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Diffstat (limited to 'Documentation/virtual/kvm/api.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | Documentation/virtual/kvm/api.txt | 230 |
1 files changed, 202 insertions, 28 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/virtual/kvm/api.txt b/Documentation/virtual/kvm/api.txt index cd209f7730af..67068c47c591 100644 --- a/Documentation/virtual/kvm/api.txt +++ b/Documentation/virtual/kvm/api.txt @@ -5,25 +5,32 @@ The Definitive KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) API Documentation ---------------------- The kvm API is a set of ioctls that are issued to control various aspects -of a virtual machine. The ioctls belong to three classes +of a virtual machine. The ioctls belong to three classes: - System ioctls: These query and set global attributes which affect the whole kvm subsystem. In addition a system ioctl is used to create - virtual machines + virtual machines. - VM ioctls: These query and set attributes that affect an entire virtual machine, for example memory layout. In addition a VM ioctl is used to - create virtual cpus (vcpus). + create virtual cpus (vcpus) and devices. - Only run VM ioctls from the same process (address space) that was used - to create the VM. + VM ioctls must be issued from the same process (address space) that was + used to create the VM. - vcpu ioctls: These query and set attributes that control the operation of a single virtual cpu. - Only run vcpu ioctls from the same thread that was used to create the - vcpu. + vcpu ioctls should be issued from the same thread that was used to create + the vcpu, except for asynchronous vcpu ioctl that are marked as such in + the documentation. Otherwise, the first ioctl after switching threads + could see a performance impact. + - device ioctls: These query and set attributes that control the operation + of a single device. + + device ioctls must be issued from the same process (address space) that + was used to create the VM. 2. File descriptors ------------------- @@ -32,17 +39,51 @@ The kvm API is centered around file descriptors. An initial open("/dev/kvm") obtains a handle to the kvm subsystem; this handle can be used to issue system ioctls. A KVM_CREATE_VM ioctl on this handle will create a VM file descriptor which can be used to issue VM -ioctls. A KVM_CREATE_VCPU ioctl on a VM fd will create a virtual cpu -and return a file descriptor pointing to it. Finally, ioctls on a vcpu -fd can be used to control the vcpu, including the important task of -actually running guest code. +ioctls. A KVM_CREATE_VCPU or KVM_CREATE_DEVICE ioctl on a VM fd will +create a virtual cpu or device and return a file descriptor pointing to +the new resource. Finally, ioctls on a vcpu or device fd can be used +to control the vcpu or device. For vcpus, this includes the important +task of actually running guest code. In general file descriptors can be migrated among processes by means of fork() and the SCM_RIGHTS facility of unix domain socket. These kinds of tricks are explicitly not supported by kvm. While they will not cause harm to the host, their actual behavior is not guaranteed by -the API. The only supported use is one virtual machine per process, -and one vcpu per thread. +the API. See "General description" for details on the ioctl usage +model that is supported by KVM. + +It is important to note that althought VM ioctls may only be issued from +the process that created the VM, a VM's lifecycle is associated with its +file descriptor, not its creator (process). In other words, the VM and +its resources, *including the associated address space*, are not freed +until the last reference to the VM's file descriptor has been released. +For example, if fork() is issued after ioctl(KVM_CREATE_VM), the VM will +not be freed until both the parent (original) process and its child have +put their references to the VM's file descriptor. + +Because a VM's resources are not freed until the last reference to its +file descriptor is released, creating additional references to a VM via +via fork(), dup(), etc... without careful consideration is strongly +discouraged and may have unwanted side effects, e.g. memory allocated +by and on behalf of the VM's process may not be freed/unaccounted when +the VM is shut down. + + +It is important to note that althought VM ioctls may only be issued from +the process that created the VM, a VM's lifecycle is associated with its +file descriptor, not its creator (process). In other words, the VM and +its resources, *including the associated address space*, are not freed +until the last reference to the VM's file descriptor has been released. +For example, if fork() is issued after ioctl(KVM_CREATE_VM), the VM will +not be freed until both the parent (original) process and its child have +put their references to the VM's file descriptor. + +Because a VM's resources are not freed until the last reference to its +file descriptor is released, creating additional references to a VM via +via fork(), dup(), etc... without careful consideration is strongly +discouraged and may have unwanted side effects, e.g. memory allocated +by and on behalf of the VM's process may not be freed/unaccounted when +the VM is shut down. 3. Extensions @@ -305,6 +346,9 @@ the address space for which you want to return the dirty bitmap. They must be less than the value that KVM_CHECK_EXTENSION returns for the KVM_CAP_MULTI_ADDRESS_SPACE capability. +The bits in the dirty bitmap are cleared before the ioctl returns, unless +KVM_CAP_MANUAL_DIRTY_LOG_PROTECT is enabled. For more information, +see the description of the capability. 4.9 KVM_SET_MEMORY_ALIAS @@ -495,11 +539,15 @@ c) KVM_INTERRUPT_SET_LEVEL Note that any value for 'irq' other than the ones stated above is invalid and incurs unexpected behavior. +This is an asynchronous vcpu ioctl and can be invoked from any thread. + MIPS: Queues an external interrupt to be injected into the virtual CPU. A negative interrupt number dequeues the interrupt. +This is an asynchronous vcpu ioctl and can be invoked from any thread. + 4.17 KVM_DEBUG_GUEST @@ -1066,14 +1114,12 @@ struct kvm_userspace_memory_region { #define KVM_MEM_LOG_DIRTY_PAGES (1UL << 0) #define KVM_MEM_READONLY (1UL << 1) -This ioctl allows the user to create or modify a guest physical memory -slot. When changing an existing slot, it may be moved in the guest -physical memory space, or its flags may be modified. It may not be -resized. Slots may not overlap in guest physical address space. -Bits 0-15 of "slot" specifies the slot id and this value should be -less than the maximum number of user memory slots supported per VM. -The maximum allowed slots can be queried using KVM_CAP_NR_MEMSLOTS, -if this capability is supported by the architecture. +This ioctl allows the user to create, modify or delete a guest physical +memory slot. Bits 0-15 of "slot" specify the slot id and this value +should be less than the maximum number of user memory slots supported per +VM. The maximum allowed slots can be queried using KVM_CAP_NR_MEMSLOTS, +if this capability is supported by the architecture. Slots may not +overlap in guest physical address space. If KVM_CAP_MULTI_ADDRESS_SPACE is available, bits 16-31 of "slot" specifies the address space which is being modified. They must be @@ -1082,6 +1128,10 @@ KVM_CAP_MULTI_ADDRESS_SPACE capability. Slots in separate address spaces are unrelated; the restriction on overlapping slots only applies within each address space. +Deleting a slot is done by passing zero for memory_size. When changing +an existing slot, it may be moved in the guest physical memory space, +or its flags may be modified, but it may not be resized. + Memory for the region is taken starting at the address denoted by the field userspace_addr, which must point at user addressable memory for the entire memory slot size. Any object may back this memory, including @@ -1129,10 +1179,15 @@ documentation when it pops into existence). 4.37 KVM_ENABLE_CAP -Capability: KVM_CAP_ENABLE_CAP, KVM_CAP_ENABLE_CAP_VM -Architectures: x86 (only KVM_CAP_ENABLE_CAP_VM), - mips (only KVM_CAP_ENABLE_CAP), ppc, s390 -Type: vcpu ioctl, vm ioctl (with KVM_CAP_ENABLE_CAP_VM) +Capability: KVM_CAP_ENABLE_CAP +Architectures: mips, ppc, s390 +Type: vcpu ioctl +Parameters: struct kvm_enable_cap (in) +Returns: 0 on success; -1 on error + +Capability: KVM_CAP_ENABLE_CAP_VM +Architectures: all +Type: vcpu ioctl Parameters: struct kvm_enable_cap (in) Returns: 0 on success; -1 on error @@ -2468,7 +2523,7 @@ KVM_S390_MCHK (vm, vcpu) - machine check interrupt; cr 14 bits in parm, machine checks needing further payload are not supported by this ioctl) -Note that the vcpu ioctl is asynchronous to vcpu execution. +This is an asynchronous vcpu ioctl and can be invoked from any thread. 4.78 KVM_PPC_GET_HTAB_FD @@ -3017,8 +3072,7 @@ KVM_S390_INT_EMERGENCY - sigp emergency; parameters in .emerg KVM_S390_INT_EXTERNAL_CALL - sigp external call; parameters in .extcall KVM_S390_MCHK - machine check interrupt; parameters in .mchk - -Note that the vcpu ioctl is asynchronous to vcpu execution. +This is an asynchronous vcpu ioctl and can be invoked from any thread. 4.94 KVM_S390_GET_IRQ_STATE @@ -3753,6 +3807,102 @@ Coalesced pio is based on coalesced mmio. There is little difference between coalesced mmio and pio except that coalesced pio records accesses to I/O ports. +4.117 KVM_CLEAR_DIRTY_LOG (vm ioctl) + +Capability: KVM_CAP_MANUAL_DIRTY_LOG_PROTECT +Architectures: x86 +Type: vm ioctl +Parameters: struct kvm_dirty_log (in) +Returns: 0 on success, -1 on error + +/* for KVM_CLEAR_DIRTY_LOG */ +struct kvm_clear_dirty_log { + __u32 slot; + __u32 num_pages; + __u64 first_page; + union { + void __user *dirty_bitmap; /* one bit per page */ + __u64 padding; + }; +}; + +The ioctl clears the dirty status of pages in a memory slot, according to +the bitmap that is passed in struct kvm_clear_dirty_log's dirty_bitmap +field. Bit 0 of the bitmap corresponds to page "first_page" in the +memory slot, and num_pages is the size in bits of the input bitmap. +Both first_page and num_pages must be a multiple of 64. For each bit +that is set in the input bitmap, the corresponding page is marked "clean" +in KVM's dirty bitmap, and dirty tracking is re-enabled for that page +(for example via write-protection, or by clearing the dirty bit in +a page table entry). + +If KVM_CAP_MULTI_ADDRESS_SPACE is available, bits 16-31 specifies +the address space for which you want to return the dirty bitmap. +They must be less than the value that KVM_CHECK_EXTENSION returns for +the KVM_CAP_MULTI_ADDRESS_SPACE capability. + +This ioctl is mostly useful when KVM_CAP_MANUAL_DIRTY_LOG_PROTECT +is enabled; for more information, see the description of the capability. +However, it can always be used as long as KVM_CHECK_EXTENSION confirms +that KVM_CAP_MANUAL_DIRTY_LOG_PROTECT is present. + +4.118 KVM_GET_SUPPORTED_HV_CPUID + +Capability: KVM_CAP_HYPERV_CPUID +Architectures: x86 +Type: vcpu ioctl +Parameters: struct kvm_cpuid2 (in/out) +Returns: 0 on success, -1 on error + +struct kvm_cpuid2 { + __u32 nent; + __u32 padding; + struct kvm_cpuid_entry2 entries[0]; +}; + +struct kvm_cpuid_entry2 { + __u32 function; + __u32 index; + __u32 flags; + __u32 eax; + __u32 ebx; + __u32 ecx; + __u32 edx; + __u32 padding[3]; +}; + +This ioctl returns x86 cpuid features leaves related to Hyper-V emulation in +KVM. Userspace can use the information returned by this ioctl to construct +cpuid information presented to guests consuming Hyper-V enlightenments (e.g. +Windows or Hyper-V guests). + +CPUID feature leaves returned by this ioctl are defined by Hyper-V Top Level +Functional Specification (TLFS). These leaves can't be obtained with +KVM_GET_SUPPORTED_CPUID ioctl because some of them intersect with KVM feature +leaves (0x40000000, 0x40000001). + +Currently, the following list of CPUID leaves are returned: + HYPERV_CPUID_VENDOR_AND_MAX_FUNCTIONS + HYPERV_CPUID_INTERFACE + HYPERV_CPUID_VERSION + HYPERV_CPUID_FEATURES + HYPERV_CPUID_ENLIGHTMENT_INFO + HYPERV_CPUID_IMPLEMENT_LIMITS + HYPERV_CPUID_NESTED_FEATURES + +HYPERV_CPUID_NESTED_FEATURES leaf is only exposed when Enlightened VMCS was +enabled on the corresponding vCPU (KVM_CAP_HYPERV_ENLIGHTENED_VMCS). + +Userspace invokes KVM_GET_SUPPORTED_CPUID by passing a kvm_cpuid2 structure +with the 'nent' field indicating the number of entries in the variable-size +array 'entries'. If the number of entries is too low to describe all Hyper-V +feature leaves, an error (E2BIG) is returned. If the number is more or equal +to the number of Hyper-V feature leaves, the 'nent' field is adjusted to the +number of valid entries in the 'entries' array, which is then filled. + +'index' and 'flags' fields in 'struct kvm_cpuid_entry2' are currently reserved, +userspace should not expect to get any particular value there. + 5. The kvm_run structure ------------------------ @@ -4647,6 +4797,30 @@ and injected exceptions. * For the new DR6 bits, note that bit 16 is set iff the #DB exception will clear DR6.RTM. +7.18 KVM_CAP_MANUAL_DIRTY_LOG_PROTECT + +Architectures: all +Parameters: args[0] whether feature should be enabled or not + +With this capability enabled, KVM_GET_DIRTY_LOG will not automatically +clear and write-protect all pages that are returned as dirty. +Rather, userspace will have to do this operation separately using +KVM_CLEAR_DIRTY_LOG. + +At the cost of a slightly more complicated operation, this provides better +scalability and responsiveness for two reasons. First, +KVM_CLEAR_DIRTY_LOG ioctl can operate on a 64-page granularity rather +than requiring to sync a full memslot; this ensures that KVM does not +take spinlocks for an extended period of time. Second, in some cases a +large amount of time can pass between a call to KVM_GET_DIRTY_LOG and +userspace actually using the data in the page. Pages can be modified +during this time, which is inefficint for both the guest and userspace: +the guest will incur a higher penalty due to write protection faults, +while userspace can see false reports of dirty pages. Manual reprotection +helps reducing this time, improving guest performance and reducing the +number of dirty log false positives. + + 8. Other capabilities. ---------------------- |