A must-have for all of today's Information Technology students, Virtual Machines Companion is the only book on the market to provide a comparative overview of several of the most popular virtual machine software products, giving readers a solid understanding of virtualization concepts, as well as the tools to help them select the best product for their needs. Virtualization software is one of the most rapidly growing applications for the IT environment, allowing a single computer system to concurrently run multiple operating systems. In order to stay current with this and other industry trends, IT students and professionals must possess a solid understanding of how virtual machines are being used in industry, the benefits of virtualization software, and the current software products and their features. This companion book introduces readers to virtualization concepts as a whole, and explores the specific skills needed to create, configure, and manage their own virtual machines, using various software products. With practical, hands-on exercises and a clear writing style, this book will prove a valuable addition to every IT library.