Virtualization for Embedded Systems

Virtualization has been a hot topic in the enterprise space for quite some time, but has recently become an important technology for embedded systems as well. It is therefore important for embedded-systems developers to understand the power and limitations of virtualization in this space, in order to understand what technology is suitable for their products. This paper presents an introduction to virtualization technology in general, and specifically discusses its application to embedded systems. The authors explain the inherent differences between the enterprise-systems style of virtualization and virtualization as it applies to embedded systems. They explain the benefits of virtualization, especially with regard to supporting embedded systems composed of subsystems with widely varying properties and requirements, and with regard to security and IP protection.