Unlike in other Linux virtualization solutions such as User Mode Linux (or the forementioned VMware), special driver software on the host operating system is used to execute the coLinux kernel in a privileged mode (known as ring 0 or supervisor mode).
By constantly switching the machine's state between the host OS state and and the coLinux kernel state, coLinux is given full control of the physical machine's MMU (i.e, paging and protection) in its own specially allocated address space, and is able to act just like a native kernel, achieving almost the same performance and functionality that can be expected from a regular Linux which could have ran on the same machine standalone."
This sounds great and is a noteworthy achievement!
Favorited.
Although (and this is just me geeking out here, and doing some imaginary future engineering in my mind!), wouldn't it be great if someone modified both Linux and Windows -- to use a common, neutral, small-as-possible microkernel?
You know, take out the common stuff that both of them do, and put all of that into a microkernel, then change them so they can happily run alongside one another, supported by that microkernel at the center?
Note to future self (when I have the time): Look into doing this... what would be learned about microkernels and microkernel design -- if someone went down this path?
(Yes, I know about Mach and other microkernels... maybe the job would be fitting Linux and other OS's to an existing microkernel... that would certainly be easier than generating the microkernel from scratch -- but not as educational...<g>)
Comments
Unlike in other Linux virtualization solutions such as User Mode Linux (or the forementioned VMware), special driver software on the host operating system is used to execute the coLinux kernel in a privileged mode (known as ring 0 or supervisor mode).
By constantly switching the machine's state between the host OS state and and the coLinux kernel state, coLinux is given full control of the physical machine's MMU (i.e, paging and protection) in its own specially allocated address space, and is able to act just like a native kernel, achieving almost the same performance and functionality that can be expected from a regular Linux which could have ran on the same machine standalone."
This sounds great and is a noteworthy achievement!
Favorited.
Although (and this is just me geeking out here, and doing some imaginary future engineering in my mind!), wouldn't it be great if someone modified both Linux and Windows -- to use a common, neutral, small-as-possible microkernel?
You know, take out the common stuff that both of them do, and put all of that into a microkernel, then change them so they can happily run alongside one another, supported by that microkernel at the center?
Note to future self (when I have the time): Look into doing this... what would be learned about microkernels and microkernel design -- if someone went down this path?
(Yes, I know about Mach and other microkernels... maybe the job would be fitting Linux and other OS's to an existing microkernel... that would certainly be easier than generating the microkernel from scratch -- but not as educational...<g>)