Re: [Xen-users] Transcendent Memory ("tmem") -capable kernel now publicly released

[Joseph Glanville <joseph.glanville@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 23 March 2012 04:22, Dan Magenheimer <dan.magenheimer@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Transcendent Memory ("tmem") [1] is a new approach to optimizing RAM 
> utilization
> in a virtualized (and, in some cases, a physical) environment
>
> Support for tmem has been in the Xen hypervisor since the 4.0 release, but
> the tmem protocols require cooperation between the hypervisor and guest
> OS kernel.  While the guest-side kernel changes are relatively simple
> and non-intrusive, getting any new technology into any operating system
> can be, shall we say, challenging... :-)  BUT...
>
> Last week, Oracle released "Oracle Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel Release 2",
> the first publicly-available fully-supported[2] Linux kernel implementing all
> Xen-guest-side capabilities for tmem, including "cleancache" (ephemeral tmem
> pools), "frontswap" (persistent tmem pools), and in-kernel support for
> "self-ballooning".
>
> So now, finally, it should be easy to give tmem a try!
>
> Brief How-To:
> 1) Install [3] the UEK2 kernel (upgrade or co-existing) in your existing
>   RHEL5 or RHEL6 (or Oracle Linux 5 or 6) PV or HVM guest(s).
> 2) Add the "tmem" kernel boot parameter in your guest's grub.conf.
> 3) Add the "tmem" Xen boot parameter on the xen.gz line in dom0's grub.conf.
>   (Optionally add "tmem_compress" and "tmem_dedup" depending on your
>    environment and testing plans.)
> 4) Reboot Xen and launch your guest(s).  Check to ensure the guests are
>    running UEK2.
> 5) Start a workload on your guest(s).
> 6) Use xentop to watch the fun!  (Don't forget to press "t" in xentop for
>   more detail.)
>
> Thanks,
> Dan Magenheimer
>
> [1] For more information on tmem:
>
>    Technical overview: http://oss.oracle.com/projects/tmem
>    Xen Summit 2010 (including performance analysis):
> http://www.slideshare.net/xen_com_mgr/transcendent-memoryupdate-xensummit2010final-3947783
>    Tmem without virtualization: http://lwn.net/Articles/454795/ and 
> http://www.linux-kvm.org/wiki/images/d/d7/TmemNotVirt-Linuxcon2011-Final.pdf
>
> [2] At this time, the tmem capability in UEK2 is officially a
>    "Technology Preview" so is not recommended for production use.
>
> [3] For more information on UEK2 including installation:
>
>    UEK2 install/getting started: 
> http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/articles/servers-storage-admin/uek-rel2-getting-started-1555632.html
>
>    UEK2 Release notes: 
> http://oss.oracle.com/ol6/docs/RELEASE-NOTES-UEK2-en.html
>
>    Press release: http://www.oracle.com/us/corporate/press/1555025
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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> Xen-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> http://lists.xen.org/xen-users

Hi Dan.

Is UEK2 configured with dom0 support by default or does one have to
download the sources and recompile with appropriate options?

Joseph.

-- 
Founder | Director | VP Research
Orion Virtualisation Solutions | www.orionvm.com.au | Phone: 1300 56
99 52 | Mobile: 0428 754 846

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