What is an advantage of a Type 2 hypervisor?

• A. Higher performance than Type 1 Hypervisor
• B. Better hardware compatibility due to OS providing drivers
• C. No need for host operating system
• D. Runs directly on hardware

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that a Type 2 hypervisor runs on top of a host operating system and uses that OS’s device drivers to access hardware. Because it leverages the host’s drivers, it can work with a wide range of hardware without needing the hypervisor to provide its own native drivers. This makes installation and testing on many desktop or lab machines easier and more flexible, since you’re not limited to hardware specifically supported by the hypervisor itself.

In contrast, a Type 1 hypervisor runs directly on hardware and typically delivers higher performance and stronger isolation, but hardware compatibility is tied to what the hypervisor supports natively. A Type 2 setup does not run directly on hardware, and it does require a host OS to function, so statements about not needing a host OS or about running directly on hardware aren’t accurate.