Multikernel Linux Tree Released: Runs Multiple Kernels On Bare Metal Without a Hypervisor

Multikernel Technologies has unveiled mklinux v7.0-mk2, the initial public release of their innovative multikernel Linux tree. This advanced technology enables a single physical server to operate multiple independent Linux kernels simultaneously, each with its own set of dedicated CPUs and memory. Consequently, a single server could run a database on one kernel while simultaneously executing a GPU training job on another kernel, without any interference between the two.

The host kernel, responsible for managing the machine's resources, spins up new kernel instances using Linux's kexec mechanism, granting each instance direct access to hardware resources without the need for a hypervisor. The host kernel manages this system through device tree overlays located in /sys/fs/multikernel/. Moreover, it possesses the capability to redistribute hardware resources among running instances while maintaining system stability.

This setup differs significantly from virtual machines (VMs) and containers. While VMs maintain a hypervisor and host kernel between the application and hardware, containers operate without a hypervisor but share a single kernel for all tenants. Multikernel Technologies has only validated support for x86_64 hardware for this release, although they assert that the architecture-specific code is sufficiently modular to facilitate future expansions to other architectures.

Currently, the company is offering several products built on this kernel tree, including one tailored for running AI agents in their own kernel with direct GPU access, and another aimed at patching running kernels without disrupting system operation.