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Docker Moves Beyond Containers With Unikernel Systems Purchase (thenewstack.io)
joabj writes: Earlier today, Docker announced that it had purchased the Cambridge, U.K.-based Unikernel Systems, makers of the OCaml-based MirageOS, a unikernel or "virtual library-based operating system." Unikernels go beyond containers in stripping virtualization down to the bare essentials in that they only include the specific OS functionality that the application actually needs. Their design builds on decades of research into modular OS design. Although unikernels can be complex to deploy for developers, Docker aims to make the process as standardized as possible, for easier deployment.
This is something different.
Take the linux kernel, split it into modules such as tcp/ip stack etc.
Now you can create a binary that includes the part of the os that you need that you can include with your binary.
You then link the kernel and your application so you have one binary with the bits of the os you need as well as your program and nothing else.
No init system, no other processes just the os.
You can then run this inside xen as the target so you don't need the hardware support.