| Virtualization stack adds Vista support |
Jun. 24, 2008
VirtualLogix has announced that the Intel Architecture (IA) versions of its embedded virtualization stack now support Windows Vista. VLX Embedded and VLX for Network Infrastructure (VLX-NI) let Windows Vista-based virtual machines run alongside real-time operating systems (RTOSes), without compromising the latter's deterministic capabilities, according to the company.
VirtualLogix's announcement of explicit Windows Vista support for its virtualization stack follows the April release of VLX 3.0. Adding support for Microsoft Windows guests to VLX for the first time, version 3.0 also included support for Intel's VT-d (virtualization technology for directed I/O). For more information, see our earlier coverage, here.
VLX's real-time virtualization technology runs Windows Vista securely in an isolated virtual machine next to RTOSes and their applications, according to VirtualLogix. The feature allows device designers the opportunity to employ Vista for user interfaces, while still being able to rely on performance-critical subsystems, the company says.
Background
VirtualLogix's VLX products combine a compact scheduler with various nanokernel components, in order to share system hardware resources between multiple heterogeneous operating system instances. The company claims that the technology helps reduce bill-of-material costs while encouraging legacy OS/application reuse, software failure containment, resource utilization, and license segregation.
VLX-NI 3.0 architecture
As opposed to enterprise virtualization products such as VMWare, VLX omits server-oriented administrative tools that have no place on an embedded device. A more important difference, says VirtualLogix, is that guest OSes can talk directly to real hardware, rather than to emulated hardware devices. Another perspective might be that while VMWare is optimized for easy installation on a variety of hardware, VLX is optimized for high-performance applications, including those requiring real-time determinism.
In an April interview with our sister publication LinuxDevices.com, VirtualLogix's Mark Milligan, VP of marketing, explained that Intel's VT-d technology provides a "DMA re-map" that can be likened to "an MMU (memory management unit) for DMA." He added, "VT-d totally isolates each guest OS, even when accessing DMA with native device drivers."
Virtual I/O vs. "Direct assigned" I/O with VT-d
(Source: Intel)
Milligan added, "Without VT-d, we have ways of isolating guest OSes, but it's not as high-performing. VTD brings complete isolation at DMA level, and VLX provides it at the normal memory level. So each OS is using its native device driver, and accessing what it thinks is the physical hardware."
According to Milligan, presenting guest OSes with emulated hardware simplifies installation, but reduces performance and configurability. "We think of [enterprise virtualization] as an adjacent market. It's been helpful in educating the market. But wherever there's a real-time need, that's the kind of thing we're good at -- real-time determinism and predictability."
Competitors in the embedded virtualization space include Wind River, which last year acquired FSMLabs's real-time para-virtualization technology; Open Kernel Labs (OK Labs), whose real-time virtualizing microkernel can reportedly run Windows CE alongside real-time operating systems (RTOSes) such as eCos, iTron, or Nucleus; and Sysgo, whose PikeOS includes para-virtualization technology that can host Windows XP Embedded as a guest OS. Trango, meanwhile, offers a Hypervisor product claimed to improve security compared to other virtualization products because its micro-architecture kernel runs the guest OSes in CPU user mode rather than protected mode.
Availability
VirtualLogix VLX Embedded and VLX-NI are available immediately, with pricing available upon request, says VirtualLogix.
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