Virtual Machines

TOPICS IN COMPUTER SYSTEMS: VIRTUAL MACHINES	COMS E6998, Dept of Computer Science, Columbia University

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LECTURES
The following is the schedule for the class. Exam dates and topics covered are subject to change. All classes are held T12:35-2:25PM in 825 Mudd unless otherwise indicated. Reading assignments refer to the course textbook unless otherwise indicated.
CVN is making recent recordings of the class available online for on-campus students. The final review for the class will be recorded and made available as well. Students must be connected to the University computer network in order to access the videos.

no. day date topic assignment

1 Tue 1/22 Introduction and logistics
What is virtualization? We will classify the various virtualization techniques. Also several virtual machine monitor and hypervisor architectures will be presented. We will look at many real world applications of virtualization. Read Ch 2, Ch 8:8.2

2 Tue 1/29 CPU virtualization
There are several CPU virtualization techniques traditionally used and we will cover the common ones including, trap-and-emulate, direct execution and binary translation. Homework 1 out, Read Ch 8:8.3

3 Tue 2/5 Memory virtualization
We will cover memory virtualization mechanisms, including shadow page tables and nested page tables. The important technique of memory tracing will be covered. Additionally we will look at the applications of memory virtualization including page sharing and memory balooning.

4 Tue 2/12 Device virtualization
We will cover the basics of device virtualization. Then we will delve into storage virtualization. Copy-on-write disks and checkpointing will be covered. Homework 1 due, discuss project ideas

5 Tue 2/19 Network virtualization
Virtual networks and network switches will be covered. One common form of network virtualization, Network-Address-Translation, will be discussed. Project proposals due

6 Tue 2/26 VM management
Management of virtual machines is an increasingly important topic. We will look at the issues involved in managing virtual machines. Live virtual machine migration will be covered. Also the emerging area of virtual machine appliances will the discussed.

7 Tue 3/4 Library operating systems and virtualization (Orran Krieger, VMware)

8 Tue 3/11 Display and operating system virtualization

Tue 3/18 Spring break - no class

9 Tue 3/25 Software vs hardware techniques for x86 virtualization (Keith Adams, VMware)
Project milestone due

10 Tue 4/1 VMs and security (Ophir Rachman, VMware)

11 Tue 4/8 KVM: The Linux Hypervisor (Avi Kivity, Qumranet)

12 Tue 4/15 Managing VM sprawl (Glenn Ammons, IBM)

13 Tue 4/22 VM resource management and Overshadow, (Carl Waldsburger, VMware)

14 Tue 4/29 Final project presentations

Tue 5/6 Final review

Tue 5/13 Final Exam (Projected), 1:10-4:00pm

Jason Nieh, nieh@cs.columbia.edu

LECTURES
The following is the schedule for the class. Exam dates and topics covered are subject to change. All classes are held T12:35-2:25PM in 825 Mudd unless otherwise indicated. Reading assignments refer to the course textbook unless otherwise indicated. CVN is making recent recordings of the class available online for on-campus students. The final review for the class will be recorded and made available as well. Students must be connected to the University computer network in order to access the videos.
no.	day	date	topic	assignment
1	Tue	1/22	Introduction and logistics What is virtualization? We will classify the various virtualization techniques. Also several virtual machine monitor and hypervisor architectures will be presented. We will look at many real world applications of virtualization.	Read Ch 2, Ch 8:8.2
2	Tue	1/29	CPU virtualization There are several CPU virtualization techniques traditionally used and we will cover the common ones including, trap-and-emulate, direct execution and binary translation.	Homework 1 out, Read Ch 8:8.3
3	Tue	2/5	Memory virtualization We will cover memory virtualization mechanisms, including shadow page tables and nested page tables. The important technique of memory tracing will be covered. Additionally we will look at the applications of memory virtualization including page sharing and memory balooning.
4	Tue	2/12	Device virtualization We will cover the basics of device virtualization. Then we will delve into storage virtualization. Copy-on-write disks and checkpointing will be covered.	Homework 1 due, discuss project ideas
5	Tue	2/19	Network virtualization Virtual networks and network switches will be covered. One common form of network virtualization, Network-Address-Translation, will be discussed.	Project proposals due
6	Tue	2/26	VM management Management of virtual machines is an increasingly important topic. We will look at the issues involved in managing virtual machines. Live virtual machine migration will be covered. Also the emerging area of virtual machine appliances will the discussed.
7	Tue	3/4	Library operating systems and virtualization (Orran Krieger, VMware)
8	Tue	3/11	Display and operating system virtualization
	Tue	3/18	Spring break - no class
9	Tue	3/25	Software vs hardware techniques for x86 virtualization (Keith Adams, VMware)	Project milestone due
10	Tue	4/1	VMs and security (Ophir Rachman, VMware)
11	Tue	4/8	KVM: The Linux Hypervisor (Avi Kivity, Qumranet)
12	Tue	4/15	Managing VM sprawl (Glenn Ammons, IBM)
13	Tue	4/22	VM resource management and Overshadow, (Carl Waldsburger, VMware)
14	Tue	4/29	Final project presentations
	Tue	5/6	Final review
	Tue	5/13	Final Exam (Projected), 1:10-4:00pm