Ever since VMware was founded in 1998, it has been creating stable x86 virtualization platforms that allow multiple guest operating systems and applications to run on a single physical server. Before an administrator can begin creating and configuring vSphere virtual machines, it is important to understand what a virtual machine is and the concepts behind virtualizing hardware.
In this chapter, you will learn:
What a virtual machine is
Components of a virtual machine
Why to use virtual machines
Files that make up a virtual machine
The four primary resources
VMware Tools
The multiple instances of Windows or Linux systems that are running on an ESXi host are commonly referred to as a virtual machine (VM). Any reference to a guest operating system (OS) is an instance of Linux, Windows, or any other supported operating system that is installed on the VM.