Operating system (OS) level of virtualization, also known as containerization or operating system virtualization, involves virtualization at the operating system level by creating multiple isolated user-space instances within a single host operating system.
In OS level virtualization, a single operating system kernel is shared by multiple containers, each of which appears to have its own file system, network interfaces, and process space. Each container is isolated from the other containers and from the host operating system, and can run its own applications as if it were running on a separate operating system.
OS level virtualization offers several advantages over other virtualization techniques, including:
High performance: Since there is only one host operating system kernel, there is little overhead for virtualization, resulting in near-native performance for the containers.
Efficient use of resources: OS level virtualization allows for efficient use of system resources, since multiple containers can run on a single host without the need for multiple operating system instances.
Rapid deployment: Containers can be created and destroyed quickly and easily, allowing for rapid deployment and scaling of applications.
Improved manageability: OS level virtualization allows for easy management of containers, including the ability to migrate containers between hosts, backup and restore containers, and monitor container performance.
However, OS level virtualization also has some limitations and challenges, including:
Limited compatibility: Containers can only run operating systems and applications that are compatible with the host operating system kernel.
Limited isolation: Containers share the same kernel as the host operating system, which can lead to security concerns if one container is compromised.
Limited flexibility: Containers are limited to the resources provided by the host operating system, which may not be sufficient for certain applications.
Overall, OS level virtualization is a lightweight and efficient technique for creating and managing virtualized environments, and is well-suited for containerization of modern applications that can run on a single operating system kernel.
