[virt-tools-list] [virt-manager PATCH RFC 3/4] virt-manager: OVMF support

[Laszlo Ersek]

On 09/16/14 15:05, Gerd Hoffmann wrote:
>   Hi,
> 
> [ big snip ]
> 
>> (3) edit /etc/libvirt/qemu.conf:
> 
> Should we have some kind of firmware registry somewhere,
> maybe /etc/libvirt/firmware.d/ ?
> 
> Packages can drop in files there, with a format like this:
> 
> [seabios]
> hypervisor=qemu
> desc=default qemu firmware
> image=/usr/share/qemu-kvm/bios.bin
> default=1
> 
> [hvmloader]
> hypervisor=xen
> desc=default xen firmware
> image=/no/idea/where/this/is/hvmloader.bin
> 
> [ovmf.git-x64-pure]
> hypervisor=qemu
> desc=kraxel's ovmf, 64bit, no CSM
> help=cutting edge edk2 builds, fresh from git, \
>      if it breaks you keep both pieces
> flash=/usr/share/edk2.git/ovmf-x64/OVMF_CODE-pure-efi.fd
> nvram=/usr/share/edk2.git/ovmf-x64/OVMF_VARS-pure-efi.fd
> expert=1
> 
> Then libvirt / virt-manager can pick it up and put it into a menu, with
> the "expert" entries being hidden by default (simliar to "OS type"
> selection, where you initially find the common ones only and have to
> pick "show all options" to get a full list).

This is nice, but probably a lot of work.

In addition, it doesn't cover the case when the user wants to specify an
ad-hoc OVMF build (binary + varstore template). In my mind that's a
*primary* use case, unlike SeaBIOS. SeaBIOS is *very* mature, while OVMF
is just entering the mainstream.

I'm probably not very good at suggesting things that concern the long
term, and/or require technical insight into virt-manager or libvirtd. I
can only focus on how I want to use OVMF right now, and how I imagine
users curious about OVMF would use OVMF right now. I'm fine with all and
any suggestions that provide a superset of that functionality; people
certainly need to correct me when I'm short-sighted.

I'd like two easy options for the user, in virt-manager:
- "use the OVMF stuff that my distro provides as a builtin",
- "I got a binary and a matching varstore template, use these".

Thanks,
Laszlo