• VirtualBox or vbox is open-source software for virtualizing the x86

computing architecture. It acts as a hypervisor, creating a VM

(Virtual Machine) where the user can run another OS (Operating
System).
• The operating system where VirtualBox runs is called the "host"
OS. The operating system running in the VM is called the "guest"
OS. VirtualBox supports Windows, Linux, or macOS as its host OS.
• When configuring a virtual machine, the user can specify how
many CPU (Central Processing Unit) cores, RAM (Random-Access
Memory), and disk space should be devoted to the VM. When the
VM is running, it can be "paused." System execution is frozen at
that moment in time, and the user can resume using it later.
• History
• VirtualBox was created by Innotek GmbH, and
released on January 17, 2007, as an open-
source software package. Sun Microsystems
later purchased the company.
• On January 27, 2010, Oracle Corporation
purchased Sun and took over developing
VirtualBox.
• A typical VirtualBox deployment includes the following
components:
• A hypervisor for the host system.
• A software development kit (SDK) and an application
programming interface (API) for administering guest VM
operations.
• A command-line tool for local guest management.
• A web service that enables users to manage guests remotely.
• A wizard-style tool for guest management.
• A console that displays guest applications on the host.
• A remote desktop protocol (RDP) server enables users to access
guests using a remote client.
• Installing VirtualBox
• 1. Go to www.virtualbox.org
• 2. Click on the big, blue Download VirtualBox button in the
middle of the page.
• 3. Choose the Platform Package according to your host
operating system. The VirtualBox setup file will begin
downloading.
• 4. Once the download is complete, open the Setup File and
follow the on-screen instructions.
• 5. After VirtualBox has been installed on your computer, open
the program. You are now ready to create a virtual machine.
• op 5 Uses of VirtualBox
• Oracle VM VirtualBox can be applied for numerous business and personal use
cases. Five critical uses of VirtualBox are:
• Uses of VirtualBox
• 1. Running any operating system
• While one can install VirtualBox only on compatible operating systems, it can run
any operating system as long as the host machine has the required resources.
This enables users to run applications that work on specific operating systems,
even if they have a different operating system on their host machine.
• VirtualBox also allows setting the type of virtual hardware each guest operating
system is operating on. This will enable users to install out-of-date operating
systems such as OS/2 or DOS, even if the host system’s hardware is incompatible.
• Finally, users may utilize VirtualBox to run different operating systems
simultaneously. This is useful for many applications, a few of which will be
covered in the points ahead.
• 2. Installing software easily
• Vendors can leverage virtual machines to ship turnkey
software configurations directly to users. For instance,
installing and configuring an email server on a regular
device is a long and complicated process. VirtualBox
allows software service providers to prepare complex
configurations (commonly known as appliances) and pack
them into virtual machines. This removes all the hassles
associated with setting up an email server, making it as
easy as importing and running the appliance in VirtualBox.
• 3. Ensuring robust redundancy and security
• A virtual machine is essentially a container that can be woken up, frozen, backed
up, copied, and transferred between hosts.
• Furthermore, as previously mentioned, VirtualBox’s snapshots functionality allows
users to store any virtual machine’s state and revert to that state whenever
necessary. This enables users to experiment as necessary within the virtual
computing environment.
• Snapshots remove the need for lengthy backup and restore processes without
compromising redundancy. This allows easy resolutions of critical issues, such as
incorrectly installed software or the infection of the guest system with a virus.
Users can create as many snapshots as required if the host system has the
required storage space.
• A key benefit of virtual machines is their isolated nature on the security front. This
allows software testers, security professionals, and other users to take risks they
would usually hesitate to take on their host systems. For instance, users can put a
firewall to the test by exposing it to the latest cybersecurity threats without
risking infection of the host system.
• 4. Developing cross-platform software
• Virtual machines simplify software development and testing
workflows across multiple platforms. For instance, the
development of an application with versions for both mobile and
desktop platforms can take place on the same endpoint using
VirtualBox. This would remove the need to transfer installer files
among the test devices.
• Virtualization also enables users to compile to different executable
types. Even in a cross-platform environment, users often need
macOS to compile APP files and Windows to compile EXE files.
This can be achieved easily on the same system using VirtualBox
while removing the need for dual-booting for every build.
• 5. Reducing infrastructure costs
• Modern, high-end computers only use a part of their
processing power to execute low system loads. Therefore, a
large-scale VirtualBox deployment in a business
environment with a relevant use case can help make a
significant reduction in infrastructure costs.
• For software-based processes that do not require a lot of
hardware resources, it would be more economically efficient
to deploy several virtual machines on a limited number of
powerful hosts. This would help optimize bandwidth usage
and reduce the costs associated with employee endpoints.