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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.
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.
