CompTIA PenTest+ Practice Test

Which hypervisor type is referred to as a 'bare metal' platform?

1. Type II hypervisor

2. Type I hypervisor

3. Type III hypervisor

4. Type IV hypervisor

The correct answer is: Type I hypervisor

The designation of a 'bare metal' hypervisor refers specifically to the Type I hypervisor. This type of hypervisor operates directly on the host's hardware without needing an underlying operating system. By having direct access to the hardware resources, it can offer superior performance, scalability, and isolation for virtual machines compared to other hypervisor types. Type I hypervisors are commonly used in enterprise environments where maximizing resource efficiency is critical, and they are typically deployed in server virtualization scenarios. Their ability to manage hardware resources directly leads to lower overhead and better performance for virtual machines, making them the preferred choice for large-scale deployments and data centers. In contrast, a Type II hypervisor runs on top of an existing operating system, which can introduce additional overhead and impact performance, thus making it less optimal for enterprise environments. Other types, identified as Type III and Type IV, are not standard classifications in the context of hypervisors, as the primary classifications are Type I and Type II.