This document discusses splitting device drivers to support virtualized mobile platforms. It proposes splitting existing device driver code bases into reusable kernel and device-specific parts to allow drivers to support virtualized clients. Initial results factored the Linux terminal driver code into separate user interfacing, kernel, and device-specific parts. The prototype generates code splitting stubs based on the XEN hypervisor's split driver model. Going forward, the work will focus on covering more drivers and regression tests to validate the approach.

1. Device Driver Splitter
KetanBhardwaj
Advisor: Prof. KarstenSchwan

2. Motivation
Pain point
Industry direction Device drivers for
Fully virtualized mobile virtualized mobile
platforms platforms ?

3. Impact
• 400% increase in number of virtualized clients
by 2014
(source: www.idc.com - Cloud & virtualization system software)
• Global mobile virtualization market to reach
$1,198M by 2014.
(source: www.bharatbook.com -- Global mobile virtualization market 2010-2014)

4. Proposed Solution
Existing driver code Hypervisor - Split
base driver code base
Device Driver splitter

5. Initial results
• Factored linux terminal driver (tty) code
– User interfacing
– Kernel part
– Device specific part
• Generate code splitting stubs based on XEN
hypervisor split driver semantics. (ongoing)

6. Prototype
• Linux driver implementation details &
understanding.
• Driver source code analysis using CIL [1].
• XEN hypervisor specific driver details &
understanding.
• Split-stub code generation using CIL [1].

7. Road ahead
• Pursue the idea to cover more drivers &
regression tests.
• Q/A ?