Achieving Seamless Application Migration with Azure Virtual Machines

Virtual Machines (VMs) are software-based emulations of physical computers that can run multiple operating systems and applications on a single physical machine simultaneously. VMs provide a virtualized environment where the physical hardware resources, such as CPU, memory, storage, and network, are abstracted and shared among multiple isolated virtual machines.

Each virtual machine operates independently and runs its own operating system, allowing users to run different operating systems and applications on the same physical hardware. This technology enables efficient use of resources, better workload management, increased security, and improved scalability.

There are two types of virtual machines:

1. System Virtual Machines: These VMs are designed to provide a complete system platform that can support the execution of a full-fledged operating system. They emulate an entire physical computer, including its hardware resources, and can run multiple instances of operating systems concurrently. Examples of system virtual machines include VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V, and KVM.

2. Process Virtual Machines: These VMs are designed to execute computer programs in a platform-independent environment. They provide a high-level abstraction layer to isolate the application from the underlying operating system and hardware resources. Process virtual machines are often used for running applications that require a specific runtime environment, such as Java Virtual Machine (JVM) for running Java applications.

Virtual machines are widely used in various areas, such as:

– Data centers and cloud computing: VMs help in better resource utilization, easier workload management, and improved scalability.
– Software development and testing: Developers can create isolated environments for testing and development without affecting the host system.
– IT infrastructure management: VMs can be used to consolidate multiple physical servers into fewer machines, reducing hardware costs and simplifying maintenance.
– Cybersecurity: VMs can be used to create secure, isolated environments for running sensitive applications or analyzing malware without risking the host system.