Virtualization Hypervisor Embedded with Server Hardware

摘要

VMware has announced ESX Server 3i, the first hardware-integrated virtualization hypervisor. According to VMware, this new version of the ESX Server architecture is designed to be integrated into flash memory on server hardware, allowing customers to run a functional hypervisor right out of the box. Because ESX Server 3i will not incorporate or rely on a general-purpose OS, VMware claims that it eliminates many of the common security and reliability problems that arise with running virtual machines (VMs) on top of an OS. Since it is contained in flash memory on the server, ESX Server 3i eliminates installation steps and relies on a Common Information Model to monitor hardware resources. An integrated command-line interface can be used for system configuration, performing maintenance, and installing patches. According to VMware, the automatic configuration features of ESX Server 3i can streamline the setup of VMs and minimize management overhead.