computer science

User virtualization

User virtualization is a computer science 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 User virtualization rather than just read about it. In short: User virtualization refers to the independent management of all aspects of the user on the desktop environment. User virtualization decouples a user's profile, settings and data from the operating system and stores this information into a centralized data share either in the data center or cloud.

Key takeaways

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

Reference excerpt

User virtualization refers to the independent management of all aspects of the user on the desktop environment. User virtualization decouples a user's profile, settings and data from the operating system and stores this information into a centralized data share either in the data center or cloud. User virtualization solutions provide consistent and seamless working environments across a range of application delivery mechanisms. Although user virtualization is most closely associated with desktop virtualization, this technology can also be used to manage user profiles on physical desktops. As the range of currently used operating systems expands, and the use of multiple devices by workers to perform their jobs escalates, user virtualization can support the creation of a "follow-me" identity that will allow access to a workspace without being tied into only a single device or a single location.

User virtualization for virtual desktops For virtualized desktop environments, user virtualization represents a fundamental change in how the corporate desktop is constructed, delivered and managed. The user’s personality is decoupled from the operating system and applications, managed independently and applied to a desktop as needed without scripting, group policies or use of user profiles – regardless of how the desktop is being delivered (physical, virtual, cloud, etc.).

User virtualization for terminal servers For server based computing environments, user virtualization enables IT to have more control over the shared environment, optimize infrastructure needs and ensure an optimal experience for their users. With application entitlement, unauthorized applications are blocked without the need for complex scripts or high-maintenance lists, providing protection from unknown executables and ensuring compliance with Microsoft licensing.

User personality User personality is a combination of corporate policy and user personalization. Policy is used to set up and maintain a user desktop session. Policy also ensures a user session remains compliant by controlling application access, locking down or removing operating system and application functions, as well as self-healing essential files, folders, processes, services and registry settings. Personalization constitutes any change a user makes to his or her desktop.

User persona User persona is another term used interchangeably with user personality or user personalization.

References Coming Together On Virtualization Above the Cloud – User Virtualization User virtualization; the key to successful desktop virtualization User Virtualization, consider the user first

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with User virtualization

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what User virtualization claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, 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 User virtualization 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 User virtualization 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 User virtualization

In research: User virtualization appears in computer science 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 User virtualization 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: User virtualization is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Human–computer interaction, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for User virtualization 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 User virtualization in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what User virtualization 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 User virtualization out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is User virtualization in simple terms?

Why does User virtualization matter?

Because it connects several computer science 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 User virtualization?

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 User virtualization.