Multitasking without Compromise: A Virtual Machine Evolution

The Multitasking Virtual Machine (called from now on simply MVM) is a modification of the Java™ virtual machine. It enables safe, secure, and scalable multitasking. Safety is achieved by strict isolation of applications from one another. Resource control mechanisms augment security by preventing some denial-ofservice attacks. Improved scalability results from an aggressive application of the main design principle of MVM: share as much of the runtime as possible among applications and replicate everything else. The system can be described as a ‘no compromise’ approach – all the known APIs and mechanisms of the Java programming language are available to applications. MVM is implemented as a series of carefully tuned modifications to the Java HotSpot™ virtual machine, including the dynamic compiler. This paper presents the design of MVM, focusing on several novel and general techniques: an in-runtime design of lightweight isolation, an extension of a copying, generational garba...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2001
• Where: OOPSLA
• Authors: Grzegorz Czajkowski, Laurent Daynès
• Keywords: Java™ Virtual Machine, Multitasking Virtual Machine, OOPSLA 2001, Security Privacy, Virtual Machine