Re: [PATCH kvmtool v3 2/6] arm64: Initial nested virt support

Andre Przywara
2025-09-16T12:15:58Z

On Mon, 4 Aug 2025 15:41:48 +0100
Alexandru Elisei <alexandru.elisei@arm.com> wrote:

Hi Alex,

> On Tue, Jul 29, 2025 at 10:57:41AM +0100, Andre Przywara wrote:
> > The ARMv8.3 architecture update includes support for nested
> > virtualization. Allow the user to specify "--nested" to start a guest in
> > (virtual) EL2 instead of EL1.
> > This will also change the PSCI conduit from HVC to SMC in the device
> > tree.
> >
> > Signed-off-by: Andre Przywara <andre.przywara@arm.com>
> > ---
> > arm64/fdt.c | 5 ++++-
> > arm64/include/kvm/kvm-config-arch.h | 5 ++++-
> > arm64/kvm-cpu.c | 12 +++++++++++-
> > 3 files changed, 19 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)
> >
> > diff --git a/arm64/fdt.c b/arm64/fdt.c
> > index df7775876..98f1dd9d4 100644
> > --- a/arm64/fdt.c
> > +++ b/arm64/fdt.c
> > @@ -205,7 +205,10 @@ static int setup_fdt(struct kvm *kvm)
> > _FDT(fdt_property_string(fdt, "compatible", "arm,psci"));
> > fns = &psci_0_1_fns;
> > }
> > - _FDT(fdt_property_string(fdt, "method", "hvc"));
> > + if (kvm->cfg.arch.nested_virt)
> > + _FDT(fdt_property_string(fdt, "method", "smc"));
> > + else
> > + _FDT(fdt_property_string(fdt, "method", "hvc"));
> > _FDT(fdt_property_cell(fdt, "cpu_suspend", fns->cpu_suspend));
> > _FDT(fdt_property_cell(fdt, "cpu_off", fns->cpu_off));
> > _FDT(fdt_property_cell(fdt, "cpu_on", fns->cpu_on));
> > diff --git a/arm64/include/kvm/kvm-config-arch.h b/arm64/include/kvm/kvm-config-arch.h
> > index ee031f010..a1dac28e6 100644
> > --- a/arm64/include/kvm/kvm-config-arch.h
> > +++ b/arm64/include/kvm/kvm-config-arch.h
> > @@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ struct kvm_config_arch {
> > bool aarch32_guest;
> > bool has_pmuv3;
> > bool mte_disabled;
> > + bool nested_virt;
> > u64 kaslr_seed;
> > enum irqchip_type irqchip;
> > u64 fw_addr;
> > @@ -57,6 +58,8 @@ int sve_vl_parser(const struct option *opt, const char *arg, int unset);
> > "Type of interrupt controller to emulate in the guest", \
> > irqchip_parser, NULL), \
> > OPT_U64('\0', "firmware-address", &(cfg)->fw_addr, \
> > - "Address where firmware should be loaded"),
> > + "Address where firmware should be loaded"), \
> > + OPT_BOOLEAN('\0', "nested", &(cfg)->nested_virt, \
>
> --nested sounds a bit vague (what if KVM decides to nest something else in the
> future?) and the variable that keeps track of the parameter is called
> 'nested_virt'. Is it too late to rename --nested to --nested-virt for
> consistency and better clarity?

I guess if you ask three people on this topic you get three suggestions ;-)

I think "nested" is the most intuitive, and also the name used by the KVM
command line option, so if you don't mind, I would just stick with it.

>
> > + "Start VCPUs in EL2 (for nested virt)"),
> >
> > #endif /* ARM_COMMON__KVM_CONFIG_ARCH_H */
> > diff --git a/arm64/kvm-cpu.c b/arm64/kvm-cpu.c
> > index 94c08a4d7..42dc11dad 100644
> > --- a/arm64/kvm-cpu.c
> > +++ b/arm64/kvm-cpu.c
> > @@ -71,6 +71,12 @@ static void kvm_cpu__select_features(struct kvm *kvm, struct kvm_vcpu_init *init
> > /* Enable SVE if available */
> > if (kvm__supports_extension(kvm, KVM_CAP_ARM_SVE))
> > init->features[0] |= 1UL << KVM_ARM_VCPU_SVE;
> > +
> > + if (kvm->cfg.arch.nested_virt) {
> > + if (!kvm__supports_extension(kvm, KVM_CAP_ARM_EL2))
> > + die("EL2 (nested virt) is not supported");
>
> Marc pointed out that KVM_CAP_ARM_EL2 does more that enable EL2, it exposes
> nested virtualization to a level 1 guest. How about rewording the error message
> to something like this: "Nested virt is not supported"?

But that would drop the EL2 hint, wouldn't it? I can write it as
"EL2/nested virt is not supported", if that looks better. Though we are
knee deep in bikeshedding territory already ;-)

Cheers,
Andre.

> > + init->features[0] |= 1UL << KVM_ARM_VCPU_HAS_EL2;
> > + }
> > }
> >
> > static int vcpu_configure_sve(struct kvm_cpu *vcpu)
> > @@ -313,7 +319,11 @@ static void reset_vcpu_aarch64(struct kvm_cpu *vcpu)
> > reg.addr = (u64)&data;
> >
> > /* pstate = all interrupts masked */
> > - data = PSR_D_BIT | PSR_A_BIT | PSR_I_BIT | PSR_F_BIT | PSR_MODE_EL1h;
> > + data = PSR_D_BIT | PSR_A_BIT | PSR_I_BIT | PSR_F_BIT;
> > + if (vcpu->kvm->cfg.arch.nested_virt)
> > + data |= PSR_MODE_EL2h;
> > + else
> > + data |= PSR_MODE_EL1h;
> > reg.id = ARM64_CORE_REG(regs.pstate);
> > if (ioctl(vcpu->vcpu_fd, KVM_SET_ONE_REG, &reg) < 0)
> > die_perror("KVM_SET_ONE_REG failed (spsr[EL1])");
> > --
> > 2.25.1
> >