Re: [PATCH 0/7][RFC] Enable kvm/ia-64 to build kvm components in userspace.

[Avi Kivity <avi@qumranet.com>]

Zhang, Xiantao wrote:
> Hi, Avi 
>      This patchset intends to enable kvm/ia-64 to build kvm components
> in userspace.  You know,  current userspace code only supports x86 to
> build kvm components, but kvm/ia64 have to build kvm modules and qemu
> separately.  In this way, it is not conveninent for user-ends, and kvm's
> release package can't  include kvm/ia64 bits.   To make kvm userspace
> more friendly and common, I re-organize the kernel directory of
> kvm-userspace.git, and create two sub-directory (x86 and ia64)to hold
> arch-specific source files. With its support, ia64's end-users can build
> kvm/ia64 components in the same way with ia32 side, and future kvm's
> release packages are also capable to include ia64 bits.  Appreicate any
> review comments! 
>
>   

While I have no objection in principle, I don't understand the 
motivation.  kvm ia64 cannot be retrofitted to older kernels (since some 
symbols are not exported).  Why is it not sufficient to use the kernel 
module from the kernel tree?

Eventually, the x86 external module support will be dropped as well.  
Most noncommercial distributions already have good kvm support; the only 
questions is what to do with RHEL/SLES/CentOs users -- wait until the 
next major release, or wait until ovirt starts shipping?

Note that mmu notifiers further reduce the attractiveness of the 
external module, unless someone manages to backport it to older kernels.

> PS:  To make it reviewable, I splited it into small patches. The first
> five patches intends to move x86 specific files to x86 directory, the
> sixth one for enabling Kbuild in new laylout. The last one makes
> kvm/ia64 build components in userspace.  
>   

Please generate patches with the '-M' option (or set the 'diff.renames' 
config option) so file movement patches show up as such.

-- 
I have a truly marvellous patch that fixes the bug which this
signature is too narrow to contain.