virtuaalilevykuvat

Virtuaalilevykuvat, often referred to as virtual disk images, are computer files that emulate the functionality of a physical storage device, such as a hard disk drive or a CD/DVD. These files contain the complete structure and data of a disk, allowing operating systems and software applications to treat them as if they were a real piece of hardware. Common file formats for virtual disk images include .iso for optical media, and .vmdk, .vdi, .vhdx, and .qcow2 for virtual machine hard disks.

The primary use of virtual disk images is in virtualization software, like VMware, VirtualBox, and Hyper-V. These platforms create virtual machines (VMs) that run within a host operating system. Each VM requires its own storage, which is typically provided by a virtual disk image file. This allows for the installation of operating systems and applications within the isolated environment of the VM without needing separate physical hardware.

Beyond virtualization, virtual disk images are used for software deployment, data backup and recovery, and testing. An .iso image, for example, is a standard way to distribute operating systems or software that would traditionally come on a CD or DVD. Creating an image of a disk allows for its exact duplication, preserving its contents and bootability. This is invaluable for disaster recovery scenarios, where a system can be restored from an image file to a functional state. Furthermore, developers and IT professionals use virtual disk images to create controlled environments for testing software updates or new configurations, minimizing the risk to their primary systems.