3.7 Cloud and Virtualization concepts Flashcards
Hypervisor
(or Virtual Machine Monitor [VMM])—manages the virtual machine environment and facilitates interaction with the computer hardware and network.
Type I
A bare metal virtual platform means that the hypervisor is installed directly onto the computer and manages access to the host hardware without going through a host OS.
Type II
In a guest OS (or host-based) system, the hypervisor application (known as a Type II hypervisor) is itself installed onto a host operating system.
Application cells/containers
Dispenses with the idea of a hypervisor. Each application opens a new instance, instead of virtualizing the entire OS. The OS defines isolated “cells” for each user instance to run in. Each cell or container is allocated CPU and memory resources, but the processes all run through the native OS kernel.
VM sprawl avoidance
VM sprawl is defined as a large amount of virtual machines on your network without the proper IT management or control.
Virtual machine lifecycle management (VMLM) software can be deployed to enforce VM sprawl avoidance. VMLM solutions provide you with a centralized dashboard for maintaining and monitoring all the virtual environments in your organization.
VM escape protection
VM escape is an exploit in which the attacker runs code on a VM that allows an operating system running within it to break out and interact directly with the hypervisor.
Preventing VM escaping is dependent on the virtualization vendor identifying security vulnerabilities in the hypervisor and on these being patched. The impact of VM escaping can be reduced by using effective service design and network placement when deploying VMs.
Cloud storage
A particular type of Software as a Service where the vendor provides reliable data storage and backup.
SaaS
Rather than purchasing software licenses for a given number of seats, a business would access software hosted on a supplier’s servers on a pay-as-you-go or lease arrangement (on-demand). ex.Microsoft Office 365®, and Salesforce
PaaS
(Platform as a Service) provides resources somewhere between SaaS and IaaS. A typical PaaS solution would provide servers and storage network infrastructure (as per IaaS) but also provide a multi-tier web application/database platform on top.
IaaS
(Infrastructure as a Service) A means of provisioning IT resources such as servers, load balancers, and Storage Area Network (SAN) components quickly. Rather than purchase these components and the Internet links they require, you rent them on an as-needed basis from the service provider’s data center. ex. Microsoft Azure® Virtual Machines
Private (cloud)
Cloud infrastructure that is completely private to and owned by the organization
Public (cloud)
Hosted by a third party and shared with other subscribers. This is what many people understand by “cloud computing.” As a shared resource, there are risks regarding performance and security.
Hosted Private (cloud)
Hosted by a third party for the exclusive use of the organization. This is more secure and can guarantee a better level of performance but is correspondingly more expensive.
Community
This is where several organizations share the costs of either a hosted private or fully private cloud. This is usually done in order to pool resources for a common concern, like standardization and security policies.
VDI/VDE
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) refers to using a VM as a means of provisioning corporate desktops. In a typical VDI, desktop computers are replaced by low-spec, low-power thin client computers.
