Bare metal refers to a physical computer or server that is not virtualized and does not run on top of a hypervisor or other virtualization layer. It is called “bare metal” because the hardware is not abstracted or hidden in any way, and the operating system and applications have direct access to the physical hardware resources.
Bare metal systems are typically used in situations where the performance and reliability of virtualization are not sufficient, such as in high-performance computing, big data, and other resource-intensive applications. They are also commonly used in environments where security is a critical concern, as they can provide a more secure and isolated platform for running applications.
One of the main advantages of bare metal systems is that they offer higher performance and lower latency compared to virtualized systems. This is because they do not have the overhead of a virtualization layer and can make more efficient use of the underlying hardware resources. However, bare metal systems can also be more difficult to manage and require more specialized expertise to configure and maintain.
There are several types of bare metal systems
There are several types of bare metal systems, including:
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Single-tenant bare metal servers: These are dedicated physical servers that are not shared with other users. They are typically used in cases where the workload requires a high level of performance and isolation, such as in high-performance computing or in applications with strict security requirements.
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Multi-tenant bare metal servers: These are physical servers that are shared among multiple users or tenants. They are typically used in cases where the workload does not require a high level of performance and isolation, but still needs the benefits of a bare metal environment.
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Bare metal cloud: This is a cloud computing platform that provides access to bare metal servers on demand. It allows users to quickly and easily provision and manage bare metal servers, without the need for specialized hardware or expertise.
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Edge computing bare metal: This is a type of bare metal system that is deployed at the edge of a network, closer to the user or data source. It is used in cases where low latency and high performance are critical, such as in IoT applications or in real-time data processing.
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Container-based bare metal: This is a type of bare metal system that uses containers to run applications. It allows users to deploy and manage applications in a consistent and portable manner, while still benefiting from the performance and isolation of bare metal systems.
