Virtualization system with hypervisor embedded in bios or using extensible firmware interface
US8127292B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 23, 2008 |
| Grant date | Feb 28, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 29, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F2009/45587
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A computer system includes a first portion of a Hypervisor is loaded into the memory as a part of an Extensible Firmware Interface upon start up and prior to loading of an operating system. The first portion is responsible for context switching, at least some interrupt handling, and memory protection fault handling. The first portion runs on a root level. An operating system is loaded into a highest privilege level. A second portion of the Hypervisor is loaded into operating system space together with the operating system, and runs on the highest privilege level, and is responsible for (a) servicing the VMM, (b) servicing the VMs, (c) enabling communication between code launched on non-root level with the second portion of the Hypervisor to perform security checks of trusted code portions and to enable root mode for the code portions if allowable. The VMM runs on the highest privilege level. A Virtual Machine is running under control of the VMM. Trusted code runs on non-root level. The first portion of the Hypervisor verifies trusted code portions during their loading or launch time, and the trusted code is executed on root level.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.