Intel Pushes Virtualization for Security
Online staff -- EDN, November 14, 2005
Delivering what it says is the first hardware virtualization support for desktop PCs, Intel Corp. detailed today two new Pentium 4 processors, the 662 and 672, aimed at improving business management and bolstering security.
Virtualization, which Intel believes is one of the most disruptive technologies to the PC in a decade, allows a platform to run multiple operating systems or applications in independent partitions or “containers” that can be tailored for specific needs such as IT management services and protecting networked assets, the company explained.
Virtualization support is meant to provide full control of a portion of a PC to run security or management services without interrupting the end-user or allowing them to easily tamper with critical applications and allowing businesses can better protect themselves from malicious code or viruses by filtering network traffic through a separate IT partition before it reaches the user, Intel said. Configuring multiple partitions on a PC improves manageability by providing support for legacy applications while testing and adopting new operating environments.
Pentium 4 processor-based desktop PCs are being offered by Acer, Founder, Lenovo and TongFang. Lenovo said it is now offering Intel virtualization technology-based pilot systems to select customers, and broad support for desktop PC solutions from several other system manufacturers is expected in Q1 2006.
In addition, leading industry virtualization solution providers including VMware, Microsoft and Xen have said they would join Intel in supporting Intel’s virtualization technology on future Intel processor-based PCs and servers.
To further evolve built-in IT security and manageability capabilities for businesses, Intel said it plans to deliver the second phase of its active management technology together with virtualization support on its dual-core Intel professional business platform – codenamed Averill – in late 2006. Virtualization capabilities will also be extended to notebook PCs, and the company said it would first support this through its Centrino mobile technology-based platforms.
Intel said businesses are also benefiting from virtualization for their server applications primarily through enhanced functionality and workload support. Last week, Intel said it is shipping Xeon processors MP with hardware-enabled support for virtualization technology, and that it would begin shipping this same technology on Itanium processor-based platforms in mid-2006.
The benefits of virtualization can also extend to home and entertainment activities. In the future, Intel believes home PC users will be able to create virtual partitions that isolate several user environments such as dedicated Web browsing resources, productivity software applications, personal video recorders and offering service providers access for remote diagnosis and repairs.
Intel’s Pentium 4 672 and 662 processors are priced at $605 and $401 respectively, in 1,000-unit quantities.
