View source for Virtual disk and virtual drive

{{Short description|Software components that emulate an actual disk storage device}}
{{Unreferenced|date=February 2019}}
'''Virtual disk''' and '''virtual drive''' are software components that [[Emulator|emulate]] an actual [[disk storage]] device.

Virtual disks and virtual drives are common components of [[virtual machine]]s in [[hardware virtualization]], but they are also widely used for various purposes unrelated to virtualization, such as for the creation of [[logical disk]]s,software development, testing environments, and data management. They offer flexibility, ease of management, and the ability to simulate different storage environments without needing physical hardware.

==Operation==
A virtual drive is a software component that emulates an actual disk drive, such as an [[optical disc drive]], a [[floppy disk drive]], or a [[hard disk drive]]. To other programs, a virtual drive looks and behaves like an actual physical device.

A virtual disk may be in any of the following forms:
* [[Disk image]], a computer file that contains the exact data structure of an actual [[Auxiliary memory|storage]] device
* [[Logical disk]] (also known as vdisk), an array of two or more actual drives that cooperatively act like a single device
* [[RAM disk]], which stores its data in [[random-access memory]] (RAM) instead of on a storage device
* A mapped network drive that connects to a [[File Server]]

==Uses==
In hardware virtualization, virtual machines implement virtual drives as part of their efforts to emulate the behavior of an actual machine. As with an ordinary computer, a virtual machine needs one virtual drive and one disk image to [[booting|start up]], except when it is performing a [[Network booting|network boot]]. More virtual drives are added as needed.

Virtual optical drives are used on physical computers to transfer the contents of the optical disks onto hard disk drives. Doing so helps in resolving the problem of the short life span of [[Compact Disc|CDs]] and [[DVD]]s and takes advantage of the faster data transfer rate of hard disk drives. However, virtual optical drives are also used for [[software piracy]]: early [[computer game]]s used disc existence verification to ensure licensed use, which can be circumvented using virtual optical drives. As a countermeasure, the [[StarForce]] copy protection scheme attempts to thwart disc virtualization. Modern video games have migrated to online [[product activation]] as part of their distribution process.

==See also==

* [[Comparison of disc image software]]
* [[Floating drive]]
* [[Removable media]]
* [[Storage virtualization]]

{{Storage virtualization}}

[[Category:Storage virtualization]]
[[Category:Disk images]]


{{Emulation-stub}}
{{Compu-storage-stub}}