Virtualized Databases
Virtualized databases are a data management approach where database instances are abstracted from the underlying physical hardware and run in virtualized environments, such as virtual machines (VMs) or containers. This enables flexible resource allocation, easier scaling, and improved isolation for database workloads. It is commonly used in cloud computing and data center environments to optimize infrastructure utilization and simplify database deployment and management.
Developers should learn about virtualized databases when working in cloud-native or hybrid environments to leverage benefits like cost efficiency, rapid provisioning, and high availability. It is particularly useful for scenarios requiring dynamic scaling (e.g., handling variable workloads in web applications), disaster recovery setups, or when consolidating multiple databases on shared hardware to reduce operational overhead. Understanding this concept helps in designing resilient and scalable data architectures.