The main difference between Cloud Computing and Virtualization is that Virtualization is a technology that allows you to create multiple simulated environments or dedicated resources from a single physical hardware system. Cloud Computing is about running workloads in the cloud – an IT environment that abstracts, aggregates, and shares scalable resources across a network.
Virtualization and Cloud Computing are closely related and often seem interchangeable since both are designed to create environments with abstract resources. Simply put, Virtualization is the core technology used to operate Cloud Computing. In this article, we observe what is really behind these two technical terms, and how to differentiate one from another.
What is Cloud Computing?
Cloud computing is a principle of providing users with computing and network resources, storage infrastructure, services, platforms, and applications on demand. The infrastructure resources are delivered from a cloud environment – pools of virtual resources organized by management and automation software. Users access them on-demand using self-service portals supported by auto-scaling and dynamic resource allocation. With cloud computing, companies can get a complete data center accessible via the internet.
The cloud is comprised of three service models:
Infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) implies using cloud services (data storage, virtual server, operating system) without the need to physically maintain and manage the entire infrastructure. Cloud services are provided via a control panel or API.
Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) refers to providing developers with tools and platforms they use to create and deploy applications. With this service, programmers can create either simple mobile apps or top-notch software. Cloud provider takes care of software updates and hardware maintenance, while application management is available to customers.
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) allows customers to use software installed on a remote server using the Internet. No additional components are required to use the applications.
What is Virtualization?
Virtualization is a technology of creating multiple simulated environments or dedicated resources from a single physical hardware system. Special software, called a hypervisor, connects directly to this hardware and allows one system to be divided into separate secure environments – virtual machines (VMs). These virtual machines rely on the hypervisor's ability to separate machine resources from hardware and allocate them appropriately.
There are several types of virtualization:
Server virtualization is the software simulation of hardware: processor, memory, hard drive. This technology is used to run several virtual machines on a single physical machine, each simulating the operation of a separate server. The software simulation affects the main components of the server: the processor, storage, RAM, and others. You can install an operating system on such a virtual computer, and it will work the same way as on a physical one.
Network virtualization is a method that combines all physical network equipment into a single resource. It is the process of dividing bandwidth into several independent channels, each assigned to servers and devices in real-time. Network virtualization is beneficial for companies with a large number of users and those, which need to keep their systems running at all times. With distributed channels, network speeds increase dramatically, allowing services and applications to be delivered faster than ever before.
With application virtualization technology, IT administrators can install remote applications on a server and then deliver them to the end user's computer. The user can access and use the application as if it is installed locally on his machine, and the user's actions are transmitted to the server for execution.
Cloud vs. Virtualization
Cloud computing provides an integrated environment of pooled and automated resources and services accessible on demand. Virtualization, on the other hand, is used to create multiple simulated environments over a single physical hardware system.
Cloud affords automated scaling, while with virtualization this is more challenging.
Creating a cloud is tedious, expensive, and time-consuming. In contrast, setting up a virtualization system requires less effort.
The overall cost of cloud computing is high compared to virtualization.
Cloud computing uses multiple dedicated hardware devices, whereas virtualization typically uses a single hardware device. For this reason, cloud computing uses multiple peripherals during disaster recovery, unlike virtualization.
The cloud is very flexible and more affordable than virtualization.
