From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: Marcelo Tosatti Subject: Re: [RFC PATCH 0/5] Utilizing VMX preemption for timer virtualization Date: Fri, 20 May 2016 15:18:30 -0300 Message-ID: <20160520181830.GA28312@amt.cnet> References: <1463708703-19208-1-git-send-email-yunhong.jiang@linux.intel.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Cc: kvm@vger.kernel.org, rkrcmar@redhat.com, pbonzini@redhat.com To: Yunhong Jiang Return-path: Received: from mx1.redhat.com ([209.132.183.28]:52306 "EHLO mx1.redhat.com" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-OK) by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1750893AbcETSTA (ORCPT ); Fri, 20 May 2016 14:19:00 -0400 Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <1463708703-19208-1-git-send-email-yunhong.jiang@linux.intel.com> Sender: kvm-owner@vger.kernel.org List-ID: On Thu, May 19, 2016 at 06:44:58PM -0700, Yunhong Jiang wrote: > The VMX-preemption timer is a feature on VMX, it counts down, from the > value loaded by VM entry, in VMX nonroot operation. When the timer > counts down to zero, it stops counting down and a VM exit occurs. > > The VMX preemption timer for tsc deadline timer virtualization. The > VMX preemption timer is armed when the vCPU is running, and a VMExit > will happen if the virtual TSC deadline timer expires. > > When the vCPU thread is scheduled out, the tsc deadline timer > virtualization will be switched to use the current solution, i.e. use > the timer for it. It's switched back to VMX preemption timer when the > vCPU thread is scheduled int. > > This solution replace the complex OS's hrtimer system, and also the > host timer interrupt handling cost, with a preemption_timer VMexit. It > fits well for some NFV usage scenario, when the vCPU is bound to a > pCPU and the pCPU is isolated, or some similar scenarioes. > > However, it possibly has impact if the vCPU thread is scheduled in/out > very frequently, because it switches from/to the hrtimer emulation a > lot. A module parameter is provided to turn it on or off. > > Signed-off-by: Yunhong Jiang Hi Yunhong Jiang, This adds cost to the VM-exit and VM-entry paths (additional instructions and i-cache pressure). Also it adds cost to kvm_sched_out. What is the benefit the switch from external interrupt to VMX preemption timer brings?