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  • FAQ - Virtual Servers
    • What factors have led to the emergence of Virtual Servers at this time?
    • Which Server Virtualisation program should I buy?
    • What are Snapshots and how do they differ from System Restore Points in Windows XP?
    • Should I store my company data on a virtual hard drive?
    • How do I insert a CD into an imaginary CD drive in order to install a program onto a virtual server?
    • Can a Virtual Server catch a virus?
    • Can you have Linux Virtual Servers and Linux Host Servers?
    • Is it safe to run any other programs on the Virtual Server host computer?
    • Can I view, on-screen, the entire boot-up process of a Virtual Server?
    • Can I just make a copy of a virtual server's files on the host to get another virtual server?
    • What are Golden Images?
    • Can a Virtual Server created with one virtualisation program be used in a different one?
    • Can a Virtual Server have a RAID array?
    • Why are virtual hard drives so small?
  • FAQ - Physical-to-Virtual Conversions and New Virtual Server Installations
    • Does any preparatory work need to be done on a physical server before converting it to a virtual server?
      
    • Does anything need to be done after the conversion process?
      
    • How is Windows Product Activation (WPA) and other copy-protection schemes affected by the conversion process?
      
    • Can you convert a Virtual Server back to a Physical Server?
  • FAQ - Miscellaneous
    • Why can't you guys spell "Virtualise" and "Virtualisation" correctly?
  • Glossary of Virtual Server Terms
    
    • Guest OS
    • Host
    • Hypervisor Layer
    • Linux
    • Operating System
    • Physical Server
    • Snapshots
    • Virtual LAN
    • Virtual Machine
    • Virtual PC
    • Virtual Server
    • Virtualisation Software
  • Virtual Servers - In Depth
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A Glossary of Virtual Server Terms

Guest Operating System (OS)

Another name for a virtual server or virtual PC.
The guest operating systems run on the host machine.

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Host

The physical server or PC which runs the virtualisation software allowing it to be the host for virtual servers and PCs.
Although it would be unusual, it is possible for a virtual server to also be a host for virtual machines.

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Hypervisor Layer

The layer of software between the host's operating system and the virtual machine that the virtual machine thinks is real hardware.
The most efficient virtualisation software merges the host operating system and the hypervisor layer. An example of this is VMWare's ESX Server.

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Linux

An operating system, similar to Unix, that was initially created by Linus Torsvald in 1992 but is now developed by a world-wide community of enthusiasts on a non-profit basis.
Individuals and businesses can use Linux on their PCs and servers without having to buy a licence.

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Operating System (OS)

The software that loads automatically when a PC is turned on and provides a common set of services to programs such as interfacing with all the computer's hardware, controlling the allocation of memory and providing security and stability.
Examples are Windows Server 2003, Mac OS X and Linux.

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Physical Server

A conventional server with real hardware. Previously just known as a server, we now use this term to distinguish it from a virtual server.
We resist calling it a "real server" as this implies that virtual servers aren't real.

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Snapshots

A set of files which hold the exact state of a virtual machine at a particular time so that, if required, the virtual machine can be restored back to this exact state at some time in the future.

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Virtual LAN

The components of a real LAN - a network switch, a router, cabling, sockets and patchfields - which are simulated on a host machine to allow the virtual machines to communicate with each other, the host, other devices on the host's LAN or the Internet.
Don't confuse this with the term VLAN which is where individual ports on a physical network switch are assigned to different subnets.

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Virtual Machine

A term which means either a Virtual PC or a Virtual Server.

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Virtual PC

A workstation-class operating system, such as Windows XP Pro, which is running on the
imaginary hardware provided by virtualisation software.

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Virtual Server

A server-class operating system, such as Windows Server 2003, which is running on the imaginary hardware provided by virtualisation software.

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Virtualisation Software

A program, such as VMWare's Virtual Workstations, which enables one or more virtual machines to run on a host machine.

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