linux-kernel - Re: [RFC PATCH 00/13] XOM for KVM guest userspace

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Date:   Fri, 4 Oct 2019 19:03:58 +0000
From:   "Edgecombe, Rick P" <rick.p.edgecombe@...el.com>
To:     "kvm@...r.kernel.org" <kvm@...r.kernel.org>,
        "linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org" <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>,
        "peterz@...radead.org" <peterz@...radead.org>,
        "keescook@...omium.org" <keescook@...omium.org>,
        "Christopherson, Sean J" <sean.j.christopherson@...el.com>,
        "linux-mm@...ck.org" <linux-mm@...ck.org>,
        "x86@...nel.org" <x86@...nel.org>,
        "luto@...nel.org" <luto@...nel.org>,
        "pbonzini@...hat.com" <pbonzini@...hat.com>,
        "Hansen, Dave" <dave.hansen@...el.com>
CC:     "kristen@...ux.intel.com" <kristen@...ux.intel.com>,
        "Dock, Deneen T" <deneen.t.dock@...el.com>
Subject: Re: [RFC PATCH 00/13] XOM for KVM guest userspace

On Fri, 2019-10-04 at 09:22 +0200, Paolo Bonzini wrote:
> On 03/10/19 23:23, Rick Edgecombe wrote:
> > Since software would have previously received a #PF with the RSVD error code
> > set, when the HW encountered any set bits in the region 51 to M, there was
> > some
> > internal discussion on whether this should have a virtual MSR for the OS to
> > turn
> > it on only if the OS knows it isn't relying on this behavior for bit M. The
> > argument against needing an MSR is this blurb from the Intel SDM about
> > reserved
> > bits:
> > "Bits reserved in the paging-structure entries are reserved for future
> > functionality. Software developers should be aware that such bits may be
> > used in
> > the future and that a paging-structure entry that causes a page-fault
> > exception
> > on one processor might not do so in the future."
> > 
> > So in the current patchset there is no MSR write required for the guest to
> > turn
> > on this feature. It will have this behavior whenever qemu is run with
> > "-cpu +xo".
> 
> I think the part of the manual that you quote is out of date.  Whenever
> Intel has "unreserved" bits in the page tables they have done that only
> if specific bits in CR4 or EFER or VMCS execution controls are set; this
> is a good thing, and I'd really like it to be codified in the SDM.
> 
> The only bits for which this does not (and should not) apply are indeed
> bits 51:MAXPHYADDR.  But the SDM makes it clear that bits 51:MAXPHYADDR
> are reserved, hence "unreserving" bits based on just a QEMU command line
> option would be against the specification.  So, please don't do this and
> introduce an MSR that enables the feature.
> 
> Paolo
> 
Hi Paolo,

Thanks for taking a look!

Fair enough, MSR it is.

Rick