At a high level, how does virtualization work?
In general terms, virtualization abstracts software from the underlying hardware infrastructure. In effect, it cuts the link that ties a specific software stack to a partic ular server. Virtualization allows platform resources—such as processing power, memory, I/O and storage—to be allocated and prioritized as needed based on business and application requirements. This is important since applications may have very different workload requirements. Flexible resource allocation can improve performance, increase consolidation ratios, and deliver better value for new platform purchases.
