Virtualization enables compute and storage resources to be pooled and allocated on demand.
In both cases, database virtualization provides increased flexibility, more granular and efficient allocation of pooled resources, and more scalable computing.
The act of partitioning data stores as a database grows has been in use for several decades.
Because they are autonomously maintained, the resources required to manage the partitions are minimal.
Rick van der Lans, the author of multiple books on SQL and relational databases, has defined data virtualization as "the process of offering data consumers a data access interface that hides the technical aspects of stored data, such as location, storage structure, API, access language, and storage technology.