Intel Corporation

Randolph L Campbell

Gehad M Galal

Prashant Sethi

Clifford D Hall

Jose Andy Vargas

Gilbert A Neiger

David J Harriman

Ron Gabor

Joseph A Bennett

Doron Shamia

Jimmy Scott Raynor

Tiags Thiyagarajah

Rajesh M Sankaran

Andrew V Anderson

Richard A Uhlig

Jasmin Ajanovic

Steven M Bennett

Stephen Anthony Fischer

Erik C Cota-Robles

James B Crossland

Gideon Gerzon

Leena K Puthiyedath

Yoram Kulbak

Steve Pawlowski

Yoram Kullbak

Embodiments of an invention for address translation for scalable I/O device virtualization are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes PASID table lookup circuitry. The PASID table lookup circuitry is to find a PASID-entry in a PASID table. The PASID-entry is to include a PASID processing mode (PPM) indicator and a first pointer to a first translation structure. The PPM indicator is to specify one of a plurality of translation types, the one of the plurality of translation types to use the first translation structure.

Address translation for scalable virtualization of input/output devices

Embodiments of apparatuses, methods, and systems detecting spin loops in a virtual machine environment are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes detection logic and virtualization logic. The detection logic is to detect whether a guest is executing a spin loop. The virtualization logic is to transfer control of the apparatus from the guest to a host in response to the detection logic detecting that the guest is executing the spin loop.

Detecting spin loops in a virtual machine environment

According to one embodiment, a computer system is disclosed. The computer system includes a processor, a chipset coupled to the processor and a memory coupled to the chipset. The chipset translates partitioned virtual machine memory addresses received from the processor to page level addresses.

Mechanism for remapping post virtual machine memory pages

Disclosed is a processor having a normal execution mode and a host execution mode. A virtual machine monitor (VMM) operable in conjunction with the host execution mode creates at least one protected mode environment to operate guest software in a protected memory area. Responsive to a command to switch between protected modes, the VMM causes the processor to atomically switch between an original protected mode environment and a target protected mode environment. A virtual machine execution (VMX) mode may be utilized to enable virtual machine functionality for use in switching between protected modes.

Switching between protected mode environments utilizing virtual machine functionality

A processor includes a processor control register with a control flag that determines an operating mode of the processor. A pointer to a guest virtual machine context in a portion of a random access memory (RAM) is coupled to the processor. An execution control unit tests a first flag in the guest virtual machine context, the first flag to indicate whether the control flag is owned by a guest virtual machine associated with the guest virtual machine context. The execution control unit maintains the control flag in the processor control register if the control flag is owned by the guest virtual machine and maintains the control flag in a shadow location in the guest virtual machine context if the control flag is not owned by the guest virtual machine.

Processor control register virtualization to minimize virtual machine exits

A multiple, cooperating operating systems (OS) platform system with multi processors. Multiple operating systems, each of which may be of a different type or nature, can run on different partitions of the multi-processor platform and yet coexist and cooperate. A real time operating system (RTOS) executing on a processor can communicate with another OS executing on another processor via a portion of memory accessible by the RTOS and the OS by perform read and write operations.

Multiple, cooperating operating systems (OS) platform system and method

Writing a control flag in a processor control register by a guest virtual machine. Determine whether the control flag is owned by the guest virtual machine. Write the control flag to the processor control register if the control flag is owned by the guest virtual machine. Write the control flag to a shadow location if the control flag is not owned by the guest virtual machine.

Method for selecting a virtualization algorithm to virtualize a context change. An exit-enter time (EET) to exit and enter a context and a save-restore time (SRT) to save and restore a machine state are calculated. A selective algorithm that selectively saves and restores the machine state when there is a change of context is executed. Statistics are accumulated on an expected value for EET overhead plus an expected value for SRT overhead while executing the selective algorithm. A cost of the selective algorithm is computed as the expected value for EET overhead plus the expected value for SRT overhead. The cost of the selective algorithm is compared to two times SRT which is the cost of an unconditional algorithm that always saves and restores the machine state on context changes. One of the selective algorithm or the unconditional algorithm having the least cost is selected as the virtualization algorithm.

Adaptive algorithm for selecting a virtualization algorithm in virtual machine environments

Embodiments of a multi-processor platform including multiple, cooperating operating systems are described. Multiple operating systems, each of which may be of a different type or nature, run on different partitions of the multi-processor platform, yet coexist and cooperate. In various embodiments, different specialized operating systems, suitable for particular tasks, run on different partitions of the platform. In one embodiment, a host operating system, using a driver, boots and partitions a portion of the platform running other operating systems, and then communicates with, and shares work with, the other operating systems. In one embodiment, the multi-processor platform includes a host operating system and multiple specialized operating systems, such as real-time operating systems, operating alongside the host operating system. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Disclosed is a processor having a normal execution mode and a secure execution mode to create a secure execution environment. A secure virtual machine monitor (SVMM) implements the secure execution environment in which a plurality of separate virtual machines are created that operate simultaneously and separately from one another including at least a first virtual machine to implement trusted guest software in a protected memory area and a second virtual machine to implement a non-trusted guest operating system (OS) simultaneously in a non-protected memory area. Responsive to a command to tear down the secure execution environment, the SVMM causes the processor to exit out of the secure execution mode, tears down the secure execution environment, and instructs the non-trusted guest OS to resume control in the normal execution mode.

Secure virtual machine monitor to tear down a secure execution environment

An executable module includes a dynamic data area that contains all data that may be changed by execution of the executable module. A header in the module includes a start address and an end address for the dynamic data area. The executable module is loaded in a memory. An alternate memory area is allocated in the memory. The dynamic data area is copied to the alternate memory area. The memory is mapped so that execution of the executable module modifies exactly one of the dynamic data area and the alternate memory area. A hash value is computed for the executable module. The hash value includes exactly one of the dynamic data area and the alternate memory area. The unmodified memory area is copied to the modified memory area and the hash value is recomputed to re-establish the executable module in a known state.

Method and apparatus to preserve a hash value of an executable module

System and method for binding virtual machines to hardware contexts. A method includes obtaining resource requirements for a plurality of virtual machines, and binding one or more of the plurality of virtual machines to one or more of a plurality of hardware contexts associated with a processor based upon the resource requirements. The resource requirements may be the bandwidth and latency of the virtual machines. The method may be implemented as software on a storage device on a computing device having a processor that supports multiple hardware contexts. The method is particularly beneficial for real-time virtual machines.

System and method for binding virtual machines to hardware contexts

An enhanced general input/output communication architecture, protocol and related methods are presented.

General input/output architecture, protocol and related methods to support legacy interrupts

A method for assigning a device to a first virtual machine includes connecting the device, directly or indirectly, to a computer through an interconnect. The first virtual machine and a second virtual machine are run on the computer. The device is assigned to the first virtual machine for exclusive use by the first virtual machine, and the assignment is enforced.

Growing community of inventors

Folsom, CA, United States of America

Randolph L Campbell