Virtual Machines and BackTrack

 Executive Summary:

Virtual machine software lets you run Windows and Linux from the same machine.

Learn how to download and install VM software to use a Linux distribution on a bootable CD-ROM.

VMware Server is ideal for running the Linux distribution BackTrack, which offers over 300 security tools.

Virtual machines (VMs) have surged in popularity as computers are shipped with faster processors and cheaper memory. Earlier versions of VM software ran as executables, but newer, more sophisticated versions run as services and include rich features such as automatic VM startup and shutdown when the host starts or shuts down, Web-based VM guest management software, and a scriptable API. Using a single VM host server, you can deploy a Web server, mail relay with antispam, and even security programs such as an intrusion detection system (IDS) or a vulnerability scanner as separate guests on that single VM host server. This can lower your hardware costs and help you create lab environments that emulate physical production environments. And because guests run separately, you can reboot one guest without affecting the others. . . .