physics

Physical-to-Virtual

Physical-to-Virtual is a physics topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Physical-to-Virtual rather than just read about it. In short: In computing, a physical-to-virtual (abbreviated P2V or p-to-v) migration is the process of moving a physical server's operating system (OS), applications, and data to a virtual machine hosted on a virtualized platform. Methods of P2V migration Manual P2V User manually creates a virtual machine in a virtual host environment and copies all the files from OS, applications and data from the source machine.

Key takeaways

Physical-to-Virtual belongs to physics; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Physical-to-Virtual to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Physical-to-Virtual from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

In computing, a physical-to-virtual (abbreviated P2V or p-to-v) migration is the process of moving a physical server's operating system (OS), applications, and data to a virtual machine hosted on a virtualized platform.

Methods of P2V migration

Manual P2V User manually creates a virtual machine in a virtual host environment and copies all the files from OS, applications and data from the source machine.

Semi-automated P2V Performing a P2V migration using a tool that assists the user in moving the servers from physical state to virtual machine.

Microsoft's Virtual Server 2005 Migration Toolkit, HOWTO: Guideline for use Virtual Server Migration ToolKit (KB555306) VMware provides a semi-automated tool called VMware vCenter Converter for moving physical servers running Windows or Linux into virtual environments while they are powered on. VMware vCenter Converter replaces two older utilities: Importer (bundled with VMware Workstation) and P2V Assistant. Oracle's Virtual Box has a Linux-based tool which allows the conversion of a dd image of an existing hard drive Microsoft provides the SysInternals disk2vhd utility for making images from Windows XP or later systems to be used with Windows Virtual PC, Microsoft Virtual Server or Hyper-V. openQRM, an open-source datacenter management platform, does P2V (and V2P, V2V or P2P). Storix's bare-metal recovery product (System Backup Administrator) provides P2V and V2P capabilities for Linux, AIX, and Solaris.

Fully automated P2V Performing a P2V migration using a tool that migrates the server over the network without any assistance from the user.

Veritas Backup Exec has Physical to Virtual (P2V) conversion (and V2P) feature build into the backup engine which can be used for migrations or instant recovery vContinuum vContinuum by InMage systems is an automated P2V data protection/migration tool Symantec System Recovery enables fast, automated P2V and V2P conversions Quest vConverter is an example of a fully automated migration tool for P2V. System Center Virtual Machine Manager SCVMM among many other capabilities has P2V capability. Leostream is an example of a fully automated migration tool for P2V. PlateSpin Migrate is an example of a fully automated migration tool for P2V (and V2P, V2V or P2P). Virtuozzo contains automatic P2V (and V2P) migration tools. SanXfer by InQuinox is an automated server and data migration tool for P2V, V2P, and P2P with complete (server and storage) hardware independence. SureEdge, migrator by sureline systems is fully automated server data migration tool for p2v, V2vLinux and windows server migration, applications, i.e. Ms SQL server, oracle with complete hardware independence, cloud independent from any cloud to any cloud migration.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Physical-to-Virtual

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Physical-to-Virtual claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In physics, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Physical-to-Virtual before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Physical-to-Virtual ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Physical-to-Virtual

In research: Physical-to-Virtual appears in physics research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Physical-to-Virtual in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Physical-to-Virtual is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Computing stubs, Virtualization software, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Physical-to-Virtual outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Physical-to-Virtual in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Physical-to-Virtual means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Physical-to-Virtual out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Physical-to-Virtual in simple terms?

Why does Physical-to-Virtual matter?

Because it connects several physics ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Physical-to-Virtual?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Physical-to-Virtual.