Virtualization

Back when I was in college, I sat through my Windows 7 class and learned so much about computers that I hadn’t known before. One lesson that really stuck with me wasn’t even part of the Windows 7 curriculum. Our instructor needed a way for us to test theories while studying Windows 7 and how to join it to an Active Directory Domain. To help us understand the concept, he introduced us to a software called VMware Workstation.

The first time I used VMware Workstation, I was blown away. The idea that I could install two Windows operating systems inside one computer was nothing short of amazing. I was able to simulate small Active Directory environments and learn the basics I needed to begin my career in IT.

VMware Workstation was my gateway into the world of virtualization. Over the years, I’ve tried many different solutions. I experimented with VirtualBox, which also worked on Linux. It functioned a bit differently from VMware Workstation, but I could still simulate my Active Directory lab—and best of all, it was free. I also tried Microsoft Hyper-V, which came built into Windows. I later realized it shared the same user interface as Hyper-V on Windows Server, which was very cool.

However, VMware Workstation and VirtualBox are known as Type 2 hypervisors. This means they install on top of an existing operating system, which introduces additional layers between the hypervisor and the hardware—potentially impacting performance. But if you're just using them to test or build small projects, there's nothing wrong with these tools. They’re a fantastic way for beginners to get hands-on experience with enterprise-level software.

Now, below Type 2 is Type 1. With Type 2, we install an operating system like Windows 10 or Ubuntu, then install a hypervisor such as VirtualBox or VMware Workstation on top of it. With Type 1, however, the hypervisor is installed directly onto the hardware. This means the hypervisor is the operating system. Because of this direct access to hardware, it performs much better. Type 1 hypervisors are mostly used in enterprise and business environments. They are typically feature-rich and built to run continuously for years with regular security updates.

My first experience with a Type 1 hypervisor was probably Hyper-V on Windows Server. And if you're wondering, "Wait, didn’t you say Type 1 hypervisors are installed directly on hardware? Doesn’t Hyper-V get installed on top of Windows Server?"—great observation! Yes, Hyper-V is installed as a "role" inside Windows, but here’s what actually happens: when Hyper-V is enabled, Windows becomes the "parent partition"—not the base OS anymore. Hyper-V takes control of the hardware at boot, becoming the true host. It manages access to the CPU, memory, and devices. Windows itself then runs on top of Hyper-V, just like any other virtual machine. It's simply the first and most privileged VM. This architecture is known as a microkernelized hypervisor design. Just a small fun fact for ya ;)

Over the years, I’ve worked with other hypervisors too. I mentioned Proxmox in my Linux intro, which I currently use—it's free and stable. I’ve also been exploring XCP-ng, a fork of XenServer. And my personal favorite has been VMware ESXi—though we’ll see how long that lasts given the recent Broadcom acquisition.

In this section, I’ll be diving deeper into the hypervisors I’ve mentioned above—and others I haven’t yet.

So stay tuned! :)