare and contrast the functionalities of different hypervisors and the JVM.
Relevant CO: Describe and analyze the memory management and its allocation policies.

Objectives:

1. To familiarize students with the realm of virtualization and the role of hypervisors in creating
and managing virtual environments.
2. To introduce the features and functionalities of VMWare ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V, and Xen
Server, enabling informed decision-making in IT infrastructures.
3. To impart the knowledge of the Java Virtual Machine's workings and its importance in the Java
ecosystem.
4. To encourage the exploration and comparison of various virtualization technologies,
understanding their strengths, weaknesses, and use cases.

Equipment/Software: PC/Laptop, Windows Operating System, Installation file of Linux OS

Theory:
1. Hypervisors:
- A hypervisor, often termed a Virtual Machine Monitor (VMM), is software, firmware, or
hardware that creates and runs virtual machines. It divides the host system's resources to allocate
them to the VMs.

2. VMWare ESXi:
- VMWare ESXi is a Type 1 hypervisor integrated into VMware's vSphere suite. It's a bare-metal
hypervisor that installs directly onto the physical server and doesn't require an underlying operating
system.
- It offers centralized management, automation, and scalability capabilities.

3. Microsoft Hyper-V:
- Microsoft Hyper-V is a hypervisor-based virtualization system, part of Windows Server editions.
It's available both as a standalone product and an integrated feature of the Windows OS.
- Hyper-V can create both VMs and containers, offering robustness and flexibility for different
virtualization needs.

4. Xen Server:
- Xen is an open-source Type-1 or bare-metal hypervisor, initially developed by the University of
Cambridge and now hosted by the Linux Foundation.
- Xen is used by many cloud providers and offers features like live migration, VM cloning, and a
high level of security.
 5. Java VM (JVM):The JVM is a virtualization engine for running Java bytecode. It isn't a hypervisor in
the same sense as the others listed but acts as a virtual machine that provides a runtime environment to
execute Java applications.
- Java applications are compiled into bytecode, which is executed by the JVM. This allows Java
applications to be platform-independent, adhering to the "write once, run anywhere" (WORA)
principle.

Conclusion: (Sufficient space to be provided)

comparision
Feature/ Microsoft Hyper-
VMware ESXi Xen Server Java Virtual Machine (JVM)
Aspect V
Virtual Machine (not a full
Type Type 1 Hypervisor Type 1 Hypervisor Type 1 Hypervisor
hypervisor)
Linux-based, VMware Linux-based (Citrix, Any OS (Java Runtime
Platform Windows Server
vSphere suite open source) Environment)
Lightweight
Enterprise data Windows-centric Running platform-independent
Use Case virtualization, cloud-
centers, cloud virtualization Java applications
native

VMWare ESXi is a Type 1 (bare-metal) hypervisor developed by VMware. It installs directly on the
physical hardware and allows for highly ef cient virtualization of servers. Known for its stability,
enterprise-grade features, and performance, ESXi is widely used in data centers and supports a broad
range of guest operating systems. It provides advanced functionalities such as resource allocation, fault
tolerance, and high availability.

Microsoft Hyper-V is another Type 1 hypervisor, integrated with the Windows Server operating system.
While it also runs directly on the hardware, it is managed through the Windows interface, making it a
good choice for environments already using Microsoft technologies. Hyper-V supports both Windows and
Linux guests and includes features like live migration, virtual networking, and dynamic memory.

Xen Server, developed by Citrix, is an open-source Type 1 hypervisor known for its exibility and
performance. It supports para-virtualization and hardware-assisted virtualization. Xen is often used in
cloud environments (notably by Amazon AWS in its early days) due to its lightweight nature and
scalability. Xen has strong community support and is suited for organizations that prefer open-source
solutions.
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Java Virtual Machine (JVM) is fundamentally different from the above hypervisors. It is not a system-
level hypervisorbut a software-based virtual machine that runs Java bytecode. JVM abstracts the
underlying hardware and operating system so Java programs can run anywhere, hence the phrase “write
once, run anywhere.” Unlike ESXi, Hyper-V, or Xen, JVM does not virtualize full operating systems but
provides a runtime environment for Java applications. It ensures portability, security, and ef cient
memory management for Java-based software.

Summary:

• VMWare ESXi, Hyper-V, and Xen are system-level hypervisors used to virtualize entire operating
systems and are critical in server and cloud environments.

• JVM is an application-level virtual machine designed to run Java programs and is focused on software
portability rather than hardware abstraction.

• While ESXi and Hyper-V are commercial products with strong enterprise features, Xen offers a robust
open-source alternative, and JVM plays a vital role in cross-platform software development

Quiz
: 1. Which of the mentioned hypervisors is integrated into VMware's vSphere suite?
2. What distinguishes the Java Virtual Machine from hypervisors like ESXi and Hyper-V?
3. Why is the JVM crucial for Java's "write once, run anywhere" principle?

Suggested Reference: < to be provided by the faculty member>

References used by the students: (Sufficient space to be provided)

Rubric wise marks obtained:

Rubrics 1 2 3 4 5 Total
Marks
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