Re: [PATCH v5 07/11] xen/domctl: Introduce XEN_DOMCTL_CDF_vpci flag

[Stefano Stabellini <sstabellini@xxxxxxxxxx>]

On Wed, 13 Oct 2021, Roger Pau Monné wrote:
> > I think the second solution is the right one but it cannot be done so near 
> > from the
> > feature freeze.
> > 
> > The CDF flag as introduced right now is not creating any issue and will be 
> > used once
> > the emulation flag will be introduce. We will be able at this stage to set 
> > this properly
> > also on x86 (for dom0 pvh).
> > Moreover keeping it will allow to continue to merge the remaining part of 
> > the PCI
> > passthrough which are otherwise not possible to be done as they are 
> > dependent on this flag.
> > 
> > Can we agree on keep the DOMCTL_CDF_vpci flag and introduce the emulation
> > flag on Arm after 4.16 release ?
> 
> If vPCI for Arm on 4.16 is not going to be functional, why so much
> pressure in pushing those patches so fast? I understand the need to
> remove stuff from the queue, but I don't think it's worth the cost of
> introducing a broken interface deliberately on a release.
> 
> I think we need to at least settle on whether we want to keep
> CDF_vpci or use an arch specific signal mechanism in order to decide
> what to do regarding the release.

I wrote a longer separate email to provide more context about the
"pushing fast" comment.

I agree that we don't want to introduce a bad interface.

In regards to a way forward for 4.16, my suggestion is the following:

- revert this patch: do not change the interface in this series
    - do not change anything related to CDF_vpci for x86
    - for ARM, leave has_vpci(d) to { false } and do not set
      XEN_DOMCTL_CDF_vpci
    - we can discuss it in depth later on, no rush

- in patch #10, in libxl_arm.c:libxl__arch_domain_prepare_config
    - do not set XEN_DOMCTL_CDF_vpci
    - do not set b_info.arch_arm.vpci
    - do not define LIBXL_HAVE_BUILDINFO_ARM_VPCI in libxl.h
    - keep make_vpci_node and arch_arm.vpci


The other patches (#1, #8, #10), which don't change any interfaces, can
still make it for 4.16 if the review feedback is addressed on time, with
one open TODO item [1].

This way, we get all the essential infrastructure we are trying to
introduce without making any compromises on the external interfaces.
Still it is good to have patches #1 #8 #10 so that with a trival
oneliner patch on top of 4.16 we can enable PCI for ARM and do testing
in the community, in gitlab-ci, and OSSTest too. (We have been
discussing special OSSTest flights to valide PCI passthrough as we
complete development.)


If we think we need a snap decision on this topic, I am available for a
quick sync-up call or IRC meeting between 8AM and 10AM tomorrow (Oct
14).

[1] https://marc.info/?l=xen-devel&m=163412120531248