Partial Virtualization Bypassing Emulator for Hardware Requests
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional virtualization models require double processing of hardware requests, leading to slowed performance due to the guest's own processing and the emulator's interception, which is inefficient for high-speed functions.
Innovation Solution
A partially virtualized model where the guest operating system can issue hardware requests directly to the host operating system or device hardware, bypassing the emulator in certain circumstances, allowing multiple paths for request processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If full virtualization is used to create a hermetic sandbox, then security and isolation are improved, but processing speed deteriorates due to double processing of hardware requests
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial virtualization where the guest operating system is partially virtualized rather than fully virtualized. The guest OS can directly access certain hardware resources without emulator interception, while still maintaining virtualization for other resources. This partial approach eliminates the double processing overhead for direct hardware access while maintaining security and isolation where needed, thus resolving the contradiction between security and processing speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments hardware access into multiple paths: some hardware requests go through the emulator for full virtualization and security, while other requests bypass the emulator for direct access. This segmentation allows the system to optimize different types of hardware access differently, improving overall processing speed while maintaining security where required.
2Reliability
If full virtualization with emulator interception is used, then hardware request security is improved, but processing efficiency deteriorates due to double processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements partial virtualization where only certain hardware requests are intercepted by the emulator, while others are allowed to pass through directly. This partial interception approach maintains security for critical hardware access while improving processing efficiency for routine hardware operations that don't require emulator mediation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a hybrid architecture where the emulator acts as an intermediary for some hardware requests but not others. The guest operating system can directly communicate with hardware for certain operations, eliminating the intermediary step and improving efficiency, while still using the emulator as an intermediary for security-sensitive operations.
3Ease of operation
If the guest operates under the illusion of direct hardware access, then ease of operation is improved, but actual performance deteriorates due to emulator interception
Solution Approach 1:
The patent allows the guest operating system to partially operate under the illusion of direct hardware access. For certain hardware resources, the guest believes it has direct access and operates accordingly, which maintains ease of operation. For other resources, the emulator interception is transparently handled, maintaining performance. This partial approach resolves the contradiction between operational simplicity and actual performance.
Data Source
AI summary
A computing device hosts a virtual machine executing a guest that issues guest hardware requests by way of any of a plurality of paths. Such paths include a path to non-existent virtual hardware, where an emulator intercepts and processes such guest hardware request with a corresponding actual hardware command; a path to an instantiated operating system, where the instantiated operating system processes each such guest hardware request with a corresponding actual hardware request; and a path to device hardware, where the device hardware directly processes each such guest hardware request.