Messages in this thread | | | Date | Thu, 8 Apr 1999 02:10:52 -0500 | From | kernel@draper ... | Subject | [OFF TOPIC] Virtualizing x86 Hardware |
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Please forgive this off topic post.
Recently I stumbled upon a vendor (www.vmware.com) whose product supposedly virtualizes x86 hardware. They claim to support multiple concurrently executing instances of Linux, various flavors of Windows, Solaris, FreeBSD, BeOS, etc, all within a single x86 machine.
Is this possible? Many of these operating systems implement multiple virtual memory address spaces. This implies virtual virtual memory? IBM mainframe architectures rely heavily on microcode traps to mitigate/replace redundant guest OS function... traps missing in x86. The TLB issues alone must be a nightmare.
Then I ponder device virtualization...virtual NIC's...virtual SCSI adapters...virtual interrupt/call gates...BOGGLE!!!
Too good to be true, snake oil me thinks. Yet, VA Research and Red Hat CEOs are offering testimonials. Aeyeee...whiplash.
Does anyone on the list have experience with this stuff? I need a reality check.
Regards, Reed H. Petty rhp@draper.net
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