Type 1 or Type 2 Hypervisor?

About this interactive

A hypervisor is the abstraction layer that lets several virtual machines share one computer. Each guest operating system thinks it is talking to the hardware; the hypervisor makes the calls for it and keeps the guests apart. A Type 1 hypervisor is installed on the hardware itself and does the operating system's job: Proxmox, VMware ESXi and Hyper-V are examples. Its own screen offers little more than a network setting, and you manage it over the network. It has the least overhead and scales well, so it runs production servers. A Type 2 hypervisor is an application on an ordinary operating system, such as VirtualBox or VMware Workstation on a laptop. The host OS underneath adds overhead and limits how far it scales, but it is easy to install, which makes it right for personal use and testing. To sort a card, ask whether a host operating system sits under the hypervisor.

What you'll learn

Tell a Type 1 hypervisor, which runs directly on the hardware, from a Type 2 hypervisor, which runs on a host operating system
Match each type to its overhead, scalability and typical use: Type 1 for production at scale, Type 2 for personal use and testing

Aligned to

CompTIA Security+

3.1 Compare and contrast security implications of different architecture models.

Key terms

Type 1 Hypervisor: A hypervisor that runs directly on the host hardware without an underlying operating system, offering better performance and scalability for enterprise deployments.
Type 2 Hypervisor: A hypervisor that runs on top of a conventional operating system, making it easier to set up but adding overhead; suited for personal use and testing.
Hypervisor: Software that creates and manages virtual machines by abstracting hardware resources.
Virtual Machine: A software emulation of a physical computer that runs an operating system and applications.

Topics

Interactive Streak Sort

About TechKnowSurge

TechKnowSurge builds IT and cybersecurity professionals through hands-on, concept-first training built around real understanding — not memorization. Free interactive tools, structured programs, and 25+ years of real-world experience, all in one place.

Explore free tools and programs →