Research on Embedded Hypervisor Technology Selection: Requirements Analysis and Capability Comparison for Extreme Environment Application Scenarios

As embedded devices grow more complex, running multiple operating systems on a single device—and deploying virtualization beyond data centers into embedded systems—has become standard. This paper focuses on the hypervisor Virtual Machine Monitor and examines its selection challenges in extreme environments: disaster rescue, space exploration, deep-sea and polar operations, and security confrontations. We propose a four-layer analytical framework—"Scenario → Threat → Requirement → Capability"—to systematically compare mainstream embedded hypervisors across key dimensions. The framework is validated through real-world cases: the Mars Pathfinder mission, AWS Snowcone edge devices, and the DARPA HACMS red-team experiment. Results show no one-size-fits-all hypervisor for extreme settings, optimal selection depends on specific application context, security needs, and system constraints. In safety-critical domains, certification standards (e.g., DO-178C, ISO 26262) and formal verification—once limited to military applications—are now spreading to critical infrastructure. The selection decision process proposed in this paper can provide a reference for embedded virtualization engineering practice.