Introspection

Last Updated: May 6, 2013

Definition - What does Introspection mean?

In network virtualization, introspection involves the monitoring of many different virtual machines by a hypervisor or virtual machine monitor (VMM). In a virtual network, the hypervisor is the element that sets up and runs various virtual machines that may be hosted on a single physical computer. Through collecting certain basic information from all of the virtual machines, a virtual machine monitor may use introspection to manage or maintain these systems without conducting more invasive kinds of research on each individual visual machine.

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Techopedia explains Introspection

One specific use of introspection involves using hypervisors to manage security for a network. Experts point out that the general vulnerabilities of many operating systems have led to various kinds of external security apparatuses for single machines in a given network. Using hypervisor introspection is one way to achieve a security standard; however, experts question whether this method is always successful in making a virtual network more secure, depending on what kind of cloud based or remote setups are engineered for a given network. Some suggest that hypervisor introspection is more effective when unauthorized users do not have physical access to a computer or system.

This definition was written in the context of Virtualization