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A virtual server (or "virtual machine," or "VM") is a group of files and other resources residing on one or more physical hosts and managed by a virtual machine monitor control program to appear as a stand-alone physical computer. A VM, like a physical computer, runs an operating system and applications but unlike a physical computer, a VM only has access to a specific subset of the available physical resources. The VM is defined by a set of specification and configuration files and is backed by the physical resources of a host. VMs allow a single set of physical hosts to run multiple instances of an operating system with the separate VM instances preventing applications from interfering with each other. If one application crashes, it does not affect the programs running in the other VMs.

Like a physical server, a VM can be used for a number of applications, including databases, business applications, network management, email, directory services, etc. The life cycle outlined here applies to any virtual machine irrespective of its application or underlying control program.

Names of VMs are often specified by the client at the time the server is ordered. However, when this is not the case, VM names should follow the form of:

      {part1} [({part2})] [{part3}] [ - (part4)]

Where:

{part1}

{part2}

{part3}

{part4}

Virtual Server CI Name Examples

The following are examples of CI names that have been standardized using the conventions described above.

Typical Life Cycle for Virtual Servers

CI

Maintenance

Suggested Relationships

Configuration items falling into this group of asset classes typically have one or more of the following relationships with other CIs: