Containerization and virtual machines (VMs) are both crucial technologies in cloud computing.
The main differences between Virtual Machines and Containerization
Virtual Machines
In the case of VMs, each application runs on its own separate operating system (OS) within a virtualized environment. This means multiple VMs can run on a single physical server, allowing for better hardware utilization. However, the drawback is that each VM requires its own full OS and resource allocation, which can be resource-intensive.
Containerization
On the other hand, containerization allows multiple applications to run on a single OS, sharing the same kernel. Containers package the application and its dependencies into a single unit, providing a lightweight and isolated environment. This allows for faster startup times and better resource utilization compared to VMs.
In summary, VMs provide full OS virtualization and separate environments for each application, while containers offer lightweight and efficient packaging of applications, sharing the OS kernel. Both technologies have their own advantages and use cases in the cloud computing landscape.
| Virtual machines | Containerization |
|---|---|
| Hardware level virtualization | OS level virtualization |
| Lightweight | Hardware-level virtualization |
| Fully isolated | Process level isolation |
| More secure | Less secure |
| Poor performance | Native performance |
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