Hypervisors vs Containers: What is the Difference?

Last Updated on January 5, 2023

Hypervisors Vs Containers: What is the Difference?

Although there are many aspects where hypervisors and containers are similar, there are also some clear distinctions between the two technologies. The way hypervisors boot up and use resources is the main distinction between them and containers.

What is a Hypervisor?

A type of software called a hypervisor enables us to house several virtual machines on a single machine. It allows multiple operating systems to share a single hardware host. It creates virtual machines (VMs) on a physical host, and each VM can run its own operating system and applications as if it were a physical machine.

In essence, the hypervisor will distribute the host physical machine’s resources—like RAM, CPU, etc.—among the virtual machines. This hypervisor, often known as a virtualization hypervisor, offers hardware partitioning and isolation while also generating virtual machines. We can therefore only create a certain number of virtual machines, depending on the host machine’s resource capacity. The virtual computers’ own OS will be used.

Examples of popular hypervisors include VMware and Hyper-V.

Read more: What is a Hypervisor in Cloud Computing?

Benefits of Hypervisors

Some of the key benefits of using hypervisors include:

  • Multiple operating systems: Hypervisors allow multiple operating systems to be run on a single physical host, which can save on hardware and maintenance costs.
  • Isolation: Hypervisors provide isolation between each virtual machine (VM) and the physical host, ensuring that each VM runs in its own isolated environment. This can help to prevent conflicts and errors that can occur when multiple VMs share the same resources.
  • Compatibility: Hypervisors can be used to run legacy applications that may only be compatible with specific operating systems.
  • Testing and development: Hypervisors can be used to create isolated environments for testing and development purposes.
  • Resource allocation: Hypervisors allow resources such as CPU, memory, and storage to be easily allocated and resized between VMs as needed.

Drawbacks of Hypervisors

Hypervisors, also known as virtual machine monitors, allow multiple operating systems to share a single hardware host and offer several benefits for organizations looking to save on hardware costs and improve the flexibility and utilization of their IT infrastructure. However, there are also some potential drawbacks to consider. One key drawback of hypervisors is their resource overhead compared to other virtualization technologies such as containers. VMs require their own operating system, which can lead to greater resource overhead and slower performance. Managing a hypervisor environment can also be more complex than other virtualization technologies, as it requires coordination and integration between the different VMs and the physical host.

Some applications may not be compatible with a hypervisor environment, or may require additional configuration to work properly. Finally, some hypervisor software and operating systems may require additional licensing costs, which can impact the overall cost of the solution. Overall, it is important to carefully consider the potential drawbacks of hypervisors and ensure that they are suitable for the specific needs of an organization.

What is a Container?

Although not solely, the Linux OS is the one that is most frequently used with containers. Between one or more processes (i.e., an application) and the OS on which they execute, they offer an abstraction layer. These processes and their supporting dependencies are packaged together in a container for simple implementation on any OS that supports container technology.

Of course, a container has a certain range of capabilities. The OS, which in turn operates on a particular hardware architecture, is used by the programme in the container along with any dependencies. It is necessary for the programme to be created for the OS and compiled for the underlying hardware architecture. The programme wrapped in the container uses the underlying system’s instruction set; the container is not an interpreter or simulator.

Examples of popular container platforms include Docker and Kubernetes.

Benefits of Containers

Key benefits of containers include:

  • Portability: Containers allow applications to be packaged with all of their dependencies, making it easy to run them in any environment, regardless of the underlying operating system or infrastructure.
  • Isolation: Containers provide isolation between applications and the host operating system, ensuring that each application runs in its own isolated environment. This can help to prevent conflicts and errors that can occur when multiple applications share the same resources.
  • Efficiency: Containers are lightweight and require fewer resources than traditional virtualization approaches, such as hypervisors. This can lead to cost savings and improved performance.
  • Scalability: Containers are easy to scale horizontally, as they can be quickly spawned on different hosts without the overhead of a full operating system. This makes it easier to scale applications as demand changes.
  • Speed: Containers are faster to deploy and boot up than traditional virtualization approaches, making it easier to develop, test, and deploy applications quickly.

Drawbacks of Containers

Containers offer several benefits for organizations looking to deploy and manage applications in a portable and isolated environment, but there are also some potential drawbacks to consider. One key drawback of containers is their limited isolation compared to virtual machines. While containers provide isolation between applications, they do not offer the same level of isolation as VMs. This means that they may not be suitable for certain types of applications that require a higher level of isolation. Another potential drawback of containers is their dependence on the host operating system. Containers rely on the host operating system for certain resources and libraries, which means that they may not be fully portable across all environments.

Also, containers may pose security concerns as they share the host operating system, and a vulnerability in the host operating system could potentially affect all of the containers running on it. Finally, some applications may not be compatible with a container environment or may require additional configuration to work properly, which can be a limitation for organizations looking to use containers. Overall, it is important to carefully consider the potential drawbacks of containers and ensure that they are suitable for the specific needs of an organization.

Comparison of Hypervisors and Containers Use Cases

Use cases for hypervisors:

  • Running multiple operating systems on a single host: Hypervisors are well-suited for environments where multiple operating systems are required on a single physical host.
  • Testing and development environments: Hypervisors can be used to create isolated environments for testing and development purposes.
  • Legacy applications: Some older applications may only be compatible with specific operating systems, and using a hypervisor allows them to be run on modern hardware.

Use cases for containers:

  • Packaging and deploying applications in a portable and isolated environment: Containers are ideal for packaging and deploying applications in a consistent and portable manner.
  • Microservices architecture: Containers are often used in microservices architectures, as they allow for the easy deployment and management of individual services.
  • Continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD): Containers can be used in CI/CD pipelines to build, test, and deploy applications in an automated and consistent manner.

Conclusion

Hypervisors and containers are two technologies that are commonly used in the world of cloud computing and virtualization. Hypervisors allow multiple operating systems to be run on a single physical host, while containers provide a way to package and distribute applications in a portable and isolated environment.

The choice between using hypervisors or containers depends on the specific requirements and goals of an organization. While both technologies have their own unique benefits and use cases, it is important to carefully consider the trade-offs before making a decision.

Before you go…

Hey, thank you for reading this blog to the end. I hope it was helpful. Let me tell you a little bit about Nicholas Idoko Technologies. We help businesses and companies build an online presence by developing web, mobile, desktop, and blockchain applications.

We also help aspiring software developers and programmers learn the skills they need to have a successful career. Take your first step to becoming a programming boss by joining our Learn To Code academy today!

Be sure to contact us if you need more information or have any questions! We are readily available.

Search

Never Miss a Post!

Sign up for free and be the first to get notified about updates.

Join 49,999+ like-minded people!

Get timely updates straight to your inbox, and become more knowledgeable.