Chapter One Introduction to Virtual Machines

Modern computers are among the most advanced human-engineered structures, and they are possible only because of our ability to manage extreme complexity. Computer systems contain many silicon chips, each with hundreds of millions of transistors. These are interconnected and combined with high-speed input/output (I/O) devices and networking infrastructure to form the platforms upon which software can operate. Operating systems, application programs and libraries, and graphics and networking software all cooperate to provide a powerful environment for data management, education, communication, entertainment, and many other applications.

The key to managing complexity in computer systems is their division ...

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