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[Xen-users] I need help with fully utilizing xen on a new system

To: xen-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [Xen-users] I need help with fully utilizing xen on a new system
From: Charles Derringer <charles@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2009 20:32:44 -0600
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Hello xen list. I am an absolute novice with Xen, having never been able to set it up despite my several trials. I have built a new, modern system (last computer was seven years ago) with the hardware virtualization technologies so I'm hoping to be able to run Windows natively along side a graphical Linux desktop.
Here is what I was imagining ...

Dom0 = Gentoo
DomU = Gentoo w/gui
DomU = Ubuntu
DomU = Windows XP
DomU = Windows 2000
DomU = Windows 98
DomU = FreeBSD (multiple versions)

My hardware is dual quad core Xeon processors with 8 GB of RAM and several hard drives in a RAID 6 array.
1) Is it better to have the "drives" that are exported to the DomUs be 
partitions, files, LVM, etc.?
2) If somebody has a computer running Xen and a Microsoft and Linux OS, 
how does one switch control between them?
3) Does every component of the system need to be understood by the Dom0 
to be able to be utilized by a DomU?
4) If the Dom0 is x64, can a DomU be 32 bit?

5) If the answer to 4 is yes, then can that DomU then be migrated to a Xen computer with a Dom0 that is 32 bit?
6) Does the Dom0 need to statically partition the resources (RAM, CPU) 
to the DomUs, or is there a dynamic, kernel / Xen controlled allocation 
that is possible?
Thanks for reading.  Let me know if I clarify anything.  I've tried to 
be vague because I do not really know much at all about Xen.  I don't 
know what's important to state or what is inconsequential  I've read the 
official "Xen 3.0 Documentation" PDF from xen.org, but I have a feeling 
that it is outdated, because I remember that being about the same as 
what I read years ago.
-Charles

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