Abstract: A method of implementing virtualization involves an improved approach to resource management. A virtualizing subsystem is capable of creating separate environments that logically isolate applications from each other. Some of the separate environments share physical resources including physical memory. When a separate environment is configured, properties for the separate environment are defined. Configuring a separate environment may include specifying a physical memory usage cap for the separate environment. A global resource capping background service enforces physical memory caps on any separate environments that have specified physical memory caps.

Abstract: A method of implementing virtualization involves an improved approach to virtual memory management. An operating system includes a kernel, a resource control framework, a virtual memory subsystem, and a virtualization subsystem. The virtualization subsystem is capable of creating separate environments that logically isolate applications from each other. The virtual memory subsystem utilizes swap space to manage a backing store for anonymous memory. The separate environments share physical resources including swap space. When a separate environment is configured, properties are defined. Configuring a separate environment may include specifying a swap cap that specifies a maximum amount of swap space usable by the separate environment. The resource control framework includes a swap cap resource control. The swap cap resource control is enforced by the kernel such that during operation of the separate environment, the kernel enforces the swap cap specified when the separate environment was configured.

Abstract: A method of implementing virtualization involves dynamic, temporary resource pools. A virtualizing subsystem is capable of partitioning a plurality of physical resources to create resource pools. The virtualizing subsystem is further capable of creating separate environments that logically isolate applications from each other, and assigning a created separate environment to a created resource pool. A separate environment is configured by defining properties of the separate environment. Configuring the separate environment includes specifying at least one resource pool attribute. When the separate environment is started, a temporary resource pool is created from available physical resources and the separate environment is assigned to the temporary resource pool. The temporary resource pool is created in accordance with the at least one resource pool attribute specified when the separate environment was configured. The temporary resource pool may be destroyed when the separate environment is shutdown.

Abstract: The present invention provides, in one embodiment, a multi-level service model operating system environment that may be partitioned into a global zone and one or more non-global zones to isolate processes from processes executing in association with other non-global zones under control of a single kernel instance. In one embodiment, the multi-level service model includes a virtual platform layer and an application layer. The virtual platform layer may include services and resources for supporting the zones, which can be made accessible to the zones in the form of a virtual platform. The application layer may comprise the non-global zones, including an application environment for maintaining a runtime state for the zone's processes and any zone-constructed objects, such as network connections and shared memory segments. In one embodiment, control and management of non-global zones can be provided by a system of states and transitions.

Abstract: A method of implementing virtualization involves an improved approach to virtual memory management. An operating system includes a kernel, a resource control framework, a virtual memory subsystem, and a virtualization subsystem. The virtualization subsystem is capable of creating separate environments that logically isolate applications from each other. The virtual memory subsystem utilizes swap space to manage a backing store for anonymous memory. The separate environments share physical resources including swap space. When a separate environment is configured, properties are defined. Configuring a separate environment may include specifying a swap cap that specifies a maximum amount of swap space usable by the separate environment. The resource control framework includes a swap cap resource control. The swap cap resource control is enforced by the kernel such that during operation of the separate environment, the kernel enforces the swap cap specified when the separate environment was configured.

Abstract: A method of implementing virtualization involves dynamic, temporary resource pools. A virtualizing subsystem is capable of partitioning a plurality of physical resources to create resource pools. The virtualizing subsystem is further capable of creating separate environments that logically isolate applications from each other, and assigning a created separate environment to a created resource pool. A separate environment is configured by defining properties of the separate environment. Configuring the separate environment includes specifying at least one resource pool attribute. When the separate environment is started, a temporary resource pool is created from available physical resources and the separate environment is assigned to the temporary resource pool. The temporary resource pool is created in accordance with the at least one resource pool attribute specified when the separate environment was configured. The temporary resource pool may be destroyed when the separate environment is shutdown.

Abstract: A method of implementing virtualization involves an improved approach to resource management. A virtualizing subsystem is capable of creating separate environments that logically isolate applications from each other. Some of the separate environments share physical resources including physical memory. When a separate environment is configured, properties for the separate environment are defined. Configuring a separate environment may include specifying a physical memory usage cap for the separate environment. A global resource capping background service enforces physical memory caps on any separate environments that have specified physical memory caps.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a mechanism for managing and controlling global visibility of resources in zones within an operating system controlled by a single kernel instance. Embodiments enable isolation and virtualization of processes within a single image of an operating system, without requiring implementation of hardware support (such as the introduction of an additional privilege level) to isolate privileged programs, and without multiple instances of an operating system or operating system kernel for some applications.

Abstract: A mechanism is disclosed for establishing a separate virtual system console for each non-global zone of an operating system environment that has been partitioned into a global zone and one or more non-global zones. An operating system kernel instance implements a virtual console driver. A particular instance of the virtual console driver is executed. A device node is established within a non-global zone controlled by the kernel instance. An association is established between the device node and the particular virtual console driver instance. A process executes within the device node's non-global zone. In response to the process' request to write to the device node, it is determined which virtual console driver instance is associated with the device node. In response to determining that the device node is associated with the particular virtual console driver instance, data received from the process is sent to the particular virtual console driver instance.