I/O Virtualization for Next-Generation Datacenters

Overview

This paper describes the emerging needs for an I/O virtualization platform as an enabling technology for on-demand datacenters. Current datacenters suffer from poor resource utilization and a rigid architecture. I/O virtualization is a key technology that can be used to transform the constrained datacenters of today to agile datacenters where resources can be easily re-purposed for different applications and users based on changing needs. The paper focuses on the Xsigo I/O virtualization platform that was designed to be a valuable element of the new datacenter architecture. Support for Microsoft Windows operating systems and virtualization software is a key aspect of this product.