Types of Hardware Virtualization Techniques and its
advantages
Virtualization is a structure that segregates a computer resource into manifold
execution environments and is it often trusted to craft a virtual version of a
resource or a device. It also permits to run multiple operating systems on the
same system by providing virtualized hardware to the guest operating system.
It has become a part of the engineering era as something or the other is
improvised and virtualized every passing day. Right from the act of splitting
networks, storage devices, physical servers, applications, hard drives and
much more to arrive at better environments for trouble-free implementation
and enhanced user experience, virtualization has evolved as the need of the
hour. Some leading virtualization companies like Citrix, VMware, Microsoft,
IBM, Oracle.
Types of hardware virtualization techniques and its advantages:
Virtualization techniques are used to generate numerous isolated partitions on
a single physical server and these techniques vary in the Virtualization
solutions methods and the level of abstraction while offering similar traits and
traveling towards the same goal. The most popular virtualization techniques
are:
1. Full Virtualization: This technique fully virtualizes the main physical
server to support applications and software to operate in a much similar way
on virtualized divisions. This creates an environment as if it is working on a
unique server. Full virtualization technique enables the administrators to run
unchanged and entirely virtualized operating system.
Advantages:
• Full virtualization technique grants the potential to combine existing
systems on to the newer ones with increased efficiency and a well-
organized hardware.
• This methodology contributes effectively to trim down the operating
costs engaged in repairing and enhancing older systems.
• The less competent systems can be power-packed with this technique,
while reducing the physical space and augmenting the overall
performance of the company.
2. Virtual machines: Virtual machines are popularly known as VMs,
imitate certain factual or illusory hardware requiring the valid resources from
the host, which is nothing but the actual machine operating the VMs. A virtual
machines monitor (VMM) is used in certain cases where the CPU directives
need extra privileges and may not be employed in user space.
Advantages:
• This methodology benefits numerous system emulators who use it for
running a random guest operating system without altering the guest
OS.
• VMMs are used to examine the performed code and facilitate its secure
running. For such varied benefits it is widely used by Microsoft Virtual
Server, QEMU, Parallels, VirtualBox and many other VMware products.
• Full Virtualization – In this type of Hardware Virtualization, there is no need
for any physical modifications to execute the applications as the hardware
architecture simulates that of an environment where a normal operating
system is running on a server. Here, the compatibility function allows the
system administrators to integrate the existing and the new system set-up to
manage the application more efficiently.
• Emulation Virtualization – In this type of Hardware Virtualization, the guest
operating system does not require any modifications as the Virtual Machine
assists in simulating the hardware components. In this setup, the hardware acts
as architectural support that manages and runs the virtual machines efficiently.
• Para-virtualization – In this type of Hardware Virtualization, the software
runs an isolated system by utilizing an API that helps in modifying the guest
operating system. Here, the hardware components are not simulated while the
hypervisor uses memory management in order to execute a set of commands
and helps in running the system
3. Para-Virtualization: This methodology clearly runs modified versions of
operating systems. Only the software and programs are carried out in a
precise manner to work for their exclusive websites without executing any
kind of hardware simulation. Using this technique, the guest is very well aware
of its environment as the para-virtualized OS is altered to be alert about its
virtualization.
Advantages:
• It enhances the performance notably by decreasing the number of
VMM calls and prevents the needless use of privileged instructions.
• It allows running many operating systems on a single server.
• This method is considered as the most advantageous one as it
augments the performance per server without the operating cost of a
host operating system.
[Link]. Full Virtualization Paravirtualization
In Full virtualization, virtual In paravirtualization, a virtual
machines permit the machine does not implement full
execution of the instructions isolation of OS but rather
with the running of provides a different API which is
unmodified OS in an utilized when OS is subjected to
1. entirely isolated way. alteration.
While the Paravirtualization is
Full Virtualization is less more secure than the Full
2. secure. Virtualization.
Full Virtualization uses
binary translation and a While Paravirtualization uses
direct approach as a hypercalls at compile time for
3. technique for operations. operations.
Full Virtualization is slow Paravirtualization is faster in
than paravirtualization in operation as compared to full
4. operation. virtualization.
Full Virtualization is more Paravirtualization is less portable
5. portable and compatible. and compatible.
Examples of full
virtualization are Microsoft
and Parallels systems. Examples of paravirtualization
VMWare ESXi and are Microsoft Hyper-V, Citrix Xen,
6 Microsoft Virtual Server etc.
It supports all guest The guest operating system has
operating systems without to be modified and only a few
7. modification. operating systems support it.
Using the drivers, the guest
The guest operating system operating system will directly
8. will issue hardware calls. communicate with the hypervisor.
[Link]. Full Virtualization Paravirtualization
It is less streamlined
compared to para-
9. virtualization. It is more streamlined.
It provides the best It provides less isolation
10. isolation. compared to full virtualization.
4. Operating System level Virtualization: Operating system level
virtualization is specially intended to grant the necessary security and
separation to run manifold applications and replicas of the same
operating system on the same server. Isolating, segregating and providing
a safe environment enables the easy running and sharing of machines of
numerous applications operating on a single server. This technique is used by
Linux-VServer, FreeBSD Jails, OpenVZ, Solaris Zones and Virtuozzo.
Advantages:
• When compared with all the above mentioned techniques, OS level
virtualization is considered to give the best performance and
measurability.
• This technique is easy to control and comparatively uncomplicated to
manage as everything can be administered from the host system.
Virtualization has become a widespread concept in the today's world of
information technology. Decisive and influential designers can do all the
wonders required for optimizing the performance of virtualized systems while
steadily focusing on your business needs.
VMM(Virtual Machine Manager):
The program that is used to manage processor scheduling and physical
memory allocation. It creates virtual machines by partitioning the actual
resources, and interfaces the underlying hardware (virtual operating
platform) to all operating systems (both host and guest).
Hardware-Assisted Virtualization is a platform that allows efficient functioning
of the system hardware from the host processor with the help of a Virtual
Machine (VM). It consists of several abstract or logical layers where the VM is
being installed in a host Operating System (OS) where it is used to generate
other virtual machines. In this abstract execution environment, the OS acts as
a guest while the physical component represents the host, the hypervisor as
the Virtual Machine Manager, and the emulation process as the Virtual
Machine.
The hypervisor in turn creates an abstraction layer between the host and the
guest components of the Virtual Machine (VM) that uses virtual processors.
To make efficient hardware virtualization, the virtual machine interacts with
the hardware components without any intermediary host OS. In running this
setup, multiple VMs can be hosted at a time, although each VM gets isolated
individually. This is because cyber threats and system crashes can be
avoided in multiple VMs and can be restricted to a single VM to increase the
overall efficiency of the system