Computer system para-virtualization using a hypervisor that is implemented in a partition of the host system

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a virtualization infrastructure that allows multiple guest operating systems to run and communicate amongst each other within a host hardware partition. The host system is divided into distinct logical/virtual partitions and special infrastructure partitions are implemented to control resource management and to control physical I/O device drivers that are, in turn, used by operating systems in other distinct logical/virtual guest partitions. Host hardware resource management runs as a tracking application in a resource management 'ultravisor' partition, while host resource management decisions are performed in a higher-level command partition based on policies maintained in a separate operations partition. The ultravisor partition maintains the master database of the hardware resource allocations and serves as a command channel to accept transactional requests for assignment of resources to partitions while also providing individual read-only views of individual partitions to the associated partition monitors.