Architecture for managing I/O and storage for a virtualization environment with multiple hypervisor types

A system comprising at least a processor for managing storage devices, comprising:

• a plurality of nodes that implement a virtualization environment, a first node of the plurality of nodes comprising a first hypervisor, a first service virtual machine and a first set of one or more user virtual machines, a second node of the plurality of nodes comprises a second hypervisor, a second service virtual machine and a second set of one or more user virtual machines,
• wherein the first hypervisor is of a first hypervisor type and the second hypervisor is of a second hypervisor type, the first hypervisor type and the second hypervisor type being different hypervisor types that use different sets of commands to operate;
• and
• a plurality of storage devices that are accessed by the user virtual machines via the first service virtual machine and the second service virtual machine, wherein the first service virtual machine and the second service virtual machine in communication with each other through the first hypervisor of the first hypervisor type and the second hypervisor of the second hypervisor type to virtualize the plurality of storage devices as a global resource pool, and wherein the first service virtual machine communicates with the second service virtual machine to request relinquishment of ownership of a virtual disk managed by the second service virtual machine.