077 | QEMU: A Flexible Emulator and Hypervisor

August 9, 2025

What is QEMU?

QEMU (Quick Emulator) is a multifunctional open-source project that acts both as an emulator and a virtualizer, making it a unique tool in the virtualization world. Unlike other hypervisors, QEMU not only runs virtual machines but can also emulate a processor and other hardware components. This dual nature allows it to run operating systems and applications designed for one architecture on a machine with another (for example, running an ARM system on an x86 server).

076 | KVM: Powerful Virtualization for Linux

August 8, 2025

What is KVM?

KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) is a virtualization technology built directly into the Linux kernel. KVM transforms the Linux kernel into a Type 1 hypervisor (bare-metal), allowing multiple virtual machines to run while leveraging hardware virtualization features of the CPU (Intel VT-x and AMD-V). KVM serves as a core component for many modern cloud platforms, including OpenStack and Red Hat OpenShift.

As part of Linux, KVM is a fully open-source solution, giving developers and system administrators enormous freedom and control over their infrastructure with zero licensing fees.

073 | Introduction to Virtualization: Why It’s Needed and How It Saves Time

August 4, 2025

What is Virtualization?

Virtualization is a technology that allows the creation of virtual versions of resources such as servers, operating systems, storage, or networks. It makes it possible to run multiple “virtual machines” (VMs) on a single physical server. Each VM operates as a fully independent computer with its own operating system and applications, while sharing the physical resources of the underlying hardware.

The key component of virtualization is the hypervisor. A hypervisor is software that creates and manages virtual machines, distributing the host machine’s physical resources (CPU time, RAM, disk space, and network interfaces) among them.