client virtualization

client virtualization

Client virtualization is a virtual machine (VM) environment in the user's machine. Also called "endpoint virtualization," the user's computer hosts multiple VMs, each of which contains an operating system and set of applications. See virtual machine.

The terms desktop virtualization and client virtualization are used synonymously; however, desktop virtualization also means using a central server to host the VMs (see desktop virtualization). For examples of client virtualization software, see Virtual PC, Parallels Desktop, VMWare Fusion and VirtualBox.

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