Soft Partitioning via Independent Firmware Instances
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing soft partitioning techniques for IPF-based systems do not provide complete isolation between different operating systems and lack compatibility with industry standard firmware interfaces, limiting the ability to run multiple OS instances on a single computer without modifying the OS or hardware.
Innovation Solution
The fPars technique involves partitioning an IPF-based computer system into soft partitions, each with its own firmware instance providing a standard IPF firmware interface, allowing for dynamic resource migration and compatibility with industry standard firmware interfaces, enabling the coexistence of multiple OS instances on a single system without modifying the OS or hardware.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If soft partitioning is implemented without separate firmware instances, then device complexity is reduced, but isolation between operating systems is incomplete and compatibility with standard firmware interfaces is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The firmware is segmented into multiple independent firmware instances, each dedicated to a specific soft partition. This segmentation provides complete isolation between operating systems running in different partitions, as each firmware instance manages only its designated partition's resources and interfaces, preventing interference between partitions while maintaining standard firmware interface compatibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The firmware instance acts as an intermediary layer between the hardware resources and the operating system in each soft partition. This intermediary manages resource allocation and interface compatibility, enabling standard firmware interfaces to work correctly in each partition without requiring modifications to the OS or hardware, while maintaining clear boundaries between partitions.
2Reliability
If hard partitioning with physical hardware separation is used, then isolation and reliability are improved, but adaptability and flexibility are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic resource allocation within soft partitions, allowing resources to be reassigned and reconfigured without physical hardware changes. The firmware instances enable flexible creation, modification, and deletion of soft partitions dynamically, providing adaptability while maintaining isolation through logical boundaries rather than fixed physical separations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from physical hardware partitioning (spatial dimension) to logical software-based partitioning (functional dimension). By introducing firmware instances as a software layer, the system achieves isolation and reliability in the functional dimension while maintaining physical resource sharing, thereby gaining adaptability without sacrificing fault containment.
3Device complexity
If a single firmware instance serves multiple soft partitions, then device complexity is reduced, but compatibility with industry standard firmware interfaces is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Each firmware instance is designed to be universal and compliant with industry standard firmware interfaces, enabling it to work with any standard operating system without modification. This multi-functionality allows each firmware instance to serve its designated soft partition with full interface compatibility, while the collection of firmware instances collectively supports multiple diverse operating systems across different partitions.
4Ease of operation
If multiple operating systems run on a single computer without partitioning, then ease of operation is improved, but system reliability deteriorates due to resource conflicts and fault propagation
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the computer into multiple soft partitions, each with its own firmware instance and isolated resource set. This segmentation allows multiple operating systems to run simultaneously with complete isolation, preventing resource conflicts between partitions while maintaining ease of operation through unified system management. Faults in one partition cannot propagate to other partitions, ensuring system stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The firmware instances act as intermediaries that manage resource allocation and interface operations for each operating system independently. This intermediary layer enables multiple OSs to coexist by mediating their access to hardware resources through isolated firmware instances, preventing direct conflicts while maintaining standard interface compatibility for each OS.
Data Source
AI summary
According to at least one embodiment, a method comprises partitioning a computer system into a plurality of soft partitions that each run an operating system. The method further comprises instantiating a separate firmware instance for each of the plurality of soft partitions, wherein each of the firmware instances provides a pre-defined firmware interface for the operating system of its respective soft partition.