Reverse Virtualization

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Reverse or Unifying Virtualization

My understanding is that virtualization software is designed to create many virtual hardware instances, so that a four core Xeon CPU can spawn 25 or more virtual CPUs.

I have three questions:

1. What 'model' CPU is being created virtually? Is it a direct virtualization of a particular Intel CPU, like a Xeon 5630, or is it just a basic 8086 CPU?

1. Is there a way to select which model CPU is virtualized? Would it be possible to offer upgraded virtualization options, to match Intel's latest CPU technology?

1. Most important: Instead of an actual physical E3 Xeon quad core using a virtual abstraction layer to create many more virtual CPUs, is there a product that goes in the opposite direction? That is, I want my physical quad-core Xeon to virtualize a SINGLE-core 'super CPU', so that all 2.2 billion transistors can run a single-threaded program. Currently, any single-threaded program can only use one core, or 1/4 of the transistors on a quad-core CPU - I want to find an abstraction layer that will focus all transistors, from all cores, onto a single program.

This would actually be a 'unifying' virtualization, combining multiple physical cores to virtualize a single-core CPU. If such an abstraction layer were developed, could it also possibly virtualize a CPU that does not yet exist physically? So, Intel could virtualize a future CPU that relies on manufacturing processes that haven't yet been developed. Or could it virtualize a CPU that is too expensive to build, with, for example, 2 GB of L1 cache? Could a light-based photonic CPU be virtualized?

It seems like something that Intel would have to initiate and allow, like hyperthreading, but I am not sure about that.

I just wonder if someone has developed such a program – there are many single-threaded apps still in use, and it is frustrating to see all this Xeon horsepower unused.

A 'reverse virtualization' abstraction layer could be invoked just for a selected single-threaded program – once the program is closed, the cores on the CPU would be again available individually.

A relatively low-end Xeon could become much more powerful, depending on the CPU that is virtually created.

Such 'reverse virtualization', or 'unifying virtualization', would be a win for Intel, it would be a win for users, and it would reduce the pressure on software vendors to re-write their programs for multi-threading.

[idata]

Hello TomHawkins321,

Most of the answers to your questions should be provided by the software virtualization developer, they should be able to let you know what processors have they tested on their software. According to some virtualization software they require Intel Virtualization Technology (Intel VT) and from my end these models comply with that requirement http://ark.intel.com/Search/FeatureFilter%3FproductType%3Dprocessors%26VTD%3Dtrue%26ExtendedPageTables%3Dtrue Intel® Product Specification Advanced Search.

Regards,

Amy C.

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/thread/115168 TomHawkins321,

If you need further assistance let us know.

Regards,

Amy C.