Ask YC: Linux-VServer vs. Xen

[abrown]

It looks like Dreamhost is going to start providing what they are calling "Private servers" (http://www.dreamhostps.com) using Linux-VServer. Does anyone have thoughts on this approach vs. using Xen for virtual servers ala slicehost? (http://www.slicehost.com)

[cperciva]

Single-image systems like Linux-VServer (or FreeBSD jails) are more efficient than fully virtualized systems like Xen (or VMWare); however, they're not as secure (the userland-kernel interface is far wider than a kernel-virtualizer interface, so there's far more potential for escape-from-jail bugs) and the fact that there are more shared resources increases the potential for a busy website to cause other sites on the same physical hardware to slow down.

Personally, I wouldn't hesitate about using a jailed system for testing purposes, but I'd want a fully virtualized instance (or real hardware) for a production site.

[wmf]

Linux-VServer is an odd choice, since it appears to be less actively maintained and less popular than OpenVZ/Virtuozzo.