(1) Segmenting a network into separate entities. See
VLAN.
(2) Using virtualization techniques to perform network functions. See
NFV.
(3) Monitoring and managing a large network from a single administrator's console. It often encompasses storage virtualization, which manages storage as a single resource (see
storage virtualization). In its most advanced form, network virtualization treats all servers in the network as a single pool of resources that can be rearranged in real time to meet changing user and transaction requirements. See
virtualization,
software-defined networking,
NFV and
peer-to-peer computing.