Re: [Qemu-devel] Re: approaches to 3D virtualisation

[Dave Airlie <airlied@gmail.com>]

On Sun, Dec 13, 2009 at 1:23 AM, Anthony Liguori <anthony@codemonkey.ws> wrote:
> Juan Quintela wrote:
>>
>> Dave Airlie <airlied@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Current existing solutions in the area:
>>>>> a) VMware virtual graphics adapter - based on DX9, has an open
>>>>> KMS/Gallium3D driver stack recently released by vmware, has certified
>>>>> Windows drivers and has a documented vGPU interface (it could be
>>>>> documented a lot better)
>>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> http://vmware-svga.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/vmware-svga/trunk/doc/gpu-wiov.pdf?revision=1
>>>
>>> is a good whitepaper on the different 3D virtualisation approaches and
>>> why
>>> vmware picked what they did also.
>>>
>>> Dave.
>>>
>>
>> I have zero clue of 3D, but for the qemu part, vmware_vga is the "nicer"
>> driver.
>>
>
> I like the design of the vmware_vga driver but it has one critical flaw.
>  The Windows drivers has a EULA that prohibits their use outside of VMware.

Good point, I hadn't read the vmware EULA, this does put a spanner in the works,
unless someone is willing to write alternate drivers.

My reason for liking vmware is its not a redesign it all at once
solution, you can bring
up the emulated adapter using known working drivers (the Linux ones
have no EULA),
and confirm it works, if you then want to write Windows drivers
outside the EULA, at
least you have two platforms to validate them on, Someone could in theory write
Windows drivers under VMware itself and we could work in parallel

>
> Without reasonably licensed Windows drivers, I don't think it's viable.
>
> I'm hoping QXL can fill this niche.

It would be nice, its just the design everything at once approach
never sits well
with me, having to do the host side interface, guest vGPU and guest drivers
all at once requires a lot of blame hunting, i.e. where correct fixes go etc.

But yes ideally an open QXL that can challenge VMware would be coolest

Maybe the QXL interface can leverage some of the VMware design at least
rather than reinventing the wheel

Dave.