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Topic: X86 virtualization

	Xen and the Art of Virtualization
		Software virtualization is generally implemented via a layer of virtualization software, sometimes referred to as a VM monitor (VMM), that presents the illusion of many VMs.
		Because the virtualization software layer must have privileged control of platform resources, the usual solution prior to, say VT, is to run the layer in ring 0, and the guest operating system in less privileged rings such as ring 1 or ring 3.
		Its virtualization licensing policy has been in effect since August 2004 when SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 was introduced, and using one or more virtual images on a physical processor or server does not alter the SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 licensing policy.
	support.novell.com /techcenter/articles/nc2006_q1c.html (1114 words)

	X86 virtualization - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
		x86 virtualization is the method by which the x86 processor architecture is virtualized.
		As a result, it was very difficult to implement a general virtual machine on an x86 processor.
		Operating systems are ported to run on the resulting virtual machine, which does not implement the hard-to-virtualize parts of the actual x86 instruction set.
	en.wikipedia.org /wiki/X86_virtualization (913 words)

	Amdahl, Meet AMD: x86 Virtualization Performance Outside the Vacuum
		"Virtualization is not a new technology, but the development of high-performance processors, multi-core technology, and 64 bit have created a new scenario; some of characteristics found in a RISC-based processor have now moved into the x86 processor," says Margaret Lewis, director of commercial solutions for AMD.
		This is in spite of the x86 architecture's barriers to virtualization, namely multiple levels (or rings) of privileged operating instructions, ways for guest programs to call privileged system routines, memory protection mechanisms and asynchronous interrupts for I/O communication with the CPU.
		Retooling the x86 instruction set for virtualization with extensions such as the device exclusion vector (to enforce security among VMs) and tagged TLBs (to allow the hypervisor and each guest OS to occupy separate address spaces for faster switching) has sent a shock wave through the industry.
	www.devx.com /amd/Article/32456 (1646 words)

	Virtualization - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (via CobWeb/3.1 planetlab1.isi.jhu.edu) (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-11-03)
		Virtualization is a broad term that refers to the abstraction of resources in many different aspects of computing.
		A virtual machine is an environment which appears to a "guest" operating system as hardware, but is simulated in a contained software environment by the host system.
		Native virtualization and "full virtualization" — the virtual machine only partially simulates enough hardware to allow an unmodified OS to be run in isolation, but the guest OS must be designed for the same type of CPU.
	en.wikipedia.org.cob-web.org:8888 /wiki/Virtualization (1207 words)

	IBM Actualités - 2006-04-24 Avec System x, IBM donne une nouvelle dimension aux serveurs x86 France
		Currently, IBM clients deploy on average a total of 1,000 virtual machines a day on their IBM X3 architecture-based x86 systems, and internal research indicates more than half of IBM’s x86 customers intend to deploy virtualization technology before year end.
		Additional x86 systems for a variety of business computing needs will be introduced as part of the System x portfolio in the coming months.
		New technologies like virtualization, open standards and encryption help organizations and their partners share information in real-time and collaborate seamlessly on innovative applications ranging from designing automobiles and aircraft to discovering new medicines.
	www.ibm.com /news/fr/fr/2006/04/cp1877.html (1190 words)

	virtualization.info: Battle of the X64 platforms
		The X86 platform has long since dominated both the server and workstation markets in terms of shipments, but in terms of engineering and features, the X86 platform has continued to lag RISC/Unix and proprietary alternatives for years.
		There are gross similarities in the architectures--there has to be because of the nature of chip process technology and what economic and technical forces make you do--but there are a number of really different things that Intel and AMD are putting into their X64 platforms.
		However, to make a virtualized workstation or server environment, you have to virtualize memory--carving up a gob of main memory into pieces for each virtual machine and making sure that virtualized servers share memory for common functions so they use memory efficiently.
	www.virtualization.info /2005/05/battle-of-x64-platforms.html (403 words)

	Application Development Trends - The reality of virtualization
		Virtualization's potential is so great that it's driving product strategies at Microsoft, which announced in April that it will support mixed environments, and at chipmakers Intel and AMD, which are building virtualization capabilities into their CPUs.
		For most companies of any size, the issue is not whether to virtualize their server infrastructures, but which solutions to use.
		But once they have the virtualization software in place, they begin to realize a range of agility benefits that really aren't widely considered right now.
	www.adtmag.com /article.aspx?id=18694 (433 words)

	WebWire® \| AMD Announces Broad Availability Of Its I/O Virtualization Technology Specification
		Demonstrating continued leadership in evolving the industry-standard x86 processor architecture, AMD is making this technology available through royalty-free licenses that are designed to encourage its widespread adoption by hardware and software developers.
		AMD I/O virtualization technology complements and extends these efficiencies by providing mechanisms to support virtualization software in managing, partitioning, and securing I/O devices, which is anticipated to result in improved performance and less implementation complexity in providing I/O in virtual environments.
		AMD’s I/O virtualization technology is expected to be supported by all AMD processors in mid-2006, and is also anticipated to be implemented in chipsets and core logic designed for AMD64-based platforms in 2006.
	www.webwire.com /ViewPressRel.asp?aId=9067 (541 words)

	Intel x86 Architecture Emulators Computers
		It also can be used to accelerate bochs by executing user code inside the plex86 VM, while letting bochs execute kernel code and IO functionality inside the emulator.
		It does this by dynamically translating the machine code of the programs to be run to machine code for the native architecture.
		The main goal was to provide a Unix-like interface to the emulator and to enable access to Bochs disk-images from outside of Bochs.
	www.iaswww.com /ODP/Computers/Emulators/Intel_x86_Architecture (503 words)

	Free PC / Intel x86 Emulators, Virtualizers and Virtual Machines (thefreecountry.com)
		Intel x86 emulators imitate an Intel x86 (or AMD) machine (such as a Pentium or Athlon) on platforms that may or may not have an Intel/AMD processor.
		If you are already using an x86 machine, you might want to choose a virtualizer or virtual machine instead, which only virtualizes hardware other than the CPU.
		Xen is an open source virtual machine that allows you to run multiple guest operating systems partitioned in their own virtual machines.
	www.thefreecountry.com /emulators/pc.shtml (1276 words)

	Intel® Virtualization Technology (Intel® VT)
		Virtualization solutions enhanced by Intel VT will allow a platform to run multiple operating systems and applications in independent partitions.
		Virtualization is being employed today to get around the rigidity and high cost of managing legacy systems.
		Instead of migrating legacy applications to a new operating system, applications can be hosted with their existing operating systems in a virtual partition on the new platform, with no need for software modification.
	www.intel.com /technology/virtualization/index.htm (557 words)

	AMD's Pacifica Marks Another Advance for Virtualization
		Virtualization on the x86 platform will clear the way for a new class of innovation, making the platform more flexible, manageable and secure.
		Virtualization technology will become critical to IT users in the server and desktop environments.
		Intel introduced its Vanderpool virtualization technology — now marketed as IVT — in January 2005, and plans to ship virtualization-enabled processors early in the second half of 2005.
	www.gartner.com /DisplayDocument?doc_cd=128155 (600 words)

	Connection Magazine First Quarter 2006: Xen and the Art of Virtualization
		The concept of virtualization—"partitioning" a machine into multiple virtual machines (VMs) to support concurrent execution of multiple operating systems—has been around for some time.
		The utilization of UNIX servers is typically about 15–20 percent, and some machines, typically Windows machines, are underutilized because they are often configured to run only one application.
		IDC also predicts that more than 75 percent of all companies with over 500 employees are deploying virtual servers—servers that run virtualization software.
	www.novell.com /connectionmagazine/2006/q1/trend_talk.html (1095 words)

	Coding Horror: Virtualization and Ring Negative One (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-11-03)
		Evidently the x86 architecture is not well suited to virtualization because it doesn't meet something called the Popek and Goldeberg virtualization requirements.
		However, in a virtual machine, you don't want that kernel and driver code, or the interrupt handlers, to really have full control over the hardware; you need the VMM to be able to be able to transparently manage the system.
		But because both the VMM itself, and the virtualized guest operating system kernel and drivers are running in Ring 0— in other words, they're peers— the VMM has to do a lot of work to maintain control of the guest operating system.
	www.codinghorror.com /blog/archives/000580.html (946 words)

	The Four Hundred--Reader Feedback: VMware Weighs in on X86 Virtualization Criticisms
		He claims that the X86 architecture "offers an insufficient basis for virtualization," presumably referring to Popek and Goldberg's criteria for a VMM, set forth in their rightly classic paper "Formal Requirements for Virtualization of Third Generation Architectures" (See http://www.logos.ic.i.u-tokyo.ac.jp/~tau/lecture/os/gen/articles/p412-popek.pdf).
		The theorem cannot tell us when a virtual machine monitor (hence VMM) cannot be constructed: in fact, Popek and Goldberg point out the dangers of attempting to reason from the converse of this theorem in their very paper.
		If the chip makers' efforts are underway strictly to improve the performance of virtual machine monitors and not to address issues of system integrity, I erred and hope that the publication of your letter and this note dispel any doubts about the viability of virtualization software that is available here and now.
	www.itjungle.com /tfh/tfh020606-story11.html (1281 words)

	Hardware Today: x86 Virtualization Competition Gets Real
		Virtualization, with its attempts to squeeze extra performance out of machines by adding virtual components, has been at the heart of these efforts.
		For example, x86 virtualization, which this column will focus on, divides into two rough camps: products that emulate the hardware itself, providing virtual machines, a la those from VMware; and products that duplicate the software, providing a type of virtual server, a la those from SWsoft.
		Virtuozzo has been popular in the hosting community for its low overhead, highly scalable Virtual Private Servers for some time now, and SWsoft is looking to solidify Virtuozzo's standing in the minds and pocketbooks of enterprise IT managers.
	www.serverwatch.com /hreviews/article.php/3323131 (1039 words)

	Hardware Today: Server Virtualization Becoming Norm
		Thus, server virtualization is fast becoming a popular data center management option, no doubt because it delivers higher utilization and enables easier server consolidation.
		Dell for example, sees virtualization moving from being a discrete technology to a complete solution that is positioned, bundled and sold with systems.
		Although server virtualization means being able to create a lot more virtual servers than physical servers, the very vendors that have embraced the technology may eventually come to regret their enthusiasm.
	www.serverwatch.com /hreviews/article.php/3639556 (1630 words)

	Virtualization Gets Real (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-11-03)
		A virtualized IT infrastructure can deliver significant operational and economic benefits-boosting availability while slashing cost of ownership.
		Through a virtualization strategy, organizations can realize faster disaster recovery and increased service levels, all at a lower cost with little to no investment in additional servers.
		The lack of scalability and flexibility in traditional hardware configurations is prompting more and more organizations to turn to server virtualization, as the latter promises to make the data center more responsive to business needs, while significantly reducing operating costs.
	www.virtualization.ziffdavis.com (505 words)

	The Four Hundred--Mad Dog 21/21: Virtual's Impatience
		It might have been a poor virtual reality, although not for an audience that wanted to believe in what is saw, but so is the virtualization on X86 and X64 platforms.
		Two of the best known X86 virtualization hypervisors, from VMware and Xen, explicitly acknowledge the limitations of the processors on which their code runs, and the technical community has been well informed about the situation.
		The possibility that X86 systems and applications can violate the integrity of virtualization schemes means that VMware, Xen, and their ilk are still developers' toys or lab curiosities, not a proper basis for systems that confine an application or entire operating environment the way virtualized servers can.
	www.itjungle.com /tfh/tfh013006-story04.html (2147 words)

	About Virtualization - Home (via CobWeb/3.1 planetlab1.isi.jhu.edu) (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-11-03)
		s virtualization activity proliferates, VMware is making it easier to generate and manage virtual machines that run systems that are being virtualized for the first time or were virtualized originally by someone else.
		Processor-based virtualization improvements, rather than ungainly software workarounds, are the fastest route to erasing these barriers, according to AMD execs Margaret Lewis and Tim Mueting.
		Mueting is virtualization solutions manager for AMD and Lewis is the director of commercial solutions for the Austin, Tex.-based chipmaker.
	about-virtualization.com.cob-web.org:8888 (2579 words)

	Dr. Dobb's \| Microsoft Embraces Open-Source Xen To Run Open-Source Linux \| July 24, 2006
		Microsoft wants Linux to run effectively under its most advanced virtualization software, an upcoming hypervisor slated to be part of a new version of Windows Server, code-named Longhorn.
		For the x86 world, hypervisors are available from VMware and Xen, with Microsoft planning on delivering one sometime next year.
		Virtualization, the ability to partition a hardware server into multiple virtual software machines, is helping drive the trend toward server consolidation.
	www.ddj.com /dept/linux/191100629 (878 words)

	Plex86 x86 Virtual Machine Project (via CobWeb/3.1 planetlab1.isi.jhu.edu) (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-11-03)
		Guest kernel code is executed at a less priviliged level, causing privileged operations to generate exceptions which are managed by the VM monitor.
		Virtualized IO model: because the Linux kernel can easily be configured before compiling to remove support for most all IO hardware, the model for handling IO in the guest Linux VM is greatly simplified and improved in plex86.
		This not only removes the complexity/overhead of modeling IO hardware, but allows for more flexibility in dealing with guest-host interactions and creates a truly virtualized Linux resource which is unrooted from the actual hardware.
	plex86.sourceforge.net.cob-web.org:8888 (265 words)

	X86 architecture - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
		In 2003, AMD introduced the Athlon 64, which implemented a further extension to the architecture to 64 bits, variously called x86-64, AMD64 (AMD's branding), EM64T or IA-32e (Intel's branding), and x64 (Microsoft and Sun Microsystems vendor neutral naming convention), not to be confused with IA-64.
		Real mode is characterized by a 20 bit segmented memory address space (meaning that only 1 MiB of memory can be addressed), direct software access to BIOS routines and peripheral hardware, and no concept of memory protection or multitasking at the hardware level.
		AMD, who would traditionally follow the lead of Intel, took the initiative of extending the 32-bit x86 architecture to 64-bit, initially calling it x86-64, later renaming it AMD64.
	en.wikipedia.org /wiki/X86 (2812 words)

	Virtualization: 6 hot technologies for 2006 - Network World
		IT executives who have delayed virtualizing their x86-based servers for fear the technology remains unproved should put that project at the top of their to-do lists for 2006, as the market for virtualizing the low-volume systems heats up.
		It's a combination of factors - the increasing power and stability of the x86 platform, the maturing of virtualization software and a growing choice of software vendors - that is driving adoption at a surprisingly fast clip, analysts say.
		Using virtualization to consolidate workloads into a single box should increase utilization significantly.
	www.networkworld.com /research/2006/010906-virtualization-hot.html (622 words)

	IBM Targets Large-Scale X86 Virtualization
		IBM announced it will address unprecedented demand for large-scale x86 virtualization technologies with System x scalable servers featuring its Enterprise X-Architecture technology -- X3 -- and new software to help clients speed their virtualization efficiencies.
		Currently, IBM clients deploy on average 1,000 virtual machines a day, and internal research indicates more than half of IBM's x86 customers intend to deploy virtualization technology before year end.
		And our record as a systems vendor with more than four decades of virtualization experience gives us unique expertise to lead the x86 segment on delivering higher performance and greater enterprise tasks," said Susan Whitney, general manager of IBM System x.
	www.gridtoday.com /grid/633434.html (680 words)

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