Re: [PATCH v4 13/17] kvm: i8254: Deactivate APICv when using in-kernel PIT re-injection mode.

[Suravee Suthikulpanit]

Roman/Paolo

On 11/5/2019 4:47 PM, Paolo Bonzini wrote:
> On 05/11/19 00:17, Roman Kagan wrote:
> > > This is not too nice for Intel which does support (through the EOI exit
> > > mask) APICv even if PIT reinjection active.
> > Hmm, it's tempting to just make svm_load_eoi_exitmap() disable AVIC when
> > given a non-empty eoi_exit_bitmap, and enable it back on a clear
> > eoi_exit_bitmap.  This may remove the need to add special treatment to
> > PIT etc.
>
> That is a very nice idea---we can make that a single disable reason,
> like APICV_DEACTIVATE_REASON_EOI, and Intel can simply never use it.

I took at look at the svm_load_eoi_exitmap() and it is called via:
    kvm_make_scan_ioapic_request() ->
        KVM_REQ_SCAN_IOAPIC -> vcpu_scan_ioapic() ->
            KVM_REQ_LOAD_EOI_EXITMAP -> vcpu_load_eoi_exitmap()

The kvm_make_scan_ioapic_request() is called from multiple places:

arch/x86/kvm/irq_comm.c:
    * kvm_arch_post_irq_routing_update() : Called from kvm_set_irq_routing()

arch/x86/kvm/ioapic.c:
    * kvm_arch_post_irq_ack_notifier_list_update() : (Un)registering irq ack notifier
    * kvm_set_ioapic() : Setting ioapic irqchip
    * ioapic_mmio_write() -> ioapic_write_indirect()

arch/x86/kvm/lapic.c:
    * recalculate_apic_map()

Most calls would be from ioapic_mmio_write()->ioapic_write_indirect().

In case of AMD AVIC, the svm_load_e::vsoi_exitmap() is called several times, and requesting
APICV (de)activate from here when the eoi_exit_bitmap is set/clear would introduce
large overhead especially with SMP machine. So, for now, let's just disable APICv
when in-kernel PIT is in reinject (delay) mode.

I'll also add the logic to avoid unnecessary overhead for Intel.

Thanks,
Suravee