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A virtual machine (VM) is a software-based emulation of a physical computer that runs on a host machine. It allows multiple operating systems to run on a single physical machine, providing a way to test different software configurations, run legacy applications, or isolate environments for security purposes.
VMs are commonly used in cloud computing environments to create virtual servers that can be easily scaled up or down based on demand. They also allow for the efficient use of hardware resources by running multiple VMs on a single physical server.
Some popular virtual machine software includes VMware, VirtualBox, and Microsoft Hyper-V. These platforms provide tools for creating, managing, and monitoring virtual machines, as well as features like snapshots, cloning, and live migration.