Maddy Osman Did you know that several businesses are using bare metal for their critical apps and services? In fact, the global bare metal cloud market was assessed to be worth $8.5 billion in 2023. Growth has been swift, and it’s now projected to reach $19.1 billion by 2028. That’s a compound annual growth rate of 17.4 percent within five years.
What’s more, bare metal virtualization is transforming the way businesses approach IT infrastructure. By running virtual machines directly on physical hardware – without the need for a host operating system – organizations can maximize performance, security, and scalability.
Whether you’re handling resource-intensive applications or looking to boost efficiency, bare metal hypervisors offer unmatched control and flexibility.
In this article, we’ll explore what a bare metal hypervisor is, how it works, and why it’s become essential for high-performance environments.
Key points
- By running directly on physical hardware, bare metal hypervisors provide superior performance with minimal overhead, ideal for resource-intensive applications like AI, HPC, and real-time processing.
- Bare metal hypervisors offer better security by isolating virtual machines from one another, reducing the risk of cross-VM attacks and improving data protection.
- They are perfect for businesses that need to scale their IT infrastructure, as they allow for dynamic resource allocation and easy expansion to meet growing demands.
- Whether for IoT, edge computing, or AI/ML workloads, bare metal hypervisors excel in environments that require high availability and the ability to handle complex, resource-heavy applications.
- Liquid Web offers expert support and high-performance bare metal hosting, ensuring your business gets the best out of virtualization, with personalized management and top-tier infrastructure.
What is a bare metal hypervisor?
At its most basic level, a bare metal hypervisor is a piece of software that allows you to run multiple Virtual Machines (VMs) on a physical server, all while directly managing the hardware itself.
Unlike traditional virtualization setups (Type 2 hypervisor), which rely on a host operating system to run the virtual machines, a bare metal hypervisor (Type 1 hypervisor) sits directly on the hardware (or “bare metal”) without any intermediary OS. This direct access to the physical hardware leads to better performance, lower overhead, and more efficient resource management.
Think of it like this: a hypervisor is the manager of your virtual machines, and in the case of bare metal, it’s managing everything at the most fundamental level – right on the physical machine. There’s no additional OS to bog things down, which means the hypervisor can work faster and make the most of the hardware at its disposal.
One of the key benefits of this setup is that it allows you to maximize the power and efficiency of your hardware by distributing its resources (like CPU, RAM, and storage) between several virtual environments, all while keeping them isolated from each other. This is especially important in environments that need to maintain high availability, security, or need to run demanding applications.
How does bare metal virtualization work?
Bare metal virtualization works by directly installing the hypervisor onto the physical hardware of a server, bypassing the need for a host operating system. This allows the hypervisor to have direct access to the server’s resources (such as CPU, memory, and storage), providing a more efficient and streamlined virtual environment.
Here’s a breakdown of how it works:
- Hypervisor installation: The first step is installing the hypervisor onto the physical server. The hypervisor (Type 1) becomes the main operating system running on the machine.
- Resource allocation: Once the hypervisor is up and running, it allocates the physical resources of the machine (like CPU cores, RAM, and storage) to create isolated VMs. Each VM operates independently with its own operating system, yet all VMs are still leveraging the same underlying physical hardware.
- Virtual machine management: The hypervisor’s job is to act as the manager for these virtual machines, ensuring that each VM gets its fair share of resources while also maintaining isolation between them. This ensures that what happens on one VM doesn’t affect others, making the environment more secure and stable.
- Direct hardware access: Because the hypervisor has direct access to the physical hardware, it can allocate resources dynamically and efficiently. This means higher performance for demanding applications, especially when compared to virtual environments that rely on a host OS to manage the hardware on their behalf.
By skipping the need for an additional OS, bare metal virtualization can squeeze more power out of your hardware.
Benefits of using a bare metal hypervisor
Performance boost
Because a bare metal hypervisor interacts directly with the physical hardware, it eliminates the need for an underlying operating system that could otherwise introduce overhead. This direct access to the server’s resources ensures that virtual machines run with minimal latency and maximum efficiency.
For high-demand workloads – whether it’s AI research, real-time data processing, or hosting multiple enterprise applications – a bare metal hypervisor provides the horsepower required to get the job done without sacrificing performance.
Improved security
Since the hypervisor is the primary interface between the hardware and virtual machines, it provides a layer of isolation that enhances security. Each virtual machine runs independently, reducing the risk of one VM affecting another. This is especially important for organizations that need to maintain stringent security standards or handle sensitive data.
Better resource management
Bare metal hypervisors can allocate resources like CPU, RAM, and storage dynamically based on the needs of each virtual machine. This level of resource control means that your hardware is used optimally, leading to cost savings and better scalability. It also ensures that workloads can be managed more effectively, with the flexibility to scale up or down as needed.
High availability and reliability
Bare metal hypervisors provide the reliability needed for applications that can’t afford to go offline. Their direct access to hardware allows for better performance tuning and management, and when combined with high-availability features like live migration or fault tolerance, bare metal hypervisors can help maintain continuous operations even during hardware failures or maintenance.
Reduced latency
Without the intermediary layer of a host operating system, the hypervisor can pass instructions and data between virtual machines and the hardware with much less delay. This is crucial for performance-sensitive applications such as gaming, media streaming, and real-time data analytics.
Scalability
Whether you’re scaling up to add more VMs or expanding to a multi-server setup, bare metal hypervisors allow you to add resources or expand your infrastructure without disrupting the current environment. This makes them an excellent choice for businesses that need to stay agile and responsive in a fast-moving world.
Drawbacks of a bare metal hypervisor
Complexity of setup and maintenance
Bare metal hypervisors, by design, require a higher level of expertise to set up and maintain compared to other virtualization options. Since the hypervisor operates directly on the hardware, there’s no easy fallback to a host operating system, making the installation and configuration process a bit more involved.
Additionally, ongoing maintenance, updates, and troubleshooting may require a deeper technical knowledge, which could be a hurdle for organizations without dedicated IT teams.
Limited hardware compatibility
Not all hardware is created equal, and bare metal hypervisors can sometimes have specific hardware requirements or compatibility limitations. While modern hypervisors support a wide range of hardware, certain advanced features (such as GPU virtualization or hardware passthrough) may require specific hardware configurations.
For businesses using older or less common hardware, compatibility could be an issue, making it harder to fully leverage the benefits of bare metal virtualization.
Resource-intensive for smaller environments
In small-scale or less resource-intensive environments, bare metal virtualization might be overkill. The hardware requirements and resource allocation needed to run a bare metal hypervisor efficiently could be too much for smaller operations, where a simpler, less complex virtualization solution might suffice. In these cases, businesses might find that the additional performance and flexibility aren’t necessary, and the setup could be a disproportionate investment of time and money.
Lack of flexibility with OS choices
With a bare metal hypervisor, you’re tied to the hypervisor’s compatibility with the guest OS that you intend to run. While most bare metal hypervisors support a wide range of OS options, certain specialized operating systems or legacy systems may not be fully compatible or optimized for a bare metal setup. This could limit your flexibility in selecting the best OS for each virtual machine, especially if you have specific requirements for the applications you plan to run.
Cost
While bare metal virtualization can offer a great return on investment for high-performance environments, it’s not the cheapest option. In addition to the costs of the physical hardware and hypervisor software, you may also need to invest in additional resources for setup, maintenance, and support.
For smaller businesses or startups with limited budgets, these expenses can add up quickly. The upfront investment in a bare metal solution may be harder to justify if you don’t need the level of performance it provides.
Limited ecosystem support (compared to virtualization with host OS)
When using a traditional virtualization approach with a host OS (like VMware or VirtualBox), there is a wide variety of management tools, add-ons, and integrations available in the ecosystem.
Bare metal hypervisors, on the other hand, may have a smaller range of third-party tools and integrations that work seamlessly with them. This could mean more manual configuration or a reliance on specific vendor tools, which might not always fit well with the rest of your infrastructure.
Best bare metal hypervisors for high performance
1. VMware vSphere/ESXi
VMware vSphere is VMware’s virtualization platform, with VMware ESXi being its bare metal hypervisor. With a 45 percent market share, VMware is the world’s most popular virtualization platform.
It offers advanced resource management and automation tools alongside a strong ecosystem of products, making it a top choice for high-performance virtualization. Thanks to its integration with VMware workstation products, ESXi is suitable for enterprise businesses seeking a powerful, scalable hypervisor.
Price: Starts at $995 per year.
2. Microsoft Hyper-V
Microsoft Hyper-V is a bare metal hypervisor that comes with Windows Server, offering seamless integrations with Microsoft products. It also supports other operating systems like Linux and FreeBSD.
Known for its high performance, Hyper-V ranks among the best free bare metal hypervisors with no licensing restrictions. While it may have fewer features compared to some of its competitors, its ease of use and integration with the Microsoft ecosystem make it a strong contender.
Price: Free with Windows Server.
3. Kernel-Based Virtual Machine (KVM)
Kernel-Based Virtual Machine, also known as KVM, is an open source hypervisor integrated directly into the Linux kernel. It provides high performance and great scalability.
As a cloud-ready solution, KVM supports diverse workloads and adapts to various environments. It integrates with numerous open source management tools, including OpenStack. However, it requires a great deal of Linux expertise, which could be a barrier for beginners.
Price: Free.
4. Red Hat Virtualization (RHV)
RHV is an enterprise-grade virtualization platform built on top of KVM technology. Performant and secure, RHV integrates with the Red Hat ecosystem of products and services, allowing you to cohesively manage virtualized workloads.
While RHV’s pricing structure can be confusing for new users, it’s a good choice for businesses already using Red Hat products or those that need a secure, high-performance virtualization system.
Price: Starts at $999 per year.
5. Citrix Hypervisor
You probably know this bare metal hypervisor as XenServer. Citrix offers powerful enterprise virtualization software renowned for its high performance and scalability. It boasts a rich feature set, including live migration, comprehensive management tools, and the ability to handle demanding workloads.
Setting it up can be a complex process, and the high licensing fees can be a burden for some businesses. But it’s an excellent choice for businesses that need a reliable hypervisor that integrates with Citrix products.
Price: Free edition available with limited features.
6. Xen Project/XCP-ng
Xen Project, and its fork, XCP-ng, emerged from the open source Xen hypervisor that was initially created by Citrix. XCP-ng was developed in response to features being removed from the free version of Citrix Hypervisor.
As a community-driven, open source solution, XCP-ng is one of the best free bare metal hypervisors, making it an attractive option for organizations seeking cost-effective virtualization. However, setting it up requires technical expertise, and it may lack some advanced features found in other hypervisors.
Despite these limitations, Xen Project/XCP-ng is a versatile solution for IT admins with the necessary technical skills.
Price: Free.
7. Oracle VM
Oracle VM is a powerful virtualization solution designed for enterprise businesses, delivering high performance and integration with other Oracle products. It’s ideal for businesses that rely on Oracle databases and applications.
Scalability and cross-platform compatibility are some of its highlights, but it can be quite complex to manage. Consider Oracle VM if you need a hypervisor that enhances the performance of your Oracle-based infrastructure.
Price: Free.
8. Proxmox Virtual Environment
Proxmox Virtual Environment is an open source virtualization platform that integrates KVM and Linux Containers. This makes it versatile, as you can use containers or VMs based on your workload.
While basic setup is fairly straightforward, you may need in-depth technical expertise to make the most of its advanced features. Extensive documentation and active community support make it a strong choice for organizations seeking a cost-effective and flexible virtualization platform.
Price: Free.
Common use cases for bare metal hypervisors
Enterprise use (IoT, edge computing, DevOps)
In the enterprise world, where efficiency and performance are paramount, bare metal hypervisors are increasingly being used in environments that require low latency and high scalability.
For instance, the Internet of Things (IoT) and edge computing often involve deploying a large number of devices and services across different locations. By using bare metal virtualization, enterprises can manage their infrastructure more efficiently, ensure high availability, and minimize downtime.
In DevOps environments, bare metal hypervisors provide the necessary resources for fast and reliable application development and testing. They allow teams to spin up virtual machines quickly for testing, staging, and production, all while ensuring that hardware resources are allocated efficiently.
High-performance computing (AI/ML, research, etc.)
Bare metal hypervisors are widely used in high-performance computing (HPC) environments, where the need for computational power is immense. Whether it’s Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), data science, or scientific research, bare metal virtualization ensures that applications get the full benefit of the server’s resources.
AI/ML workloads, in particular, require massive processing power, especially when working with large datasets or running complex algorithms. Bare metal hypervisors enable researchers and organizations to run these workloads in isolated environments while still maximizing the use of the underlying hardware. The direct access to physical resources means faster computations and more efficient use of the server.
Real-time processing (gaming, media, and streaming)
For applications that require real-time processing – like online gaming, media production, and live streaming – bare metal hypervisors provide the speed and reliability necessary to avoid lag or downtime.
In gaming, for example, bare metal hypervisors can run game servers with the low latency needed for smooth player experiences. Similarly, media and streaming services require rapid processing and delivery of content to viewers without delays, making bare metal virtualization an excellent choice for these industries.
Bare metal virtualization ensures that your virtual machines have access to dedicated hardware resources, allowing for optimal performance and seamless processing of real-time data streams.
Disaster recovery and business continuity
One of the most critical aspects of running any enterprise is ensuring that your business can continue to function during a crisis. Bare metal hypervisors are crucial in disaster recovery plans, as they allow for high availability, fault tolerance, and easy replication of environments. In the event of a failure, virtual machines can quickly be moved to other physical servers, ensuring that operations continue with minimal disruption.
With bare metal virtualization, you can also implement high-availability setups, load balancing, and automated failover to make sure that your critical services are always up and running. The ability to restore virtual machines quickly and efficiently helps ensure business continuity even during the most challenging situations.
Regulated industries (finance, healthcare, etc.)
Industries like finance, healthcare, and government have stringent regulations around data security, privacy, and compliance. Bare metal hypervisors are particularly well-suited for these environments because they offer enhanced security and control over the hardware. In regulated industries, keeping data isolated and secure is paramount, and bare metal virtualization provides that isolation while allowing organizations to run multiple virtual machines on the same physical server.
For example, in the healthcare industry, where patient data must be securely managed according to regulations like HIPAA, bare metal hypervisors ensure that sensitive data remains isolated and protected. Similarly, financial institutions benefit from the strong security capabilities of bare metal virtualization, which helps protect sensitive financial data and ensures compliance with industry regulations.
How to choose the best bare metal hypervisor
With several high-performance hypervisors on the market, you’re probably wondering how to narrow down the list. Use this guide to select the best bare metal hypervisor for your needs:
- Performance requirements – Evaluate your application’s performance demands. High-performance workloads require hypervisors with great resource management.
- Scalability – If your business is rapidly growing, you need a hypervisor that can scale with you.
- Cost considerations – Weigh your budget against your feature requirements. Luckily, some bare metal hypervisors are free to use.
- Usability – How easy is it to set up and use the hypervisor? How skilled is your technical team? User-friendly interfaces and advanced management tools can save time and effort.
- Security track record – Look at the hypervisor’s security history. Is it well-built or prone to breaches? Bare metal hypervisors inherently offer better isolation, but a solution with built-in security features is a superior choice.
- Compatibility – Verify compatibility with your existing tech stack. If you’re already using a company’s suite of products (e.g., VMware, Oracle, or Red Hat), consider using its hypervisor for better compatibility.
- Support and community resources – Ensure the company has a reliable support team. An active community is a plus. A strong support network can be a great help when troubleshooting.
Final thoughts
Your application workloads require a bare metal hypervisor that’s able to provide great performance, scalability, and security. Selecting the right one is crucial.
All the bare metal hypervisors we’ve discussed offer full control over resources and better efficiency for your most critical applications. But which one is best for your business? If you’re not sure, combine the flexibility of the cloud with the power of bare metal servers.
That’s what Liquid Web cloud metal offers. You’ll get a high-availability server customized to meet your requirements – you choose the CPU model you want. Take advantage of our bare metal cloud hosting today, or reach out to discuss which plan would best suit your needs!