A Chinese company, byTedance , known for developing the popular app TikTok, has made headlines by joining the ranks of Linux developers with its new project called Parker. This innovative system, known as Partitioned Kernel, allows multiple Linux kernels to run on a single computer without traditional virtualization. While similar to the Multikenel project, Parker sets itself apart with its unique architecture and implementation.
Parker achieves this by dividing the CPU cores, memory, and devices into separate sections. Each instance of the kernel is based on a common kernel image but can have different configurations and optimizations. The initial boot kernel handles the allocation and partitioning of hardware devices, while subsequent copies, known as Application Kernels, focus on CPU cores and I/O devices.
Initially, all kernels share a single isolation area to minimize overhead and simplify control mechanisms. However, there are plans to utilize individual hardware capabilities in the future to enhance the isolation of kernel copies. Parker is designed for computers with a high number of CPU cores, offering scalability for tasks that require distributed computing.
Parker is controlled through an interface based on Kernfs, with KEXEC used to load additional core-sized memory areas as needed. Prior to launching new kernels, the primary core releases CPU cores, allocates physical memory, and configures PCI devices for use by each sectioned core. Each core is assigned its PCIE device, such as an NVME drive or network adapter, for input/output operations. Once a kernel copy is running, it operates independently from other kernels for enhanced security and stability.