Microkernel and Component-Based OS

Gianluca Guida

MACHINA: Lessons and Insights from Reimplementing the Mach Microkernel

Saturday 15:00-15:20 | UB4.136

Mach, famous for its complex IPC and VM subsystems, remains to this day an influential and historically significant Microkernel.

This talk introduces MACHINA, a new microkernel for AMD64 and RISCV64 modelled after the Mach 3 Microkernel. Currently in prototype stage, MACHINA aims to create a modular architecture for experimenting with "Mach-like" systems, reinterpreting Mach’s principles for modern hardware and software environments.

The talk will describe Mach 3’s abstractions and architecture—with a particular focus on its IPC and VM subsystems—and explore the process, design choices, and challenges of reimplementing them from scratch.