On the PC level, you would likely install and configure virtual machines using OVA files that conform to the Open Virtualization Format. There can be dozens of virtual servers running on each physical server. Web hosting services offer Virtual Private Servers (VPS’s) enabling the benefits of a dedicated server at a fraction of the cost because each customer has a “virtual server” rather than a dedicated “bare metal” server.
You can still upgrade your computer to Windows 10 and then use VirtualBox to have Windows 7 running on a virtual machine on the same PC. Virtual servers run the same sort of applications that can run on a dedicated machine.įor example, you might have a mission-critical application that won’t run on Windows 10.
Virtual machines can be used on the PC level or on the server level.
Virtual machines are self-contained simulations of another computer running a different operating system without any additional hardware.
