Re: [Xen-users] Paravirtualized vs HVM - how big is the performance gap?

[Pasi Kärkkäinen <pasik@xxxxxx>]

On Fri, Mar 27, 2009 at 10:08:05AM +0100, Tim Edwards wrote:
> We are currently in the situation of needing to use Scientific Linux 4.x
> (a RHEL derivative) in paravirtualized mode. The problem is that the
> virt-install command/libvirt don't support installing Scientific Linux
> 4.x (only 5.x) so I'm having great trouble installing SL4.x in a
> paravirt domU.
> 
> I see 3 possibilities but don't really know if they are realistic so
> need people's thoughts on them:
> 
> * Find a way to install SL4.x in a HVM domU and then convert that domU
> to paravirt mode (I'm trying this now but with no success)
> 
> * There is some technique to allow booting of paravirt VMs off of .iso
> images or over PXE (or any other method that could lead to a Kickstart
> installation)?
> 
> * Just run 4.x in HVM mode - roughly how big is the performance impact
> and how could I minimise it?
> 
> The hardware we're running this on supports AMD-V virtualisation, the
> domain0 OS is Scientific Linux 5.3 x86_64.
> 

Old tutorial from 2006:
http://people.redhat.com/riel/RHEL4-Xen-HOWTO

http://www.redhat.com/docs/en-US/Red_Hat_Enterprise_Linux/5/html/Virtualization_Guide/chap-Virtualization-Compatibility_of_host_and_guest_combinations.html

"Supported para-virtualized guest"
"Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 x86 Update 5 and higher     Optimized"

So you should be able to install RHEL4 (or SL4) PV domU (it includes 
kernel-xenU).

-- Pasi

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