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Using Hardware-Based Technology to Improve Virtualization Solutions in Embedded Platforms

  • Overview
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Hardware–based Intel® Virtualization Technology¹ improves the fundamental flexibility and robustness of traditional software–based virtualization solutions by accelerating key functions of the virtualized platform. For example, Intel Virtualization Technology:

  • Speeds up the transfer of platform control between the guest OSs and the VMM;
  • Enables the VMM to securely assign specific I/O devices to specific guest OSs; and,
  • Optimizes the network for virtualization with adapter-based acceleration.

Not just for data centers anymore, virtualization is becoming popular in the embedded marketplace and is being used in a wide variety of industries and systems to:

  • Consolidate legacy applications and operating systems onto newer platforms;
  • Converge a real-time operating system (RTOS) and general-purpose operating system (GPOS) onto a single platform;
  • Integrate trusted and open applications; and,
  • Separate performance-critical applications running on the same system.

Demo virtualization

Intel® Virtualization Technology (Intel® VT)

Embedded system developers may find added performance for particular workloads when hardware and software data prefetching is finely tuned.

More on virtualization

With support from the processor, chipset, BIOS, and enabling software, Intel Virtualization Technology improves traditional software-based virtualization.

Embedded applications for Intel® Virtualization Technology

Virtualized embedded devices require a high level of determinism and isolation between partitions so that multiple applications can share the same platform—without interruption and without compromise. The following examples show how hardware–based Intel Virtualization Technology supports virtualization solutions in different embedded applications to guarantee this result.

In-vehicle infotainment

Consumers today demand the interactive and entertainment experience in their cars; the challenge for manufacturers is to deliver feature-rich solutions quickly and cost–effectively. Virtualization enables suppliers to create secure partitions that run multiple OSs and applications on a single platform. This enables IVI solutions to support a wide variety of applications, including real-time processes. Separating OSs and their associated applications also shortens development time by eliminating code porting and retesting cycles. And secure partitions help to prevent unintended code interactions.

Telecommunications

Legacy operating systems and applications used in telecommunications systems have an extensive repository of code that is irreplaceable and not easily rewritten for today's newer high–performance platforms. Virtualization technology emulates the legacy environment, enabling consolidation of OSs and applications onto newer platforms while improving system performance. It also creates an opportunity to add value to existing systems by hosting newer applications.

Print imaging

Competitive price pressure has system developers and businesses looking for solutions that use simplified system design and offer lower platform costs. This is especially true in print imaging, enabling designers to combine the functions of the system controller module and the print formatter onto a virtualization-enabled Intel® architecture platform, running both an RTOS and GPOS.

Industrial

Similar to print imaging, industrial applications require cost-savings through consolidation of hardware platforms. However, real-time processes inherent in industrial applications require platforms that can support determinism. Hardware-based Intel Virtualization Technology allows provision of dedicated processor, memory, and I/O resources enabling precise closed loop control behavior for industrial machines and equipment.

Medical

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Many different platforms and systems are needed in a medical environment to provide bedside entrainment services, patient monitoring, machine control, image processing and clinical applications. Intel Virtualization Technology lets you converge clinical applications and real-time system control onto fewer hardware platforms, providing an opportunity for value-added services as well. What's more, selected virtual domains on a platform can be certified for FDA and FGC compliance, rather than subjecting an entire system to those requirements.

Military, aerospace, and government

Without virtualization, different platforms are required to ensure the isolation and protection of information used at various levels of security and access restrictions (e.g. top secret, secret, and unclassified). Virtualization enables creation of separate domains on a single platform. This isolates network traffic and access domains to provide absolute information assurance.

VoIP, media, and converged communications

New media phones and smart phones use a combination of closed applications (such as those required for quality–of–service and call control) and open applications (such as widgets, games, and other tools) that can be downloaded and added to the platform. Intel Virtualization Technology enables safe hosting of both closed and open applications in secure partitions without compromising performance. It also enables delivery of robust multi-service platforms and allows providers to continually introduce new applications that improve the user experience and value.

¹ Intel® Virtualization Technology requires a computer system with an enabled Intel® processor, BIOS, virtual machine monitor (VMM) and, for some uses, certain platform software enabled for it. Functionality, performance or other benefits will vary depending on hardware and software configurations and may require a BIOS update. Software applications may not be compatible with all operating systems. Please check with your application vendor.