Table of Contents
- What is Virtualization Technology
- The Need for VT Technology
- How Does Intel VT Works
- How to Check VT Support in Processor
As one of the best practices, businesses are always on the run to leverage resources to the fullest. Virtualization has offered a great way to optimize business resources. The world is running after virtualization while multi-core, multi-tasking, hyperthreading have been in the market for too long now that for innovative businesses, they are already spent force!
The new buzzword is about hardware-assisted virtualization. The popularity of this technology is such that CPU manufacturing companies are incorporating this technology into the hardware. Intel processors are coming out with virtualization technology (VT) that offers enhanced support for virtualization technology.
What is Virtualization Technology
Virtualization Technology or VT is a hardware virtualization mechanism offered by Intel processors. It was formerly known as Vanderpool. This technology allows you to run multiple operating systems at the same time, effectively using CPU resources.
In simpler words, you get several independent computers to simultaneously run multiple operating systems. Intel VT is available in two models. X386 processors come with the VT-x version and Itanium – 64 models come with VT-i.
The Need for VT Technology
Today, there are several virtualization software products available in the market. Among them, VMWare, Microsoft, and Citrix share most of the virtualization market. For instance, VMWare offers powerful virtualization solutions that partition a single computer into multiple independent computers to run different operating systems. However, it uses complex software techniques to do so.
VT processors come with special instructions that control the virtualization software. With these processors, the performance of virtual networks is greatly improved. In 2006, Intel introduced VT-x which offered hardware virtualization but with limited speed and efficacy. Today, Intel processors come with enhanced VT technology that offers robust hardware support and greater speeds. Intel VT is not another virtualization software/technology but augments your virtualization power and offers more effective and sophisticated control over the technology.
How Does Intel VT Works
Intel processors come with a special feature called VMX or Virtual Machine Extension. This feature allows you to use 10 commands to perform virtualization tasks like turning the virtualization control on, entering each virtual machine and exiting virtual machine etc.
There are two different modes namely root operation and non-root operation. The virtualization controlling software (VMM) runs in the root operation mode while operating systems run in the non-root operation mode.
- VMXON: Enter the virtualization mode
- VMCALL: Virtual Machine monitor (VMM) is called
- VMLAUNCH: Virtual Machine Monitor (VMM) software enters each virtual machine
- VMRESUME: VMM software exits each virtual machine
- VMXOFF: Exiting the virtualization mode
- VMPTRLD: Load pointer to Virtual Machine Control Structure (VMCS) that holds VM data
- VMPTRST: Store pointer to VMCS
- VMREAD: Reads VM data from VMCS
- VMWRITE: Writes VM data to VMCS
- VMCLEAR: Clears the VM data stored in VMCS
How to Check VT Support in Processor
VT in Intel processors is not a new thing. Right from 2006, this technology was being incorporated into Intel processors. However, not every CPU comes with this technology. You can easily check if your processor supports VT or not.
Intel has offered a utility called Intel Processor Identification Utility that checks your CPU for VT support. You can visit this page and download the appropriate utility file for your OS https://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?DwnldID=7838
