[virt-tools-list] [RFC] add spapr-vio bus for pseries feature

[Li Zhang]

On 01/13/2012 09:56 AM, Cole Robinson wrote:
> On 12/22/2011 04:43 AM, Li Zhang wrote:
>> Hi all,
>>
>> For pseries machine, spapr-vio bus is supported.
>> A lot of devices and controller needs to use spapr-vio bus.
>> So we need to add such an option in virt-manager for user
>> to select.
>>
>> Now virt-manager only support virtio, which is a generic bus.
>> spapr-vio is a little different from it.
>>
>> Any comments?
>>
>> Any suggestion is appreciated.
>>
>
> Can you provide an example of the libvirt xml we are talking about here?
>
> Best thing to do might be to just have virtinst default to using that bus if
> installing a pseries guest. Is it something that can be used unconditionally
> or does it require guest cooperation like virtio?
>
> Thanks,
> Cole
>

Hi Cole,

Until now, for x86, scsi controller is based of PCI bus.
But for power, it provides another kind of bus, which is spapr-vio.
scsi controller can use spapr-vio bus.

libvirt xml is just like this:

<disk type='file' device='disk' >
      <driver name='qemu' type='raw'/>
      <source file='/mnt-old/root/rhel6/RHEL6_install.img'/>
      <target dev='hdd' bus='scsi' />
</disk>
<controller type='scsi' index='0'>
      <address type='spapr-vio'/>
</controller>

I think in virt-manager and virtinst, spapr-vio address type
should be added.

For GUI, I am considering to add another combo to select
the address type on disk page.

This option should be dependent on pseries machine type.
Only pseries machine type is selected, it will be enabled.


Thanks,
Li