[Intel-gfx] [Announcement] 2016-Q4 release of XenGT - a Mediated Graphics Passthrough Solution from Intel

[Wang, Hongbo]

Hi all,

We are pleased to announce another update of Intel GVT-g for Xen.

Intel GVT-g is a full GPU virtualization solution with mediated pass-through, starting from 4th generation Intel Core(TM) processors with Intel Graphics processors. A virtual GPU instance is maintained for each VM, with part of performance critical resources directly assigned. The capability of running native graphics driver inside a VM, without hypervisor intervention in performance critical paths, achieves a good balance among performance, feature, and sharing capability. Xen is currently supported on Intel Processor Graphics (a.k.a. XenGT).

Repositories
-    Xen: https://github.com/01org/igvtg-xen (2016q4-4.6 branch)
-    Kernel: https://github.com/01org/igvtg-kernel (2016q4-4.3.0 branch)
-    Qemu: https://github.com/01org/igvtg-qemu (2016q4-2.3.0 branch)

This update consists of:
-    Support new platform: Intel Core 7th Generation, and Intel Xen E3 v6.  Code name is Kabylake.
-    Improve stability when QoS feature is enabled
-    Windows10 RedStone2 64bit support


Known issues:< QA need provide>
-   At least 2GB memory is suggested for Guest Virtual Machine (win7-32/64, win8.1-64, win10-64) to run most 3D workloads
-   Windows8 and later Windows fast boot is not supported, the workaround is to disable power S3/S4 in HVM file by adding “acpi_S3=0, acpi_S4=0”
-   Sometimes when dom0 and guest has heavy workload, i915 in dom0 will trigger a false-alarmed TDR. The workaround is to disable dom0 hangcheck in dom0 grub file by adding “i915.enable_hangcheck=0”

This is the last GVT-g community release based on old architecture design. After that, our next community release will switch to new code repository and new upstream architecture which has been upstreamed in kernel 4.10. 
Refer to the following blog for more details. 
https://01.org/igvt-g/blogs/wangbo85/2017/gvt-g-upstream-status-update-were-transition-phase 

GVT-g project portal: https://01.org/igvt-g please subscribe mailing list: https://lists.01.org/mailman/listinfo/igvt-g

More information about background, architecture and others about Intel GVT-g, can be found at:
    https://01.org/igvt-g
    https://www.usenix.org/conference/atc14/technical-sessions/presentation/tian
    http://events.linuxfoundation.org/sites/events/files/slides/XenGT-Xen%20Summit-v7_0.pdf
    http://events.linuxfoundation.org/sites/events/files/slides/XenGT-Xen%20Summit-REWRITE%203RD%20v4.pdf
    https://01.org/xen/blogs/srclarkx/2013/graphics-virtualization-xengt


Note: The XenGT project should be considered a work in progress. As such it is not a complete product nor should it be considered one. Extra care should be taken when testing and configuring a system to use the XenGT project.



Best regards.
Hongbo
Tel: +86-21-6116 7445
MP: +86-1364 1793 689
Mail: hongbo.wang at intel.com