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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/tech-bare-metal-hypervisor

What makes a bare metal (type 1) hypervisor different from a hosted one?

It runs directly on the hardware, with no host operating system.

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  1. It runs directly on hardware ✔
  2. It runs only one virtual machine
  3. It needs a host OS

Why: A hosted hypervisor runs on top of a host operating system. A bare metal hypervisor instead runs directly on the hardware without a host OS beneath it.

Huh, didn't know that: NIST notes a bare metal hypervisor can even be built into a computer's firmware.

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Why did the hypervisor go bare metal? It didn't want anyone hosting it.
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References

Answer: It runs directly on hardware. A hosted hypervisor runs on top of a host operating system. A bare metal hypervisor instead runs directly on the hardware without a host OS beneath it.

  1. NIST SP 800-125: Guide to Security for Full Virtualization Technologies nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/Legacy/SP/nistspecialpublication800-125.pdf
    In bare metal virtualization, also known as native virtualization, the hypervisor runs directly on the underlying hardware, without a host OS
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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