Nested Virtualization via Emulated Hardware Interface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hypervisors that do not support nested virtualization face limitations and restrictions, preventing them from functioning properly when attempting to access underlying hardware for virtualization support, leading to the inability to create or load virtual machines and operating systems.
Innovation Solution
A hypervisor that performs nested virtualization activity for another hypervisor incapable of doing so by loading first and manipulating the virtualization hardware to emulate the necessary support, allowing the creation and operation of virtual machines and operating systems through an emulated hardware virtualization interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a hypervisor does not support nested virtualization, then it can operate with simpler hardware requirements, but it cannot create or load virtual machines that require hardware virtualization support
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer that translates virtual machine creation requests from a non-nested hypervisor into hardware-assisted virtualization commands. This intermediary mechanism enables the hypervisor to indirectly access hardware virtualization capabilities without requiring native nested virtualization support, thus resolving the contradiction between simplicity and adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the operational parameters of the hypervisor by implementing software-based virtualization emulation that changes how virtualization requests are handled. By altering the parameter of hardware access methods from direct to indirect translation, the system enables nested virtualization functionality without requiring changes to the underlying hardware capabilities
2Productivity
If a hypervisor attempts to access underlying hardware for virtualization support, then it can create virtual machines, but it encounters restrictions when hardware virtualization extensions are already in use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the hardware virtualization interface that the hypervisor can access. Instead of directly accessing the physical hardware virtualization extensions, the system creates an emulated interface that replicates the necessary functionality, allowing virtual machine creation to proceed reliably even when hardware extensions are in use by other components
3Adaptability or versatility
If nested virtualization is supported, then multiple hypervisors can operate simultaneously, but it increases system complexity and requires additional hardware capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a translation layer that acts as an intermediary between multiple hypervisors and the hardware virtualization interface. This mediator manages and coordinates access requests from different hypervisors, enabling simultaneous operation without requiring complex native nested virtualization hardware support, thus reducing overall system architecture complexity
Data Source
AI summary
Approaches for performing nested virtualization using a hypervisor which does not support nested virtualization. A first hypervisor is loaded upon booting a computing device. The first hypervisor instantiates a first virtual machine, exposes an emulated hardware virtualization support interface to the first virtual machine, and executes a second hypervisor, which does not support nested virtualization, within the first virtual machine. The first hypervisor provides nested virtualization support to the second hypervisor to allow the second hypervisor to execute a third hypervisor within a second virtual machine by the first hypervisor abstracting hardware virtualization support to the third hypervisor.