What type of hypervisor is installed directly on the server's hardware?

A Type 1 hypervisor, also known as a bare-metal hypervisor, is installed directly on the physical hardware of a server. This architecture allows it to manage the physical resources of the server more efficiently since it operates without an underlying operating system layer. As a result, Type 1 hypervisors typically provide better performance, scalability, and security compared to other types of hypervisors.

In this setup, the hypervisor can directly allocate CPU, memory, and storage resources to virtual machines (VMs) running on the hardware. This direct interaction with the hardware allows for optimizations that enhance both the efficiency and speed of VM operations. Examples of Type 1 hypervisors include VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V, and Xen.

In contrast, Type 2 hypervisors operate on top of a traditional operating system, which can lead to increased overhead and reduced performance. The other options, like Virtual Machine Monitor and Cloud Hypervisor, represent different aspects or implementations of virtualization technology but do not define the installation method as clearly as identifying a Type 1 hypervisor does.