WinHEC 2006 and Windows Virtualization

The Windows Hardware Engineering Conference 2006 being held in at the Washington State Convention and Trade Centre in Seattle on 23rd to 25th May this year will provide a lot of further information on Windows Virtualization.

There is a whole (sub-)track devoted to 'System Fundamentals - Virtualization' which includes in-depth information about the Windows virtualization platform architecture. You’ll learn about how your current and future products fit in and are extended by this technology, the future platform requirements, and best practices for implementing virtualized solutions.

Subject to change, these are the planned sessions and levels

How to Use the VMBus Interfaces (300)
This session discusses the configuration and communication application programming interfaces (APIs) for the Microsoft VMBus. Windows virtualization uses the VMBus to provide virtual device support for child partitions. The objective of this session is to provide independent software vendors (ISVs) and independent hardware vendors (IHVs) an understanding of how to write their own virtual service provider/virtual service client (VSP/VSC) virtual device drivers.

 
How to Use the WMI Interfaces with Windows Virtualization (200)
This session provides attendees all of the information that they need to take advantage of the Windows Management Infrastructure (WMI) interfaces that allow remote and local management of a server that is running with Windows virtualization enabled. This knowledge will enable attendees to build software management solutions on top of the Windows virtualization architecture.

 
HyperCall APIs Explained (300)
This session provides attendees a robust understanding of Windows hypervisor application programming interfaces (APIs) that are used to configure and communicate with the Windows hypervisor. Makers of third-party operating systems can use this knowledge to build solutions on the Windows virtualization infrastructure.

 
Hypervisor, Virtualization Stack, and Device Virtualization Architectures (200)
The powerful new Windows virtualization infrastructure will be a core capability in Windows Server Longhorn and in subsequent client releases. This session provides an architectural overview of the three pillars of Windows virtualization: the hypervisor, the virtualization stack, and device virtualization. Other Windows virtualization sessions build on the groundwork that will be laid during this session.

 
I/O Memory Management Hardware goes Mainstream (300)
I/O memory management hardware has been an essential component of mainframe and high-end server platforms for decades. Just as other technology components that were once confined to the high end of the computing space have moved into the mainstream PC, I/O memory management hardware is now poised to make its mainstream debut. This presentation introduces the AMD I/O memory management architecture, including details of the software interface, page table formats, and table walking algorithms. The potential usage and benefits of the AMD I/O memory management architecture are also discussed.

 
Inside Microsoft's Network and Storage VSP/VSC (300)
This session provides independent software vendors (ISVs) and independent hardware vendors (IHVs) an in-depth understanding of the architecture that is used in Microsoft's network and storage virtual device drivers and familiarity with the built-in capabilities of these drivers. IHVs can use the information from this session to build virtual service provider/virtual service client (VSP/VSC) pairs.

 
Intel Virtualization Technology: Strategy and Evolution (200)
This session presents the vision and strategy for virtualization in enterprise computing, for both client and server usage models. It then discusses how system virtualization is implemented today and describes the role and value of the first-generation Intel Virtualization Technology (VT). Finally, the session provides a deep discussion of future VT architecture directions and ends with a description of the Intel virtualization roadmap.

 
Microsoft Operating System Virtualization Strategy and Virtual Hard Disk Directions (100)
This session provides attendees with insight into the direction that Microsoft is taking with its operating system virtualization technologies. It covers virtual server, virtual PC, Windows virtualization, and Microsoft's virtual hard disk (VHD) direction. The session include a brief history of product releases to date, the current work, and the future direction for each of the these products.
Prereading about VHD is available at https://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/virtualserver/techinfo/vhdspec.mspx.

 
PCIe Address Translation Services and I/O Virtualization (200)
This session presents some of the evolutions from the PCI I/O Virtualization working group in the two key areas of PCIe Address Translation Service (ATS) and protocols to support multiple operating system instances. The PCIe ATS specification defines a new protocol to enable I/O endpoints to efficiently work with chipsets that implement address translation and protection table technology. This session provides a functional overview of the address translation and protection table, ATS terminology, ATS wire protocol operation, critical areas of attention, and what lies ahead.

The PCIe I/O Virtualization specifications define new protocols to enable I/O endpoints to be efficiently shared by multiple operating system instances and to break through the performance barriers that are currently gating virtualization solutions within the industry. This session covers the I/O virtualization terminology, a functional overview, I/O virtualization usage models, single-root and multi-root topologies, configuration, management, error handling, quality of service (QoS), and what lies ahead.

Windows Virtualization Best Practices and Future Hardware Directions (200)
This future-looking session gives attendees an understanding of the directions that Microsoft is taking with Windows virtualization and what independent hardware vendors (IHVs) can do to ensure interoperability between their hardware and Windows virtualization. Example topics include IOMMUs and direct memory access (DMA) remapping.

Here's the links:

WinHEC 2006 Home: https://www.microsoft.com/whdc/winhec/default.mspx
Registration: https://www.microsoft.com/whdc/winhec/reg06.mspx
Full Agenda: https://www.microsoft.com/whdc/winhec/sched06.mspx

Now being based in Redmond, there's a very good chance I'll be around helping out on the Ask The Experts booth for Virtual Server & Windows Virtualization, so be sure to drop by to say hello if you're attending.

Cheers,
John.