Nested virtualization, also known as nested hypervisors, is the ability to run a virtual machine inside another virtual machine. This allows you to create a virtual machine environment within a virtual machine, which can be useful for testing, development, or education.
For example, you could install VMware ESXi on VMware Workstation and then run virtual machines inside of ESXi.
Nested virtualization is supported by most modern operating systems and hypervisors, but it is important to check the documentation for your specific hardware and software to confirm compatibility.
Nested virtualization can have a negative impact on performance, as virtual machines running inside other virtual machines will require more resources. However, in the right scenarios, nested virtualization can be a valuable tool.
How to enable Nested Virtualization in VMware vSphere 7/8
- Right-click on the virtual machine you want to enable nested virtualization for and select Edit Settings.
- In the Virtual Hardware tab, expand the CPU section and enable the Expose hardware assisted virtualization to the guest OS feature.
- Click OK to save your changes.
