Re: [RFC 2/2] KVM: add virtio-pmem driver

[Pankaj Gupta <pagupta@redhat.com>]

> > > wrote:
> > > > 
> > > > > >   This patch adds virtio-pmem driver for KVM guest.
> > > > > >   Guest reads the persistent memory range information
> > > > > >   over virtio bus from Qemu and reserves the range
> > > > > >   as persistent memory. Guest also allocates a block
> > > > > >   device corresponding to the pmem range which later
> > > > > >   can be accessed with DAX compatible file systems.
> > > > > >   Idea is to use the virtio channel between guest and
> > > > > >   host to perform the block device flush for guest pmem
> > > > > >   DAX device.
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >   There is work to do including DAX file system support
> > > > > >   and other advanced features.
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > Signed-off-by: Pankaj Gupta <pagupta@redhat.com>
> > > > > > ---
> > > > > >  drivers/virtio/Kconfig           |  10 ++
> > > > > >  drivers/virtio/Makefile          |   1 +
> > > > > >  drivers/virtio/virtio_pmem.c     | 322
> > > > > >  +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> > > > > >  include/uapi/linux/virtio_pmem.h |  55 +++++++
> > > > > >  4 files changed, 388 insertions(+)
> > > > > >  create mode 100644 drivers/virtio/virtio_pmem.c
> > > > > >  create mode 100644 include/uapi/linux/virtio_pmem.h
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > diff --git a/drivers/virtio/Kconfig b/drivers/virtio/Kconfig
> > > > > > index cff773f15b7e..0192c4bda54b 100644
> > > > > > --- a/drivers/virtio/Kconfig
> > > > > > +++ b/drivers/virtio/Kconfig
> > > > > > @@ -38,6 +38,16 @@ config VIRTIO_PCI_LEGACY
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >           If unsure, say Y.
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > +config VIRTIO_PMEM
> > > > > > +       tristate "Virtio pmem driver"
> > > > > > +       depends on VIRTIO
> > > > > > +       ---help---
> > > > > > +        This driver adds persistent memory range within a
> > > > > > KVM guest.
> 
> With "Virtio Block Backed Pmem" we could name the config
> option VIRTIO_BLOCK_PMEM
> 
> The documentation text could make it clear to people that the
> image shows up as a disk image on the host, but as a pmem
> memory range in the guest.
> 
> > > > > I think we need to call this something other than persistent
> > > > > memory to
> > > > > make it clear that this not memory where the persistence can be
> > > > > managed from userspace. The persistence point always requires
> > > > > 
> > > So currently /proc/iomem in a guest with a pmem device attached to
> > > a
> > > namespace looks like this:
> > > 
> > >     c00000000-13bfffffff : Persistent Memory
> > >        c00000000-13bfffffff : namespace2.0
> > > 
> > > Can we call it "Virtio Shared Memory" to make it clear it is a
> > > different beast than typical "Persistent Memory"?  You can likely
> > 
> > I think somewhere we need persistent keyword 'Virtio Persistent
> > Memory' or
> > so.
> 
> Still hoping for better ideas than "Virtio Block Backed Pmem" :)
> 

Dan,

I have a query regarding below patch [*]. My assumption is its halted
because of memory hotplug restructuring work? Anything I am missing 
here?

[*] https://www.mail-archive.com/linux-nvdimm@lists.01.org/msg02978.html