Re: [PATCH 10/11] transport-pci: Use driver notification PCI capability

["Michael S. Tsirkin" <mst@redhat.com>]

On Wed, Apr 12, 2023 at 04:37:05AM +0000, Parav Pandit wrote:
> 
> 
> > From: Michael S. Tsirkin <mst@redhat.com>
> > Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2023 12:31 AM
> > 
> > On Fri, Mar 31, 2023 at 01:58:33AM +0300, Parav Pandit wrote:
> > > PCI devices support memory BAR regions for performant driver
> > > notifications using the notification capability.
> > > Enable transitional MMR devices to use it in simpler manner.
> > >
> > > Co-developed-by: Satananda Burla <sburla@marvell.com>
> > > Signed-off-by: Parav Pandit <parav@nvidia.com>
> > > ---
> > >  transport-pci.tex | 28 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> > >  1 file changed, 28 insertions(+)
> > >
> > > diff --git a/transport-pci.tex b/transport-pci.tex index
> > > 55a6aa0..4fd9898 100644
> > > --- a/transport-pci.tex
> > > +++ b/transport-pci.tex
> > > @@ -763,6 +763,34 @@ \subsubsection{Notification structure
> > > layout}\label{sec:Virtio Transport Options  cap.length >=
> > > queue_notify_off * notify_off_multiplier + 4  \end{lstlisting}
> > >
> > > +\paragraph{Transitional MMR Interface: A note on Notification
> > > +Capability} \label{sec:Virtio Transport Options / Virtio Over PCI Bus
> > > +/ Virtio Structure PCI Capabilities / Notification capability /
> > > +Transitional MMR Interface}
> > > +
> > > +The transitional MMR device benefits from receiving driver
> > > +notifications at the Queue Notification address offered using the
> > > +notification capability, rather than via the memory mapped legacy
> > > +QueueNotify configuration register.
> > > +
> > > +Transitional MMR device uses same Queue Notification address within a
> > > +BAR for all virtqueues:
> > > +\begin{lstlisting}
> > > +cap.offset
> > > +\end{lstlisting}
> > > +
> > > +The transitional MMR device MUST support Queue Notification address
> > > +within a BAR for all virtqueues at:
> > > +\begin{lstlisting}
> > > +cap.offset
> > > +\end{lstlisting}
> > > +
> > > +The transitional MMR driver that wants to use driver notifications
> > > +offered using notification capability MUST use same Queue
> > > +Notification address within a BAR for all virtqueues at:
> > > +
> > > +\begin{lstlisting}
> > > +cap.offset
> > > +\end{lstlisting}
> > > +
> > Why? What exactly is going on here? legacy drivers will not do this.
> 
> Legacy driver does in the q notify register that was sandwitched in between of slow configuration registers.
> This is the notification offset for the hypervisor driver to perform the notification on behalf of the guest driver so that the acceleration available for the non-transitional device can be utilized here as well.

I don't get it. What acceleration? for guests you need a separate page
so card can be mapped directly while config causes an exit. But
hypervisor can access any register without vmexits.

-- 
MST