Execution of multiple operating systems without rebooting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10789082-B2
Application number	US-201414574917-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2014
Priority date	Dec 18, 2014
Publication date	Sep 29, 2020
Grant date	Sep 29, 2020

Abstract

Systems and methods for executing multiple operating systems on a computing system without rebooting the computing system are disclosed. Embodiments may include installing a first OS and a second OS on a computing system. Embodiments may further include executing the first OS on hardware resources of the computing system. Some embodiments may also include suspending execution of the first OS, and executing the second OS on the hardware resources while execution of the first OS is suspended.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for executing multiple operating systems on a computer system in isolation from one another, the method comprising:
storing, by hardware resources of the computer system an installed first operating system (OS) and an installed second OS wherein the installed first OS is associated with a first memory portion of the hardware resources and the installed second OS is associated with a second memory portion of the hardware resources different from the first memory portion, and the first and second memory portions are not shared;
executing, by the hardware resources, a firmware interface that is distinct from the first OS and the second OS and operates at a lower layer of the computer system than the first OS and the second OS to effect switching between the first OS and the second OS, the firmware interface to receive a command to switch operating systems and, in response to the command, to selectively vary execution of the first OS and the second OS, wherein selectively varying of the execution includes suspension of the first OS, the suspension being performed independently of any operation of the first OS and the second OS;
executing the first OS, by the hardware resources, under the control of the firmware interface, such that the first OS is given direct control of the hardware resources;
suspending, by the hardware resources, under the control of the firmware interface, execution of the first OS, in response to the command; and
executing the second OS, by the hardware resources, under the control of the firmware interface, such that the second OS is given direct control of the hardware resources while execution of the first OS is suspended, wherein the suspending of the first OS and the executing of the second OS are done without rebooting to load the second OS.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein neither the first OS nor the second OS is a completely virtualized OS.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
by the hardware resources, under the control of the firmware interface:
receiving a second command to switch operating systems; and
in response to the second command:
suspending execution of the second OS without copying the second memory portion; and
resuming execution of the first OS on the hardware resources while execution of the second OS is suspended.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein, in response to the command, memory used by the first OS is compressed by the hardware resources under the control of the firmware interface.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing the state of the first OS before suspending execution of the first OS by the hardware resources under the control of the firmware interface.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hardware resources comprise a virtual chassis.

7. At least one non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed from firmware on hardware resources of a computer system, implement a firmware interface that is distinct from any operating system (OS) of the computer system and is operative at a lower layer of the computer system than any such OS, wherein the firmware interface causes the hardware resources to:
boot an installed first OS and an installed second OS wherein the installed first OS is associated with a first memory portion of the hardware resources and the installed second OS is associated with a second memory portion of the hardware resources different from the first memory portion, and the first and second memory portions are not shared;
effect switching between the first OS and the second OS, wherein the firmware interface is operative to receive a command to switch operating systems and, in response to the command, to selectively vary execution of the first OS and the second OS, wherein selective variation of the execution includes suspension of the first OS, the suspension being performed independently of any operation of the first OS and the second OS;
independently of the first OS and the second OS, control execution of first OS such that the first OS is given direct control of the hardware resources;
independently of the first OS and the second OS, suspend execution of the first OS in response to the command; and
independently of the first OS and the second OS, execute the second OS such that the second OS is given direct control of the hardware resources while execution of the first OS is suspended, wherein the suspension of the first OS and the execution of the second OS are done without rebooting to load the second OS.

8. The at least one non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein neither the first OS nor the second OS is a completely virtualized OS.

9. The at least one non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 7 , further comprising instructions that implement the firmware interface that causes the hardware resources to:
receive a second command to switch operating systems; and
in response to the second command:
independently of the first OS and the second OS, suspend execution of the second OS without copying the second memory portion; and
independently of the first OS and the second OS, resume execution of the first OS on the hardware resources while execution of the second OS is suspended.

10. The at least one non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 7 , further comprising instructions that implement the firmware interface that causes the hardware resources to:
independently of the first OS and the second OS, in response to the command, compress memory used by the first OS.

11. The at least one non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 7 , further comprising instructions that implement the firmware interface that causes the hardware resources to:
independently of the first OS and the second OS, in response to the command, store a state of the first OS before suspending execution of the first OS.

12. Apparatus for executing multiple operating systems on a computer system in isolation from one another, the apparatus comprising:
hardware resources, including at least one processor, memory, a firmware portion, and input/output facilities;
wherein the hardware resources store an installed first operating system (OS) and an installed second OS, wherein the installed first OS is associated with a first memory portion of the memory of the hardware resources and the installed second OS is associated with a second memory portion of the memory of the hardware resources different from the first memory portion, and the first and second memory portions are not shared;
wherein the firmware portion includes instructions that, when executed by the hardware resources, cause the hardware resources to implement a firmware interface that is distinct from the first OS and the second OS and is operative at a lower layer of the computer system than the first OS and the second OS to effect switching between the first OS and the second OS, the firmware interface to receive a command to switch operating systems and, in response to the command, to selectively vary execution of the first OS and the second OS, wherein selective variation of the execution includes suspension of the first OS, the suspension being performed independently of any operation of the first OS and the second OS;
wherein the firmware interface is to:
initiate execution of the first OS, such that the first OS is given direct control of the hardware resources;
suspend execution of the first OS in response to the command; and
execute the second OS, such that the second OS is given direct control of the hardware resources while execution of the first OS is suspended, wherein the suspension of the first OS and the exec

Assignees

• Sliwa Robert J
• Burchett Brittney
• Didomenico Michael J
• Thompson Bryan E
• Unisys Corp

Inventors

• Sliwa Robert J
• Burchett Brittney
• Didomenico Michael J
• Thompson Bryan E

Classifications

• G06F2009/45575

  Starting, stopping, suspending or resuming virtual machine instances · CPC title

• G06F9/45541

  Bare-metal, i.e. hypervisor runs directly on hardware · CPC title

• G06F9/4418

  Suspend and resume; Hibernate and awake · CPC title

• G06F9/45558 Primary

  Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects · CPC title