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Red Hat Wants Xen in Linux Kernel

November1

Red Hat Wants Xen in Linux Kernel
Linux vendor Red Hat Inc. is aggressively pushing to get Xen virtualization technology included in the Linux kernel as quickly as possible.

This is Red Hat’s version of FreeBSD’s jails. It is something completely different. It is backed by a company. There is a competing open source project called vservers, but it is not as fully developed. /. thread explains more.

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Comments to“Red Hat Wants Xen in Linux Kernel”

On November 1st, 2005 at 8:50 am Logan Lindquist Says:

With Xen, a kernel panic effects only that kernel, the other kernels keep on running. Under vservers, it takes down the machine.

Under Xen you can reduce the parent kernel down to obare minimum, reducing the chance of errors.

eg: you want to run an experimental iptable module on one of the virtual servers, no problem, if it crashes, all the other servers keep on trucking.

Essentially Xen provides a better sandbox from a stability/security perspective

On November 1st, 2005 at 8:51 am Logan Lindquist Says:

Virtualization technology is a very good thing. It allows you to use multiple operating systems at once, without fights for hardware control (which is why VMWare doesn’t do it like this). But, if it’s doable in hardware, it’s doable in OS level software. Why didn’t anybody do it then?

Put differently, how are AMD and Intel going to make it work? Since hardware doesn’t like multiple masters (try a PS2 mouse with 4-5 byte protocol, it completely freaks out with a KVM switch), it’s going to go haywire if you have multiple masters. Unless, of course, you don’t. If all is virtual, make the entire computer virtual and let the OS meddle in the virtual space that’s left after that. Include drivers for anything you like in the virtualizer core and let that start up the “OS”.

The OS can then not use all features of the hardware, but only those given out by the virtualizer core. There’s no escaping it, since it’s the replacement for your BIOS. Combine that with the concept of Trusted (Treacherous) Computing and mix in a bit of Fritz chip and BIOS replacement Intel is pushing (as well), what do you get?

A computer with only drivers and everything (yes, EVERYTHING) in a checkable state, in which your OS doesn’t even control the computer anymore, but the virtualizer. You don’t want to change that one, since it renders your computer unusable. You do want to change that, since it renders your computer unusable. The state in which you control anything on your computer is becoming a paradox.

*puts on tinfoil hat, goes back within cage of faraday in radio-silent zone*

On November 1st, 2005 at 8:52 am Logan Lindquist Says:

There are a few problems with Xen. First, it’s i386 only. Second (and this is the biggest problem IMO) - Xen is venture-backed, and seems to be extremely eager to show their investors a return. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s important to consider the motivation, and the consequence of a funding pull back. If XenSource does not turn out to be a great business, then will Xen still be developed and maintained? Why not wait a little bit, in the open source world quality over quantity matters and time pressure should not influence development.

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