Hypervisor Launch via Running Operating System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hypervisor systems require complex code to discover physical resources before any operating system is running, limiting their ability to share and protect resources when multiple operating systems are present on a computing system.
Innovation Solution
A hypervisor can be launched after a running operating system, allowing the operating system to discover physical resources and pass this information to the hypervisor, reducing the need for complex resource discovery code and enabling efficient resource sharing and protection across multiple operating systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the hypervisor is launched before the operating system, then the hypervisor can control and virtualize physical resources, but the hypervisor code becomes complex due to the need to discover physical resources without OS assistance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional boot sequence by launching the hypervisor after the operating system. This allows the operating system to perform physical resource discovery and presentation to the hypervisor, eliminating the need for complex resource discovery code in the hypervisor itself. The hypervisor receives pre-discovered resource information from the OS, significantly simplifying its codebase while maintaining resource virtualization capabilities.
2Device complexity
If the operating system launches the hypervisor, then the hypervisor code is simplified by using OS-discovered resource information, but the operating system must be modified to support hypervisor launch and resource passing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a hypervisor launch interface as an intermediary mechanism between the operating system and the hypervisor. This interface provides standardized protocols for the OS to launch the hypervisor and transfer physical resource information, abstracting the complexity of OS-hypervisor interaction. The launch interface acts as a mediator that simplifies both the OS modification requirements and the hypervisor implementation.
3Productivity
If multiple operating systems run on the same computing system, then resource sharing and utilization improve, but implicit OS protections become insufficient and resource conflicts may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The hypervisor serves as an intermediary layer between multiple operating systems and the physical resources. It receives resource access requests from different OSes, translates them into appropriate physical resource accesses, and enforces protection boundaries. This mediator approach enables multiple OSes to share resources efficiently while maintaining isolation and protection, resolving the conflict between resource sharing and protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The hypervisor segments physical resources into virtualized instances that can be allocated to different operating systems. It creates separate virtual resource views for each OS, allowing independent resource management while ensuring protection. This segmentation enables multiple OSes to access shared physical resources without direct conflicts, maintaining both productivity and reliability.
Data Source
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AI summary
The launching of a hypervisor after there is already a running operating system. The operating system itself may launch the hypervisor. The running operating system may be used instead of the hypervisor to discover the physical resources running on the computing system. Other operating systems or operating system instances may be launched after the hypervisor is operational.