Re: [Xen-devel] pv_ops with xen-3.3

[Mark Williamson <mark.williamson@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi there Jon,

The Xen build process builds a XenLinux using patches in the Xen repository, 
which are based on 2.6.18.  This includes full support of all features under 
both dom0 and domU.

The mainline Linux kernel has included - for some time - support for running 
as a Xen domU through its pv_ops infrastructure.  This support has been 
getting full-featured and AFAIK most or all domU functions are now available 
using appropriately-built kernel.org kernels.

Support for running as dom0 requires a kernel to support additional features 
on top of the standard domU featureset.  Mainline Linux has not had these in 
any releases - and as far as I can tell the full dom0 functionality hasn't 
been merged into 2.6.29.  I could be wrong about this though, the Xen wiki 
states 2.6.29 as a merge goal; if it's not in that release I'd imagine it'd be 
in the next one.

So, in summary:

If you want to run a kernel.org kernel as a domU then any recent release will 
do.

If you want to run a kernel.org kernel as a dom0 using pv_ops dom0 support 
then you may need to seek out and apply additional patches.

If you want to get a kernel.org kernel to run on dom0 out-of-the-box then you 
may need to wait for the next release.

You need to get a dom0 kernel from somewhere, so if you're not bothered about 
using the latest-and-greatest from kernel.org you can use the one built with 
Xen.

Does that make sense?

The upstream merge of Xen functionality into kernel.org has taken years longer 
than originally anticipated, however the good news is that Jeremy Fitzhardinge 
has been doing a tremendous job of leading the effort and getting progressively 
more stuff in a state that is acceptable to the upstream community.  Hopefully 
in the future kernel.org Linux will have full out-of-the-box support for Xen 
and the 2.6.18-based fork will no longer be needed at all.

Cheers,
Mark

On Tuesday 10 February 2009 16:55:48 jonr@xxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> I would like to try and test out the 2.6.29-rc4 kernel and see if I
> can't get Xen-3.3-1 booting. I have patched the 2.6.28 kernel and have
> a 2.6.29-rc4 kernel. I have configured the kernel to use xen by
> following http://wiki.xensource.com/xenwiki/XenParavirtOps.
>
> Now I have the kernel configured and built but am not quite sure how
> to use this kernel with xen-3.3. When I downloaded the latest xen and
> ran 'make world' it downloaded the 2.6.18 kernel and is building xen
> against that. How do I make xen build against my kernel or do I even
> need to?
>
> Once xen-3.3 is done building do I just substitute my 2.6.29-rc4
> kernel in the grub menu.conf or am I missing something?
>
> Thanks for any help,
>
> Jon
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Xen-devel mailing list
> Xen-devel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> http://lists.xensource.com/xen-devel


_______________________________________________
Xen-devel mailing list
Xen-devel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://lists.xensource.com/xen-devel