InfrastructureBeginner

VM vs Container: Understanding Virtualization

Learn the fundamental differences between Virtual Machines and Containers. Understand when to use each technology for your cloud workloads, especially for GPU and AI applications.

Float16 Team
5 chapters

What You'll Learn

  • Understand how Virtual Machines work
  • Understand how Containers work
  • Compare performance and resource usage
  • Choose the right technology for GPU workloads
  • Apply this knowledge to AI/ML deployments

VM vs Container: Understanding Virtualization

Welcome to this foundational course on virtualization technologies. Whether you're deploying AI models, running data pipelines, or managing cloud infrastructure, understanding the difference between Virtual Machines (VMs) and Containers is essential.

Why This Matters

In the world of cloud computing and GPU infrastructure, choosing between VMs and Containers can significantly impact:

  • Performance - How fast your applications run
  • Cost - How much you pay for resources
  • Scalability - How easily you can grow
  • Security - How isolated your workloads are

What You'll Learn

By the end of this course, you'll be able to:

  1. Explain the architecture of VMs and Containers
  2. Identify the pros and cons of each approach
  3. Make informed decisions for your specific use cases
  4. Understand how these technologies apply to GPU workloads

Course Structure

This course is divided into 5 chapters:

Chapter 1: Introduction

A high-level overview of both technologies and why they exist.

Chapter 2: Virtual Machines Deep Dive

Understanding hypervisors, hardware virtualization, and VM architecture.

Chapter 3: Containers Deep Dive

Understanding Docker, container images, and container runtime.

Chapter 4: Comparison

Side-by-side comparison of performance, security, and use cases.

Chapter 5: GPU Workloads

Specific considerations for AI/ML and GPU-intensive applications.

Prerequisites

  • Basic understanding of operating systems
  • Familiarity with command-line interfaces
  • No prior virtualization experience required

Let's Get Started

Click on Chapter 1 to begin your journey into understanding VM vs Container technologies.

Course Chapters

Ready to Start Learning?

Begin your journey with 5 comprehensive chapters.

Start Chapter 1