Type 1 vs. Type 2 Hypervisor: What’s the difference?

Virtualisation technology has made it possible for organisations to optimise server, compute, and network resources. By enabling multiple instances of operating systems and applications to run on a single host, virtualisation has significantly improved deployment speed, resource utilization, and IT flexibility while reducing capital and operating expenses.

At the heart of virtualisation platforms is a software layer called a hypervisor. In this article, we’ll explore what a hypervisor is, the different types of hypervisors available for virtualisation, and their use cases.

What Is Virtualisation?

Virtualisation is a technology that enables multiple virtual instances of an operating system or application to run on a single host machine. By abstracting hardware resources, such as CPU, memory, and storage, virtualisation software can isolate and allocate resources dynamically to different virtual machines (VMs), making each VM appear to be a unique and independent system.

Server, Network, and Compute

Virtualisation can be applied to three major categories of infrastructure—servers, storage, and networks:

• Server virtualisation enables multiple virtual servers to run on a single physical server and is used extensively for enterprise applications and web hosting.
• Network virtualisation abstracts network resources to create virtual networks independent of physical hardware.
• Storage virtualisation pools physical storage from multiple devices to create unified storage resources.

What Is a Hypervisor?

A hypervisor, also known as a virtual machine monitor, is a software layer that sits between the physical host machine and the virtual machines running on it. The hypervisor's job is to abstract hardware resources and present them to the virtual machines as if they were running on a physical machine. Let’s take a closer look at the two main types of hypervisors: Type 1 and Type 2.

What Is a Type 1 Hypervisor?

Type 1 hypervisors are also known as bare metal hypervisors since they run directly on the host's hardware, bypassing the host operating system. They provide excellent performance and support for a wide range of guest operating systems. 

Key Characteristics

Type 1 hypervisors offer several architectural advantages:

• Direct hardware access eliminates OS overhead and maximises performance
• Minimal attack surface reduces security vulnerabilities
• Hardware-assisted virtualisation leverages CPU features for enhanced efficiency
• Enterprise-grade management through dedicated virtualisation platforms

Popular Type 1 Solutions

Leading enterprise Type 1 hypervisors include:

• VMware vSphere ESXi: Industry-leading platform with comprehensive management tools
• Microsoft Hyper-V: Integrated Windows Server virtualisation with Azure connectivity
• Citrix Hypervisor: High-performance solution optimised for VDI and cloud workloads

What Is a Type 2 Hypervisor? 

Type 2 hypervisors operate as applications within a host operating system, providing virtualisation capabilities through software abstraction rather than direct hardware control. 

Key Characteristics

Type 2 hypervisors offer different operational benefits:

• Simplified installation on existing operating systems
• Familiar management interfaces through host OS tools
• Hardware flexibility supporting diverse hardware configurations
• Development-friendly environments for testing and prototyping

Enterprise Type 2 Solutions

Type 2 hypervisors are more common for desktop virtualisation use cases, but some enterprise-appropriate Type 2 hypervisors include:

• VMware Workstation Pro: Professional desktop virtualisation with advanced networking
• Oracle VM VirtualBox: Cross-platform solution with enterprise support options
• Parallels Desktop Business Edition: MacOS-focused virtualisation for business users

Comparison between Type 1 and Type 2 hypervisors

Understanding the differences between Type 1 and Type 2 hypervisors is crucial when navigating the landscape of virtualisation technology. Appropriate hypervisor selection is based on individual or organizational needs. In this section, we’ll take a closer look at how Type 1 and Type 2 hypervisors compare in terms of performance, security, use cases, setup and management, and hardware requirements.

Performance

Type 1 hypervisors are renowned for their superior performance, attributed to their ability to run directly on host hardware, eliminating the intermediary of an underlying operating system. This direct interaction with hardware resources facilitates optimal resource allocation and management, minimizing overhead and latency. This makes them the ideal choice for enterprise environments where high performance is non-negotiable, such as in data centers and extensive virtualisation deployments.

Conversely, Type 2 hypervisors may exhibit compromised performance due to the additional layer of the host operating system, resulting in increased overhead and potential resource contention. They are more suited for less resource-intensive applications and are typically employed for development, testing, and smaller-scale deployments where peak performance is not the primary concern.

Security

In terms of security, Type 1 hypervisors have the upper hand. They offer enhanced security due to their smaller attack surface and reduced vulnerability, stemming from the absence of an underlying operating system. Their isolation from potential OS-level threats and exploits makes them the preferred choice in high-security scenarios, such as financial institutions and government agencies.

On the other hand, Type 2 hypervisors are inherently more susceptible to security risks due to their dependency on the host operating system. Any vulnerabilities present in the host OS can potentially compromise the security of the hypervisor and, subsequently, the guest VMs. This makes them more suitable for environments where stringent security is not a critical factor, like personal use or educational settings.

Use Cases

Type 1 hypervisors are predominantly deployed in enterprise and server environments, maximising resource utilization and efficiency by allowing multiple VMs to operate on a single physical machine. Their high availability, reliability, and scalability make them suited for applications in cloud computing and server virtualisation.

In contrast, Type 2 hypervisors find their niche in development, testing, and educational environments, enabling users to run multiple operating systems on a single desktop or laptop. They’re the go-to option for personal use or smaller organisations with limited virtualisation needs and resources.

Setup and Management

Setting up and managing Type 1 hypervisors requires a more sophisticated and knowledgeable approach due to their direct interaction with hardware resources. They’re typically managed through remote management tools or command-line interfaces, requiring a higher level of technical proficiency.

Because they’re software applications operating on an existing operating system, Type 2 hypervisors offer ease of installation and management. Users can leverage familiar OS interfaces and tools for configuration and management. As a result, Type 2 hypervisors are suitable for users with basic technical knowledge and those seeking user-friendly virtualisation solutions.

Hardware Requirements

Type 1 hypervisors necessitate dedicated and robust hardware with ample resources to effectively support multiple VMs and their workloads. They often benefit from hardware-assisted virtualisation technologies to enhance performance and resource management.

Type 2 hypervisors, on the other hand, are more lenient with hardware requirements and can operate on standard desktops or laptops with moderate resources. This makes them ideal for users with limited hardware resources or those seeking cost-effective virtualisation solutions.

Popular Hypervisor Providers

Some popular hypervisor providers in the market include VMware, Microsoft, Citrix, and Oracle. These providers offer enterprise-scale hypervisor solutions for server virtualisation that provide high performance and scalability.

Free and Open Source Hypervisor Providers

For organisations that prefer free and open source software, there are several options for hypervisor providers, including KVM, Xen, VirtualBox, and Proxmox. These hypervisors offer robust functionality and are widely used in production environments.

Conclusion

Hypervisor technology is a key enabler for virtualisation solutions. Choosing the right type of hypervisor for your application requires understanding the use case, performance requirements, and infrastructure constraints. In this article, we’ve explored the different types of hypervisors, their use cases, and some popular providers for both enterprise and open source environments. By deploying virtualisation solutions with the appropriate hypervisor, organisations can achieve greater IT flexibility, resource utilization, and cost savings.

Everpure FlashArray™ and FlashBlade® storage solutions are purpose-built to maximise virtualisation performance across both Type 1 and Type 2 hypervisor environments. With features like SafeMode™ Snapshots for VM protection, sub-millisecond latency for demanding workloads, and seamless integration with leading hypervisor platforms, Everpure enables organisations to achieve optimal virtualisation outcomes while simplifying storage management through Evergreen architecture.