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Sunday, August 26, 2007

Virtualization

In computing, virtualization is a big term that refers to the maximum use of computer resources.

One useful definition is a technique on which other systems, applications, or end users interact with those resources. This includes making a single physical resource such as a server, an operating system, an application, or storage device appear to function as multiple resources; or it can include making multiple physical resources such as storage devices or servers appear as a single resource.

Platform virtualization involves the simulation of computer environments.
Resource virtualization involves the simulation of combined, fragmented, or simplified resources.

Platform virtualization is performed on a given hardware platform by software which creates a simulated computer environment (a virtual machine) for its guest software. The guest software, which is often itself a complete operating system, runs just as if it were installed on a stand-alone hardware platform. Typically, many such virtual machines are simulated on a given physical machine. For the guest system to function, the simulation must be robust enough to support all the guest system's external interfaces, which may include hardware drivers.

There are several approaches to platform virtualization, listed below based on how complete a hardware simulation is implemented.

Emulation or simulation:

the virtual machine simulates the complete hardware, allowing an unmodified guest OS for a completely different CPU to be run. This approach has long been used to enable the creation of software for new processors before they were physically available. Examples include Bochs, PearPC, Power PC version of Virtual PC, QEMU without acceleration, and the Hercules emulator. Emulation is implemented using a variety of techniques, from state machines to the use of dynamic recompilation on a full virtualization platform.

Native virtualization and full virtualization:

the virtual machine simulates enough hardware to allow an unmodified guest OS to be run in isolation. Typically, many instances can be run at once. Examples include VirtualBox, Virtual Iron, Virtual PC, VMware Workstation, VMware Server (formerly GSX Server),VMware ESX Server, QEMU, Adeos, Mac-on-Linux, Win4BSD, Win4Lin Pro, and z/VM.

Virtual Drives

A virtual drive is a term used with respect to computers when a drive is emulated in some fashion. The drive being emulated could be a hard drive, floppy drive, CD/DVD or a network share among others.

A virtual hard drive can be created from RAM for fast read/write access.As well, there is software that makes one's Gmail account act as a virtual external drive.
Virtual DVDs are often mounted disk images via disk image emulator software. This allows one to read a CD or DVD from the disk image on a hard drive, rather than from a disc drive. This allows users to run software requiring the CD or DVD without having to swap discs, or even possess it.

Virtual burner

A virtual CD burner is a device driver that emulates a CD/DVD Burner. It appears as another drive in the system with writing capabilities. When information is written to the drive, it creates an ISO Image representation of the CD that would, under normal circumstances, be physically created.

This allows you to use any CD burning software to create what can be later mounted as a virtual drive.

Some Examples of Virtual CD/DVD Softwares are Virtual CD, Nero Image Drive , Alcohol, Daemon etc....

These software are very use full if you want to play games without the headache of maintaining the original CD/DVD. They can also be used for installing rapidly over network and usage as you don't have to manually go at each place and insert the CD'S to achieve your Target.

ThereFore Virtualization is very nessary and usefull in our daily life.....

Ethical Hacking. . .

HACKER :

1. A person who enjoys learning the details of computer systems and how to stretch their capabilities—as opposed to most users of computers, who prefer to learn only the minimum amount necessary.

2. One who programs enthusiastically or who enjoys programming rather than just theorizing about programming.

Hacking is something which is always considered as wrong and something that is very bad.
The reality is something different. Hacking maybe done for good or bad or just time pass purposes.

There are many companies today that hire professional hackers. These companies require these hackers for various purposes which may vary from saving their own networks from other hackers and hacking others networks for business purposes.

As computers became increasingly available to general public user communities began to extend beyond researchers in engineering to other individuals who viewed the computer as a curiously flexible tool. Whether they programmed the computers to play games or to help them with the more aspects of their daily work, once computers were available for use, there was never a lack of people wanting to use them.

With the growth of computer security became one of the most important concern of the governments and business. The people wanted to take advantage of the available recourses for increasing their business and profitability but there was always a risk of being hacked. Also people were worried about their personal information like user names password credit card no and passwords etc.

For preventing the hackers from accessing personal information there was need of people who have the knowledge of hacking and will be able to test the client systems against these flaws. The ethical hacker is thus a person who needs to be very trust worthy. During this testing period the hacker holds the most imporatnt position in the company as he has the access to aall the key information in the company. If he is not a trust worthy person he may sell all the valuable information to some other party. This is also a reason that the ethical hackers are most highly paid professional in the industry.

Ethical hackers typically have very strong programming and computer networking skills and have been in the computer and networking business for several years. They are also adept at installing and maintaining systems that use the more popular operating systems used on target systems. These base skills are augmented with detailed knowledge of the hardware and software provided by the more popular computer and networking hardware vendors. It should be noted that an additional specialization in security is not always necessary, as strong skills in the other areas imply a very good understanding of how the security on various systems is maintained. These systems management skills are necessary for the actual vulnerability testing, but are equally important when preparing the report for the client after the test.
They also have a lot of patience and working skill by which they are able to find the loop hole in the system.

Thus ethical hackers are very important for the security of the company.
The other kinds of hackers may be one who want to destroy the other competitors networks. They mostly do so by flooding the client networks servers with garbage requests so that their servers get busy in handling garbage and important request or business loss take place and many clients are not able to access the information they required.

There are many other anti social elements who may be busy in hacking various frequently visited sites an d replace them by pornographic or such type of data. The may even replace the logos of organization and misuse them for promoting various suspicious brands.

Thus hacking has may advantages and disadvantages.


To be Continued......