Hardware Virtualization

Hardware Virtualization

1. Hardware virtualization is the abstraction of computing resources from the software that uses those resources.

2. Server virtualization

3. An OS is designed to run on a bare-metal hardware and to fully own the hardware

   • x86 architecture
     • Ring 0
       • OS runs here
     • Ring 1
     • Ring 2
     • Ring 3
       • User application runs here

4. Techniques

   • Full Virtualization
     • Guest OS is not aware it is virtualized
     • less secure
     • slow
     • Eg: Microsoft and Parallels systems
   • Para Virtualization
     • Guest OS is aware it is virtualized
     • more secure
     • faster
     • Eg: VMware and Xen
   • Hardware assisted Virtualization
     • Reduces virtualization overhead
     • Achieved by using hypervisor

5. Properties

   • Increased Security
   • Managed Execution
   • Sharing
   • Aggregation
   • Emulation
   • Isolation
   • Portability