What is a virtual machine (VM)?
Options
- A simulated computer with its own OS that runs on a real machine (Correct option)
- A faster CPU that is installed in the servers of a cloud provider
- A Java keyword that is used to declare a virtual method
- A type of browser that runs inside a data center of a company
Answer
A software-simulated computer, with its own operating system, that runs on a physical machine
Why
A hypervisor divides one physical server into several isolated virtual computers. Each VM has its own operating system, CPU, memory and disk.
Cloud 'instances' such as AWS EC2 or Azure Virtual Machines are VMs.
Containers are lighter: they share the host's operating system kernel instead of each carrying a full OS.
Remember
VM = a full computer simulated in software.