If plex86 cannot self-virtualize (nest), it can be made to *appear*
to nest. A request to launch a new plex86 can be sent to the running
copy, which can then create a new VM. Of course plex86 would have
to keep track of the hierarchy of VMs created. Each VM created
is added to the tree of VMs (even though they are all on the same level).
Of course it is better if plex86 can run itself (although overhead
may be too high - each plex86 needs to be instruction scanned from
the first instance to the new instance!)
As to what nesting is useful for: My VM book says that this
provides a technique to leverage large machine resources.
Just upgrade to a new machine, and run another copy of VM
under VM to provide more machines. This removes any intrinisic
limitations on the VM software. [EG. VM doesn't really have to
support more than two VMs -- more is icing].
Also, if you have a REALLY BIG MACHINE, nesting provides a way
to organize VMs.
I don't think PCs are there yet, but on Slashdot there was a
reference to a story about someone who ran over 41,000 copies
of Linux on a S/390. Can you image a single flat list of 41,000
VMs?
----Original Message Follows----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Ramon van Handel)
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: How many VM-levels is possible?
Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2000 15:05:12 +0200
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>Ramon van Handel wrote:
>> But this doesn't mean *nesting* the virtual machines... you can run as
many
>> VMs next to each other as you want. We were talking about nesting them,
>> which doesn't sound very practical in this case.
>
>As I explained, a user within one of the VM's may want to run his own
>VM. Let's say the VM being offered on an ASP basis is running Linux,
>but the user wants to run some Windows apps within a VM or vice-versa,
>etc.
Oh ok. Misunderstanding :)
-- Ramon
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