SWsoft Console Runs 2,000 Virtual Linux OSes

By Bernard Cole
iApplianceWeb
(02/23/02, 09:01:03 PM EDT)

San Francisco, Ca. -- As large server companies such as IBM, Sun, Compaq and Hewlett Packard scramble to lower the cost of server-based Web Services to iAppliance users, SWsoft Inc. has found a way to "virtualize" 2,000 instances of the open source Linux OS on a single server platform.

While virtualization is a common technique used by server vendors to provide increased levels of security and reliability with separate instances of operating systems for specific services, the tradeoff that often has to be made is its impact on performance.

According to SWsoft Chief Software Engineer Alexey Kuznetsov, the key to achieving this capability in its Virtuozzo 2.1 management console is a new web accelerator which utilizes the latest Linux kernel features such as like zero-copy sendfile () and TCP_CORK options. These new features improve the high-end performance of Web servers allowing the running of multiple copies of the OS without sacrificing performance or the necessary quality of service guarantees.

Performance testing was conducted by the SWsoft development team using the Dell 8450 PowerEdge server running Red Hat Linux 7.2. According to Alex Plant, senior marketing manager, these tests indicated that Virtuoso can support up to 2,000 virtual instantiations of the OS, each requiring anywhere from 4 to 8 Gigabytes of DRAM. In that configuration, up to 20 data base service threads can be supported in addition to a wide range of Web mail and "shopping cart" e-commerce services.

Available now for download at www.wirtuozzo.com the console includes a full GUI management tool, support for up to 64GB physical memory, name-based hosting, security enhancements, improved Service Level Management features such as advanced bandwidth management, and improved bandwidth accounting. Without hardware installation Virtuozzo is priced at $250. A complete solution consisting of the Dell 8450 hardware, software, OS, and Virtuoso which is scalable to 2,000 Linux instantiations starts at $25,000. For more information go to www.virtuozzo.com.