Xen users - Jun 2013 - Standalone application for checking IOMMU virtualization support?

I''m *STILL* looking to build a multipurpose, all-in-one machine that
requieres IOMMU virtualization in working order to be able to do what I want to,
namely, a fully virtualized Desktop platform where everything runs on top of the
Hypervisor, without sacrificing access to Hardware pieces like the Video Card,
essencial to play games. I have been waiting until Intel Haswell and AMD
Richland are released to make a platform decision.

One of the things that annoys me the most is the fact that most times, you
usually don''t know if the BIOS implementation of AMD''s ACPI
IVRS table or whatever Intel uses works properly on a given Motherboard and/or
BIOS version. This also will hurt early adopters the most, as they (And
potentially I) will have to figure out by themselves everything they need to
make it work. So basically, if I want to purchase a Desktop platform for
virtualization purposes that requires the IOMMU in working order, it seems that
I will have to spend money on a Motherboard just to test if it works or not.
Motherboard support lists are already lacking on current platforms, let alone
something brand new that needs to be tested from the ground.
I can''t risk my money to purchase something that I don''t know
if it will work or not. Server grade parts would be a safer bet, but they are
hard to come by here, and if they do, they are MUCH more expensive, so
they''re not an option. On the other hand, there are always some Desktop
Motherboards that are usually popular enough to guarantee that you will always
find them everywhere. There may be also some cheaper models, or obscure ones
too, that fill some niches.

Sometimes I could get a friend with a specific Motherboard that is willing to
run some tests in his Hardware to verify if this works or not, but it would be
hard if not impossible to instruct him about how to install Xen, use whatever
patch or workaround for that specific platform, etc., until he gets it working
or figures out that nothing will make it work. It would be MUCH easier, if there
was a standalone application that checks for proper VT-d/AMD-Vi support by
itself with not too much user input, so I could spam forums asking people to use
such application on some specific Motherboard/BIOS and post results. Or better
if I could feed the application a BIN or ROM file downloaded from Motherboard
manufacturers websites to analyze the file and tell if it got the
required/expected values or not, or make a dump that I could give to a
developer, that could give me a idea if it will work or not before testing on
real Hardware.
Such application would be best suited to be Windows compatible, just because if
Joe Average wants to make me such favor of run it, I doubt he runs Linux.


Do anyone knows if such thing exist, is possible to develop, can be practical
and useful, etc? I consider it a solid option to make sure potential Xen users
like me knows if they can run the desired feature before smashing their heads
against a brick wall and figuring out that they can''t do it with their
current Motherboard/BIOS.
 		 	   		  

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On Sun, 2013-06-02 at 15:32 -0300, Zir Blazer wrote:
> Do anyone knows if such thing exist, is possible to develop, can be
> practical and useful, etc?
How about a Xen live CD like the one the alpine Linux guys produce?

Ian.

On Mon, Jun 3, 2013 at 5:21 AM, Ian Campbell <Ian.Campbell@citrix.com>
wrote:
>
> On Sun, 2013-06-02 at 15:32 -0300, Zir Blazer wrote:
> > Do anyone knows if such thing exist, is possible to develop, can be
> > practical and useful, etc?
>
> How about a Xen live CD like the one the alpine Linux guys produce?
>
> Ian.

Hello Zir, Ian,

Zir brings up what I think is an excellent point.  While I''m one to
check for VT-x or AMD-V by looking in the BIOS, the only point and
click Windows software that really comes to mind for checking this is
rather aged and simple, while straightforward to use on any version of
Windows--no reboot required--and named "Securable."[1]

Something like this would actually be lovely for IOMMU... but I can
only think of obvious methods for detecting it when it''s actually
switched on.  AMD-V presents a device on the PCI bus that will show up
in a Windows system; there''s a null driver[2] for it because yellow
exclamation marks in Device Manager drive us crazy ;)

If Intel''s VT-d support also does such a thing, perhaps it''s a
step in
the direction for what you''re looking for?

Cheers,
Andrew

[1]: https://www.grc.com/securable.htm
[2]:
http://support.amd.com/us/Pages/dynamicDetails.aspx?ListID=c65b1ad6-e123-482e-a417-2d39f6e728d2&ItemID=54&lang=us