Re: [Xen-users] [win-pv-devel] Windows PV Drivers

[Paul Durrant <Paul.Durrant@xxxxxxxxxx>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: win-pv-devel-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:win-pv-devel-
> bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Adam Goryachev
> Sent: 28 January 2016 22:13
> To: xen-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; win-pv-devel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [win-pv-devel] Windows PV Drivers
> 
> Hi all,
> 

Hi.

> I'm really confused with the current state of the Windows PV Drivers.
> AFAICT, there are/were 4 different versions:
> 1) GPL PV drivers (seem to be the original and current stable/commonly
> used version) signed versions from meadowcourt

They are (or certainly were) maintained by James Harper, but I don't know their 
current state.

> 2) EJB Digital (seem to be forked from GPL PV, for a time fixed various
> problems, but since 2014 no development, and not available) had signed
> drivers

I know nothing about those drivers.

> 3) XenServer Windows PV drivers, I've never used these, and assume they
> are signed, only work with XenServer, and restricted license.

Recent versions of the Citrix drivers should also work with non-XenServer 
installations although there may be some quirks. They are certainly not 
deliberately locked to XenServer though.

> Don't see
> mention of these in most of the open source xen windows driver pages.
> 4) Xen Project Windows PV Driver sub project seems to be working on
> drivers - http://wiki.xenproject.org/wiki/Xen_FAQ_Drivers,_Windows "This
> project has taken the the XenServer Windows PV Drivers, re-written them
> and contributed them to the Xen Project." Currently don't seem to have
> any signed versions available, seems to be new and potentially unstable
> (how much was re-written? why? unknown, not explained on the FAQ)
> 
> Can anyone explain what is the current status of these projects?
> 

Citrix will be using the XenProject drivers in forthcoming releases of 
XenServer. Final logo testing of the staging-8.1 branches is nearly done and 
when it is complete it is my intention to declare a version 8.1 community 
release of all the drivers, which I will also (non-logo) sign through the 
Microsoft portal. (The Citrix branded version of the driver will be logo 
signed).

> Of specific interest to me, I'm currently using either xen 4.1 or xen
> 4.4 (from debian packages) with Windows Server 2003/2008R2/2012R2.
> Which
> driver version and project is best (most stable, with best performance)
> for those variations?

Well, 2003 has been out of extended support for a long time now and the Xen 
Project drivers do not support it. The source is good for anything from Vista 
onwards and the community builds will work on anything from Win 7 onwards 
(since they are built with the 8.1 WDK... you need to use the 8.0 WDK to build 
for Vista).

> How will this change in future?
> Where is current development efforts?

Citrix is committed to using the XenProject drivers and intends to actively 
develop features in the open using that source base.

HTH,

  Paul

> If multiple projects are "current" what is the reason (benefit) in
> maintaining those multiple implementations of the "same" thing?
> 
> Regards,
> Adam
> 
> --
> Adam Goryachev Website Managers www.websitemanagers.com.au
> 
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