Re: [Xen-users] Using xen with separated hardware configurations

[Mark Williamson <mark.williamson@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> It's an USB-stick like device. I'm guessing a block-device. We don't
> have the source code of the kernel module and/or software that uses the
> device. We get this from our supplier.

x86 binary kernel modules don't like running under Xen: they should be 
recompiled.  Can you get your supplier to build against a XenLinux source 
tree for you?  There was talk of improving the compatibility with native 
Linux modules but the response seemed lukewarm.

> > You can do this in Xen 2.0 but it's a little unfriendly at the moment
> > - I see you've found some information on this.  Note that once you've
> > givien a domain control of a device,on the PCI bus you do have to
> > trust it (and its applications) to be non-malicious.
>
> Of course. I understand.

The way PCI virtualisation is done in Xen 2.0 allows any app in a driver 
domain to fool around with the device's IO ports.  This is for various nasty 
technical reasons due to the way x86 protects IO ports.  This model works 
well for dedicated "driver domains" but should probably be made to work 
differently for the kind of system partitioning many people are doing.

Future chipsets should include better DMA protection - this'll enable us to 
trust domains with dedicated PCI cards less than otherwise necessary.

Cheers,
Mark

> > People are using the PCI bus sharing part of Xen very happily "in the
> > wild" to allow their guest domains to function as routers / firewalls,
> > Asterisk PBXes,
> > etc.
>
> Sounds promising.
>
> Thanks

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