A hardware abstraction layer acts as an intermediary between computer software and physical hardware, allowing software to run on hardware it was not designed for. It is more common in emulated and embedded systems. The layer masks the actual processes of the two systems from each other, and allows for the installation of an operating system and applications. Hardware emulation and embedded systems commonly use a hardware abstraction layer to increase the number of devices that can use the system without modification.
A hardware abstraction layer is a method of hiding physical hardware from computer software. The layer acts as an intermediary, separating the hardware and software from each other. It also masks the actual processes of the two systems from each other. The primary purpose of this level is to allow software to run on hardware that it was not specifically designed to run on. While nearly all operating systems use these layers to some extent, they are more common in emulated and embedded systems.
Computer architecture is layered. The computer begins with the hardware level and builds up to the application, or software, level. Each level-up moves closer to software and further away from hardware. Also, each step requires more processing and resources to work. For example, the system kernel is one of the core software components of the system, but it is more complex and resource-intensive than the hardware it sits on, and less than the operating system that requires it to run.
Typically, each of these layers consists of real components, hardware or software. A hardware abstraction layer is a bit of both. It is a software system that behaves like a hardware system. It sits between the computer kernel and hardware systems. The hardware abstraction layer’s job is to mask most of the system and make the kernel think it is running on a different set of hardware. When the hardware and kernel communicate, the hardware abstraction layer translates information back and forth.
The most common reason for using a hardware abstraction layer is to allow software to run on hardware it shouldn’t be on. The layer sits above the hardware and allows for the installation of an operating system and applications. Essentially, it causes the layers within the computer to branch off in two different paths. One path follows the real hardware of the system while the other follows the abstract version.
Almost every operating system has a small amount of abstraction built into it. This allows the system to run a wider range of machines, provided they fall within a broad set of parameters. This type of abstraction is so minor and common that it is rarely referred to as a hardware abstraction layer.
True abstraction is typically found in one of two places. Hardware emulation allows a complete operating system and programs to run on a computer they were not designed for. This form of abstraction is common to nearly all modern computers, as several web programs work through virtual systems. Embedded systems are of the second type. These small operating systems run everything from cars to coffee makers and often use a hardware abstraction layer to increase the number of devices that can use the system without modification.
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