Red Hat Wants Xen In Linux Kernel

DIY News writes "Red Hat is aggressively pushing to get Xen virtualization technology included in the Linux kernel as quickly as possible. This move comes as Microsoft is pushing its own virtualization products and recently relaxed some of its licensing requirements around Windows Server 2003 to facilitate more pervasive adoption and use of those technologies."

Comments

Xen into kernel

[b100dian]

What exactly does "virtualization technology included in the Linux kernel" means?
That you can run virtual machines with that kernel? that that kernel can be hosted into a virtual machine?

Or that you can install parallel kernels and run part of the ELF binaries on the other machine?..

Re:Xen into kernel

[hey!]

easier management of computing resource, unless I miss my mark.

In rough terms:

Admin Cost = N * (H + S)
where N is the number of computers, H is the network and system hardware admin costs for a single machine, and S is the sys admin costs for the machine. Distributing:

Cost = NH + NS

This is a gross simplification, since we all know that complexity is not a linear function of network size, but it will do to be goign on with. Now we take NH and by virtualizing the machine it becomes simply H, so

Admin Cost (multiple virtual machines) = H + NS

Basically, I think it'll be common practice in the future to create virtual machines out of thin air by copying a config file or some directories on a machine with available bandwidth. If the cost of enough surplus hardware is less than (N-1)H, then wouldn't it be cheaper to virtualize?

Of course the complexity is that costs aren't linearly related to N, or for that matter constant in the size and class of machine you are managing. Which is another way of saying YMMV. I think there's clear application in many kinds of situations, for example in software development where we're constantly worried about the various combinations of software our work will have to coexist with. It'd be very convenient to be able to pull a certain system configuration out of a library and have it up in a few minutes, then trash it after a few hours of use. But it may have potential in production environments too.

Two birds, one stone

[bernywork]

Not only do they get the ability to knock the shit out of Microsoft, by taking away the base platform from them, they also get to try to get some market share from VMWare.

Imagine if you would the ability to use Xen for unlimited operating systems, no licensing cost of the base OS, thinking about it, I would prefer to be in Microsoft's shoes as opposed to VMWare's. Only difference is that Xen when compared to VMWare is a very immature platform and no IT manager is going to take Xen over VMWare just yet (Unless cost is a BIG factor).

I would have to say that this is still very cool, with all the new Virtualization options come out in the new cores shortly and if they can get to market before Microsoft, this is a great way to pick up some customers. Kudos to RedHat and IBM and Intel and everyone else for making this happen.