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Subject: Re: [PATCH v2] add virtio-pmem device spec
On Wed, 10 Jul 2019 13:35:12 +0530 Pankaj Gupta <pagupta@redhat.com> wrote: > This patch proposes a virtio specification for new > virtio pmem device. Virtio pmem is a paravirtualized > device which solves two problems: > > - Provides emulation of persistent memory on host regular > (non NVDIMM) storage. > - Allows the guest to bypass the page cache. > > This is changed version from previous v1 [1], as per suggestions by > cornelia on RFC[2] with incorporated changes suggested by Stefan, Michael > & Cornerlia. > > [1] https://lists.oasis-open.org/archives/virtio-dev/201907/msg00004.html > [2] https://lists.oasis-open.org/archives/virtio-dev/201903/msg00083.html > > Signed-off-by: Pankaj Gupta <pagupta@redhat.com> > --- > conformance.tex | 22 ++++++++++-- > content.tex | 1 + > virtio-pmem.tex | 109 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > 3 files changed, 130 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-) > create mode 100644 virtio-pmem.tex (...) > diff --git a/virtio-pmem.tex b/virtio-pmem.tex > new file mode 100644 > index 0000000..ffa5cc3 > --- /dev/null > +++ b/virtio-pmem.tex > @@ -0,0 +1,109 @@ > +\section{PMEM Device}\label{sec:Device Types / PMEM Device} > + > +virtio pmem is an emulated persistent memory device using virtio. > + > +The devices work as fake nvdimm device when emulated on host regular "The device works as a fake nvdimm device when emulated on a host regular (non NVDIMM) device." ? > +(non NVDIMM) device. Device provides a virtio based asynchronous s/Device/The device/ > +flush mechanism to persist the guest writes. This avoids the > +need of separate caching inside the guest and host side caching > +is used. Under memory pressure, the host makes efficient memory > +reclaim decisions on uniform view of memory. > + > +\subsection{Device ID}\label{sec:Device Types / PMEM Device / Device ID} > + 27 > + > +\subsection{Virtqueues}\label{sec:Device Types / PMEM Device / Virtqueues} > +\begin{description} > +\item[0] req_vq > +\end{description} > + > +\subsection{Feature bits}\label{sec:Device Types / PMEM Device / Feature bits} > + > +There are currently no feature bits defined for this device. > + > +\subsection{Device configuration layout}\label{sec:Device Types / PMEM Device / Device configuration layout} > + > +\begin{lstlisting} > +struct virtio_pmem_config { > + uint64_t start; > + uint64_t size; > +}; > +\end{lstlisting} > + > +\field{start} contains the physical address of the start of the persistent memory range. > +\field{size} contains the length of address range in bytes. > + > +\subsection{Device Initialization}\label{sec:Device Types / PMEM Device / Device Initialization} > + > +Device hot-plugs physical memory to guest address space. Persistent memory device s/Device/The device/ s/Persistent memory device/The persistent memory device/ > +is emulated at host side. > + > +\begin{enumerate} > + \item The driver reads the physical start address from \field{start}. > + \item The driver reads the length of the persistent memory range from \field{size}. > + \end{enumerate} > + > +\devicenormative{\subsubsection}{Device Initialization}{Device Types / PMEM Device / Device Initialization} > + > +The host memory region MUST be mapped to guest address space in a > +way so that updates are visible to other processes mapping the > +same memory region. > + > +\subsection{Driver Initialization}\label{sec:Device Types / PMEM Driver / Driver Initialization} > + > +Memory stores to the persistent memory range are not guaranteed to be > +persistent without further action. An explicit flush command is > +required to ensure persistence. The req_vq is used to perform flush > +commands. > + > +\subsection{Driver Operations}\label{sec:Device Types / PMEM Driver / Driver Operation} > + > +The VIRTIO_PMEM_REQ_TYPE_FLUSH command persists memory writes that were performed > +before the command was submitted. Once the command completes those writes are guaranteed > +to be persistent. > + > +\drivernormative{\subsubsection}{Driver Operation: Virtqueue command}{Device Types / PMEM Driver / Driver Operation / Virtqueue command} > + > +The driver MUST submit a VIRTIO_PMEM_REQ_TYPE_FLUSH command after performing > +all memory writes to the persistent memory range. The last version had "The driver MUST submit a VIRTIO_PMEM_REQ_TYPE_FLUSH command after performing memory writes that require persistence.", which sounds better IMO. (Ah, now I see; the "all memory writes" I suggested last time was supposed to be for the previous subsection :) > + > +The driver MUST wait for the VIRTIO_PMEM_REQ_TYPE_FLUSH command to complete before > +assuming previous writes are persistent. > + > +\subsection{Device Operations}\label{sec:Device Types / PMEM Driver / Device Operation} > + > +\devicenormative{\subsubsection}{Device Operations: Virtqueue flush}{Device Types / PMEM Device / Device Operation / Virtqueue flush} > + > +Device SHOULD handle multiple flush requests simultaneously using s/Device/The device/ > +corresponding host flush mechanisms. > + > +\devicenormative{\subsubsection}{Device operations: Virtqueue return}{Device Types / PMEM Device / Device Operation / Virtqueue return} > + > +Device MUST return integer '0' for success and '!0' for failure. s/Device/The device/ > + > +\subsection{Possible security implications}\label{sec:Device Types / PMEM Device / Possible Security Implications} > + > +Two devices actually sharing the same memory creates a potential information > +leak as access patterns of one driver could be observable by another driver. > + > +This can happen for example if two devices are implemented in software > +by a hypervisor, and two drivers are parts of VMs running on the > +hypervisor. In this case, the timing of access to device memory > +might leak information about access patterns from one VM to another. > + > +This can include, but might not be limited to: > +\begin{enumerate} > +\item Configurations sharing a single region of device memory (even in a read-only configuration) > +\item Configurations with a shared cache between devices (e.g. Linux page cache) > +\item Configurations with memory deduplication techniques such as KSM; similar side-channels > + might be present if the device memory is shared with another system, e.g. information about > + the hypervisor/host page cache might leak into a VM guest. > +\end{enumerate} > + > +\subsection{Countermeasures}\label{sec:Device Types / PMEM Device / Possible Security Implications / Countermeasures} > +Solution is to avoid sharing resources between devices. > +\begin{enumerate} > +\item Each VM must have its own device memory, not shared with any other VM or process. > +\item If the VM workload is a special application and there is no risk, it is okay to share the device memory. > +\item Don't allow host cache eviction from VM when device memory is shared with other VM or host process. > +\end{enumerate} Other than my minor comments, this looks good to me.
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