2012-05-31 08:02:38

by Raghavendra K T

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: [PATCH] Documentation/kvm : Add documentation on Hypercalls

From: Raghavendra K T <[email protected]>

Thanks Alex for KVM_HC_FEATURES inputs and Jan for VAPIC_POLL_IRQ

Signed-off-by: Raghavendra K T <[email protected]>
---
diff --git a/Documentation/virtual/kvm/hypercalls.txt b/Documentation/virtual/kvm/hypercalls.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c79335a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Documentation/virtual/kvm/hypercalls.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+KVM Hypercalls Documentation
+===========================
+The template for each hypercall is:
+1. Hypercall name, value.
+2. Architecture(s)
+3. Status (deprecated, obsolete, active)
+4. Purpose
+
+1. KVM_HC_VAPIC_POLL_IRQ
+------------------------
+Value: 1
+Architecture: x86
+Purpose: Trigger guest exit so that the host can check for pending
+interrupts on reentry.
+
+2. KVM_HC_MMU_OP
+------------------------
+Value: 2
+Architecture: x86
+Status: deprecated.
+Purpose: Support MMU operations such as writing to PTE,
+flushing TLB, release PT.
+
+3. KVM_HC_FEATURES
+------------------------
+Value: 3
+Architecture: PPC
+Status: active
+Purpose: Expose hypercall availability to the guest. On x86 platforms, cpuid
+used to enumerate which hypercalls are available. On PPC, either device tree
+based lookup ( which is also what EPAPR dictates) OR KVM specific enumeration
+mechanism (which is this hypercall) can be used.
+
+4. KVM_HC_PPC_MAP_MAGIC_PAGE
+------------------------
+Value: 4
+Architecture: PPC
+Status: active
+Purpose: To enable communication between the hypervisor and guest there is a
+shared page that contains parts of supervisor visible register state.
+The guest can map this shared page to access its supervisor register through
+memory using this hypercall.
+
+TODO:
+1. more information on input and output needed?
+2. Add more detail to purpose of hypercalls.


2012-05-31 17:45:07

by Randy Dunlap

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: [PATCH] Documentation/kvm : Add documentation on Hypercalls

On 05/31/2012 01:01 AM, Raghavendra K T wrote:

> From: Raghavendra K T <[email protected]>
>
> Thanks Alex for KVM_HC_FEATURES inputs and Jan for VAPIC_POLL_IRQ
>
> Signed-off-by: Raghavendra K T <[email protected]>
> ---
> diff --git a/Documentation/virtual/kvm/hypercalls.txt b/Documentation/virtual/kvm/hypercalls.txt
> new file mode 100644
> index 0000000..c79335a
> --- /dev/null
> +++ b/Documentation/virtual/kvm/hypercalls.txt
> @@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
> +KVM Hypercalls Documentation
> +===========================
> +The template for each hypercall is:
> +1. Hypercall name, value.
> +2. Architecture(s)
> +3. Status (deprecated, obsolete, active)
> +4. Purpose
> +
> +1. KVM_HC_VAPIC_POLL_IRQ
> +------------------------
> +Value: 1
> +Architecture: x86


No "Status", does that imply "Active" ?

> +Purpose: Trigger guest exit so that the host can check for pending
> +interrupts on reentry.
> +
> +2. KVM_HC_MMU_OP
> +------------------------
> +Value: 2
> +Architecture: x86
> +Status: deprecated.
> +Purpose: Support MMU operations such as writing to PTE,
> +flushing TLB, release PT.
> +
> +3. KVM_HC_FEATURES
> +------------------------
> +Value: 3
> +Architecture: PPC
> +Status: active
> +Purpose: Expose hypercall availability to the guest. On x86 platforms, cpuid
> +used to enumerate which hypercalls are available. On PPC, either device tree
> +based lookup ( which is also what EPAPR dictates) OR KVM specific enumeration
> +mechanism (which is this hypercall) can be used.
> +
> +4. KVM_HC_PPC_MAP_MAGIC_PAGE
> +------------------------
> +Value: 4
> +Architecture: PPC
> +Status: active
> +Purpose: To enable communication between the hypervisor and guest there is a
> +shared page that contains parts of supervisor visible register state.
> +The guest can map this shared page to access its supervisor register through
> +memory using this hypercall.
> +
> +TODO:
> +1. more information on input and output needed?
> +2. Add more detail to purpose of hypercalls.
>
> --


--
~Randy

2012-05-31 17:46:40

by H. Peter Anvin

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: [PATCH] Documentation/kvm : Add documentation on Hypercalls

On 05/31/2012 01:01 AM, Raghavendra K T wrote:
> +
> +TODO:
> +1. more information on input and output needed?
> +2. Add more detail to purpose of hypercalls.
>

1. definitely, including the hypercall ABI.

-hpa

--
H. Peter Anvin, Intel Open Source Technology Center
I work for Intel. I don't speak on their behalf.

2012-05-31 18:56:11

by Jan Kiszka

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: [PATCH] Documentation/kvm : Add documentation on Hypercalls

On 2012-05-31 19:44, Randy Dunlap wrote:
> On 05/31/2012 01:01 AM, Raghavendra K T wrote:
>
>> From: Raghavendra K T <[email protected]>
>>
>> Thanks Alex for KVM_HC_FEATURES inputs and Jan for VAPIC_POLL_IRQ
>>
>> Signed-off-by: Raghavendra K T <[email protected]>
>> ---
>> diff --git a/Documentation/virtual/kvm/hypercalls.txt b/Documentation/virtual/kvm/hypercalls.txt
>> new file mode 100644
>> index 0000000..c79335a
>> --- /dev/null
>> +++ b/Documentation/virtual/kvm/hypercalls.txt
>> @@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
>> +KVM Hypercalls Documentation
>> +===========================
>> +The template for each hypercall is:
>> +1. Hypercall name, value.
>> +2. Architecture(s)
>> +3. Status (deprecated, obsolete, active)
>> +4. Purpose
>> +
>> +1. KVM_HC_VAPIC_POLL_IRQ
>> +------------------------
>> +Value: 1
>> +Architecture: x86
>
>
> No "Status", does that imply "Active" ?

It should actually state that this call is in use.

Jan

--
Siemens AG, Corporate Technology, CT T DE IT 1
Corporate Competence Center Embedded Linux

2012-05-31 18:59:42

by H. Peter Anvin

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: [PATCH] Documentation/kvm : Add documentation on Hypercalls

On 05/31/2012 11:55 AM, Jan Kiszka wrote:
>>
>> No "Status", does that imply "Active" ?
>
> It should actually state that this call is in use.
>

It might be nice to point out when a call was introduced, and for
deprecated calls, when it was deprecated.

-hpa

--
H. Peter Anvin, Intel Open Source Technology Center
I work for Intel. I don't speak on their behalf.

2012-06-04 04:29:21

by Rob Landley

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: [PATCH] Documentation/kvm : Add documentation on Hypercalls

On 05/31/2012 12:46 PM, H. Peter Anvin wrote:
> On 05/31/2012 01:01 AM, Raghavendra K T wrote:
>> +
>> +TODO:
>> +1. more information on input and output needed?
>> +2. Add more detail to purpose of hypercalls.
>>
>
> 1. definitely, including the hypercall ABI.
>
> -hpa
>

I was wondering about that. It looks like
Documentation/virtual/kvm/api.txt might cover some of that already in
section 5, but it doesn't look complete...

Also, could I get a 00-INDEX file for this directory explaining what
these individual files are? I think "api.txt" is supposed to be
host-side API for controlling a guest VM (from userspace via ioctls,
looks like), and hypercalls.txt is guest-side API for poking the host.
How someone would write host-side code that _responds_ to a hypercall, I
have no idea. (It goes in the host kernel?)

Rob



--
GNU/Linux isn't: Linux=GPLv2, GNU=GPLv3+, they can't share code.
Either it's "mere aggregation", or a license violation. Pick one.

2012-06-04 08:22:45

by Raghavendra K T

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: [PATCH] Documentation/kvm : Add documentation on Hypercalls

On 06/04/2012 09:30 AM, Rob Landley wrote:
> On 05/31/2012 12:46 PM, H. Peter Anvin wrote:
>> On 05/31/2012 01:01 AM, Raghavendra K T wrote:
>>> +
>>> +TODO:
>>> +1. more information on input and output needed?
>>> +2. Add more detail to purpose of hypercalls.
>>>
>>
>> 1. definitely, including the hypercall ABI.
>>
>> -hpa
>>
>
> I was wondering about that. It looks like
> Documentation/virtual/kvm/api.txt might cover some of that already in
> section 5, but it doesn't look complete...
>
> Also, could I get a 00-INDEX file for this directory explaining what
> these individual files are? I think "api.txt" is supposed to be
> host-side API for controlling a guest VM (from userspace via ioctls,
> looks like),

api.txt has plenty of information apart from features which are
related to guest side api (generally controls / knows PV features
available, that may also involve host query of guest cpuid).
and capability (of) related to host.

and hypercalls.txt is guest-side API for poking the host.

hypercall can be used to take some actions (as needed by guest /
exchange information)


> How someone would write host-side code that _responds_ to a hypercall, I
> have no idea. (It goes in the host kernel?)
>
> Rob
>

2012-06-04 08:39:23

by Raghavendra K T

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: [PATCH] Documentation/kvm : Add documentation on Hypercalls

On 05/31/2012 11:14 PM, Randy Dunlap wrote:
> On 05/31/2012 01:01 AM, Raghavendra K T wrote:
>
>> From: Raghavendra K T<[email protected]>
>>
>> Thanks Alex for KVM_HC_FEATURES inputs and Jan for VAPIC_POLL_IRQ
>>
>> Signed-off-by: Raghavendra K T<[email protected]>
>> ---
>> diff --git a/Documentation/virtual/kvm/hypercalls.txt b/Documentation/virtual/kvm/hypercalls.txt
>> new file mode 100644
>> index 0000000..c79335a
>> --- /dev/null
>> +++ b/Documentation/virtual/kvm/hypercalls.txt
>> @@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
>> +KVM Hypercalls Documentation
>> +===========================
>> +The template for each hypercall is:
>> +1. Hypercall name, value.
>> +2. Architecture(s)
>> +3. Status (deprecated, obsolete, active)
>> +4. Purpose
>> +
>> +1. KVM_HC_VAPIC_POLL_IRQ
>> +------------------------
>> +Value: 1
>> +Architecture: x86
>
>
> No "Status", does that imply "Active" ?
>

Oh! It was unintentionally left out. will add that.

2012-08-01 10:51:42

by Raghavendra K T

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: [PATCH] Documentation/kvm : Add documentation on Hypercalls

On 08/01/2012 08:37 AM, Marcelo Tosatti wrote:
> On Tue, Jul 24, 2012 at 02:23:59PM +0530, Raghavendra K T wrote:
>> From: Raghavendra K T<[email protected]>
>>
>> Thanks Alex for KVM_HC_FEATURES inputs and Jan for VAPIC_POLL_IRQ,
>> and Peter (HPA) for suggesting hypercall ABI addition.
>>
>> Signed-off-by: Raghavendra K T<[email protected]>
>> ---
>> Please have a closer look at Hypercall ABI newly added
>>
>> Changes since last post:
>> - Added hypercall ABI (Peter)
>> - made KVM_HC_VAPIC_POLL_IRQ active explicitly (Randy)
>>
>> TODO: We need to add history details of each hypercall as suggested by HPA,
>> which I could not trace easily. Hope it is easy for hypercall authors
>>
>> Documentation/virtual/hypercalls.txt | 71 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>> 1 files changed, 71 insertions(+), 0 deletions(-)
>> create mode 100644 Documentation/virtual/hypercalls.txt
>>
>> diff --git a/Documentation/virtual/hypercalls.txt b/Documentation/virtual/hypercalls.txt
>> new file mode 100644
>> index 0000000..caffc08
>> --- /dev/null
>> +++ b/Documentation/virtual/hypercalls.txt
>> @@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
>> +Hypercall ABI:
>> +=============
>> +A brief look at calling conventions of X86, S390 and PPC
>> +X86:
>> + KVM Hypercalls have a three-byte sequence of either the vmrun or the vmmrun
>> + instruction. The hypervisor can replace it with instructions that are
>> + guaranteed to be supported.
>
> vmcall.

How is this:
KVM Hypercalls have a three-byte sequence of vmcall instruction. But
The hypervisor can replace it with the instructions that are guaranteed
to be supported.

(Related question: Is it not that vmcall instruction is patched by 0f
01 09 vmmcall instruction sequence for amd?. So I think we need to
change documentation I referred from arch/x86/include/asm/kvm_para.h.
It should be vmcall / vmmcall instead of vmrun and vmmrun)

>
>> +
>> + Up to four arguments may be passed in rbx, rcx, rdx, and rsi respectively.
>> + The hypercall number should be placed in rax and the return value will be
>> + placed in rax. No other registers will be clobbered unless explicitly stated
>> + by the particular hypercall.
>
> It depends on the hypercall. It happens that current hypercalls use
> the four registers, but its not an ABI (hyper-v hypercalls uses r8, for example).
>

Okay, agree. I did not know about hyper-v. Above one is for X86 and
KVM (and not X86 / hyper-v). So I should remove ABI and probably say,

KVM x86 Hypercall
==================
Up to four arguments may be passed in rbx, rcx, rdx, and rsi
respectively. The hypercall number should be placed in rax and the
return value will be placed in rax. No other registers will be
clobbered unless explicitly stated by the particular hypercall.

2012-08-01 18:58:00

by Marcelo Tosatti

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: [PATCH] Documentation/kvm : Add documentation on Hypercalls

On Wed, Aug 01, 2012 at 04:19:01PM +0530, Raghavendra K T wrote:
> On 08/01/2012 08:37 AM, Marcelo Tosatti wrote:
> >On Tue, Jul 24, 2012 at 02:23:59PM +0530, Raghavendra K T wrote:
> >>From: Raghavendra K T<[email protected]>
> >>
> >>Thanks Alex for KVM_HC_FEATURES inputs and Jan for VAPIC_POLL_IRQ,
> >>and Peter (HPA) for suggesting hypercall ABI addition.
> >>
> >>Signed-off-by: Raghavendra K T<[email protected]>
> >>---
> >>Please have a closer look at Hypercall ABI newly added
> >>
> >>Changes since last post:
> >> - Added hypercall ABI (Peter)
> >> - made KVM_HC_VAPIC_POLL_IRQ active explicitly (Randy)
> >>
> >>TODO: We need to add history details of each hypercall as suggested by HPA,
> >>which I could not trace easily. Hope it is easy for hypercall authors
> >>
> >> Documentation/virtual/hypercalls.txt | 71 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> >> 1 files changed, 71 insertions(+), 0 deletions(-)
> >> create mode 100644 Documentation/virtual/hypercalls.txt
> >>
> >>diff --git a/Documentation/virtual/hypercalls.txt b/Documentation/virtual/hypercalls.txt
> >>new file mode 100644
> >>index 0000000..caffc08
> >>--- /dev/null
> >>+++ b/Documentation/virtual/hypercalls.txt
> >>@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
> >>+Hypercall ABI:
> >>+=============
> >>+A brief look at calling conventions of X86, S390 and PPC
> >>+X86:
> >>+ KVM Hypercalls have a three-byte sequence of either the vmrun or the vmmrun
> >>+ instruction. The hypervisor can replace it with instructions that are
> >>+ guaranteed to be supported.
> >
> >vmcall.
>
> How is this:
> KVM Hypercalls have a three-byte sequence of vmcall instruction. But
> The hypervisor can replace it with the instructions that are guaranteed
> to be supported.
>
> (Related question: Is it not that vmcall instruction is patched by 0f
> 01 09 vmmcall instruction sequence for amd?.

Yes, it is.

Linux guest binary contains the Intel vmcall instruction, which is
patched on AMD to vmmcall.

> So I think we need to
> change documentation I referred from arch/x86/include/asm/kvm_para.h.
> It should be vmcall / vmmcall instead of vmrun and vmmrun)

Yes.

> >>+
> >>+ Up to four arguments may be passed in rbx, rcx, rdx, and rsi respectively.
> >>+ The hypercall number should be placed in rax and the return value will be
> >>+ placed in rax. No other registers will be clobbered unless explicitly stated
> >>+ by the particular hypercall.
> >
> >It depends on the hypercall. It happens that current hypercalls use
> >the four registers, but its not an ABI (hyper-v hypercalls uses r8, for example).
> >
>
> Okay, agree. I did not know about hyper-v. Above one is for X86 and
> KVM (and not X86 / hyper-v). So I should remove ABI and probably say,

Just say "Linux x86 Hypercall", yeah.

> KVM x86 Hypercall
> ==================
> Up to four arguments may be passed in rbx, rcx, rdx, and rsi
> respectively. The hypercall number should be placed in rax and the
> return value will be placed in rax. No other registers will be
> clobbered unless explicitly stated by the particular hypercall.
>
> --
> To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe kvm" in
> the body of a message to [email protected]
> More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html

2012-08-02 07:11:16

by Raghavendra K T

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: [PATCH] Documentation/kvm : Add documentation on Hypercalls

On 08/01/2012 11:55 PM, Marcelo Tosatti wrote:
> On Wed, Aug 01, 2012 at 04:19:01PM +0530, Raghavendra K T wrote:
>> On 08/01/2012 08:37 AM, Marcelo Tosatti wrote:
>>> On Tue, Jul 24, 2012 at 02:23:59PM +0530, Raghavendra K T wrote:
>>>> From: Raghavendra K T<[email protected]>
>>>>
>>>> Thanks Alex for KVM_HC_FEATURES inputs and Jan for VAPIC_POLL_IRQ,
>>>> and Peter (HPA) for suggesting hypercall ABI addition.
>>>>
>>>> Signed-off-by: Raghavendra K T<[email protected]>
>>>> ---
[...]
>>>> +
>>>> + Up to four arguments may be passed in rbx, rcx, rdx, and rsi respectively.
>>>> + The hypercall number should be placed in rax and the return value will be
>>>> + placed in rax. No other registers will be clobbered unless explicitly stated
>>>> + by the particular hypercall.
>>>
>>> It depends on the hypercall. It happens that current hypercalls use
>>> the four registers, but its not an ABI (hyper-v hypercalls uses r8, for example).
>>>
>>
>> Okay, agree. I did not know about hyper-v. Above one is for X86 and
>> KVM (and not X86 / hyper-v). So I should remove ABI and probably say,
>
> Just say "Linux x86 Hypercall", yeah.
>

Ok, Thanks Marcelo.will respin patches with the changes you suggested.

Also I would like add Alex's description on ppc hypercalls
into Documentation/virtual/kvm/ppc-pv.txt with Alex from/sob or
suggested-by in a separate patch unless I see any objection to that.

2012-08-02 10:12:12

by Alexander Graf

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: [PATCH] Documentation/kvm : Add documentation on Hypercalls



On 02.08.2012, at 09:08, Raghavendra K T <[email protected]> wrote:

> On 08/01/2012 11:55 PM, Marcelo Tosatti wrote:
>> On Wed, Aug 01, 2012 at 04:19:01PM +0530, Raghavendra K T wrote:
>>> On 08/01/2012 08:37 AM, Marcelo Tosatti wrote:
>>>> On Tue, Jul 24, 2012 at 02:23:59PM +0530, Raghavendra K T wrote:
>>>>> From: Raghavendra K T<[email protected]>
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks Alex for KVM_HC_FEATURES inputs and Jan for VAPIC_POLL_IRQ,
>>>>> and Peter (HPA) for suggesting hypercall ABI addition.
>>>>>
>>>>> Signed-off-by: Raghavendra K T<[email protected]>
>>>>> ---
> [...]
>>>>> +
>>>>> + Up to four arguments may be passed in rbx, rcx, rdx, and rsi respectively.
>>>>> + The hypercall number should be placed in rax and the return value will be
>>>>> + placed in rax. No other registers will be clobbered unless explicitly stated
>>>>> + by the particular hypercall.
>>>>
>>>> It depends on the hypercall. It happens that current hypercalls use
>>>> the four registers, but its not an ABI (hyper-v hypercalls uses r8, for example).
>>>>
>>>
>>> Okay, agree. I did not know about hyper-v. Above one is for X86 and
>>> KVM (and not X86 / hyper-v). So I should remove ABI and probably say,
>>
>> Just say "Linux x86 Hypercall", yeah.
>>
>
> Ok, Thanks Marcelo.will respin patches with the changes you suggested.
>
> Also I would like add Alex's description on ppc hypercalls
> into Documentation/virtual/kvm/ppc-pv.txt with Alex from/sob or
> suggested-by in a separate patch unless I see any objection to that.
>

Yeah, don't stall this on me :)

Alex-