Re: [Xen-users] Simple question about Xen ...

[Mark Williamson <mark.williamson@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Xen should be great for driver development.

With the new PCI passthrough patches you can give PCI devices to a domain - so 
even if you're developing a PCI device driver you can still do it under Xen.  
This wouldn't protect you from errors such as getting DMA addresses wrong, 
but programming errors (like wild pointers, divide by zero, etc) will be 
contained.

You can also pass through serial ports to domains, etc, if that's necessary 
for your driver.

For a completely software driver (no hardware), an ordinary domU should 
completely contain any programming errors - meaning you can safely test code 
on the same box you develop on, and avoiding the downtime in rebooting a real 
machine.

Cheers,
Mark

On Friday 24 March 2006 21:16, Immanuel Scheerer wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I recently had a kernel panic a domU. But that didn't impress xen. I
> just called 'xm destroy ...' and that's it. So I think your kernel
> programming would make sense under xen (if you don't touch the things
> patched by xen).
>
> Cheers,
>
> Immanuel
>
> KC wrote:
> > Hi,
> >
> > I'm writting some Linux drivers for both 2.4.x and 2.6.x kernel.
> > Can Xen be use for kernel space programming ?
> > For example, I'm planning to install both RH9 (2.4.x)
> > and FC4 (2.6.x) under Xen and do kernel programming
> > on Xen's VM ... is that possible ?
> >
> > For kernel programming, bugs in driver usually crash the
> > whole system ... if I test the drivers under Xen's VM, will that
> > be safer ?
> >
> >
> >
> > Thanks
> > KC
> >
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-- 
Dave: Just a question. What use is a unicyle with no seat?  And no pedals!
Mark: To answer a question with a question: What use is a skateboard?
Dave: Skateboards have wheels.
Mark: My wheel has a wheel!

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