Re: [PATCH] KVM: VMX: Disable Intel PT before VM-entry

Sean Christopherson
2020-04-09T18:34:31Z

On Mon, Mar 30, 2020 at 08:29:26PM -0700, Kang, Luwei wrote:
> > > > On Wed, Mar 18, 2020 at 11:48:18AM +0800, Luwei Kang wrote:
> > Ah, right. What about enhancing intel_pt_handle_vmx() and 'struct pt' to
> > replace vmx_on with a field that incorporates the KVM mode?
>
> Some history is the host perf didn't fully agree with introducing HOST_GUEST
> mode for PT in KVM. Because the KVM will disable the host trace before
> VM-entry in HOST_GUEST mode and KVM guest will win in this case. e.g. Intel
> PT has been enabled in KVM guest and the host wants to start system-wide
> trace(collect all the trace on this system) at this time, the trace produced
> by the Guest OS will be saved in guest PT buffer and host buffer can't get
> this. So I prefer don't introduce the KVM PT mode to host perf framework. The
> similar problem happens on PEBS virtualization via DS as well.

A maintainer's distaste for a feature isn't a good reason to put a hack
into KVM. Perf burying its head in the sand won't change the fact that
"pt->vmx_on" is poorly named and misleading. Disagreement over features
is fine, but things will go sideways quick if perf and KVM are outright
hostile towards each other.