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→Hypervisor Virtualization
== Hypervisor Virtualization ==
The x86 family of CPUs provide a range of ''protection levels'' also known as ''rings'' in which code can execute. Ring 0 has the highest level privilege and it is this ring which in which the kernel of the operating system runs. Code executing in ring 0 is said to running in ''system space'', ''kernel mode'' or ''supervisor mode''. All other code such as applications running on the operating system typically run in ring 3.
Under hypervisor virtualization a program known as a hypervisor runs directly on the hardware of the host system in ring 0. The task of this hypervisor is to handle resource allocation for the virtual machines in addition to administration and monitoring interfaces.
