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xen-ia64-devel

RE: [Xen-ia64-devel][PATCH] add one page attribute to indicate this page

To: Isaku Yamahata <yamahata@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: [Xen-ia64-devel][PATCH] add one page attribute to indicate this page is physical IO page
From: "Xu, Anthony" <anthony.xu@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 16 Oct 2008 18:23:01 +0800
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Thread-topic: [Xen-ia64-devel][PATCH] add one page attribute to indicate this page is physical IO page
Isaku Yamahata wrote:
> Hi Anthony.
>
> I guess you are working on VT-d support for IA64.
> You've sent out those patches independently which seem to
> be preparation for VT-d support.
>
> However it is very difficult to guess how you are planning to use
> those modifications eventually. So it's very difficult to review
> those patches. At this moment I can comment only on patch style which
> isn't essential.
>
> If you already have working patches, could you please send them
> as a series of patches? (Even un-cleaned patches would help to
> understand.) If not, could you provide overview of the design or
> something like
> that which helps me to understand its overview and how VT-d patches
> will be implemented.

Yes I already have working patches, but some of them depend on x86 side patches,
and some x86 side patches depend on ia64 side patches.
It is difficult to send them out at a time.
So I tried to send out patches which is not related to x86 side first.


>
> At this moment the followings come into my mind. (Random thoughts)
> - One of the Xen/IA64 features is lockless P2M table unlike x86 case.
>   I think it would be very difficult to maintain the VT-d translation
>   table consistent with the p2m and m2p tables without lock.

Because p2m and m2p do not change, don't need to maintain consistent.
If page flip is used by PV drive, VTD can't work, x86 side has the same issue,
Xen doesn't know when VTD page table can be changed, the page table may be used
VTD engine.

>
> - What scope are you aiming?
>   Now x86 supports VT-d for VMM protection, dom0, PV domU and HVM
>   with balloon.
Balloon changes VTD page table, it is at some risk, maybe VTD engine is using 
VTD page table


>   On the other hand ia64 doesn't support balloon for HVM because
>   the p2m for HVM domain is assumed to be read-only.
>   How about MSI(-X)?
If host uses MSI, and there is one interrupt for a function, we can use IOAPIC 
to emulate MSI interrupt.
There is some potential issue here, because you change edge triggerred 
interrupt to level triggerred interrupt.
But if both host and guest is using MSI, there is no issue.

If host uses MSI(MSIx), and there are more than one interrupts for a function, 
it is difficult to use ioapic to emulate MSI.

Anthony


>
> thanks,
>
> On Sun, Sep 28, 2008 at 12:48:48PM +0800, Xu, Anthony wrote:
>> Add _PAGE_DIRECT_IO page attribute to indicate this page is physical
>> IO page
>>
>> Signed-off-by; Anthony Xu < anthony.xu@xxxxxxxxx >
>
>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Xen-ia64-devel mailing list
>> Xen-ia64-devel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> http://lists.xensource.com/xen-ia64-devel

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