When virtualization first came on the scene, it was initially used just to reduce the number of physical servers that were required in a data center. But over time, it has evolved into so much more than just a way to consolidate servers. Now, virtualization is also being used to create different types of virtual machines and different types of hypervisors in cloud computing. In this article, we’ll take a detailed look at the different types of hypervisors in cloud computing and how they are used by users with both small and large data centers.
What Is a Hypervisor?
A hypervisor is a Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) that is used to direct and control the resource allocation of a host computer. In other words, a hypervisor is software that can create, host and run multiple virtual machines on a single computer.
When we talk about types of hypervisors in cloud computing, we’re really talking about the different kinds of hypervisors that can be used to host and run virtual machines in a data center. A hypervisor is a software layer that can host virtual machines on a computer.
A computer that uses a hypervisor to host virtual machines is called a host computer. The host computer has two jobs - it runs the virtual machines and allocates resources among the virtual machines.
Types of Hypervisors in Cloud Computing
Here we will discuss the following four types of hypervisors in cloud computing:
- Native Hypervisor
- Container-based Hypervisor
- Virtual Machine-based Hypervisor
- Hybrid Hypervisor
Let's take a look in detail:
Type 1: Native Cloud Hypervisor
A native cloud hypervisor is the type of hypervisor that runs directly on the cloud infrastructure. By running on the cloud infrastructure, this type of hypervisor gives users greater flexibility and more control over their virtual machines.
Native cloud hypervisors are also referred to as a hosted hypervisors or a cloud-native hypervisors. Hosted hypervisors are used by cloud service providers to deliver public cloud computing. Native cloud hypervisors are ideal for organizations looking to get into cloud computing.
They give users access to powerful computing and scalability without having to pay for and maintain the physical hardware. They’re also very useful for organizations that have been using virtualization for many years and are now looking to move their existing computing environments to the cloud.
Type 2: Container-Based Hypervisor
A container-based hypervisor is operating system-level virtualization technology. It uses virtual containers to host the virtual machines that are used to host cloud applications. Container-based hypervisors are used by organizations that already use containerization to host applications on their own servers.
They use container-based hypervisors to host their applications on the public cloud. Container-based hypervisors are also referred to as hosted hypervisors or cloud-native hypervisors. They are much like native cloud hypervisors. However, they’re more focused on hosting more traditional applications that have been containerized.
Container-based hypervisors are ideal for organizations that are looking to run applications on the public cloud, but have existing applications that need to be containerized first.
Type 3: Virtual Machine-Based Hypervisor
A virtual machine-based hypervisor is a software-based virtual machine manager that uses a virtual machine to run the virtual machines that are used to host cloud applications. Virtual machine-based hypervisors are used by organizations that are already using virtual machines to host applications on their own servers.
They use virtual machine-based hypervisors to host their applications on the public cloud. VMM-based hypervisors are also referred to as hosted hypervisors or cloud-native hypervisors. They are much like native cloud hypervisors. However, they’re more focused on hosting virtual machines that have been created and managed by different hypervisors on the cloud.
Type 4: Hybrid Cloud Hypervisor
A hybrid cloud hypervisor is a combination of a container-based hypervisor and a virtual machine-based hypervisor. This type of hypervisor is used to manage hybrid cloud environments.
Hybrid cloud environments use a combination of public clouds and on-premise private clouds. Hybrid cloud hypervisors are ideal for organizations that are looking to manage hybrid cloud environments. They provide users with the ability to run virtual machines and containers in both private and public cloud environments.
Which is the Best Type of Hypervisor in Cloud Computing?
While there are many different types of hypervisors in cloud computing, there are really only two types that are used by the majority of organizations - native cloud hypervisors and virtual machine-based hypervisors. Native cloud hypervisors are an ideal choice for organizations that are just getting started with cloud computing.
They give these types of organizations full access to the powerful scalability and flexibility offered by the public cloud. Native cloud hypervisors are also used by organizations that have been using virtualization for many years. They can use them to move their existing virtual machines to the cloud without having to make any changes to the virtual machines.
Virtual machine-based hypervisors are used by organizations that have existing applications that are hosted on virtual machines. These organizations can use virtual machine-based hypervisors to host their applications on the public cloud. They can also use them to manage hybrid cloud environments that use both public and private clouds.
Hybrid cloud hypervisors are ideal for organizations that have existing applications that use virtual machines and want to host their applications on the public cloud.
Conclusion
When it comes to choosing the right hypervisor for your organization, there are a few things to keep in mind. The first is the type of applications that you want to run in the cloud. If you have existing applications that use virtual machines, then you will want to use a virtual machine-based hypervisor.
If you want to run more modern and flexible applications, then you should use a native cloud hypervisor. Native cloud hypervisors are ideal for organizations that are just getting started with cloud computing. They give these types of organizations full access to the powerful scalability and flexibility offered by the public cloud.
That said, a virtual machine-based hypervisor will also give organizations access to some of the same features - including scalability, security, and flexibility. The main difference is that a native cloud hypervisor will also give organizations access to the public cloud.
