Virtual machine
A virtual machine is a software-based environment that emulates or implements an abstract computer system, providing an interface on which an operating system or programs can execute.
Amazon Web Services in Action, Third Edition: An in-depth guide to AWS
A virtual machine is a software-defined computer that runs an operating system and applications in an isolated virtualized environment.
- How it is used
- Uses EC2 virtual machines to host applications and process data while retaining operating-system control.
- How deep it goes
- Defines host, guest, and hypervisor, then gives instance-inspection, troubleshooting, and lifecycle procedures without detailing hypervisor implementation.
- Examples
- Builds a load-balanced WordPress setup and inspects instance metrics and startup logs in the EC2 console.
- What you can do after
- Operate/configure it by inspecting, troubleshooting, stopping, and terminating EC2 instances while planning for failures and charges.
Acing the CCNA Exam: Volume 2 Advanced Networking and Security
A virtual machine is a software-emulated computer that runs an operating system and applications in an isolated environment on physical hardware.
- How it is used
- Frames virtualization as server consolidation that improves hardware utilization and supports isolated operating environments.
- How deep it goes
- Explains hypervisor placement, resource allocation, guest networking, virtual switching, and VLAN modes while stopping short of vendor configuration commands.
- Examples
- Uses type 1 and type 2 hypervisor diagrams, virtual-switch networking, and IaaS platforms such as AWS EC2 and Azure Virtual Machines.
- What you can do after
- Evaluate VM architectures, distinguish hypervisor types, and understand how virtual machines connect to physical networks and cloud services.
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Microsoft Azure in Action
A virtual machine is a software-based computer that runs on virtualized physical hardware as an isolated execution environment.
- How it is used
- Provides configurable compute for custom applications without requiring ownership of physical hardware.
- How deep it goes
- Defines virtualization and IaaS, then works through portal creation choices and ongoing management rather than virtualization internals.
- Examples
- Uses a growing custom application, legacy software, backend processes, and Azure Portal creation choices.
- What you can do after
- Operate/configure it using Azure Portal creation choices, remote access, cost controls, and monitoring.
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Road to Kubernetes
A virtual machine is a software-emulated computer that provides an isolated operating-system environment on physical or virtualized infrastructure.
- How it is used
- Provides a remote server for manual application deployment and later serves as a host for containers.
- How deep it goes
- Walks through cloud provisioning and replaceable-server practices without detailing virtualization internals.
- Examples
- Uses a Linode provisioning task, VM destruction as a reset, and a fresh VM for Docker deployment.
- What you can do after
- Operate/configure it by selecting a cloud VM, deploying software to it, and treating it as replaceable.
Building Web APIs with ASP.NET Core
A virtual machine is a software-emulated computer that provides an isolated operating environment on physical or cloud infrastructure.
- How it is used
- Hosts web applications, management portals, and server software on configurable cloud or virtualized infrastructure.
- How deep it goes
- Walks through cloud creation and hosting configuration, but stops short of detailed system-hardening practices.
- Examples
- Uses Azure Virtual Machines, Windows Server 2022 Datacenter, IIS, inbound TCP ports, and a VM-hosted management portal.
- What you can do after
- Operate/configure a Windows cloud VM, install web-server dependencies, deploy an ASP.NET Core API, and test the result.
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Grokking AI Applications
A virtual machine is a software-defined computer that runs on shared physical infrastructure and provides an isolated environment for operating systems and applications.
- How it is used
- Deploys Langflow applications in an always-on, publicly reachable environment for continuous access.
- How deep it goes
- Explains the remote-computer model, resource rental, access, and maintenance trade-offs without detailing VM creation commands.
- Examples
- Uses a cloud VM to keep a Langflow assistant available to website users and other applications.
- What you can do after
- Operate/configure a self-managed cloud VM as one option for deploying an always-available Langflow flow.
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LLMs in Production
A virtual machine is a software-defined computer that runs an operating system and applications in an isolated virtualized environment.
- How it is used
- Supports large-model training by providing temporary access to isolated, multi-GPU computing environments.
- How deep it goes
- Explains cloud setup, cost control, connection, file transfer, and deletion, but does not detail virtualization internals.
- Examples
- Uses gcloud commands to create, inspect, connect to, copy files to, and delete a Google Cloud VM.
- What you can do after
- Operate/configure a GPU-enabled VM through Google Cloud's gcloud CLI and shut it down to control costs.
Kubernetes in Action, Second Edition
A virtual machine is a software-emulated computer that runs an operating system and applications in an isolated environment.
- How it is used
- Compares VM-based isolation with containers when choosing how applications share a host.
- How deep it goes
- Explains operating-system boundaries, process isolation, resource overhead, and Docker Desktop placement, but not VM implementation internals.
- Examples
- Uses VM-versus-container diagrams and Docker Desktop's Linux VM hosting Kubernetes and application containers.
- What you can do after
- Evaluate isolation and resource tradeoffs, then inspect a Docker Desktop VM indirectly through its host CLI and containers.
Read how Kubernetes in Action, Second Edition explains virtual machine →
100 SQL Server Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
A virtual machine is a software-defined computer that runs an operating system and applications in an isolated virtualized environment.
- How it is used
- Frames virtual machines as an Infrastructure as a Service choice for hosting SQL Server in cloud environments.
- How deep it goes
- Explains hosting choices, licensing, and operational tradeoffs but does not descend into VM architecture or administration procedures.
- Examples
- Uses Azure VM images, AWS EC2 instances and AMIs, and the MagicChoc greenfield application scenario.
- What you can do after
- Evaluate VM hosting against DBaaS by comparing control, licensing, capacity uncertainty, and ongoing administration.
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Azure Security
A Windows virtual machine is a virtual machine running a Windows operating system.
- How it is used
- Deploys traditional or cloud-native digital services while supporting layered security and secure operating-system monitoring.
- How deep it goes
- Explains the VM security role and AMA monitoring prerequisites, then demonstrates CLI installation without detailing VM creation or agent internals.
- Examples
- Uses Windows and Linux Azure VMs, separated performance and security workspaces, prerequisites, and an Azure CLI extension installation.
- What you can do after
- Operate/configure Azure VMs by installing AMA and preparing permissions, networking, managed identity, and monitoring destinations.
Build and Orchestrator in Go (From Scratch)
A software-defined computer that abstracts physical hardware so multiple operating systems can run on one physical machine.
- How it is used
- Uses hardware abstraction to consolidate independent operating systems onto fewer physical machines.
- How deep it goes
- Explains abstracted hardware, per-VM operating-system resources, and application coupling without detailing VM implementation internals.
- Examples
- Uses dedicated application machines, shared VM hosts, and diagrams contrasting pre-virtualization systems with applications on VMs.
- What you can do after
- Operate infrastructure by placing multiple distinct operating systems on one physical machine and recognize application-layer limits.
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Platform Engineering on Kubernetes
A virtual machine is a software-emulated computer that runs an operating system and applications in an isolated environment on physical infrastructure.
- How it is used
- Standardizes development, testing, and deployment environments while supporting automated application hosting.
- How deep it goes
- Explains configuration, hypervisor management, and operational trade-offs but does not descend into virtualization internals.
- Examples
- Uses Jenkins jobs, developer-provided VMs, and clustered physical computers as concrete deployment examples.
- What you can do after
- Operate/configure repeatable environments with Jenkins jobs, hypervisors, and predefined VM configurations.
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Kubernetes for Developers
A virtual machine is a software-emulated computer that provides an application with an isolated operating environment and typically includes a guest operating system.
- How it is used
- Uses virtual machines to isolate application environments and divide allocated resources across workloads.
- How deep it goes
- Explains deployment motivation, isolation benefits, maintenance overhead, and the contrast with containers, without detailing virtualization internals.
- Examples
- Contrasts shared hosting, one application per VM, and the progression from VMs to containers.
- What you can do after
- Evaluate deployment architectures by weighing application isolation and resource allocation against operating-system maintenance overhead.
Read how Kubernetes for Developers explains virtual machine →
Learn Docker in a Month of Lunches, Second Edition
A virtual machine is a software-defined computer that emulates hardware, runs its own operating system, and provides an isolated environment for applications.
- How it is used
- Compares virtual machines with containers and cloud migration options for application deployment.
- How deep it goes
- Defines VMs by their separate operating systems and explains memory, CPU, licensing, and maintenance costs.
- Examples
- Uses cloud application components, multiple VMs on one computer, and container-versus-VM diagrams.
- What you can do after
- Evaluate deployment alternatives by weighing VM portability and isolation against resource, licensing, and maintenance costs.
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Podman in Action: Secure, rootless containers for Kubernetes, microservices, and more
A virtual machine is a software-emulated computer that provides an isolated environment with virtualized hardware for running an operating system and its workloads.
- How it is used
- Contrasts VM-based isolation with containers when explaining application packaging, operational overhead, and layered security boundaries.
- How deep it goes
- Compares complete-OS management and isolation but does not describe hypervisor implementation or virtual hardware internals.
- Examples
- Uses three applications on one physical machine and a web frontend separated from a credit-card database.
- What you can do after
- Evaluate when VM isolation justifies managing complete operating systems and additional runtime overhead.
Starting Data Analytics with Generative AI and Python
A virtual machine is a software-emulated computer that runs its own operating system within an isolated allocation of physical computing resources.
- How it is used
- Deploys analytics in the cloud as a first migration step without requiring code changes.
- How deep it goes
- Defines an isolated computer-within-a-computer and describes single-VM deployment, but defers detailed provider instructions and distributed implementation.
- Examples
- Uses a cloud VM to run analytics like on a local PC and prompts ChatGPT for deployment instructions.
- What you can do after
- Operate/configure analytics on a single cloud VM, then recognize when customization or distributed services are needed.
Read how Starting Data Analytics with Generative AI and Python explains virtual machine →
Related concepts
- Amazon Elastic Compute Cloudincludes · Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) is an Amazon Web Services service that provides resizable virtual computing capacity through configurable virtual machine instances.
- Gocontrasts with · Go is a statically typed, compiled, garbage-collected programming language with built-in support for concurrency.
- containercontrasts with · A software container is an isolated execution environment that packages an application and its dependencies while sharing the host operating system kernel.
- cloud computingused by · Cloud computing is the on-demand delivery of computing resources and services over a network from remotely managed infrastructure.
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