hypervisorilta

A hypervisor, also known as a virtual machine monitor (VMM), is a software, firmware, or hardware that creates and runs virtual machines. Virtual machines allow multiple operating systems to run on a single physical computer. The hypervisor's primary role is to manage and allocate the host computer's resources, such as CPU, memory, and storage, to each virtual machine.

There are two main types of hypervisors. Type 1, or bare-metal, hypervisors run directly on the host's hardware, without an underlying operating system. Examples include VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V, and Xen. This type is generally more efficient and secure as it has direct access to the hardware.

Type 2, or hosted, hypervisors run on top of a conventional operating system, like Windows or Linux. Examples include VMware Workstation, Oracle VirtualBox, and Parallels Desktop. These are simpler to install and use but incur performance overhead due to the host operating system layer.

Hypervisors enable server consolidation, allowing businesses to reduce hardware costs and energy consumption by running multiple virtual servers on fewer physical machines. They also facilitate testing and development by providing isolated environments, disaster recovery solutions through snapshotting and migration, and improved resource utilization. The concept is fundamental to cloud computing and modern data center operations.