Virtual Machine
Definition
A fake computer that runs inside a real computer, allowing multiple operating systems to operate simultaneously on a single device.
Use Cases
- Netflix: Content delivery and streaming — Netflix uses virtual machines on AWS to scale their streaming services globally, ensuring high availability and performance. (Netflix achieved a scalable and reliable infrastructure capable of handling millions of concurrent users.)
Provider Equivalents
- AWS: Amazon EC2
- Azure: Azure Virtual Machines
- GCP: Google Compute Engine
- OCI: OCI Compute
Frequently Asked Questions
- What's the difference between Virtual Machine and Container?
- Virtual Machines emulate entire operating systems, while containers share the host OS kernel and are more lightweight, making them faster to start and stop.
- When should I use a Virtual Machine?
- Use a Virtual Machine when you need to run multiple operating systems on a single hardware, require strong isolation, or need to run legacy applications.
- How much does a Virtual Machine cost?
- Costs vary based on provider, configuration, and usage. Pricing is typically based on factors like CPU, memory, storage, and duration of use.
Virtual Machine in Cloud Architecture
Understanding Virtual Machine is important for cloud practitioners. Cloud architects encounter this concept when designing systems for reliability, scalability, security, and cost-efficiency across Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI).
In cloud Cloud, Virtual Machine is one of several foundational concepts that practitioners must master to design production-ready systems. Related concepts in the same domain include the terms listed in the See Also section below.
Canvas Cloud AI provides an AI-powered designer for cloud architecture diagrams where practitioners can visualise how Virtual Machine fits into a broader system. Users describe their architecture in plain English and receive a diagram, Terraform export, and Learning Guide — all without leaving the browser.
Category: cloud
Difficulty: basic
Related Terms
See Also