Full virtualizationFull virtualization

Full virtualization is a virtualization technology that provides a complete simulation of the underlying hardware to allow an operating system to run unmodified. This method enables multiple instances of various operating systems to run simultaneously on a single physical machine, improving the efficiency and flexibility of system resources. Here’s a detailed explanation addressing several aspects you might be curious about:

### What is Full Virtualization?

Full virtualization involves simulating a hardware environment for each virtual machine, allowing an unmodified guest operating system to be run. The guest OS does not need any modifications because it believes it is interacting with physical hardware. This is accomplished through either software emulation or hardware assistance, providing a high level of isolation between different operating systems running on the same physical hardware.

### How Does Full Virtualization Work?

The key component of full virtualization is the hypervisor, a layer of software (or firmware) that sits between the physical hardware and the virtual machines. There are two types of hypervisors:

1. Type 1 Hypervisor (Bare Metal): This runs directly on the host’s hardware to control the hardware and to manage guest operating systems. Examples include VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V for Windows Server, and Xen.

2. Type 2 Hypervisor (Hosted): This runs on a conventional operating system environment with the guest operating system running at a third level above the hardware. Examples include VMware Workstation and Oracle VirtualBox.

The hypervisor manages the system’s resources so each guest