Simplified process for running application in unikernel environment on the OpenStack cloud platform

摘要

Unikernels are a new approach to operating system design that can be considered as a direct alternative to general-purpose virtual machines when it comes to running a single application. However, the unikernel contextualization process is complex and requires deep understanding of operating system design that application developers generally don't possess, resulting in frustrations. This thesis focuses on detecting and improving critical factors that have negative influence on user experience during the unikernel preparation process. We implement a simple web application and deploy it on OpenStack platform using unikernels to demonstrate the degree of process complexity. We then upgrade Capstan tool to significantly siplify the unikernel preparation process by introducing public repository of precompiled ready-to-use application packages. We conclude the thesis by demonstrating the improved user experience of the upgraded tool by deploying test web application on OpenStack.ud