Basic partitioned access method

Abstract: A physical memory of a single computer is divided for each of a plurality of operating system (OS). A first OS is first loaded into the computer and runs. A multi-OS management program common to a plurality of OSs is incorporated into a virtual address space of the first OS as a device driver of the first OS. The multi-OS management program incorporated as the device driver is rearranged in a memory area shared by OSs so that the multi-OS management program has the same virtual address in any OS. In this state, the second OS program itself is loaded in the virtual address space of the second OS by execution of the multi-OS management program in the first OS. Execution of the multi-OS management program is switched from the multi-of management program in the first OS to the multi-OS management program in the second OS. Then, the second OS is started by execution of the multi-OS management program in the second OS to thereby run the plurality of OSs on the single computer.

Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically install an OS fitting a computer in the computer only by connecting the computer in which the OS is not installed to a network. SOLUTION: An application 120 in a host 12 decides the type of an OS to be installed in a target host 16 from a designation architecture, etc., when the architecture, etc., of the host 16 is designated by a user operation while the host 16 is newly connected to a LAN 11 and an FC switch 13. The application 120 in the host 12 copies the OS image of the decided OS type, for instance, an OS image stored in a disk 14-1 among disks 14-1 to 14=n into a target disk 17 through the FC switch 13 as shown by the arrow 101. The host 12 sets information inherent to the target host 16 in the disk 17 and assigns the volume of the disk 17 to the target host 16. COPYRIGHT: (C)2002,JPO

Abstract: OS Circular is a framework for Internet Disk Image Distribution of software for virtual machines, those which offer a "virtualized" common PC environment on any PC. OS images are obtained via the stackable virtual disk "Trusted HTTP-FUSE CLOOP". The system is designed to utilize Mirror servers and Proxies for highly-scalable worldwide deployment. OS Circular easily and efficiently handles both partial and periodic OS updates, including a rollback facility to ease experimentation with new OS images that might not be ready for production. This paper describes the design of OS Circular and the techniques to reduce the network traffic for quick downloading and booting.

Abstract: A client terminal to support multiple operating systems (OSes) runs a first OS and includes a memory having a data area and an OS area, and a processor configured to back up a file stored in the data area to an OS providing apparatus, to format the OS area, to install a second OS received from the OS providing apparatus, and to restore the backed-up file to the data area. Upon rebooting, the client terminal runs the second OS and reuses the restored file if the file is executable under both the first OS and the second OS. The OS providing apparatus includes a data receiving unit, a memory to store the second OS, and a data transmitting unit to transmit the backed-up file and the second OS to the client terminal.