云计算：云计算是一系列原则和方法，可通过任何网络向用户按需提供计算、网络和存储基础设施资源、服务、平台和应用程序。这些基础设施资源、服务和应用程序来自云，是由管理和自动化软件编排的虚拟资源池，用户可以通过自动扩展和动态资源分配支持的自助服务门户按需访问它们。
虚拟化：虚拟化是一种允许从单个物理硬件系统创建多个模拟环境或专用资源的技术。称为虚拟机管理程序的软件直接连接到该硬件，并允许您将 1 个系统拆分为称为虚拟机 (VM) 的独立、独特且安全的环境。这些 VM 依赖于管理程序将机器资源与硬件分离并适当分配它们的能力。
下表列出了云计算和虚拟化之间的差异：
| Features | Cloud Computing | Virtualization | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | Pool and automate virtual resources for on demand use | Built multiple simulated environments from one physical hardware system | |||
| Scalability | High | Low | |||
| Set-up | Tedious | Simple | |||
| Cost | Private Cloud : HIGH CAPEX and low OPEX Public Cloud : Low CAPEX and high OPEX |
High Capital expenditures (CAPEX) low Operating Expenses (OPEX) |
|||
| Flexibility | Very flexible | Quite less | |||
| Type of service | laas | Saas | |||
| Dedicated hardware | Multiple | Single can also work | |||
| Integration | Future expansion of users, application, etc | Expansion of new machines within the same infrastructure | Workload | stateless | Stateful |
| Disaster recovery | Depends on multiple machines | Depends upon the single machine | |||
| Form | Private and Public cloud | Hardware and application virtualization | |||
| Accessibility | Prevalently accessed | Not allowed to be accessed from outside the network |