Virtualization is a framework that divides computer resources into execution environments. It abstracts physical hardware from the operating system to improve resource utilization and flexibility. Virtualization technologies enable multiple operating systems and applications to run simultaneously on a single physical server by simulating virtual machines. While not a new concept dating back to IBM in the 1960s, modern virtualization platforms like VMware vSphere transform hardware resources into fully functional virtual machines running their own operating systems. This improves efficiency, fault tolerance, and simplifies management and provisioning of computer systems.