The virtual file system (switch) is an instrinsic element of traditional operating systems and the majority of alternative OSes alike. For the most part, this is caused by existing applications that depend on the file abstraction and to some extent on a global view on system resources. In contrast, component-based OSes with strong security ambitions strive to apply the principle of least authority and shun one global view on the system. This was the starting for the VFS developments for Genode. The talk will present our design considerations and the current state of the VFS in Genode as a component and capability-based microkernel operating system.
Speakers: Christian Helmuth