Flexible OS Adapting to Virtualization

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing operating systems face performance degradation when virtualized due to the need for mediation by a Virtual Machine Monitor (VMM), which compromises the virtual machine interface, and require significant modifications for paravirtualization, leading to maintenance and support burdens.

Innovation Solution

A flexible operating system that can determine its environment and adapt to operate either natively or as a paravirtualized system, using a global variable set during boot-up to indicate its usage, allowing it to make optimized calls to the VMM for privileged operations, thereby minimizing performance loss.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If pure virtualization is used to maintain transparency and allow OS to run without modification, then ease of operation is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to 30-50% performance degradation

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveOS transparency and ease of operationVSAvoidapplication performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The OS dynamically adapts its behavior based on runtime detection of whether it is running native or virtualized. The system transitions between two operational modes: transparent mode for ease of operation and paravirtualized mode for performance optimization, allowing the OS to be both easy to operate and productive depending on context

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If paravirtualization is implemented to improve performance by reducing performance loss to 5% or less, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases due to required OS modifications

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveapplication performanceVSAvoidOS modification complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the parameter of OS configuration from fixed (either native or paravirtualized) to variable. By detecting the runtime environment and switching between transparent and paravirtualized operational modes, the system achieves performance optimization without permanent structural modifications to the OS codebase

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If separate OS images are maintained for native and paravirtualized environments, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases due to maintenance and support burdens

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironment compatibilityVSAvoidmaintenance complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The OS achieves multi-functionality by incorporating both transparent and paravirtualized capabilities within a single codebase. The universal OS can detect its environment and adapt its behavior accordingly, eliminating the need for separate OS images while maintaining compatibility with both native and virtualized environments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS7877747B2Flexible operating system operable as either native or as virtualized

Publication Date: 2011.01.25 HEWLETT PACKARD ENTERPRISE DEV LP

AI summary

According to at least one embodiment, a flexible operating system comprises operability for executing in a first manner as a native operating system on a computer system and for executing in a second manner as a virtualized operating system on the computer system. The flexible operating system further comprises code for determining whether it is being used as a native operating system or as a virtualized operating system on the computer system.