Fleet and flexible cgroups and Linux Containers
Virtual Host
The big virtualization tools like KVM and Xen can’t compete on a small scale with resource-spare cgroups and Linux Containers.
Normally when I talk about virtualization in Linux, I go straight to system virtualization using tools like KVM or Xen, to name two. But some interesting options aren’t quite as well known. One such example is cgroups [1] and Linux Containers [2] (LXC), which sits on top of cgroups. In a nutshell, LXC uses cgroups to create a restricted view of the host operating system. Within the LXC guest environment, you can only see what the admin allows you to see of the host system; you can have a separate process space, for example and also create a separate filesystem for the guest.
So why would you want to use a technology like LXC instead of a full system virtualization platform like KVM or Xen? LXC has several advantages: For one thing, it has virtually no overhead, and it provides a degree of flexibility because of its ability to share resources between
different LXC guests. (I know, these seem counterintuitive because the goal is to segregate them from each other,) Also, LXC supports not only virtualizing a running instance of an operating system (more on this later) but also individual applications, for which devoting an entire virtual machine is overkill. To see a good example of this, you can read more about what Google is doing with ChromeOS [3].
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
AUR Repository Still Under DDoS Attack
Arch User Repository continues to be under a DDoS attack that has been going on for two weeks.
-
RingReaper Malware Poses Danger to Linux Systems
A new kind of malware exploits modern Linux kernels for I/O operations.
-
Happy Birthday, Linux
On August 25, Linux officially turns 34.
-
VirtualBox 7.2 Has Arrived
With early support for Linux kernel 6.17 and other new additions, VirtualBox 7.2 is a must-update for users.
-
Linux Mint 22.2 Beta Available for Testing
Some interesting new additions and improvements are coming to Linux Mint. Check out the Linux Mint 22.2 Beta to give it a test run.
-
Debian 13.0 Officially Released
After two years of development, the latest iteration of Debian is now available with plenty of under-the-hood improvements.
-
Upcoming Changes for MXLinux
MXLinux 25 has plenty in store to please all types of users.
-
A New Linux AI Assistant in Town
Newelle, a Linux AI assistant, works with different LLMs and includes document parsing and profiles.
-
Linux Kernel 6.16 Released with Minor Fixes
The latest Linux kernel doesn't really include any big-ticket features, just a lot of lines of code.
-
EU Sovereign Tech Fund Gains Traction
OpenForum Europe recently released a report regarding a sovereign tech fund with backing from several significant entities.