Virtual interface

[BUBLE]

Hi all,can someone explain to me briefly and very clear what exactly is a virtual interface because i can't find any information about it,well only in wiki,but i still don't understand anything what i read i read:

A virtual network interface (VIF) is an abstract virtualized representation of a computer network interface that may or may not correspond directly to a network interface controller(from wikipedia)

 

[dave_the_nerd]

What about the wikipedia definition don't you understand? Do you know what a virtual machine is?

 

[BUBLE]

I'm totally new,just started cisco academy and i see that it's mentioned alot in the lectures,but there is no explanation.I know what is virtual machine i use vmware workstation but thats all :|

 

[dave_the_nerd]

The NIC that a vmware "machine" sees is a software entity. The hypervisor (vmware) can manage multiple virtual nics, and pipe the output to one or more real ones. Or simply dedicate a hardware nic to a vm via passthrough.

This isn't entirely the same thing as virtual nics on a cisco router, which can do things like routing between multiple vlans on the same port or something.

Basically what you have to know is that what layers 3-7 of the OSI model sees as an interface doesn't necessarily correspond to a specific physical port somewhere.