Performance analysis towards a KVM-Based embedded real-time virtualization architecture

In Recent years embedded world has been undergoing a shift from traditional single-core processors to processors with multiple cores. However, this shift poses a challenge of adapting legacy uniprocessor-oriented real-time operating system (RTOS) to exploit the capability of multi-core processor. In addition, some embedded systems are inevitably going towards the direction of integrating real-time with off-the-shelf time-sharing system, as the combination of the two has the potential to provide not only timely and deterministic response but also a large application base. Virtualization technology, which ensures strong isolation between virtual machines, is therefore a promising solution to above mentioned issues. However, there remains a concern regarding the responsiveness of the RTOS running on top of a virtual machine. In this paper we propose an embedded real-time virtualization architecture based on Kernel-Based Virtual Machine (KVM), in which VxWorks and Linux are combined together. We then analyze and evaluate how KVM influences the interrupt-response times of VxWorks as a guest operating system. By applying several real-time performance tuning methods on the host Linux, we will show that sub-millisecond interrupt response latency can be achieved on the guest VxWorks.