Re: [Xen-devel] pvgrub --> kexec

[Daniel Kiper <dkiper@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Sat, Nov 19, 2011 at 07:38:50AM +0400, George Shuklin wrote:
> Good day.
>
> Right now we have pvgrub and pygrub as loaders. Pygrub is more mature,
> pvgrub is safer and  more 'right' stuff to have.
>
> But even the pvgrub is still have one real problem: we need to write our
> own domU operating system with support of bunch of filesystems, hardly
> to create interactivity, limited network capabilities (...yep, I can be
> nice to have networking at boot time).
>
> How about different approach? If we run linux with specially crafted
> initrd, which will look around, see correct partition, mount it (in
> domU!), get kernel, show menu, do networking and prepare the coffee for
> admin.  After that it will to kexec to found kernel with found initrd
> with required argument.
>
> No any dangerous dom0 manipulation with VDI, no more modules
> synchronization problem (in case 'external' kernel loading). Easy to
> create menus (just any ncurses application), ideal pre-boot
> configuration environment for appliances (I ask user about settings and
> boot real kernel with asked parameters).
>
> The single problem: kexec is not supporting xen.

kexec/kdump is partialy supported by Xen. Xenlinux Ver. 2.6.18
supports kexec/kdump in dom0. As I know Olaf Hering works (still ???)
on support for kexec/kdump for PV-on-HVM domains. Currently my work
focuses on kexec/kdump support for domU for Xenlinux Ver. 2.6.18.
Later it will be ported to mainline kernel. I am going to publish
this about Feb 2012. Additionally, I am going to prepare kexec/kdump
support for dom0 for mainline kernel.

Daniel

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