Xen users - Aug 2006 - What modifications are required for my device driver to work with xen.

Hi,
Firstly, I apologise for the naivity of my quiestion.
I''m still unclear about the split-driver architecture of xen.
I''m developing a software raid driver, and would like to know the
changes
required for it to work with xen. (guest).
As I have understood, the Native driver remains unchanged in Dom0. This
driver communicates talks with the backend driver and the hardware(or is
this the backend driver itself?)
The frontend driver (from the unprivilaged domain) talks to the backend
driver to access hardware.
Is my understanding of the concept correct? if yes, then how do I go about
writing the frontend driver? if I''m wrong (which is very highly
possible
:P), please enlighten me :)
Thanks in Advance,
Sweekar.


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First of all, I would think that software raid only makes sense when
it''s implemented directly to the hardware level - what I mean is that
the Guest shouldn''t really have to worry about how the data is stored,
if it''s RAIDed, mirrored, COW''ed or some other technology.
[Just like
applications on a non-virtual system is completely unaware of those
details]. 
 
This in turn means that I think as long as your driver works in Dom0 (or
DomU when you assign DomU the hardware to support the disk itself) it
should be fine. If your driver follows standard working practices for
drivers, it should be just a case of compiling it to make this work. 
 
I do agree with your understanding of backend/frontend drivers, but I
very much doubt that it would make any sense to implement your driver
with that sort of setup... 
 
--
Mats


________________________________

	From: xen-users-bounces@lists.xensource.com
[mailto:xen-users-bounces@lists.xensource.com] On Behalf Of Sweekar
Pinto
	Sent: 18 August 2006 08:02
	To: xen-users@lists.xensource.com
	Subject: [Xen-users] What modifications are required for my
device driver to work with xen.
	
	
	Hi,
	Firstly, I apologise for the naivity of my quiestion.
	I''m still unclear about the split-driver architecture of xen.
	I''m developing a software raid driver, and would like to know
the changes required for it to work with xen. (guest).
	As I have understood, the Native driver remains unchanged in
Dom0. This driver communicates talks with the backend driver and the
hardware(or is this the backend driver itself?)
	The frontend driver (from the unprivilaged domain) talks to the
backend driver to access hardware.
	Is my understanding of the concept correct? if yes, then how do
I go about writing the frontend driver? if I''m wrong (which is very
highly possible :P), please enlighten me :)
	Thanks in Advance,
	Sweekar.
	



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Xen-users mailing list
Xen-users@lists.xensource.com
http://lists.xensource.com/xen-users