In computing, virtualization is a broad term that refers to the abstraction of computer resources:

• Platform virtualization, which separates an operating system from the underlying platform resources
• Full virtualization
• Hardware-assisted virtualization
• Partial virtualization
• Paravirtualization
• Operating system-level virtualization
• Hosted Environment (e.g. User-mode Linux)

• Resource virtualization, the virtualization of specific system resources, such as storage volumes, name spaces, and network resources
• Virtual memory, which allows uniform, contiguous addressing of physically separate and non-contiguous memory and disk areas
• RAID (Redundant array of independent disks) and logical volume management, combine many disks into one large logical disk.
• Storage virtualization, the process of completely abstracting logical storage from physical storage
• Channel bonding, the use multiple links combined to work as though they offered a single, higher-bandwidth link
• Network virtualization, creation of a virtualized network addressing space within or across network subnets
• Computer clusters and grid computing, the combination of multiple discrete computers into larger metacomputers
• Disk partitioning, is the splitting of a single resource (usually large), such as disk space or network bandwidth, into a number of smaller, more easily utilized resources of the same type
• Encapsulation, the hiding of resource complexity by the creation of a simplified interface

• Application virtualization, the hosting of individual applications on alien hardware/software
• Portable application
• Cross-platform virtualization
• Emulation or simulation
• Virtualization Development, further work in this area

• Desktop virtualization, the remote manipulation of a computer desktop

Virtualization can also refer to:

• a fictional use of this term, in Scanners (Code Lyoko)