Technology & Internet • Virtualization

Virtual machine

A virtual machine (VM) is a software-based emulation of a physical computer that runs in an isolated environment on shared hardware.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

A virtual machine (VM) is a software-based emulation of a physical computer that runs in an isolated environment on shared hardware. VMs are used to run operating systems and applications, support testing and development, and improve hardware utilization in virtualization and cloud computing.

Definition

A virtual machine is a virtual representation or emulation of a computer system. It is created by software, or by software plus specialized hardware, and provides functionality similar to a physical computer.

How it works

A VM runs on a host system and is managed by virtualization software such as a hypervisor. The VM receives virtualized resources such as CPU, memory, storage, and networking, which makes it appear as an independent computer.

Uses

VMs are used to run different operating systems on the same hardware, isolate applications, and support development and testing. They are also a key technology in cloud computing and data centers.

Virtual machine may also refer to IBM's VM family of mainframe operating systems, often written VM/CMS. In broader computing usage, the abbreviation can also overlap with other meanings depending on context.

Key facts

A VM is a simulated or software-based computer system that behaves like a physical machine.
VMs can run guest operating systems and applications independently of the host system.
Virtualization technology lets multiple VMs share the resources of one physical computer.
A hypervisor, also called a virtual machine manager, allocates hardware resources to VMs.
VMs are widely used in cloud computing, server consolidation, and isolated software testing.

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Canadian context

VMs are widely used by Canadian businesses, universities, and public-sector IT teams for cloud services, software testing, server consolidation, and secure isolation of workloads.

Frequently asked questions

What is a VM?

A VM, or virtual machine, is a software-based emulation of a computer that can run its own operating system and applications.

What does a VM do?

It provides an isolated computing environment that behaves like a real computer while sharing hardware with the host system.

What is a hypervisor?

A hypervisor, or virtual machine manager, is the software that creates and controls virtual machines and allocates their resources.

Why are VMs used?

They are used for running multiple operating systems, testing software safely, isolating workloads, and improving hardware efficiency.

Is a VM the same as IBM VM?

No. IBM VM refers to a family of mainframe operating systems, while a virtual machine is the general computing concept of software emulation.

References

Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_machine
Supports: General definition of a virtual machine as a virtualization or emulation of a computer system.
NIST CSRC — https://csrc.nist.gov/glossary/term/virtual_machine
Supports: Definition of a virtual machine as a simulated environment created by virtualization and a software-defined execution stack.
Google Cloud — https://cloud.google.com/learn/what-is-a-virtual-machine
Supports: VMs as software-based computers used in isolated environments, including cloud computing.
IBM — https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/virtual-machines
Supports: VMs as virtual representations of physical computers, their use of physical resources, and their role in virtualization.
ScienceDirect — https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/computer-science/virtual-machine-manager
Supports: Virtual machine manager (hypervisor) definition and resource allocation role.
Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VM_(operating_system)
Supports: IBM VM as a separate meaning of VM in computing.