TERM
DESCRIPTION
NVIDIA ESX Driver
This NVIDIA driver runs on the ESX (otherwise known as vSphere) hypervisor, which allows VMs
running on top of ESX to get access to a shared NVIDIA GPU for hardware graphics acceleration
when using vSGA (see definition below).
NVIDIA Driver
NVIDIA’s certified driver that runs inside the virtual machine, giving graphics acceleration
directly to the applications.
Remote Workstation
A workstation instance that is running from a data center, and delivered via the network to
a client device. “Remote” can be on premise to the user's office, or can be off premise to a
partner site, travel location, or home user.
Virtual Machine
The instance of an OS that runs on top of a hypervisor, using the abstracted hardware image
presented by the hypervisor.
Virtualization
The practice of abstracting the virtual machine (VM) from the physical hardware that it
runs on. In practice, virtualization is used primarily to run multiple VMs on a single piece of
physical hardware.
> Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
The practice of hosting a desktop operating system within a virtual machine (VM) running on
a hosted, centralized or remote server.
> Hardware Virtualization
The creation of a virtual machine that acts like the real hardware running underneath the
hypervisor, or a subset of that hardware. The software executed on these virtual machines
recognizes the underlying physical hardware resources (i.e. the OS can load a native driver for
that hardware and interact directly with it).
> Virtual User Session
The practice of hosting applications in a single server OS and delivering those applications to
multiple remote users.
> Hardware Virtualized GPU
NVIDIA Kepler-based K1 or K2 board that allows multiple users to share a single GPU and
allowing each user direct access to the GPU hardware. This improves user density while providing
true performance and compatibility.
> Software Virtualization
Software virtualization acts as an interface between the hardware and the VM, creating the ability
to adapt to different underlying hardware configurations. In this case, the software acts like the
hardware resource, passing commands to the hypervisor which can execute them either on real
hardware or emulated hardware.
> NVIDIA GRID Virtual GPU
(NVIDIA GRID vGPU)
Key technology used to enable the hardware virtualization of the GPU which allows multiple
virtual machines to interact directly with a GPU. The GRID Virtual GPU manages GPU resources
that enable multiple users to share common hardware while improving user density, and creates
a true PC experience in the cloud.
VMware ESX
The commercial hypervisor from VMware that allows multiple operating systems to run on
a single server node.
VMware View
VMware’s desktop virtualization product that provides remote desktop capabilities.
VMware vDGA
virtual Dedicated Graphics Acceleration. VMware’s productization of GPU pass-through in ESX.
Each GPU in the system is dedicated to a single VM, and the NVIDIA native graphics driver
is loaded in each of those VM’s operating systems.
VMware vSGA
virtual Shared Graphics Acceleration. The software virtualization of a GPU in ESX, allowing
multiple users to access a single GPU for graphics acceleration. In this case, the NVIDIA ESX
driver is loaded in the hypervisor.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
CONTINUED
NVIDIA GRID enables
a true PC experience
for the hundreds of
millions of power users
who increasingly want
to bring their own
devices to work.
The GRID Virtual
GPU technology is
integrated into a
commercially available
system level hypervisor,
like Citrix XenServer.
