Test Optimization Using Software Virtualization

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Test Optimization UsingSoftware Virtualization

• Frank Pacelli

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Agenda

• Problem illustration
• Virtualization defined
• 4 virtualization approaches
• Virtualized test platforms
• Virtualization product options
• Other options

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What is Virtualization?

• Multiple OS or "Virtual Machines" installed on
  one physical machine.
• VMs run in parallel to one another
• VMs don't realized they are virtualized
• Each VM is isolated from the others
• The host simulates a hardware environment for
  each VM
• 'Guest' OS may vary in type
• Limited only by hardware

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Virtualization Approaches

• Full system virtualization
• Paravirtualization
• Native virtualization
• OS level virtualization

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Full-System Virtualization

• Virtualization is transparent to virtual machine
• Sophisticated software simulates hardware
• 3 levels above hardware

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Paravirtualization

• Underlying virtualization software exposes API
• 'Guest' OS must be modified significantly to use
  this API instead of actual hardware
• 3 levels above hardware

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Native Virtualization

• Virtualization is transparent to virtual machine
• Hardware handles routing of instructions to/from
  virtual machine
• 1 level above hardware

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OS-level Virtualization

• Only 1 OS actually installed
• OS is capable of partitioning itself so it looks
  as if there are multiple instances
• 1 level above hardware

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Virtualized Test Platforms

• Virtualization can be used in countless
  configurations to optimized testing
• Host OS is irrelevent

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Virtualization Products

•  

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Other Options

• Simulation
• Attempt to model real behavior/data
• Can only be used for unit testing
• Partially real test setup
• hybrid approach
• partial real hardware/software 
• partial simulators
• partial stubs

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Summary

• Virtualization is multiple OS sharing the
  resources of one machine
• 4 approaches
• Full system virtualization
• Paravirtualization
• Native virtualization
• OS level virtualization
• Many different configurations can be used to
  create the optimum test environment
• Open source and commercial solutions available
• Virtualizatiion reduces costs, energy
  consumption, testing complexity, and required
  rack space

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References

• Swaminathan Seetharaman, Krishna Murthy B.V.S.,
  "Test Optimization Using Software Virtualization"
  IEEE Software. Sep/Oct, 2008. Page(s) 66-69
• http//www.vmware.com/virtualization/ 
• http//wiki.openvz.org/Introduction_to_virtualizat
  ion