virtualizes

Virtualize is a verb meaning to make something virtual, or to create a virtual version of a physical object or process, often by simulating or modeling it in software so it can operate independently of the original hardware.

In computing, virtualization refers to creating a virtual version of computing resources such as servers, storage, networks, or an entire operating environment. To virtualize is to separate logical resources from their physical counterparts, enabling multiple virtual instances to run on a single host. The third-person singular present tense form is virtualizes: "The administrator virtualizes several workloads to improve utilization."

Common forms include server virtualization using hypervisors (Type 1 and Type 2), desktop virtualization, memory and I/O virtualization, and containerization, which while not traditional virtualization, provides similar abstraction. Virtualization supports mobility, isolation, easier backup and disaster recovery, and better utilization of hardware.

Other uses exist outside IT, including budgeting or project planning to virtualize processes by modeling them in a software environment, but the term is most often used in IT contexts.

Origin: from the word virtual, from Latin virtualis meaning effective, possible; the suffix -ize denotes making or becoming.