Virtualization adoption in the desktop and datacenter space has been rampant over the past few years given the popular benefits that the technology has to offer. Classical virtualization benefits are numerous and result in savings on many levels. The ability to host multiple server environments, each as a virtual machine, on a single physical blade yields a measurable reduction in hardware costs. This in turn reduces operational expenditures because of the improved node count, simpler deployment, and reduced power consumption, thus eliminating symptoms that otherwise plague today's datacenter space. These are some of the benefits that this first wave of virtualization has introduced in its wake, enough to explain the explosive appeal that the technology has encountered in the marketplace.

Naturally, and as with every promising technology innovation, it's just a matter of time before the pondering begins: Where else can I use this? The answer is an aspiring "everywhere." Anywhere there are devices facing crushing demands of more differentiation through features, better quality through security, shorter time-to-market, and bigger profit margins. Therefore, anywhere there is device software is an accurate summary. This realm is traditionally referred to as the realm of embedded devices. Then this becomes the next wave of virtualization that potentially blankets a much wider range of gadgets and appliances. This range then includes mobile Internet devices as well as medical equipment, automobile infotainment consoles as well as industrial controllers, and telecommunications and networking gear as well as robotics to name a few application examples. The potential is therefore huge because it touches all aspects of our everyday lives. However, equally huge is the challenge that lies ahead in adapting virtualization to fit the needs of each one of those applications aforementioned. This warrants a closer look at both the benefits and the unique challenges that are associated with this endeavor.

The wide spectrum of applications and the sheer diversity of the technology architectures amplify the obstacles that face this next wave of virtualization. The challenge does not entirely lie in the variation of these building blocks but rather in the reasons behind the variation. After all, the reason for having so many operating systems (OS) and chip architectures employed within this multitude of gadgetry is the varying nature of the application that gadgetry is servicing. Some devices need deterministic real-time performance for mission-critical functions, while others need richer environments that offer rich multimedia support even if at the expense of execution determinism. Networking appliances require packet queuing, switching, and tagging logic that is specific to their environments. Mobile handsets have a stringent set of security and mobile connectivity requirements that are unique to them. Medical and telecommunication equipment require high availability to be designed into all layers of their technology stack, an expensive and unnecessary option in office networking or multimedia devices. Therefore, a more generic painkiller solution that fits nicely in the more uniform desktop and/or server space will not suffice in the device software arena.