linux-kernel - Re: ABI coupling to hypervisors via CONFIG

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Date:	Fri, 9 Mar 2007 23:24:35 +0100
From:	Ingo Molnar <mingo@...e.hu>
To:	Chris Wright <chrisw@...s-sol.org>
Cc:	Linus Torvalds <torvalds@...ux-foundation.org>,
	Jeremy Fitzhardinge <jeremy@...p.org>,
	Zachary Amsden <zach@...are.com>,
	Thomas Gleixner <tglx@...utronix.de>,
	john stultz <johnstul@...ibm.com>, akpm@...ux-foundation.org,
	LKML <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>,
	Rusty Russell <rusty@...tcorp.com.au>, Andi Kleen <ak@...e.de>,
	Alan Cox <alan@...rguk.ukuu.org.uk>
Subject: Re: ABI coupling to hypervisors via CONFIG_PARAVIRT


* Chris Wright <chrisw@...s-sol.org> wrote:

> * Ingo Molnar (mingo@...e.hu) wrote:
> > i am worried whether /any/ future change to the upstream kernel's design 
> > can be adopted via paravirt_ops, via the current VMI ABI. And by /any/ i 
> > mean truly any. And whether that can be done is not a function of the 
> > flexibility of paravirt_ops, it's a function of the flexibility of the 
> > VMI ABI.
> 
> i'm not really one to argue on behalf of VMI, but i don't think it's 
> as dire make it out. [...]

hey, that's what i thought when i helped do the vDSO, until i got 
slapped with cold reality called "CONFIG_COMPAT_VDSO". I'm a bit more 
careful about ABIs since then =B-)

> [...] the VMI is client code of pv_ops, and as the kernel changes that 
> client code will simply have to adapt.  of course there are 
> theoretical limitations, but let's keep it grounded to practical 
> reality. the whole premise is evolution.  so throw out specific 
> issues, and let's adapt rather than fall deep into theoretical 
> rhetoric.

ok, sure, how about the one i mentioned: long-term i'd like to have a 
paravirt model where the guest does not store /any/ page tables - all 
paging is managed by the hypervisor. The guest has a vma tree, but 
otherwise it does not process pagefaults, has no concept of a pte (if in 
paravirt mode), has no concept of kernel page tables either: there are 
hypercalls to allocate/free guest-kernel memory, etc. This needs some 
(serious) MM surgery but it's doable and it's interesting as well. How 
would you map this to the VMI backend?

	Ingo
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