ARCHITECTURE OF VIRTUAL MACHINES.

Abstract

A model is developed which represents the mapping and addressing of resources by a process executing on a virtual machine. By deriving properties of the model, one can clarify and contrast existing virtual machine systems. However, the most important result of the model is that its proper interpretation implies the Hardware Virtualizer as the direct natural implementation of the virtual machine model. Some of the characteristics of the Hardware Virtualizer are developed and then the operation illustrated through the use of a concrete example.