Where do bare metal hypervisors typically run?

Bare metal hypervisors, also known as type 1 hypervisors, run directly on the physical hardware of a host machine. This architecture allows them to manage the hardware resources and virtual machines efficiently without requiring an underlying operating system. By interacting directly with the hardware, bare metal hypervisors can provide better performance, lower latency, and higher security compared to hypervisors that run on top of a host operating system.

In contrast, hypervisors that run on software or within a host or client OS introduce additional layers and potential overhead, which can limit performance and complicate security. The design and functionality of bare metal hypervisors emphasize their role as a foundational element for virtualization solutions, making them suitable for enterprise-level applications and workloads.