Hipervisor

Hipervisor is a term that refers to a type of software, firmware, or hardware that creates and runs virtual machines. It allows a single physical computer to host multiple isolated operating systems, each running in its own virtualized environment. This technology is fundamental to cloud computing, server consolidation, and desktop virtualization.

There are two main types of hipervisors. Type 1, also known as bare-metal hipervisors, run directly on the host's hardware without an underlying operating system. Examples include VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V, and Xen. Type 2, or hosted hipervisors, run on top of a conventional operating system, much like any other application. Examples include VMware Workstation, Oracle VirtualBox, and Parallels Desktop.

The primary function of a hipervisor is to manage and allocate the host system's resources, such as CPU, memory, storage, and network interfaces, to each virtual machine. It ensures that virtual machines do not interfere with each other and that they operate as if they have their own dedicated hardware. This isolation is crucial for security and stability.

Hipervisors enable greater resource utilization by allowing multiple workloads to run on a single physical machine. This leads to cost savings in terms of hardware, power consumption, and data center space. They also provide flexibility, allowing for quick deployment, migration, and disaster recovery of virtual machines.