Enabling Virtualization on Scalable Multicore Systems

Abstract—Current trends in computer architecture encourage rethinking of the system software design principles. Recent research on operating systems (OS) indeed confirms that the scale, diversity and associated complexities of the emerging hardware represent a tremendous challenge. However, as the traditional OS design techniques get influenced by the modern hardware, virtualization being a well-established technique in computer systems is also likely to evolve. Increasingly scalable and diverse multicores, as well as the recent OS refactoring proposals, both question the survival of virtualization we know today. This document gives a brief overview of the approaches to building scalable system software and points out some of the concerns with respect to the future of virtualization