Re: [Xen-users] Re: IOMMU capable hardware

[Igor Chubin <igor@xxxxxxx>]

On Do, Dez 13, 2007 at 12:16:07 +0100, Joop Boonen wrote:
> This has been on this mailing list before.
> 
> I don't know what the status is:
> http://lists.xensource.com/archives/html/xen-users/2007-05/msg00717.html
> 
> I hope it's useful.


Aha.
It' very interesting.

So as far as I can understand there are two IOMMUs:
* one --- Real True IOMMU
* and another --- "not real IOMMU" (Graphics Aperture Routing Table)

Mark says, that xen-unstable has preliminary support of IOMMU.
It this support available only for special "lab" hardware
which is not yet accessible for ordinary customers?


While (GPL) PV drivers for Windows is not stable, 
some problems with the emulation inefficiency (or slowness)
could be solved (or better to say: bypassed) 
with PCI passthrough for Windows domains, 
which in turn wants (AFAIU) the host system to be IOMMU-aware.

Right?

So the main question is:
is there any publicly available system 
on which PCI passthrough for HVM domains can be done?


> 
> On Thu, December 13, 2007 9:04 am, Igor Chubin wrote:
> > On Do, Dez 13, 2007 at 08:49:26 +0100, Joop Boonen wrote:
> >> Is this the IO-MMU in the form:
> >> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IOMMU
> >>
> >> http://www.amd.com/us-en/assets/content_type/white_papers_and_tech_docs/34434.pdf
> >> http://www.intel.com/business/technologies/idc_virtualization_wp.pdf
> >
> >
> > I'm aware of the links, but there is no information
> > about models, chipsets and so on.
> > Only common information.
> >
> >>
> >> I've always understood that this form is not available yet. Only some
> >> time
> >> in around 2009. Is this correct?
> >>
> >
> > I had opinion like yours, but after I have googled about IOMMU,
> > I have found many posts in different forums and mail lists,
> > in which people discuss how to disable IOMMU in their hardware
> > how to bypass problems related to it, and so on,
> >
> > and now I think,
> > may be IOMMU is available already?
> >
> >
> >> On Thu, December 13, 2007 5:39 am, Mark Williamson wrote:
> >> >> Mark you have written
> >> >>
> >> >> [cut]
> >> >>
> >> >> > domains).  Also, unless you have IOMMU capable hardware (most
> >> people
> >> >> > don't)
> >> >>
> >> >> [/cut]
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> Is this hardware available on the market today?
> >> >> And if it is, where can we read the list of this hardware?
> >> >
> >> > Intel's VT-d technology includes and IOMMU.  I *think* you can now
> >> > purchase
> >> > motherboards which include it but I'm not 100% sure.  I wouldn't know
> >> > which
> >> > models either, too be honest.  Xen-unstable already has preliminary
> >> > support
> >> > for this and uses it to do PCI passthrough to HVM guests.  VT-d for PV
> >> > guests
> >> > is not yet supported.
> >> >
> >> > Knowing Intel there probably is / will be a list of VT-d boards on
> >> their
> >> > website at some point.
> >> >
> >> >> Or may be plans about release of such a hardware?
> >> >
> >> > AMD are also bringing out IOMMU hardware but I know less about this.
> >> >
> >> > Cheers,
> >> > Mark
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > --
> >> > 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!
> >> >
> >> > _______________________________________________
> >> > Xen-users mailing list
> >> > Xen-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >> > http://lists.xensource.com/xen-users
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >
> > --
> > WBR, i.m.chubin
> >
> >
> 
> 

-- 
WBR, i.m.chubin


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