2.1.a Hypervisor type 1 and 2

What this objective tests

This is a describe objective. The exam wants you to explain the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 hypervisors. It also wants you to connect that difference to networking and troubleshooting.

A hypervisor is the software layer that lets virtual machines share physical hardware. The type describes where that layer runs.

Type 1 hypervisor

A Type 1 hypervisor runs directly on the physical server hardware. This is why it is called bare metal.

Physical server
Type 1 hypervisor
VM 1
VM 2
VM 3

There is no general-purpose OS under it. The hypervisor owns the hardware, schedules CPU and memory, and connects VMs to virtual switches and physical uplinks.

Type 1 hypervisors are common in data centers because they are built for production. Examples include VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V as a server role, and KVM-based platforms.

Type 2 hypervisor

A Type 2 hypervisor runs as an application on an existing operating system. This is why it is called hosted.

Laptop or desktop hardware
Host operating system
Type 2 hypervisor application
VM 1
VM 2

Type 2 is common in labs because you can run VMs on a laptop. Examples include VMware Workstation, VirtualBox, and UTM.

The tradeoff is that the host OS stays in the path. NAT mode, bridged mode, host firewalls, and OS routing can all change what the VM can reach.

Side-by-side

What the network sees

The physical network does not care which type the server runs. It sees frames arrive on a switchport. What changes is where you troubleshoot before the packet reaches that switchport.

For Type 1:

VM -> vSwitch / port group -> host uplink -> physical switch

For Type 2:

VM -> hypervisor virtual NIC -> host OS -> physical NIC -> physical switch

That host OS layer matters in labs. A correct router config can still fail because of NAT mode, a host firewall, or a Wi-Fi restriction.

Example: classify the failure point

Scenario: a learner runs two virtual routers and one Linux VM on a laptop. The laptop runs Windows. The hypervisor offers NAT, bridged, and host-only modes. A VM cannot reach the internet, but the VMs can ping each other.

Hypervisor type: Type 2
Likely cause: VM network mode set to host-only instead of NAT or bridged
First check: the network mode of the VM in the hypervisor

Second scenario: a production host runs thirty VMs. The host boots directly into the virtualization platform. One VM cannot ping its gateway. The physical trunk allows VLAN 40. The VM sits on a port group for VLAN 30.

Hypervisor type: Type 1
Likely cause: the VM is attached to the wrong port group
First check: the port group VLAN in the hypervisor

The physical trunk is fine in the second scenario. The failure is inside the host, before the packet reaches the wire.

Lab: classify the hypervisor and predict the failure point

This is a paper lab. No devices are necessary.

Do these steps for each scenario:

1. A rack server boots into ESXi. VMs use distributed port groups and 25G uplinks. Name the type. (Answer: Type 1.)
2. A laptop runs macOS with VMware Fusion for a CCNP lab. Name the type. (Answer: Type 2.)
3. In scenario 1, a VM cannot reach its gateway. Name the first check. (Answer: the port group and its VLAN.)
4. In scenario 2, a VM cannot reach the internet. Name the first check. (Answer: the VM network mode in the host OS.)
5. Name the layer that exists only in the Type 2 path. (Answer: the host operating system.)

Verification checklist

Use this as a runbook when a virtual lab behaves unexpectedly.

Inside the VM:

show ip interface brief
ping 10.20.20.1
show arp

On the physical switch:

show interfaces trunk
show mac address-table interface gi1/0/10
show vlan brief

In the hypervisor:

1. Check the VM is powered on.
2. Check the vNIC is connected.
3. Check the port group and VLAN.
4. Check the host uplink selection.
5. For Type 2, check the network mode and host firewall.

Exam traps

• Type 1 does not mean cloud. Type 2 does not mean small. The type describes where the hypervisor runs.
• A Type 2 lab can fail because of the host OS even when router configs are correct.
• A Type 1 host can still have mistakes in port groups, uplinks, or VLAN tagging.
• The physical switch sees traffic only after the virtual switching layer has acted.

Pass check

You are ready for this objective when you can do these things:

• State what makes a hypervisor Type 1 or Type 2.
• Name one example platform for each type.
• Explain why the host OS adds a failure point in Type 2 labs.
• Decide whether a VM connectivity failure is inside the host or in the physical network.