[virtio-comment] Re: [PATCH v5] virtio-net: Add support for the flexible driver notification structure

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

On Tue, Mar 10, 2020 at 08:42:14AM +0000, Vitaly Mireyno wrote:
> Currently, the driver notification (available buffer notification) has a fixed structure.
> If VIRTIO_F_NOTIFICATION_DATA has been negotiated, it includes: vqn, next_off and next_wrap.
> If notify_off_multiplier > 0, the VQ number can be derived by the device from the Queue Notify address, so vqn may be redundant.
> 
> Some devices benefit from receiving an additional data with driver notifications. This data can optionally replace the vqn field in the driver notification structure.
> In its simplest form, it would be sufficient for this data to be a per-device constant value.
> 
> Changes from v4 - articles fix-up.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Vitaly Mireyno <vmireyno@marvell.com>
> ---
>  content.tex | 33 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>  1 file changed, 33 insertions(+)
> 
> diff --git a/content.tex b/content.tex
> index b91a132..08e6111 100644
> --- a/content.tex
> +++ b/content.tex
> @@ -965,6 +965,8 @@ \subsubsection{Notification structure layout}\label{sec:Virtio Transport Options
>  struct virtio_pci_notify_cap {
>          struct virtio_pci_cap cap;
>          le32 notify_off_multiplier; /* Multiplier for queue_notify_off. */
> +        le16 notify_data; /* Data to be placed in the vqn field */
> +        le16 padding; /* Pad to a dword */
>  };
>  \end{lstlisting}
>  
> @@ -984,6 +986,21 @@ \subsubsection{Notification structure layout}\label{sec:Virtio Transport Options
>  the same Queue Notify address for all queues.
>  \end{note}
>  
> +\field{notify_data} is the data that the driver will set in the \field{vqn}
> +field in the available buffer notification, if
> +VIRTIO_NET_F_NOTIF_EXTRA_DATA has been negotiated.
> +
> +\begin{note}
> +If \field{notify_off_multiplier} > 0, the virtqueue number can potentially be
> +derived by the device from the Queue Notify address, so \field{vqn} may be
> +redundant. Some devices benefit from receiving additional data with driver
> +notifications. An example could be a hardware device implementing multiple
> +protocols (with virtio being one of them), so the extra notification data could
> +serve as a notification type indication or a protocol indication.
> +Another example could be using shared hardware memory space for driver
> +notifications for multiple virtio devices in a trusted environment.

Actually I missed this "in a trusted environment".  This only works if
all drivers can trust each other.  I don't think we should give examples
with security problems like this.


> +\end{note}
> +
>  \devicenormative{\paragraph}{Notification capability}{Virtio Transport Options / Virtio Over PCI Bus / PCI Device Layout / Notification capability}
>  The device MUST present at least one notification capability.
>  
> @@ -1020,6 +1037,9 @@ \subsubsection{Notification structure layout}\label{sec:Virtio Transport Options
>  cap.length >= queue_notify_off * notify_off_multiplier + 4
>  \end{lstlisting}
>  
> +If the device offers VIRTIO_NET_F_NOTIF_EXTRA_DATA, it MUST set
> +\field{notify_off_multiplier} > 0 in at least one capability.
> +
>  \subsubsection{ISR status capability}\label{sec:Virtio Transport Options / Virtio Over PCI Bus / PCI Device Layout / ISR status capability}
>  
>  The VIRTIO_PCI_CAP_ISR_CFG capability
> @@ -1519,6 +1539,14 @@ \subsubsection{Available Buffer Notifications}\label{sec:Virtio Transport Option
>  See \ref{sec:Virtio Transport Options / Virtio Over PCI Bus / PCI Device Layout / Notification capability}
>  for how to calculate the Queue Notify address.
>  
> +\drivernormative{\paragraph}{Available Buffer Notifications}{Virtio Transport Options / Virtio Over PCI Bus / PCI-specific Initialization And Device Operation / Available Buffer Notifications}
> +The driver SHOULD accept the VIRTIO_NET_F_NOTIF_EXTRA_DATA feature if it has
> +been offered.
> +
> +If VIRTIO_NET_F_NOTIF_EXTRA_DATA has been negotiated and
> +\field{notify_off_multiplier} > 0, the driver MUST set the \field{vqn} field of
> +the available buffer notification structure to the \field{notify_data} value.
> +
>  \subsubsection{Used Buffer Notifications}\label{sec:Virtio Transport Options / Virtio Over PCI Bus / PCI-specific Initialization And Device Operation / Used Buffer Notifications}
>  
>  If a used buffer notification is necessary for a virtqueue, the device would typically act as follows:
> @@ -2895,6 +2923,10 @@ \subsection{Feature bits}\label{sec:Device Types / Network Device / Feature bits
>  \item[VIRTIO_NET_F_CTRL_MAC_ADDR(23)] Set MAC address through control
>      channel.
>  
> +\item[VIRTIO_NET_F_NOTIF_EXTRA_DATA(57)] Driver provides extra data with
> +    available buffer notifications, to aid in notification processing by the
> +    device.
> +

It's not a big deal but maybe "config data" would have been a better
name (since it's from config space).

>  \item[VIRTIO_NET_F_GUEST_HDRLEN(59)] Driver can provide the exact \field{hdr_len}
>      value. Device benefits from knowing the exact header length.
>  
> @@ -2934,6 +2966,7 @@ \subsubsection{Feature bit requirements}\label{sec:Device Types / Network Device
>  \item[VIRTIO_NET_F_CTRL_MAC_ADDR] Requires VIRTIO_NET_F_CTRL_VQ.
>  \item[VIRTIO_NET_F_RSC_EXT] Requires VIRTIO_NET_F_HOST_TSO4 or VIRTIO_NET_F_HOST_TSO6.
>  \item[VIRTIO_NET_F_RSS] Requires VIRTIO_NET_F_CTRL_VQ.
> +\item[VIRTIO_NET_F_NOTIF_EXTRA_DATA] Requires VIRTIO_F_NOTIFICATION_DATA.

Hmm I missed this too. Could you explain why is this dependency there?

>  \end{description}
>  
>  \subsubsection{Legacy Interface: Feature bits}\label{sec:Device Types / Network Device / Feature bits / Legacy Interface: Feature bits}
> --


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