diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'Documentation')
| -rw-r--r-- | Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt | 8 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | Documentation/kvm/api.txt | 61 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | Documentation/kvm/ppc-pv.txt | 196 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | Documentation/kvm/timekeeping.txt | 612 |
4 files changed, 872 insertions, 5 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt b/Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt index 4cd8b86e00e..9533af74a12 100644 --- a/Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt +++ b/Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt @@ -1131,9 +1131,13 @@ and is between 256 and 4096 characters. It is defined in the file kvm.oos_shadow= [KVM] Disable out-of-sync shadow paging. Default is 1 (enabled) - kvm-amd.nested= [KVM,AMD] Allow nested virtualization in KVM/SVM. + kvm.mmu_audit= [KVM] This is a R/W parameter which allows audit + KVM MMU at runtime. Default is 0 (off) + kvm-amd.nested= [KVM,AMD] Allow nested virtualization in KVM/SVM. + Default is 1 (enabled) + kvm-amd.npt= [KVM,AMD] Disable nested paging (virtualized MMU) for all guests. Default is 1 (enabled) if in 64bit or 32bit-PAE mode @@ -1698,6 +1702,8 @@ and is between 256 and 4096 characters. It is defined in the file nojitter [IA64] Disables jitter checking for ITC timers. + no-kvmclock [X86,KVM] Disable paravirtualized KVM clock driver + nolapic [X86-32,APIC] Do not enable or use the local APIC. nolapic_timer [X86-32,APIC] Do not use the local APIC timer. diff --git a/Documentation/kvm/api.txt b/Documentation/kvm/api.txt index 5f5b64982b1..b336266bea5 100644 --- a/Documentation/kvm/api.txt +++ b/Documentation/kvm/api.txt @@ -320,13 +320,13 @@ struct kvm_translation { 4.15 KVM_INTERRUPT Capability: basic -Architectures: x86 +Architectures: x86, ppc Type: vcpu ioctl Parameters: struct kvm_interrupt (in) Returns: 0 on success, -1 on error Queues a hardware interrupt vector to be injected. This is only -useful if in-kernel local APIC is not used. +useful if in-kernel local APIC or equivalent is not used. /* for KVM_INTERRUPT */ struct kvm_interrupt { @@ -334,8 +334,37 @@ struct kvm_interrupt { __u32 irq; }; +X86: + Note 'irq' is an interrupt vector, not an interrupt pin or line. +PPC: + +Queues an external interrupt to be injected. This ioctl is overleaded +with 3 different irq values: + +a) KVM_INTERRUPT_SET + + This injects an edge type external interrupt into the guest once it's ready + to receive interrupts. When injected, the interrupt is done. + +b) KVM_INTERRUPT_UNSET + + This unsets any pending interrupt. + + Only available with KVM_CAP_PPC_UNSET_IRQ. + +c) KVM_INTERRUPT_SET_LEVEL + + This injects a level type external interrupt into the guest context. The + interrupt stays pending until a specific ioctl with KVM_INTERRUPT_UNSET + is triggered. + + Only available with KVM_CAP_PPC_IRQ_LEVEL. + +Note that any value for 'irq' other than the ones stated above is invalid +and incurs unexpected behavior. + 4.16 KVM_DEBUG_GUEST Capability: basic @@ -1013,8 +1042,9 @@ number is just right, the 'nent' field is adjusted to the number of valid entries in the 'entries' array, which is then filled. The entries returned are the host cpuid as returned by the cpuid instruction, -with unknown or unsupported features masked out. The fields in each entry -are defined as follows: +with unknown or unsupported features masked out. Some features (for example, +x2apic), may not be present in the host cpu, but are exposed by kvm if it can +emulate them efficiently. The fields in each entry are defined as follows: function: the eax value used to obtain the entry index: the ecx value used to obtain the entry (for entries that are @@ -1032,6 +1062,29 @@ are defined as follows: eax, ebx, ecx, edx: the values returned by the cpuid instruction for this function/index combination +4.46 KVM_PPC_GET_PVINFO + +Capability: KVM_CAP_PPC_GET_PVINFO +Architectures: ppc +Type: vm ioctl +Parameters: struct kvm_ppc_pvinfo (out) +Returns: 0 on success, !0 on error + +struct kvm_ppc_pvinfo { + __u32 flags; + __u32 hcall[4]; + __u8 pad[108]; +}; + +This ioctl fetches PV specific information that need to be passed to the guest +using the device tree or other means from vm context. + +For now the only implemented piece of information distributed here is an array +of 4 instructions that make up a hypercall. + +If any additional field gets added to this structure later on, a bit for that +additional piece of information will be set in the flags bitmap. + 5. The kvm_run structure Application code obtains a pointer to the kvm_run structure by diff --git a/Documentation/kvm/ppc-pv.txt b/Documentation/kvm/ppc-pv.txt new file mode 100644 index 00000000000..a7f2244b3be --- /dev/null +++ b/Documentation/kvm/ppc-pv.txt @@ -0,0 +1,196 @@ +The PPC KVM paravirtual interface +================================= + +The basic execution principle by which KVM on PowerPC works is to run all kernel +space code in PR=1 which is user space. This way we trap all privileged +instructions and can emulate them accordingly. + +Unfortunately that is also the downfall. There are quite some privileged +instructions that needlessly return us to the hypervisor even though they +could be handled differently. + +This is what the PPC PV interface helps with. It takes privileged instructions +and transforms them into unprivileged ones with some help from the hypervisor. +This cuts down virtualization costs by about 50% on some of my benchmarks. + +The code for that interface can be found in arch/powerpc/kernel/kvm* + +Querying for existence +====================== + +To find out if we're running on KVM or not, we leverage the device tree. When +Linux is running on KVM, a node /hypervisor exists. That node contains a +compatible property with the value "linux,kvm". + +Once you determined you're running under a PV capable KVM, you can now use +hypercalls as described below. + +KVM hypercalls +============== + +Inside the device tree's /hypervisor node there's a property called +'hypercall-instructions'. This property contains at most 4 opcodes that make +up the hypercall. To call a hypercall, just call these instructions. + +The parameters are as follows: + + Register IN OUT + + r0 - volatile + r3 1st parameter Return code + r4 2nd parameter 1st output value + r5 3rd parameter 2nd output value + r6 4th parameter 3rd output value + r7 5th parameter 4th output value + r8 6th parameter 5th output value + r9 7th parameter 6th output value + r10 8th parameter 7th output value + r11 hypercall number 8th output value + r12 - volatile + +Hypercall definitions are shared in generic code, so the same hypercall numbers +apply for x86 and powerpc alike with the exception that each KVM hypercall +also needs to be ORed with the KVM vendor code which is (42 << 16). + +Return codes can be as follows: + + Code Meaning + + 0 Success + 12 Hypercall not implemented + <0 Error + +The magic page +============== + +To enable communication between the hypervisor and guest there is a new shared +page that contains parts of supervisor visible register state. The guest can +map this shared page using the KVM hypercall KVM_HC_PPC_MAP_MAGIC_PAGE. + +With this hypercall issued the guest always gets the magic page mapped at the +desired location in effective and physical address space. For now, we always +map the page to -4096. This way we can access it using absolute load and store +functions. The following instruction reads the first field of the magic page: + + ld rX, -4096(0) + +The interface is designed to be extensible should there be need later to add +additional registers to the magic page. If you add fields to the magic page, +also define a new hypercall feature to indicate that the host can give you more +registers. Only if the host supports the additional features, make use of them. + +The magic page has the following layout as described in +arch/powerpc/include/asm/kvm_para.h: + +struct kvm_vcpu_arch_shared { + __u64 scratch1; + __u64 scratch2; + __u64 scratch3; + __u64 critical; /* Guest may not get interrupts if == r1 */ + __u64 sprg0; + __u64 sprg1; + __u64 sprg2; + __u64 sprg3; + __u64 srr0; + __u64 srr1; + __u64 dar; + __u64 msr; + __u32 dsisr; + __u32 int_pending; /* Tells the guest if we have an interrupt */ +}; + +Additions to the page must only occur at the end. Struct fields are always 32 +or 64 bit aligned, depending on them being 32 or 64 bit wide respectively. + +Magic page features +=================== + +When mapping the magic page using the KVM hypercall KVM_HC_PPC_MAP_MAGIC_PAGE, +a second return value is passed to the guest. This second return value contains +a bitmap of available features inside the magic page. + +The following enhancements to the magic page are currently available: + + KVM_MAGIC_FEAT_SR Maps SR registers r/w in the magic page + +For enhanced features in the magic page, please check for the existence of the +feature before using them! + +MSR bits +======== + +The MSR contains bits that require hypervisor intervention and bits that do +not require direct hypervisor intervention because they only get interpreted +when entering the guest or don't have any impact on the hypervisor's behavior. + +The following bits are safe to be set inside the guest: + + MSR_EE + MSR_RI + MSR_CR + MSR_ME + +If any other bit changes in the MSR, please still use mtmsr(d). + +Patched instructions +==================== + +The "ld" and "std" instructions are transormed to "lwz" and "stw" instructions +respectively on 32 bit systems with an added offset of 4 to accomodate for big +endianness. + +The following is a list of mapping the Linux kernel performs when running as +guest. Implementing any of those mappings is optional, as the instruction traps +also act on the shared page. So calling privileged instructions still works as +before. + +From To +==== == + +mfmsr rX ld rX, magic_page->msr +mfsprg rX, 0 ld rX, magic_page->sprg0 +mfsprg rX, 1 ld rX, magic_page->sprg1 +mfsprg rX, 2 ld rX, magic_page->sprg2 +mfsprg rX, 3 ld rX, magic_page->sprg3 +mfsrr0 rX ld rX, magic_page->srr0 +mfsrr1 rX ld rX, magic_page->srr1 +mfdar rX ld rX, magic_page->dar +mfdsisr rX lwz rX, magic_page->dsisr + +mtmsr rX std rX, magic_page->msr +mtsprg 0, rX std rX, magic_page->sprg0 +mtsprg 1, rX std rX, magic_page->sprg1 +mtsprg 2, rX std rX, magic_page->sprg2 +mtsprg 3, rX std rX, magic_page->sprg3 +mtsrr0 rX std rX, magic_page->srr0 +mtsrr1 rX std rX, magic_page->srr1 +mtdar rX std rX, magic_page->dar +mtdsisr rX stw rX, magic_page->dsisr + +tlbsync nop + +mtmsrd rX, 0 b <special mtmsr section> +mtmsr rX b <special mtmsr section> + +mtmsrd rX, 1 b <special mtmsrd section> + +[Book3S only] +mtsrin rX, rY b <special mtsrin section> + +[BookE only] +wrteei [0|1] b <special wrteei section> + + +Some instructions require more logic to determine what's going on than a load +or store instruction can deliver. To enable patching of those, we keep some +RAM around where we can live translate instructions to. What happens is the +following: + + 1) copy emulation code to memory + 2) patch that code to fit the emulated instruction + 3) patch that code to return to the original pc + 4 + 4) patch the original instruction to branch to the new code + +That way we can inject an arbitrary amount of code as replacement for a single +instruction. This allows us to check for pending interrupts when setting EE=1 +for example. diff --git a/Documentation/kvm/timekeeping.txt b/Documentation/kvm/timekeeping.txt new file mode 100644 index 00000000000..0c5033a58c9 --- /dev/null +++ b/Documentation/kvm/timekeeping.txt @@ -0,0 +1,612 @@ + + Timekeeping Virtualization for X86-Based Architectures + + Zachary Amsden <zamsden@redhat.com> + Copyright (c) 2010, Red Hat. All rights reserved. + +1) Overview +2) Timing Devices +3) TSC Hardware +4) Virtualization Problems + +========================================================================= + +1) Overview + +One of the most complicated parts of the X86 platform, and specifically, +the virtualization of this platform is the plethora of timing devices available +and the complexity of emulating those devices. In addition, virtualization of +time introduces a new set of challenges because it introduces a multiplexed +division of time beyond the control of the guest CPU. + +First, we will describe the various timekeeping hardware available, then +present some of the problems which arise and solutions available, giving +specific recommendations for certain classes of KVM guests. + +The purpose of this document is to collect data and information relevant to +timekeeping which may be difficult to find elsewhere, specifically, +information relevant to KVM and hardware-based virtualization. + +========================================================================= + +2) Timing Devices + +First we discuss the basic hardware devices available. TSC and the related +KVM clock are special enough to warrant a full exposition and are described in +the following section. + +2.1) i8254 - PIT + +One of the first timer devices available is the programmable interrupt timer, +or PIT. The PIT has a fixed frequency 1.193182 MHz base clock and three +channels which can be programmed to deliver periodic or one-shot interrupts. +These three channels can be configured in different modes and have individual +counters. Channel 1 and 2 were not available for general use in the original +IBM PC, and historically were connected to control RAM refresh and the PC +speaker. Now the PIT is typically integrated as part of an emulated chipset +and a separate physical PIT is not used. + +The PIT uses I/O ports 0x40 - 0x43. Access to the 16-bit counters is done +using single or multiple byte access to the I/O ports. There are 6 modes +available, but not all modes are available to all timers, as only timer 2 +has a connected gate input, required for modes 1 and 5. The gate line is +controlled by port 61h, bit 0, as illustrated in the following diagram. + + -------------- ---------------- +| | | | +| 1.1932 MHz |---------->| CLOCK OUT | ---------> IRQ 0 +| Clock | | | | + -------------- | +->| GATE TIMER 0 | + | ---------------- + | + | ---------------- + | | | + |------>| CLOCK OUT | ---------> 66.3 KHZ DRAM + | | | (aka /dev/null) + | +->| GATE TIMER 1 | + | ---------------- + | + | ---------------- + | | | + |------>| CLOCK OUT | ---------> Port 61h, bit 5 + | | | +Port 61h, bit 0 ---------->| GATE TIMER 2 | \_.---- ____ + ---------------- _| )--|LPF|---Speaker + / *---- \___/ +Port 61h, bit 1 -----------------------------------/ + +The timer modes are now described. + +Mode 0: Single Timeout. This is a one-shot software timeout that counts down + when the gate is high (always true for timers 0 and 1). When the count + reaches zero, the output goes high. + +Mode 1: Triggered One-shot. The output is intially set high. When the gate + line is set high, a countdown is initiated (which does not stop if the gate is + lowered), during which the output is set low. When the count reaches zero, + the output goes high. + +Mode 2: Rate Generator. The output is initially set high. When the countdown + reaches 1, the output goes low for one count and then returns high. The value + is reloaded and the countdown automatically resumes. If the gate line goes + low, the count is halted. If the output is low when the gate is lowered, the + output automatically goes high (this only affects timer 2). + +Mode 3: Square Wave. This generates a high / low square wave. The count + determines the length of the pulse, which alternates between high and low + when zero is reached. The count only proceeds when gate is high and is + automatically reloaded on reaching zero. The count is decremented twice at + each clock to generate a full high / low cycle at the full periodic rate. + If the count is even, the clock remains high for N/2 counts and low for N/2 + counts; if the clock is odd, the clock is high for (N+1)/2 counts and low + for (N-1)/2 counts. Only even values are latched by the counter, so odd + values are not observed when reading. This is the intended mode for timer 2, + which generates sine-like tones by low-pass filtering the square wave output. + +Mode 4: Software Strobe. After programming this mode and loading the counter, + the output remains high until the counter reaches zero. Then the output + goes low for 1 clock cycle and returns high. The counter is not reloaded. + Counting only occurs when gate is high. + +Mode 5: Hardware Strobe. After programming and loading the counter, the + output remains high. When the gate is raised, a countdown is initiated + (which does not stop if the gate is lowered). When the counter reaches zero, + the output goes low for 1 clock cycle and then returns high. The counter is + not reloaded. + +In addition to normal binary counting, the PIT supports BCD counting. The +command port, 0x43 is used to set the counter and mode for each of the three +timers. + +PIT commands, issued to port 0x43, using the following bit encoding: + +Bit 7-4: Command (See table below) +Bit 3-1: Mode (000 = Mode 0, 101 = Mode 5, 11X = undefined) +Bit 0 : Binary (0) / BCD (1) + +Command table: + +0000 - Latch Timer 0 count for port 0x40 + sample and hold the count to be read in port 0x40; + additional commands ignored until counter is read; + mode bits ignored. + +0001 - Set Timer 0 LSB mode for port 0x40 + set timer to read LSB only and force MSB to zero; + mode bits set timer mode + +0010 - Set Timer 0 MSB mode for port 0x40 + set timer to read MSB only and force LSB to zero; + mode bits set timer mode + +0011 - Set Timer 0 16-bit mode for port 0x40 + set timer to read / write LSB first, then MSB; + mode bits set timer mode + +0100 - Latch Timer 1 count for port 0x41 - as described above +0101 - Set Timer 1 LSB mode for port 0x41 - as described above +0110 - Set Timer 1 MSB mode for port 0x41 - as described above +0111 - Set Timer 1 16-bit mode for port 0x41 - as described above + +1000 - Latch Timer 2 count for port 0x42 - as described above +1001 - Set Timer 2 LSB mode for port 0x42 - as described above +1010 - Set Timer 2 MSB mode for port 0x42 - as described above +1011 - Set Timer 2 16-bit mode for port 0x42 as described above + +1101 - General counter latch + Latch combination of counters into corresponding ports + Bit 3 = Counter 2 + Bit 2 = Counter 1 + Bit 1 = Counter 0 + Bit 0 = Unused + +1110 - Latch timer status + Latch combination of counter mode into corresponding ports + Bit 3 = Counter 2 + Bit 2 = Counter 1 + Bit 1 = Counter 0 + + The output of ports 0x40-0x42 following this command will be: + + Bit 7 = Output pin + Bit 6 = Count loaded (0 if timer has expired) + Bit 5-4 = Read / Write mode + 01 = MSB only + 10 = LSB only + 11 = LSB / MSB (16-bit) + Bit 3-1 = Mode + Bit 0 = Binary (0) / BCD mode (1) + +2.2) RTC + +The second device which was available in the original PC was the MC146818 real +time clock. The original device is now obsolete, and usually emulated by the +system chipset, sometimes by an HPET and some frankenstein IRQ routing. + +The RTC is accessed through CMOS variables, which uses an index register to +control which bytes are read. Since there is only one index register, read +of the CMOS and read of the RTC require lock protection (in addition, it is +dangerous to allow userspace utilities such as hwclock to have direct RTC +access, as they could corrupt kernel reads and writes of CMOS memory). + +The RTC generates an interrupt which is usually routed to IRQ 8. The interrupt +can function as a periodic timer, an additional once a day alarm, and can issue +interrupts after an update of the CMOS registers by the MC146818 is complete. +The type of interrupt is signalled in the RTC status registers. + +The RTC will update the current time fields by battery power even while the +system is off. The current time fields should not be read while an update is +in progress, as indicated in the status register. + +The clock uses a 32.768kHz crystal, so bits 6-4 of register A should be +programmed to a 32kHz divider if the RTC is to count seconds. + +This is the RAM map originally used for the RTC/CMOS: + +Location Size Description +------------------------------------------ +00h byte Current second (BCD) +01h byte Seconds alarm (BCD) +02h byte Current minute (BCD) +03h byte Minutes alarm (BCD) +04h byte Current hour (BCD) +05h byte Hours alarm (BCD) +06h byte Current day of week (BCD) +07h byte Current day of month (BCD) +08h byte Current month (BCD) +09h byte Current year (BCD) +0Ah byte Register A + bit 7 = Update in progress + bit 6-4 = Divider for clock + 000 = 4.194 MHz + 001 = 1.049 MHz + 010 = 32 kHz + 10X = test modes + 110 = reset / disable + 111 = reset / disable + bit 3-0 = Rate selection for periodic interrupt + 000 = periodic timer disabled + 001 = 3.90625 uS + 010 = 7.8125 uS + 011 = .122070 mS + 100 = .244141 mS + ... + 1101 = 125 mS + 1110 = 250 mS + 1111 = 500 mS +0Bh byte Register B + bit 7 = Run (0) / Halt (1) + bit 6 = Periodic interrupt enable + bit 5 = Alarm interrupt enable + bit 4 = Update-ended interrupt enable + bit 3 = Square wave interrupt enable + bit 2 = BCD calendar (0) / Binary (1) + bit 1 = 12-hour mode (0) / 24-hour mode (1) + bit 0 = 0 (DST off) / 1 (DST enabled) +OCh byte Register C (read only) + bit 7 = interrupt request flag (IRQF) + bit 6 = periodic interrupt flag (PF) + bit 5 = alarm interrupt flag (AF) + bit 4 = update interrupt flag (UF) + bit 3-0 = reserved +ODh byte Register D (read only) + bit 7 = RTC has power + bit 6-0 = reserved +32h byte Current century BCD (*) + (*) location vendor specific and now determined from ACPI global tables + +2.3) APIC + +On Pentium and later processors, an on-board timer is available to each CPU +as part of the Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller. The APIC is +accessed through memory-mapped registers and provides interrupt service to each +CPU, used for IPIs and local timer interrupts. + +Although in theory the APIC is a safe and stable source for local interrupts, +in practice, many bugs and glitches have occurred due to the special nature of +the APIC CPU-local memory-mapped hardware. Beware that CPU errata may affect +the use of the APIC and that workarounds may be required. In addition, some of +these workarounds pose unique constraints for virtualization - requiring either +extra overhead incurred from extra reads of memory-mapped I/O or additional +functionality that may be more computationally expensive to implement. + +Since the APIC is documented quite well in the Intel and AMD manuals, we will +avoid repetition of the detail here. It should be pointed out that the APIC +timer is programmed through the LVT (local vector timer) register, is capable +of one-shot or periodic operation, and is based on the bus clock divided down +by the programmable divider register. + +2.4) HPET + +HPET is quite complex, and was originally intended to replace the PIT / RTC +support of the X86 PC. It remains to be seen whether that will be the case, as +the de facto standard of PC hardware is to emulate these older devices. Some +systems designated as legacy free may support only the HPET as a hardware timer +device. + +The HPET spec is rather loose and vague, requiring at least 3 hardware timers, +but allowing implementation freedom to support many more. It also imposes no +fixed rate on the timer frequency, but does impose some extremal values on +frequency, error and slew. + +In general, the HPET is recommended as a high precision (compared to PIT /RTC) +time source which is independent of local variation (as there is only one HPET +in any given system). The HPET is also memory-mapped, and its presence is +indicated through ACPI tables by the BIOS. + +Detailed specification of the HPET is beyond the current scope of this +document, as it is also very well documented elsewhere. + +2.5) Offboard Timers + +Several cards, both proprietary (watchdog boards) and commonplace (e1000) have +timing chips built into the cards which may have registers which are accessible +to kernel or user drivers. To the author's knowledge, using these to generate +a clocksource for a Linux or other kernel has not yet been attempted and is in +general frowned upon as not playing by the agreed rules of the game. Such a +timer device would require additional support to be virtualized properly and is +not considered important at this time as no known operating system does this. + +========================================================================= + +3) TSC Hardware + +The TSC or time stamp counter is relatively simple in theory; it counts +instruction cycles issued by the processor, which can be used as a measure of +time. In practice, due to a number of problems, it is the most complicated +timekeeping device to use. + +The TSC is represented internally as a 64-bit MSR which can be read with the +RDMSR, RDTSC, or RDTSCP (when available) instructions. In the past, hardware +limitations made it possible to write the TSC, but generally on old hardware it +was only possible to write the low 32-bits of the 64-bit counter, and the upper +32-bits of the counter were cleared. Now, however, on Intel processors family +0Fh, for models 3, 4 and 6, and family 06h, models e and f, this restriction +has been lifted and all 64-bits are writable. On AMD systems, the ability to +write the TSC MSR is not an architectural guarantee. + +The TSC is accessible from CPL-0 and conditionally, for CPL > 0 software by +means of the CR4.TSD bit, which when enabled, disables CPL > 0 TSC access. + +Some vendors have implemented an additional instruction, RDTSCP, which returns +atomically not just the TSC, but an indicator which corresponds to the +processor number. This can be used to index into an array of TSC variables to +determine offset information in SMP systems where TSCs are not synchronized. +The presence of this instruction must be determined by consulting CPUID feature +bits. + +Both VMX and SVM provide extension fields in the virtualization hardware which +allows the guest visible TSC to be offset by a constant. Newer implementations +promise to allow the TSC to additionally be scaled, but this hardware is not +yet widely available. + +3.1) TSC synchronization + +The TSC is a CPU-local clock in most implementations. This means, on SMP +platforms, the TSCs of different CPUs may start at different times depending +on when the CPUs are powered on. Generally, CPUs on the same die will share +the same clock, however, this is not always the case. + +The BIOS may attempt to resynchronize the TSCs during the poweron process and +the operating system or other system software may attempt to do this as well. +Several hardware limitations make the problem worse - if it is not possible to +write the full 64-bits of the TSC, it may be impossible to match the TSC in +newly arriving CPUs to that of the rest of the system, resulting in +unsynchronized TSCs. This may be done by BIOS or system software, but in +practice, getting a perfectly synchronized TSC will not be possible unless all +values are read from the same clock, which generally only is possible on single +socket systems or those with special hardware support. + +3.2) TSC and CPU hotplug + +As touched on already, CPUs which arrive later than the boot time of the system +may not have a TSC value that is synchronized with the rest of the system. +Either system software, BIOS, or SMM code may actually try to establish the TSC +to a value matching the rest of the system, but a perfect match is usually not +a guarantee. This can have the effect of bringing a system from a state where +TSC is synchronized back to a state where TSC synchronization flaws, however +small, may be exposed to the OS and any virtualization environment. + +3.3) TSC and multi-socket / NUMA + +Multi-socket systems, especially large multi-socket systems are likely to have +individual clocksources rather than a single, universally distributed clock. +Since these clocks are driven by different crystals, they will not have +perfectly matched frequency, and temperature and electrical variations will +cause the CPU clocks, and thus the TSCs to drift over time. Depending on the +exact clock and bus design, the drift may or may not be fixed in absolute +error, and may accumulate over time. + +In addition, very large systems may deliberately slew the clocks of individual +cores. This technique, known as spread-spectrum clocking, reduces EMI at the +clock frequency and harmonics of it, which may be required to pass FCC +standards for telecommunications and computer equipment. + +It is recommended not to trust the TSCs to remain synchronized on NUMA or +multiple socket systems for these reasons. + +3.4) TSC and C-states + +C-states, or idling states of the processor, especially C1E and deeper sleep +states may be problematic for TSC as well. The TSC may stop advancing in such +a state, resulting in a TSC which is behind that of other CPUs when execution +is resumed. Such CPUs must be detected and flagged by the operating system +based on CPU and chipset identifications. + +The TSC in such a case may be corrected by catching it up to a known external +clocksource. + +3.5) TSC frequency change / P-states + +To make things slightly more interesting, some CPUs may change frequency. They +may or may not run the TSC at the same rate, and because the frequency change +may be staggered or slewed, at some points in time, the TSC rate may not be +known other than falling within a range of values. In this case, the TSC will +not be a stable time source, and must be calibrated against a known, stable, +external clock to be a usable source of time. + +Whether the TSC runs at a constant rate or scales with the P-state is model +dependent and must be determined by inspecting CPUID, chipset or vendor +specific MSR fields. + +In addition, some vendors have known bugs where the P-state is actually +compensated for properly during normal operation, but when the processor is +inactive, the P-state may be raised temporarily to service cache misses from +other processors. In such cases, the TSC on halted CPUs could advance faster +than that of non-halted processors. AMD Turion processors are known to have +this problem. + +3.6) TSC and STPCLK / T-states + +External signals given to the processor may also have the effect of stopping +the TSC. This is typically done for thermal emergency power control to prevent +an overheating condition, and typically, there is no way to detect that this +condition has happened. + +3.7) TSC virtualization - VMX + +VMX provides conditional trapping of RDTSC, RDMSR, WRMSR and RDTSCP +instructions, which is enough for full virtualization of TSC in any manner. In +addition, VMX allows passing through the host TSC plus an additional TSC_OFFSET +field specified in the VMCS. Special instructions must be used to read and +write the VMCS field. + +3.8) TSC virtualization - SVM + +SVM provides conditional trapping of RDTSC, RDMSR, WRMSR and RDTSCP +instructions, which is enough for full virtualization of TSC in any manner. In +addition, SVM allows passing through the host TSC plus an additional offset +field specified in the SVM control block. + +3.9) TSC feature bits in Linux + +In summary, there is no way to guarantee the TSC remains in perfect +synchronization unless it is explicitly guaranteed by the architecture. Even +if so, the TSCs in multi-sockets or NUMA systems may still run independently +despite being locally consistent. + +The following feature bits are used by Linux to signal various TSC attributes, +but they can only be taken to be meaningful for UP or single node systems. + +X86_FEATURE_TSC : The TSC is available in hardware +X86_FEATURE_RDTSCP : The RDTSCP instruction is available +X86_FEATURE_CONSTANT_TSC : The TSC rate is unchanged with P-states +X86_FEATURE_NONSTOP_TSC : The TSC does not stop in C-states +X86_FEATURE_TSC_RELIABLE : TSC sync checks are skipped (VMware) + +4) Virtualization Problems + +Timekeeping is especially problematic for virtualization because a number of +challenges arise. The most obvious problem is that time is now shared between +the host and, potentially, a number of virtual machines. Thus the virtual +operating system does not run with 100% usage of the CPU, despite the fact that +it may very well make that assumption. It may expect it to remain true to very +exacting bounds when interrupt sources are disabled, but in reality only its +virtual interrupt sources are disabled, and the machine may still be preempted +at any time. This causes problems as the passage of real time, the injection +of machine interrupts and the associated clock sources are no longer completely +synchronized with real time. + +This same problem can occur on native harware to a degree, as SMM mode may +steal cycles from the naturally on X86 systems when SMM mode is used by the +BIOS, but not in such an extreme fashion. However, the fact that SMM mode may +cause similar problems to virtualization makes it a good justification for +solving many of these problems on bare metal. + +4.1) Interrupt clocking + +One of the most immediate problems that occurs with legacy operating systems +is that the system timekeeping routines are often designed to keep track of +time by counting periodic interrupts. These interrupts may come from the PIT +or the RTC, but the problem is the same: the host virtualization engine may not +be able to deliver the proper number of interrupts per second, and so guest +time may fall behind. This is especially problematic if a high interrupt rate +is selected, such as 1000 HZ, which is unfortunately the default for many Linux +guests. + +There are three approaches to solving this problem; first, it may be possible +to simply ignore it. Guests which have a separate time source for tracking +'wall clock' or 'real time' may not need any adjustment of their interrupts to +maintain proper time. If this is not sufficient, it may be necessary to inject +additional interrupts into the guest in order to increase the effective +interrupt rate. This approach leads to complications in extreme conditions, +where host load or guest lag is too much to compensate for, and thus another +solution to the problem has risen: the guest may need to become aware of lost +ticks and compensate for them internally. Although promising in theory, the +implementation of this policy in Linux has been extremely error prone, and a +number of buggy variants of lost tick compensation are distributed across +commonly used Linux systems. + +Windows uses periodic RTC clocking as a means of keeping time internally, and +thus requires interrupt slewing to keep proper time. It does use a low enough +rate (ed: is it 18.2 Hz?) however that it has not yet been a problem in +practice. + +4.2) TSC sampling and serialization + +As the highest precision time source available, the cycle counter of the CPU +has aroused much interest from developers. As explained above, this timer has +many problems unique to its nature as a local, potentially unstable and +potentially unsynchronized source. One issue which is not unique to the TSC, +but is highlighted because of its very precise nature is sampling delay. By +definition, the counter, once read is already old. However, it is also +possible for the counter to be read ahead of the actual use of the result. +This is a consequence of the superscalar execution of the instruction stream, +which may execute instructions out of order. Such execution is called +non-serialized. Forcing serialized execution is necessary for precise +measurement with the TSC, and requires a serializing instruction, such as CPUID +or an MSR read. + +Since CPUID may actually be virtualized by a trap and emulate mechanism, this +serialization can pose a performance issue for hardware virtualization. An +accurate time stamp counter reading may therefore not always be available, and +it may be necessary for an implementation to guard against "backwards" reads of +the TSC as seen from other CPUs, even in an otherwise perfectly synchronized +system. + +4.3) Timespec aliasing + +Additionally, this lack of serialization from the TSC poses another challenge +when using results of the TSC when measured against another time source. As +the TSC is much higher precision, many possible values of the TSC may be read +while another clock is still expressing the same value. + +That is, you may read (T,T+10) while external clock C maintains the same value. +Due to non-serialized reads, you may actually end up with a range which +fluctuates - from (T-1.. T+10). Thus, any time calculated from a TSC, but +calibrated against an external value may have a range of valid values. +Re-calibrating this computation may actually cause time, as computed after the +calibration, to go backwards, compared with time computed before the +calibration. + +This problem is particularly pronounced with an internal time source in Linux, +the kernel time, which is expressed in the theoretically high resolution +timespec - but which advances in much larger granularity intervals, sometimes +at the rate of jiffies, and possibly in catchup modes, at a much larger step. + +This aliasing requires care in the computation and recalibration of kvmclock +and any other values derived from TSC computation (such as TSC virtualization +itself). + +4.4) Migration + +Migration of a virtual machine raises problems for timekeeping in two ways. +First, the migration itself may take time, during which interrupts cannot be +delivered, and after which, the guest time may need to be caught up. NTP may +be able to help to some degree here, as the clock correction required is +typically small enough to fall in the NTP-correctable window. + +An additional concern is that timers based off the TSC (or HPET, if the raw bus +clock is exposed) may now be running at different rates, requiring compensation +in some way in the hypervisor by virtualizing these timers. In addition, +migrating to a faster machine may preclude the use of a passthrough TSC, as a +faster clock cannot be made visible to a guest without the potential of time +advancing faster than usual. A slower clock is less of a problem, as it can +always be caught up to the original rate. KVM clock avoids these problems by +simply storing multipliers and offsets against the TSC for the guest to convert +back into nanosecond resolution values. + +4.5) Scheduling + +Since scheduling may be based on precise timing and firing of interrupts, the +scheduling algorithms of an operating system may be adversely affected by +virtualization. In theory, the effect is random and should be universally +distributed, but in contrived as well as real scenarios (guest device access, +causes of virtualization exits, possible context switch), this may not always +be the case. The effect of this has not been well studied. + +In an attempt to work around this, several implementations have provided a +paravirtualized scheduler clock, which reveals the true amount of CPU time for +which a virtual machine has been running. + +4.6) Watchdogs + +Watchdog timers, such as the lock detector in Linux may fire accidentally when +running under hardware virtualization due to timer interrupts being delayed or +misinterpretation of the passage of real time. Usually, these warnings are +spurious and can be ignored, but in some circumstances it may be necessary to +disable such detection. + +4.7) Delays and precision timing + +Precise timing and delays may not be possible in a virtualized system. This +can happen if the system is controlling physical hardware, or issues delays to +compensate for slower I/O to and from devices. The first issue is not solvable +in general for a virtualized system; hardware control software can't be +adequately virtualized without a full real-time operating system, which would +require an RT aware virtualization platform. + +The second issue may cause performance problems, but this is unlikely to be a +significant issue. In many cases these delays may be eliminated through +configuration or paravirtualization. + +4.8) Covert channels and leaks + +In addition to the above problems, time information will inevitably leak to the +guest about the host in anything but a perfect implementation of virtualized +time. This may allow the guest to infer the presence of a hypervisor (as in a +red-pill type detection), and it may allow information to leak between guests +by using CPU utilization itself as a signalling channel. Preventing such +problems would require completely isolated virtual time which may not track +real time any longer. This may be useful in certain security or QA contexts, +but in general isn't recommended for real-world deployment scenarios. |