Is there a virtualization program that can run OSs simultaneously?

I'm already familiar with OS Virtualization (vmware, parallels, etc.) and already using the host-guest types. I'm referring to what I've seen like in this video called a Hipervisor that can run several OSs at the same time.

Something like having a dual core processor with 4gb ram, allotting 1 core and 2gb to lets say a windows xp and a linux OS running simultaneously at the same time. Each OS would only be made to believe that there is only 2gb available memory and a single cpu for them to use. And switching from one to another would just take a special keystroke or something.

I plan to use it as a desktop. I'm not even sure if it is a program or a hardware feature already...

thanks in advance.

 

Hypervisors are split into two camps, Type 1 and Type 2 (creative, I know). The virtualization you're familiar with falls under Type 2, or hosted hypervisors. VMWare, Parallels, and the like all run under a host OS. Type 1 hypervisors operate just above the hardware, and act as an OS controller (they allow multiple OS to run at near native speeds). Type 1 hypervisors are also used in things like the XBox 360 to protect the system from reverse engineering and cracking.

In general, a Type 1 hypervisor tends to be for the server market. Xen is one of the common ones, especially now that it's built into the Linux kernel. Overall, a hypervisor won't be that user friendly. You'll find Xen powering servers that provide virtual dedicated hosting (for web hosting and such), where each user can have their own dedicated OS, without messing up other users on the same hardware.

The currently state of desktop virtualization is pretty much met by Parallels Desktop and VMWare Fusion -- you won't get native speeds in the guest-OS, but it'll be useable for a lot of the functionality.

 

I completely agree, (with the addition of the type 2 VirtualBox solution, which I began switching to, after being a longtime VMWare Workstation user). The only hypervisor type 1, (bare metal, or "simultaneous"), solutions, that I was aware of are the already mentioned Xen project, and VMWare's ESX Server. When I looked into it, I found out that running Windows XP under (or above) Xen, was not as straightforward as I expected, (you need help from your CPU architecture), and ESX is an enterprise solution, priced accordingly.

IMO a hypervisor type 1 system's usefulness for a laptop/desktop environment seems marginal at best. I think that stipes assertion that type 1 solutions tend to be most useful for server environments, is correct. In addition to the VM to VM protection such systems offer, they also provide better resource sharing among VMs, which would be useful in an environment where VMs were more equal in their importance. VMWare has also recently announced that their ESX hypervisor would soon be embedded onto chips on the hardware of many industry servers.

I tend to prefer a single OS (Linux) to run predominately on my laptop/desktop, and I will need to boot up a VM of another OS (XP) for specific purposes. I don't have a usage model where I would prefer to have both OSes running continuously, such that I would need both OSes to have equal access to my hardware.

Good Luck..

 

The comment on the CPU is correct but I think that most reasonable computers that are a year old or less should already have the necessary CPU architecture. My Compal IFL90, which was bought a year ago and which is a good computer but was not the fastest and greatest when I bought it, has the Intel VT technology.

But in all cases installing and managing Xen is not a trivial matter by any means.

 

thanks for all those helpful inputs! Guess I'll have to wait a little longer before those server technologies reach the Desktop market... and I'll also need to get a VT enabled processor in the mean time.