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Software appliance
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<p>A software appliance is a <a href="/facts/Application_software/YQuj7Kog">software application</a> combined with <a href="/facts/Just_enough_operating_system/XYDS3rjy">just enough operating system (JeOS)</a> to run optimally on industry-standard hardware (typically a <a href="/facts/Server_(computing)/dEaYFD7r">server</a>) or in a <a href="/facts/Virtual_machine/BLevU3sx">virtual machine</a>. It is a <a href="/facts/Software_distribution/Q0Qh8qYj">software distribution</a> or <a href="/facts/Firmware/62UVKIUK">firmware</a> that implements a <a href="/facts/Computer_appliance/wJwTJXHN">computer appliance</a>. </p><p><a href="/facts/Virtual_appliance/CDgMshNf">Virtual appliances</a> are a subset of software appliances. The main distinction is the packaging format and the specificity of the target platform. A virtual appliance is a <a href="/facts/Virtual_machine_image/wbVUwIeh">virtual machine image</a> designed to run on a specific <a href="/facts/Platform_virtualization/6e2Bhhz2">virtualization platform</a>, while a software appliance is often packaged in more generally applicable image format (e.g., <a href="/facts/Live_CD/J4bpHUs1">Live CD</a>) that supports installations to physical machines and multiple types of virtual machines. </p><p>Installing a software appliance to a virtual machine and packaging that into an image, creates a virtual appliance. </p>