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Hype and virtue

Authors

Timothy Roscoe, Kevin Elphinstone and Gernot Heiser

NICTA

ETH Zurich

UNSW

Open Kernel Labs

Abstract

In this paper, we question whether hypervisors are really acting as a disruptive force in OS research, instead arguing that they have so far changed very little at a technical level. Essentially, we have retained the conventional Unix-like OS interface and added a new ABI based on PC hardware which is highly unsuitable for most purposes. Despite commercial excitement, focus on hypervisor design may be leading OS research astray. However, adopting a different approach to virtualization and recognizing its value to academic research holds the prospect of opening up kernel research to new directions.

BibTeX Entry

  @inproceedings{Roscoe_EH_07,
    month            = may,
    paperurl         = {https://ts.data61.csiro.au/publications/nicta_full_text/1473.pdf},
    publisher        = {USENIX},
    booktitle        = {Workshop on Hot Topics in Operating Systems (HotOS)},
    editor           = {{Galen Hunt}},
    author           = {Roscoe, Timothy and Elphinstone, Kevin and Heiser, Gernot},
    year             = {2007},
    pages            = {19--24},
    title            = {Hype and Virtue},
    address          = {San Diego, USA}
  }

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