Syllabus for Theory of Virtualization: - Date-09.01.

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Module 1: Introduction to Virtualization
• What is Virtualization?
o Definition and key concepts
o Benefits of virtualization
o Challenges and limitations
• Types of Virtualization:
o Server virtualization
o Desktop virtualization
o Storage virtualization
o Network virtualization
o Application virtualization
• Virtualization Technologies:
o Hypervisors (Type 1 and Type 2)
o Virtual Machines (VMs)
o Virtualization layers
o Hardware virtualization (CPU, memory, I/O)
Module 2: Server Virtualization
• Server Virtualization Fundamentals:
o Benefits of server virtualization
o Server consolidation
o Resource allocation and management
• Server Virtualization Technologies:
o VMware vSphere
 o Microsoft Hyper-V
o KVM
o Xen
o VirtualBox
• Server Virtualization Best Practices:
o Performance tuning
o High availability and disaster recovery
o Security considerations
Module 3: Desktop Virtualization
• Desktop Virtualization Fundamentals:
o Benefits of desktop virtualization
o VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure)
o Application virtualization
o Remote Desktop Services
• Desktop Virtualization Technologies:
o Citrix XenDesktop
o VMware Horizon
o Microsoft Remote Desktop Services
• Desktop Virtualization Best Practices:
o User experience
o Performance optimization
o Security considerations
Module 4: Storage Virtualization
• Storage Virtualization Fundamentals:
 o Benefits of storage virtualization
o Storage pooling
o Data deduplication and compression
o Thin provisioning
• Storage Virtualization Technologies:
o SAN (Storage Area Network)
o NAS (Network Attached Storage)
o Cloud storage
• Storage Virtualization Best Practices:
o Performance tuning
o Data protection
o Capacity planning
Module 5: Network Virtualization
• Network Virtualization Fundamentals:
o Benefits of network virtualization
o Software-Defined Networking (SDN)
o Network Function Virtualization (NFV)
o Virtual Private Cloud (VPC)
• Network Virtualization Technologies:
o OpenFlow
o VXLAN
o SDN controllers (OpenDaylight, ONOS)
• Network Virtualization Best Practices:
o Security considerations
 o Performance optimization
o Network segmentation
Module 6: Cloud Computing and Virtualization
• Cloud Computing Fundamentals:
o IaaS, PaaS, SaaS
o Cloud deployment models (public, private, hybrid)
• Virtualization in Cloud Computing:
o Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
o Platform as a Service (PaaS)
• Cloud Virtualization Technologies:
o Amazon EC2
o Microsoft Azure
o Google Compute Engine
Module 7: Virtualization Security
• Security Threats in Virtualized Environments:
o VM escape
o VM sprawl
o Data breaches
o Insider threats
• Security Best Practices:
o VM isolation
o Network segmentation
o Access control
o Encryption
 o Patch management
Module 8: Virtualization Case Studies and Future Trends
• Real-world virtualization case studies
• Emerging virtualization technologies
o Containerization
o Serverless computing
o Edge computing

What is Virtualization?
Virtualization is technology that you can use to create virtual representations of
servers, storage, networks, and other physical machines. Virtual software mimics
the functions of physical hardware to run multiple virtual machines simultaneously
on a single physical machine. Businesses use virtualization to use their hardware
resources efficiently and get greater returns from their investment. It also powers
cloud computing services that help organizations manage infrastructure more
efficiently.

Benefits of virtualization:
Virtualization offers numerous advantages in modern computing
environments:
• Cost Savings:
o Reduced Hardware Costs: Consolidate multiple virtual machines
(VMs) onto a single physical server, minimizing the need for
expensive hardware.
 o Lower Power Consumption: Fewer physical servers translate to
reduced energy consumption and lower cooling costs.
o Optimized Space Utilization: Less physical hardware means less space
required in data centers.
Improved Resource Utilization:
• Efficient Resource Allocation: Dynamically allocate resources (CPU,
memory, storage) to VMs based on demand, maximizing hardware
utilization.
• Reduced Resource Waste: Reclaim unused resources from inactive VMs,
preventing waste.
Enhanced Flexibility and Agility:
• Rapid Provisioning: Quickly create and deploy new VMs, accelerating
application deployment and scaling.
• Improved Disaster Recovery: Easily replicate and migrate VMs to different
locations, ensuring business continuity in case of disasters.
• Workload Mobility: Seamlessly move VMs between physical servers or
even different data centers.
Increased Security and Isolation:
• Enhanced Security: Isolate VMs from each other, minimizing the impact of
security breaches.
• Improved Security Management: Centralized management of security
policies and updates across multiple VMs.
Simplified Management:
• Centralized Administration: Manage multiple VMs from a single console,
simplifying administrative tasks.
• Automated Operations: Automate routine tasks like provisioning, patching,
and backups.

Challenges and limitations:

While virtualization offers numerous benefits, it also comes with certain
challenges and limitations:
Performance Overhead:
• Resource Contention: If multiple VMs compete for the same resources
(CPU, memory, I/O), performance degradation can occur.
• Hypervisor Overhead: The hypervisor (software that manages VMs)
introduces a slight performance overhead, although modern hypervisors
minimize this impact.
Security Risks:
• "Guest" OS Vulnerabilities: If a vulnerability exists in the guest operating
system of a VM, it can be exploited to compromise the host system.
• "Host" OS Vulnerabilities: Vulnerabilities in the host operating system can
potentially impact all VMs running on it.

• Virtualization Technologies:
o Hypervisors (Type 1 and Type 2)
o Virtual Machines (VMs)
o Virtualization layers
o Hardware virtualization (CPU, memory, I/O)

• A hypervisor is a software layer that enables multiple virtual

machines (VMs) to run concurrently on a single physical server.

• This virtualization technology offers numerous benefits, including

improved resource utilization, enhanced flexibility, and increased
security. There are two primary types of hypervisors: Type 1 and
Type 2
Type 1 Hypervisor (Bare-Metal Hypervisor):
 Definition: A Type 1 hypervisor runs directly on the host machine's hardware,
without an underlying operating system.
It acts as a lightweight operating system itself, managing the hardware resources
and providing a virtualized environment for guest operating systems.
Characteristics:
• High Performance: Due to direct hardware access, Type 1 hypervisors
generally offer better performance and efficiency compared to Type 2
hypervisors.
• Enhanced Security: By running directly on the hardware, Type 1 hypervisors
create a more isolated and secure environment for guest VMs.
• Complex Installation: Installation can be more complex as it often involves
direct hardware configuration.
Examples: VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V, Xen, KVM
Type 2 Hypervisor (Hosted Hypervisor):
Definition: A Type 2 hypervisor runs as a software layer on top of an existing host
operating system. It operates like any other application within the host OS.
Characteristics:
• Easier Installation: Installation is typically simpler as it involves installing the
hypervisor software like any other application.
• Less Resource Intensive: Type 2 hypervisors generally require fewer system
resources compared to Type 1 hypervisors.
• Lower Performance: Due to the additional layer of the host OS, performance
might be slightly lower compared to Type 1 hypervisors.
Examples: Oracle VirtualBox, VMware Workstation, Virtual PC
Right choice for Hypervisor class on behalf of some given factors: -
Performance Requirements: If high performance and efficiency are critical, a Type
1 hypervisor is generally preferred.
Security Needs: Type 1 hypervisors offer enhanced security due to their direct
hardware access.
Ease of Use: Type 2 hypervisors are often easier to install and manage.
Resource Availability: Type 1 hypervisors may require more system resources.
Deployment Environment: Type 1 hypervisors are commonly used in enterprise
environments, while Type 2 hypervisors are often suitable for personal or small
deployments.
Virtual Machines (VMs):
A virtual machine (VM) is essentially a software-based emulation of a physical
computer. It allows you to run multiple operating systems and applications on a
single physical machine, each isolated and independent from the others.

• Host Machine: The physical computer that runs the hypervisor and hosts the
virtual machines.
• Guest Machine: An individual virtual machine running its own operating
system and applications within the host machine.
• Hypervisor: The software layer that manages the resources of the host
machine and allows multiple guest machines to run concurrently.

How works VMs:

Hardware Abstraction: The hypervisor creates a virtualized environment that
mimics the hardware of a physical computer, including CPU, memory, storage, and
network interfaces.
Resource Allocation: The hypervisor allocates resources from the host machine to
each guest machine based on their needs.
Guest OS Installation: You can install any supported operating system on a guest
machine, just as you would on a physical computer.
Application Execution: Once the guest OS is installed, you can run applications
within that virtual environment.
Benefits of Using VMs:
• Resource Consolidation: Run multiple operating systems and applications on
a single physical server, improving resource utilization.
• Isolation and Security: Each VM operates in its own isolated environment,
enhancing security and reducing the risk of cross-contamination.
• Flexibility and Portability: VMs can be easily moved between different
physical machines or even cloud environments.
• Cost-Effectiveness: Reduce hardware costs by consolidating multiple servers
into a single physical machine.
Types of VMs:
System VMs: Full virtualization, allowing the execution of entire operating
systems.
Process VMs: Virtualize a single application or process, often used for specific
programming languages or environments.
Virtualization layers:
In virtualization, layers are crucial for abstracting hardware resources and creating
isolated environments for guest operating systems and applications. Here's a
breakdown of key virtualization layers.
1. Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL)
• Purpose: The foundation of virtualization.
• Functionality: Hides the complexities of the underlying hardware (CPU,
memory, I/O devices) from the guest operating system.
• Key Role: Presents a standardized interface to the guest OS, allowing it to
interact with the hardware without needing specific drivers for the host
machine.
2. Virtualization Layer (Hypervisor)
 • Purpose: The core component of a virtualization system.
• Functionality: Manages the allocation and scheduling of hardware
resources (CPU, memory, storage, network) among multiple guest VMs.
o Ensures isolation between VMs, preventing interference.
o Provides security mechanisms to protect the host system and other
VMs.
Hardware virtualization (CPU, memory, I/O):
CPU Virtualization:
• Allows multiple VMs to share the physical CPU's processing power.
• Techniques:
o Full virtualization: The hypervisor fully emulates the CPU's instruction
set, allowing any OS to run unmodified.
o Paravirtualization: The guest OS is modified to work directly with the
hypervisor, improving performance.
• Hardware-assisted virtualization (Intel VT-x, AMD-V) enhances performance
by offloading some virtualization tasks to the CPU.
Memory Virtualization:
• Each VM is allocated a specific amount of memory from the physical RAM.
• The hypervisor manages memory access and prevents VMs from interfering
with each other.
• Techniques like memory ballooning can dynamically adjust memory
allocation based on demand.

I/O Virtualization:
• Allows VMs to access physical I/O devices (e.g., network cards, storage)
through virtualized interfaces.
 • The hypervisor intercepts I/O requests and directs them to the appropriate
physical devices.
• Virtualization of I/O devices can improve performance, flexibility, and
resource utilization.
Module 2: Server Virtualization
Server virtualization is a powerful technology that allows multiple virtual servers
(VMs) to run concurrently on a single physical server.
This is achieved through a layer of software known as a hypervisor, which manages
the physical server's resources and allocates them to the VMs.
How Server virtualization works:
Physical Server: The foundation is a physical server with its own hardware
components like CPU, RAM, storage, and network interfaces.
Hypervisor: The hypervisor acts as a bridge between the physical server's hardware
and the VMs. It manages resource allocation, such as CPU time, memory, and I/O.
Virtual Machines (VMs): Each VM operates independently, with its own operating
system, applications, and configuration.
VMs share the physical server's resources as allocated by the hypervisor.
Benefits of Server Virtualization:
1. Cost saving
2. Enhance flexibility
3. Improve disaster recovery
4. Enhance security
Types of Server virtualization:
Type 1 (Bare-metal): The hypervisor runs directly on the physical hardware, without
an underlying host OS.
Examples: VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V.
Type 2 (Hosted):
The hypervisor runs on top of a host OS.
Examples: VirtualBox, VMware Workstation.
Application of Server Virtualization:.
Cloud Computing: Server virtualization is a fundamental technology for cloud
computing, enabling the delivery of on-demand computing resources.
Data Center Consolidation: Reduce the number of physical servers in data centers,
improving space utilization and reducing energy consumption.
Development and Testing: Create isolated environments for software
development, testing, and quality assurance.
Server Virtualization Technologies:
Server virtualization technologies encompass a range of software and hardware
solutions that enable the creation and management of multiple virtual servers
(VMs) on a single physical server.
Hypervisors:
• Type 1 (Bare-metal): Run directly on the physical hardware, providing better
performance and security.
Examples: VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V, Citrix XenServer.
• Type 2 (Hosted):
Run on top of a host operating system.
Examples: VirtualBox, VMware Workstation
Server Virtualization Technologies:
o VMware vSphere
o Microsoft Hyper-V
o KVM
o Xen
o VirtualBox
VMware vSphere Technologies:
VMware vSphere is a powerful virtualization platform that enables
organizations to consolidate their physical servers into a single, virtualized
environment.
This offers numerous benefits, such as improved resource utilization, enhanced
flexibility, and increased efficiency. Here are some of the key technologies that
underpin vSphere:
vSphere Hypervisor: This is the core component of vSphere, responsible for
creating and managing virtual machines (VMs).
It runs directly on the physical hardware, providing a thin layer of abstraction that
allows multiple VMs to share the same physical resources.
vCenter Server: This centralized management console provides a single point of
control for managing all aspects of the vSphere environment.
It allows administrators to provision VMs, monitor resource usage, automate
tasks, and implement security policies.
vMotion: This technology enables live migration of running VMs from one physical
server to another without any downtime.This is incredibly useful for maintenance,
load balancing, and disaster recovery.
Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS): DRS automatically balances the workload
across a cluster of physical servers, ensuring optimal resource utilization and
maximizing performance.
Storage vMotion: This technology allows administrators to migrate virtual disks
between different storage devices without interrupting running VMs.
This is helpful for storage maintenance, capacity planning, and data protection.
High Availability (HA): HA automatically restarts VMs on a different physical
server in the event of a failure. This ensures business continuity and minimizes
downtime.
VMware Tools:
These are a set of utilities that enhance the performance and functionality of
VMs. They include features such as improved guest operating system
performance, enhanced graphics support, and better integration with the vSphere
environment.
Microsoft Hyper-V:
Microsoft Hyper-V is a powerful virtualization platform developed by Microsoft. It
allows you to create and run multiple virtual machines (VMs) on a single physical
computer. Each VM operates as an independent system, running its own operating
system and applications.
Key Features and Benefits:
• Resource Consolidation: Hyper-V enables you to consolidate multiple
physical servers into a single virtualized environment, optimizing hardware
utilization and reducing energy consumption.
Improved Flexibility and Agility: Virtualization provides greater flexibility in
deploying and managing IT resources. VMs can be quickly provisioned, moved,
and scaled to meet changing business needs.
Enhanced Availability and Disaster Recovery: Hyper-V offers features like failover
clustering and live migration, which can help improve system availability and
facilitate disaster recovery planning.
Cost Savings: By consolidating servers and optimizing resource utilization, Hyper-V
can help reduce capital and operational costs associated with IT infrastructure.
Improved Security: Hyper-V provides strong isolation between VMs, enhancing
the security of your virtual environment.
Storage virtualization is a technology that pools physical storage from multiple
devices into a single, large virtual storage pool.
This allows IT administrators to manage storage resources centrally, regardless of
the underlying physical devices.

Storage Virtualization:
Storage virtualization is a technology that pools physical storage from multiple
devices into a single, large virtual storage pool.
This allows IT administrators to manage storage resources centrally, regardless of
the underlying physical devices.
Benefits of storage virtualization:
• Simplified management: Centralized management console for all storage
resources.
• Improved resource utilization: Efficient allocation of storage space across
multiple devices.
• Increased flexibility and scalability: Easy addition or removal of storage
capacity without disrupting operations.
• Enhanced performance: Features like data striping, caching, and automated
data tiering can improve storage performance.
• Reduced costs: Lower capital expenditures and operating costs due to
efficient resource utilization and reduced hardware redundancy.
• Improved data availability: Redundancy mechanisms like RAID and
replication can improve data availability and disaster recovery capabilities.
Types of storage virtualization:
• Block-level virtualization: Abstracts physical storage into logical blocks,
providing flexibility in how storage is allocated and managed.
• File-level virtualization: Virtualizes file systems, allowing for centralized
management of file shares and access control.
• Object-level virtualization: Stores data as objects, providing scalability and
flexibility for large-scale data storage
• Host-based storage virtualization: This type of virtualization is done at the
host level, using software installed on the servers. The software manages the
storage resources and presents them to the applications as virtual devices.
• Array-based storage virtualization: This type of virtualization is done at the
storage array level. The storage arrays themselves have built-in virtualization
capabilities that allow them to pool storage resources from multiple physical
devices and present them as a single virtual device.
• Network-based storage virtualization: This type of virtualization is done
at the network level, using a dedicated storage virtualization appliance.

• The appliance sits between the storage devices and the servers, and it
manages the storage resources and presents them to the applications as
virtual devices.
1. Storage Virtualization Technologies:
a. SAN (Storage Area Network)
b. NAS (Network Attached Storage)
c. Cloud storage
A Storage Area Network (SAN) is a dedicated, high-speed network that connects
servers to storage devices. It allows multiple servers to access a shared pool of
storage, which can be more efficient and scalable than having each server manage
its own storage.
SANs are typically used in large organizations with high storage demands, such as
data centers and cloud providers. They offer several benefits, including:
• Centralized storage management: SANs provide a single point of
management for all storage devices, which can simplify administration and
reduce costs.
• Improved performance: SANs can improve storage performance by reducing
latency and increasing bandwidth.
• Increased scalability: SANs can be easily scaled to accommodate growing
storage needs.
• Enhanced availability: SANs can provide high availability by replicating data
across multiple storage devices.
NAS (Network Attached Storage):
NAS stands for Network Attached Storage. It is a type of storage device that
connects directly to a network, allowing multiple users and devices to access and
share files. NAS devices are often used in homes and small businesses to provide
centralized storage for documents, photos, videos, and other files.
Key features of NAS devices:
• File sharing: NAS devices make it easy to share files between multiple users
and devices on a network.
• Centralized storage: NAS devices provide a central location for storing all of
your important files, making it easier to manage and back up your data.
• Remote access: Many NAS devices offer remote access, allowing you to
access your files from anywhere with an internet connection.
• Media streaming: NAS devices can be used to stream media files, such as
movies and music, to devices on your network.
Benefits of using a NAS device:
• Increased storage capacity: NAS devices can provide a significant amount of
additional storage space for your home or business.
• Improved data management: NAS devices make it easier to organize and
manage your files.
• Enhanced data security: NAS devices often include features such as user
authentication and data encryption to help protect your data.
• Cost savings: NAS devices can be a cost-effective way to add storage to your
network, especially compared to purchasing additional computers or servers.
Cloud storage:
Cloud storage in virtualization refers to the use of virtualized storage resources to
provide cloud storage services. In this context, virtualization technologies are used
to create a virtual layer between the physical storage hardware and the users or
applications that need to access the storage. This abstraction allows for greater
flexibility, scalability, and efficiency in managing and utilizing storage resources in a
cloud environment.
Key aspects of cloud storage in virtualization:
 • Abstraction of physical storage: Virtualization technologies hide the
complexity of the underlying physical storage infrastructure from users and
applications. This simplifies storage management and allows for easier
provisioning and allocation of storage resources.
• Scalability and elasticity: Cloud storage in virtualization enables dynamic
scaling of storage capacity based on demand. As storage needs increase or
decrease, the virtualized storage resources can be easily adjusted to
accommodate the changes.
• Resource optimization: Virtualization allows for efficient utilization of
storage resources by pooling them together and allocating them as needed.
This helps to reduce wasted storage capacity and improve overall storage
efficiency.
• Data management and protection: Cloud storage in virtualization often
includes features for data management and protection, such as data
replication, snapshots, and backups. These features help to ensure data
availability, durability, and recoverability.
• Cost-effectiveness: By optimizing resource utilization and reducing the need
for physical hardware investments, cloud storage in virtualization can help to
lower storage costs for organizations

Network Virtualization Technologies:

o OpenFlow
o VXLAN
o SDN controllers (OpenDaylight, ONOS)
OpenFlow Technology:
OpenFlow is a technology that enables software-defined networking (SDN),
which is a way to manage and control network traffic using software. OpenFlow can
be used to implement network virtualization by allowing a single physical network
to be divided into multiple virtual networks, each with its own set of rules and
policies.
Benefits of using OpenFlow for network virtualization:
• Increased flexibility and scalability: OpenFlow allows network
administrators to easily create and manage virtual networks, which can be
scaled up or down as needed.
• Improved security: OpenFlow can be used to implement security policies at
the virtual network level, which can help to protect against attacks.
• Reduced costs: OpenFlow can help to reduce the costs of network
infrastructure by allowing multiple virtual networks to share the same
physical hardware.
VXLAN Technology:
VXLAN (Virtual Extensible Local Area Network) is a network virtualization
technology that allows you to create virtual networks over an existing physical
network infrastructure.
It's like having multiple separate networks within one physical network, each
isolated from the others.
This is particularly useful in cloud computing and data centers where you need to
support many different tenants or applications with their own network
requirements.
Key Concepts
• Encapsulation: VXLAN encapsulates original Ethernet frames within UDP
packets. This allows the frames to be transmitted over an IP network, even if
the original networks are Layer 2 (Ethernet) networks.
• VXLAN Network Identifier (VNI): Each virtual network is assigned a unique
VNI, similar to a VLAN ID. This identifier is used to keep traffic separated
between different virtual networks.
• VXLAN Tunnel Endpoints (VTEPs): These are the devices that perform the
encapsulation and decapsulation of VXLAN packets. VTEPs can be physical
switches, routers, or even virtual switches within hypervisors.
Working:
 • Encapsulation: VXLAN takes the original Ethernet frames from your virtual
machines and wraps them in a UDP packet. This UDP packet is then
encapsulated with IP and Ethernet headers, allowing it to be routed over the
existing IP network.
• Tunneling: This process creates a tunnel between VXLAN Tunnel Endpoints
(VTEPs), which are devices that perform the encapsulation and
decapsulation. VTEPs can be physical switches, routers, or even the virtual
hosts themselves.
• Scalability: VXLAN uses a 24-bit identifier called a VXLAN Network Identifier
(VNI), which allows for over 16 million unique virtual networks.
VXLAN is commonly used in cloud computing and data center environments where
there is a need for a large number of isolated virtual networks. It's a key technology
for network virtualization and helps to improve the efficiency and flexibility of
modern networks.
SDN controllers (OpenDaylight, ONOS):
SDN (Software-Defined Networking) controllers are the brains of an SDN network.
They are responsible for managing and controlling the network devices, such as
switches and routers, by providing a centralized view of the network and enabling
network automation. OpenDaylight and ONOS are two popular open-source SDN
controllers.
OpenDaylight:
OpenDaylight is a modular platform for building SDN controllers.
It is developed and maintained by the Linux Foundation and has a large community
of contributors. OpenDaylight supports a wide range of protocols and technologies,
including OpenFlow, and can be used to control a variety of network devices. It is
known for its flexibility and scalability, making it suitable for large and complex
networks.
ONOS:
ONOS (Open Network Operating System) is another open-source SDN controller
that is designed for high performance and scalability.
It is developed by the Open Networking Foundation (ONF) and is focused on carrier-
grade networks. ONOS is known for its strong support for network virtualization
and its ability to handle large numbers of network devices and flows.

Cloud Computing and Virtualization:

Cloud computing is a model for delivering IT services—including storage, processing
power, software, and data—over the Internet ("the cloud").
Instead of owning and maintaining your own IT infrastructure, you access these
resources on demand from a cloud provider. Cloud providers own and manage the
physical infrastructure. You access their services through the Internet, typically on
a pay-as-you-go basis.
Benefits:
• Scalability: Easily scale your resources up or down as needed.
• Cost-effectiveness: Reduce upfront investment in hardware and software.
• Accessibility: Access your data and applications from anywhere with an
internet connection.
• Reliability: Cloud providers often have redundant infrastructure to ensure
high availability.
Key Differences
• Virtualization is a technology, while cloud computing is a service.
Virtualization makes cloud computing possible, but it can also be used
independently.
• Virtualization focuses on creating simulated environments, while cloud
computing focuses on delivering IT services over the internet.
• Virtualization is often managed in-house, while cloud computing is typically
outsourced to a provider.
Cloud Computing Fundamentals:
o IaaS, PaaS, SaaS
 IAAS:
IaaS stands for Infrastructure as a Service. It's a cloud computing model
that provides you with on-demand access to fundamental computing
resources—servers (physical or virtual), storage, networking, and
virtualization—over the internet.
Think of it like renting the basic building blocks of a data center. Instead
of buying and maintaining your own servers, hardware, and network
equipment, you can access these resources as needed from a cloud
provider.
Characteristics of IaaS:
• On-demand: You can provision resources as you need them, and scale them
up or down easily.
• Pay-as-you-go: You typically pay only for the resources you consume.
• Self-service: You have a high degree of control over the infrastructure, and
can manage it through a web interface or API.
• Flexible: IaaS supports a wide range of operating systems, applications, and
development tools.