Hypervisor
What is a Hypervisor?
A hypervisor is a software program that enables multiple operating systems (OS) to share a single hardware platform. It is also known as a virtual machine manager (VMM) or virtualization software.
The hypervisor creates a layer of abstraction between the hardware and the OS, allowing multiple virtual machines (VMs) to run on a single physical machine. Each VM can run a different OS and have its own applications and resources, as if it were a separate physical machine.
Hypervisors are used for a variety of purposes, including server consolidation, cloud computing, and testing and development. They can help to improve the utilization and efficiency of hardware resources, and they can also provide flexibility and scalability by enabling the creation and management of VMs on demand.
There are two main types of hypervisors:
- Type 1 (or native or bare-metal) hypervisors: These are installed directly on the physical hardware and run directly on the hardware platform.
- Type 2 (or hosted) hypervisors: These are installed on top of a host operating system, which provides the necessary hardware and device drivers.
Hypervisors are an important component of virtualization, which is a technology that allows multiple computing environments to coexist on a single physical machine. They play a critical role in enabling the efficient and effective use of hardware resources and in supporting the operation of multiple OS and applications on a single platform.
See Also