IBM throws weight behind multi-OS push

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virtual machines. Another is validating features of the Cell processor, which has nine separate processing cores. And a third is an IBM supercomputing project called PERCS (Productive, Easy-to-use, Reliable Computing System).

Hypervisor hype
A hypervisor--a term IBM is trying to trademark--is basic software that runs atop the processor, allocating resources such as processing power, memory and network links. By creating virtual connections to these resources--"virtualizing" them--the hypervisor provides a flexible foundation that can let a computer run multiple operating systems and thus multiple tasks more efficiently.

Juggling numerous tasks has long been a useful ability for corporate computing centers. Now such abilities are increasingly useful at home as computer networks get more complex and useful, King said.

"It's fascinating to me that something that's been seen as a benefit for enterprise data centers is percolating its way down into the set-top box," King said.

The rHype software virtualizes only some resources, which makes it fall into the same "paravirtualization" category as the Xen hypervisor project. IBM developed security software called sHype on the rHype software, but in January it pledged to create a version that will work with Xen.

Among features IBM touts with rHype:

• A design that can handle sophisticated memory tasks and that works well with high-speed cache memory.

• Support for IBM's open-source K42 operating system for multiprocessor servers.

• The ability to run on several processor simulators, including the "Mambo" simulator of IBM's PowerPC 970 family of processors, the general-purpose QEMU simulator and the BOCHS x86 simulator. rHype also has run on VMware.

• Interfaces to use the software on servers with multiple processors and with multithreaded processors--those that can execute multiple simultaneous instruction sequences.

Divide and conquer
Xen and rHype contrast with virtual machine software such as VMware and Virtual Server, which employ full virtualization. That means an operating system doesn't need to be modified, as generally is the case with paravirtualization today, but runs more slowly.

There are other ways of dividing a system so it can run multiple operating systems. Some higher-end IBM Intel servers have hardware-based partitions. And Linux-Vserver, SW-soft's Virtuozzo and Solaris containers divides a single instance of an operating system so it appears that separate users have their own copies.

In addition to the rHype project, IBM has a commercial hypervisor running on machines that use its Power processors. Because rHype uses the same interfaces as the commercial hypervisor, Linux doesn't have to be modified to run on an rHype-Power foundation. With rHype on x86 chips, Linux must be modified to work.

IBM isn't the only company interested in helping Xen grow beyond x86 servers. Hewlett-Packard programmers have been working on Xen for computers using Intel's Itanium 2 processor.

Although IBM is sharing the source code underlying the rHype project, it currently isn't accepting modifications from outsiders.

[qazwiz]

What about Windows?

I didn't see mention of windows. does it allow Windows and Linux to run at the same time?

...What's the Hot-Key? er.. maybe I'd better install first....

No really, I do wish to know if it allows "Hot-Key" switching between Linux and Windows running at the same time. (as opposed to restarting computer with different OS option)

[Shankland]

Windows boot support unclear

IBM declined to comment for this story, so I'm afraid it's unknown whether Windows will boot. My guess is that it could, theoretically, on x86 computers running rHype. However, at least for the time being, booting Windows on rHype would almost certainly require modifications to the operating system that would require access to Windows source code. But because Microsoft has its own product in this area, it's not clear how eager it would be to help support rival software. As a final point, coming extensions to x86 chips such as Intel's VT may make it much easer to run operating systems without having to modify them.

[Ubber geek]

"Hot-Key" switching

http://www.analogstereo.com/citroen_c1_owners_manual.htm

Windows will be dead

I don't think windows have the future if Microsoft continues to closely guard its source code from developers around the world.

With the giant like IBM supporting Open source and now with this new platform,we can have best of open source running simultaniously one one machine and giving optimum performance.

Let Microsoft come out with their own "MS-Hyper something something" :)

[Earl Benser]

Besides....

... isn't it about time that the x86 processor series is abandoned?
Right now, growth on the Intel proicessors is handicapped by
the need to retain compatibility with 8086/8088 opcodes. Apple
realized the limits of the 68000 and went to RISC via the
PowerPC chip, then the G3, G4, and G5 sequence. Meanwhile,
the Pentiums are little more that 8088's on steroids.

All we need is to find somebody at MS who is smart enough to
write an OS for a new Intel processor. (That's not Bill, he
basically 'innovated' DOS and never could figure out a BIOS.) But
someone needs to redirect the PC development, and the
corresponding OS development, into a effective design path.