Glossary
Hypervisor
Definition
A hypervisor is software that runs several virtual machines on one physical server, sharing its processors, memory and storage between them.
Why it matters when you’re buying
The hypervisor sits under most on-premises estates, so licensing and support changes ripple through budgets and roadmaps. Moving to a different one is possible but touches tooling, backups, skills and operating procedures.
How it relates to other terms
Hyperconverged systems are built on a hypervisor. Containers share the host operating system instead of virtualising hardware, and often run inside virtual machines.
Where to go next
- Hybrid & Multicloud: news, companies and community questions
- How to evaluate Hybrid & Multicloud vendors: criteria, questions to ask and red flags
Written by Techarda editors · Updated . Think a definition is wrong or missing something? Email engage@techarda.com. All terms.