about Xen accelerated network plugin modules

about Xen accelerated network plugin modules

[Zang Hongyong]

hi,
  I want to know some details about this network accelerated modules.
  
  1)what's the main purpose of this plugin module?
  2)any requirement for harware nic? or other hardware platform?
  3)I've not found the code in Xen3.1 code set. so was it added to xen source code yet?

Thanks in advance

Re: about Xen accelerated network plugin modules

[Greg Law]

Hi,

Zang Hongyong wrote:
> hi,
>   I want to know some details about this network accelerated modules.
>   
>   1)what's the main purpose of this plugin module?

It accelerates networking :)

It allows guests direct but safe access to a portion of the NIC, thus
avoiding going over the usual netback/netfront mechanism, and can result
in significant performance increase, particularly on receive.  It's
aimed at 10Gbps.

>   2)any requirement for harware nic? or other hardware platform?

Yes, you need a NIC with plugin drivers which support the architecture.
 Right now there is just one option: the SMC TigerCard (available on
Amazon).

>   3)I've not found the code in Xen3.1 code set. so was it added to xen source code yet?

It was merged for 3.2.


Cheers,

Greg
-- 
Greg Law                www.solarflare.com              +44 1223 518 040

Re: about Xen accelerated network plugin modules

[Greg Law]

Zang Hongyong wrote:
> Many thanks.
> btw, what's the relationship with VT-d or IOMMU, or PCIE-IOV?

That's not defined in any way by the framework - it's up to the plugins
themselves to do what they need here, and basically that depends on the
hardware's capabilities.  The plugins we've produced do not use any of
VT-d, IOMMU or PCI-IOV, but we expect future plugins will.

Cheers,

Greg

-- 
Greg Law            http://www.solarflare.com/          +44 1223 518 040