#hypervisors

Do you know your hypervisor and firmware?

IBM Cloud VPC is built for secure cloud computing, and numerous platform planning, development, and operational characteristics assure that. However, since cloud security is usually a shared duty between the cloud service provider and the client, you must thoroughly grasp the levels of security your workloads operate on here with us. Its’ve included a few IBM Cloud VPC security components to help the virtual server clients safeguard their computing.

Start with the hypervisor

Any virtual server architecture needs a hypervisor to safeguard client workloads and cloud native applications. Everything from hardware and firmware to system software and configuration must be safeguarded from outside manipulation.

Firmware and hypervisor software are the lowest changeable code layers and good targets for supply chain and other privileged assaults. Endpoint security tools like antivirus and EDR software struggle to identify kernel-mode rootkits (bootkits), privileged threats. They rush before any defense mechanism that may conceal them. Thus, supply chain security is essential.

Qualification and testing before deployment are among IBM Cloud VPC’s procedures to ensure hardware, firmware, and software quality, integrity, and supply chain.

IBM Cloud VPC’s 3rd-generation solutions ensure platform integrity with ubiquitous code signing. This procedure digitally signs and authenticates firmware at origin before installation. Before processor initiation, a platform security module validates the firmware image’s integrity during system startup. The platform security module hardware becomes the system’s source of trust when the firmware authenticates the hypervisor and device software.

Configuring and testing devices

IBM Cloud Virtual Servers for VPC provide several profile choices (vCPU + RAM + bandwidth provisioning bundles) to satisfy clients’ workload needs. Profile types are regulated by product specifications. These product specs describe the server’s hardware, firmware, and configuration. Software encompasses host firmware and component devices. The server fleet uses these versioned product profiles produced and managed by a hardware leadership team.

New hardware and software in the IBM Cloud VPC environment are mapped to a product specification, which describes their configuration. The intake verification procedure confirms that the server’s physical composition fulfills the requirements before entering the fleet. The server is quarantined for examination and repair if its physical composition doesn’t fit the standard.

Device configuration and verification

This verification has two dimensions:

IBM Cloud Virtual Servers for VPC it must be signed by an authorized source before installation. This keeps servers running on certified firmware. IBM Cloud works with numerous vendors to sign it and set components to reject fraudulent firmware.

Only IBM Cloud-approved it may be installed: The regulated specification is updated periodically to include qualifying firmware and delete old versions. This firmware check is done after server intake and before firmware updates.

The product specs also control server settings: Some solutions need special UEFI setups, features, or constraints. Configurations are automated on servers based on the product specification. IBM Cloud’s monitoring and compliance infrastructure scans servers live.

Versioning and promoting specifications

As said, product specifications are key to IBM Cloud virtual server for VPC administration. Product specifications comprise server profile settings and are approved by the IBM Cloud product leader and governance-focused leadership team. They oversee the server’s authorized components, configuration, and firmware. Product leaders concentrate on value and market uniqueness, while the governance-focused leadership team seeks commonality.

Keep in mind that specs change: As firmware versions change or server hardware expands to handle more vendor devices, these definition files change. Because of this, IBM Cloud VPC standard is versioned to track server lifecycle changes. Each server deployment records its specification version and the planned vs actual condition.

Specifications must be promoted: A specification update may not be immediately effective in production. Instead, it undergoes development, integration, and staging before production. The rollout speed may vary depending on the devices or fixes.

IBM Cloud VPC firmware updates in waves: Although some changes need downtime, it may be updated live. The clients seldom experience this owing to live migration. As it upgrades are produced, consumers may take time to migrate. A specification update promoted via the pipeline initiates the update through runtime systems. Change severity determines update speed.

IBM Cloud VPC virtual servers provide a hardware root of trust

IBM Cloud Virtual Servers for VPC have platform security module root of trust hardware. Before the main processor boots, the platform security module hardware verifies the platform firmware image’s validity and integrity. Verifies picture authenticity and signature with an authorized certificate. Platform security module saves platform firmware image copies. If the host firmware image is not signed with the permitted certificate, the platform security module replaces it with one of its images before initializing the main processor.

After initializing the main processor and installing the system firmware, the firmware authenticates the hypervisor’s bootloader in secure boot to create the next trust link. The firmware checks that the bootloader was signed with a valid key before loading. Enrolling public keys in the server’s key database authorizes them. After clearing and loading, the bootloader checks the kernel before running. Finally, the kernel checks all modules before loading them. System boot stops for every component that fails validation.

Secure boot and the platform security module combine to prevent supply chain threats and server privileges from injecting malicious software. IBM Cloud Virtual Servers for VPC can only boot firmware, bootloaders, kernels, and kernel modules certified with IBM Cloud certificates and those of previously authorized operating system providers.

The aforementioned firmware configuration procedure checks firmware secure boot keys against the permitted list. Boot keys in the permitted keys database, banned keys, exchange key, and platform key.

Secure boot allows adding kernel and kernel module signing keys to the first stage bootloader (shim), also known as the system owner key. Thus, IBM Cloud’s operating system setup ensures that only permitted keys are registered in the mok facility.

After a server passes all tests and is permitted to start, an audit chain is built from the platform security module hardware to kernel modules.

How to use Verified hypervisors on IBM Cloud VPC virtual servers?

Hypervisor verification is enabled by default for supported IBM Cloud VPC Virtual Servers. To guarantee your virtual server instances operate on hypervisor-verified supported servers, choose a generation 3 virtual server profile (bx3d, cx3d, mx3d, or gx3). Customers may use generation 3 virtual servers to take use of these features, which are now available.

Proxmox Alternatives in 2024: Comparing 10 Hypervisors Pros and Cons #proxmox #proxmoxve #hypervisors #alternatives #kubevirt #vmware #xcpng #kvm #nutanix #openshift #redhat #azure #gcp #homelab #homeserver

There is arguably not a more popular free virtualization platform than Proxmox VE (Proxmox Virtual Environment). Proxmox has taken the home lab community by storm, and now that the VMware buyout by Broadcom has been finalized, many are jumping ship on VMware. I have tested and put a lot of effort into using other virtualization solutions so I can share my results with you in posts like these so…

One of the best features of virtualization is that all the instances of operating systems and applications installed to a hypervisor can be directly transferred to any other hypervisor. Therefore, if a company has six servers that each have their own hypervisor, then moving something like Windows 10 from the first server to the other five is as simple as sharing a document with a coworker. Never again will your company fret over data loss, when the ability to transfer information from one server to the next is so simple.

Similarly, the hypervisor program is able to recognize when a particular instance of something will require more RAM than others—if there are peak hours during the day in which employees are predominately utilizing a single application, the hypervisor will divide resources between different servers. Essentially, programs will run quicker and more smoothly, and the servers will still save energy and resources. Servers that are not in use will not drain power, nor will they be underutilized.

So what types of hypervisors are there, and where can you buy them?

There are 2 types of hypervisors you can use: Type 1 and Type 2.

Type 1

Type 1 hypervisors, also called “bare metal,” “native,” and “embedded” hypervisors are directly installed to a server’s hardware. In this case, you need a blank server with no operating system installed on it;a type 1 hypervisor acts as the server’s operating system. After you install the type 1 hypervisor, you need a manager program to run the server.

This is the catch-22 with type 1 hypervisors: the hypervisor itself is typically free (or relatively inexpensive) to install, but the content manager program often comes with a hefty price tag. For instance, VMware, the leader in virtualization, charges a baseline of $560 for a 1-year license of its most skeletal hypervisor kit (the VMware vSphere Essentials Kit), but it does not come with many features outside the hypervisor itself. Comparatively, the base price for a VMware type 1 hypervisor kit with an inclusive management program costs $1,268 with a 1-year subscription. One of the most expensive products sold at VMware is the vCenter Server Standard, at nearly $10,000 for a 3-year license with 24/hour technical support.

There is a lot to think about when it comes to pricing and management tools for type 1 hypervisors. However, they are the most effective and most efficient hypervisors because they are installed directly to a server’s hardware. With a proper management program, a business’ ability to optimize production and avoid technical issues is much higher than with a type 2 hypervisor.

Type 2

Type 2 hypervisors are much less expensive and much easier to install than type 1 hypervisors because they run on the server’s pre-existing operating system. These are called “hosted” hypervisors. If the hypervisor is a mattress protector, then the original operating system is a cushiony mattress topper placed underneath it. From there, another instance of the original operating system is installed directly to the hypervisor, and other instances of operating systems can be installed there, as well. Once again, the instances of applications are installed to those individual operating systems.

The best case for using a type 2 hypervisor is that, unlike the type 1 hypervisor, it does not require a management program to run properly. Rather, the hypervisor appears to the user the same way an application does—it can be managed and utilized similarly to any other unique instance that is installed on it. Due to the type 2 hypervisor’s ease of access, and the fact that it’s generally free to download, many businesses prefer this product when they decide to virtualize.

The biggest downside to a type 2 hypervisor is its RAM allocation. Unlike the type 1 hypervisor that can automatically switch back-and-forth between servers to ensure their resources are used effectively, the type 2 hypervisor requires the user to manually determine how much RAM an instance of an operating system or application will use on one server. This means that the host server will always being using a specific amount of RAM for each instance, even if one instance suddenly requires more than the others. Unfortunately, this can lead to computer crashes because there won’t be enough RAM to go around between everything at once. Similarly, there can be network issues if too many instances require the network at the same time, and the user wants to use the network on the host computer.

The type 2 hypervisor is great if there aren’t too many instances of operating systems or applications attempting to utilize RAM and the network simultaneously, but for a larger company that requires more resources, it may be a better idea to look into the type 1 hypervisor.

Conclusion

Virtualization has been around for almost 50 years, believe it or not. However, its application in the real world has only been implemented within the last 15 or 20 years. There are still many companies that are not aware of virtualization and its ability to run businesses more effectively. When it is broken down, the nuances of virtualization appear difficult to understand, but it essentially boils down to these key points:

Consolidate servers to save space, money, and time

Optimize server resources with the most efficiency

Avoid the stress of data loss that comes with hardware damage

Virtualization is the best option for businesses, period. There is every reason to switch, and no reason not to. So, what’re you waiting for?

Put simply, the term virtualization is defined as creating a virtual version of a thing, as opposed to an actual, tangible version of that thing. Sounds simple enough, right? But what does it mean, exactly?

Traditionally, computers and their hardware work one way: the hardware is a physical component of the computer that runs its software and its operating systems, like Windows. This works perfectly for a user who only needs one computer with one operating system. But for businesses, groups of computers (called hosts) are often run off large servers that contain the hardware necessary to service those hosts.

This is what a single server looks like.

Each server runs one operating system and runs one service application. For instance, one server is used to control email service, another for Web service, and another for database service. With this setup, it is imperative that each application be physically isolated from other applications in order to preserve their integrity. For example, if an email service and a database service were installed on the same server, any maintenance done to either of the applications would negatively affect the other. Because of this, many companies are forced to utilize multiple servers that are individually capable of performing only one service.

When a company needs multiple servers to run multiple applications and operating systems, it can get out of hand!

This wouldn’t be such a bad thing if each server were being used optimally. Unfortunately, with one server running only one application based on one operating system, it is more likely that each server is using less than 20% of its actual available resources—meaning the cost to purchase and maintain the server is astronomical compared to the application it runs. Yet, businesses need their email servers and Web servers and database servers. This is where virtualization comes in.

Think of a school as a computer host. The children who come to school every day are the individual applications necessary for the school to run. Before the school bus was invented, every parent had to drive his or her child to school, using one vehicle (or server) per child, and using extra gas and resources to do so.

Then, the school bus was invented, and it is able to transport all the children to school. Each child has his own seat, and fewer resources and gas are used to drive each child to school every day.

Essentially, virtualization does the same thing. It allows one server to run multiple operating systems and multiple applications, all of which are isolated from one another. This allows the server to run more optimally, which means businesses can use the resources they have more efficiently without spending unnecessary money on hardware purchases and electricity.

Here’s the breakdown of what a server looks like before and after virtualization:

Before virtualization, the server contains the necessary hardware, which includes the CPU, the memory, the network interface controller (NIC), and the hard disk drive for data storage. Then, an operating system (Windows, Linux, Mac, etc.) is installed directly to the server’s hard drive. This operating system now becomes inextricable from the hard drive, and it is nearly impossible to move the operating system to a different server if something were to ever happen to it. In other words, if the hard drive crashes or is physically damaged, it is unlikely that its software can be moved to a different server. And, worst case scenario, if this hard drive wasn’t backed up prior to the damage, then all the information on this server will most likely be lost.

Once again, the server is only allowed to run a single application on top of its operating system. The server is constantly draining power to run said application without utilizing all its available resources, such as memory, or RAM.

After virtualization, the server still contains the same amount of hardware as before, but now we’ve installed what’s called a hypervisor to the server’s hard drive. Think of it as a mattress protector: it covers the hard drive itself, so that the operating systems do not permeate the hardware. Yet, it still allows operating systems and service applications to lie comfortably on top of the hard drive. From here, we can install multiple instances of operating systems to the hypervisor, which will each utilize a specific amount of the server’s resources supplied from its CPU, RAM, NIC, and storage space. From there, instances of applications are installed to the instances of the operating systems. This way, the server is being used optimally, while maintaining the separations between each operating system and application. With virtualization, the server runs optimally, but is not overloaded.

With virtualization, you can consolidate all your individual operating systems and applications into only a few servers, for maximum savings and efficiency.

Virtualizing your office servers allows you to consolidate your servers to save you space, time, and (most importantly) money. Rather than maintaining a dozen or more servers that each drain the same amount of power while neglecting an enormous portion of their resources, you can optimize your server productivity and spend less money on your power bill. Using a hypervisor to virtualize your servers is efficient and effective—by allocating your available resources on your terms, you ensure that everything is doing what it needs to be doing, when it needs to do it. And, you no longer have to worry about losing your data if the hardware of a server malfunctions, because it has never been easier to transfer information.

Virtualization is the best option for businesses, period. There is every reason to switch, and no reason not to.

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Virtualization is the abstracting of physical hardware and the ability to assign those resources via software. Prior to virtualization, a single operating system was installed on each server. Servers were assigned specific tasks or functions. Email, file, database, etc. Each of the server workloads have busy and slow periods but are rarely 100% utilized. (more…)

Check out this Apple iMac running 25 operating systems concurrently

Think running two operating systems at the same time is clever? How about twenty-five?

Hypervisors or virtual machine monitors (VMM) are computer software, firmware or hardware that create and runs virtual machines.

While this demo has no practical purpose, it does help to illustrate how clean and efficient are VMware’s hypervisors.

Of course, VMWare makes one of the most widely-used…

In the fact there is a new update coming, I just cant help but wonder, who are we going to fight next? There are three, maybe four, left. Here’s our timeline options we’ve got to speculate about before .75′s release. 1. Zero tries to kill the player 2. Necro and Vanish_23 try to destroy the player. 3. GeoSigma gets fed up with waiting and goes to try to kill the player. Without Zero's consent. 4. M is secretly the bad guy. Er, well, girl. 5. “M must die as well, right?” 6. Xenon wasnt truely dead.