api.txt

4.45 KVM_SET_XCRS

Capability: KVM_CAP_XCRS
Architectures: x86
Type: vcpu ioctl
Parameters: struct kvm_xcrs (in)
Returns: 0 on success, -1 on error

struct kvm_xcr {
	__u32 xcr;
	__u32 reserved;
	__u64 value;
};

struct kvm_xcrs {
	__u32 nr_xcrs;
	__u32 flags;
	struct kvm_xcr xcrs[KVM_MAX_XCRS];
	__u64 padding[16];
};

This ioctl would set vcpu's xcr to the value userspace specified.

4.46 KVM_GET_SUPPORTED_CPUID

Capability: KVM_CAP_EXT_CPUID
Architectures: x86
Type: system ioctl
Parameters: struct kvm_cpuid2 (in/out)
Returns: 0 on success, -1 on error

struct kvm_cpuid2 {
	__u32 nent;
	__u32 padding;
	struct kvm_cpuid_entry2 entries[0];
};

#define KVM_CPUID_FLAG_SIGNIFCANT_INDEX 1
#define KVM_CPUID_FLAG_STATEFUL_FUNC    2
#define KVM_CPUID_FLAG_STATE_READ_NEXT  4

struct kvm_cpuid_entry2 {
	__u32 function;
	__u32 index;
	__u32 flags;
	__u32 eax;
	__u32 ebx;
	__u32 ecx;
	__u32 edx;
	__u32 padding[3];
};

This ioctl returns x86 cpuid features which are supported by both the hardware
and kvm.  Userspace can use the information returned by this ioctl to
construct cpuid information (for KVM_SET_CPUID2) that is consistent with
hardware, kernel, and userspace capabilities, and with user requirements (for
example, the user may wish to constrain cpuid to emulate older hardware,
or for feature consistency across a cluster).

Userspace invokes KVM_GET_SUPPORTED_CPUID by passing a kvm_cpuid2 structure
with the 'nent' field indicating the number of entries in the variable-size
array 'entries'.  If the number of entries is too low to describe the cpu
capabilities, an error (E2BIG) is returned.  If the number is too high,
the 'nent' field is adjusted and an error (ENOMEM) is returned.  If the
number is just right, the 'nent' field is adjusted to the number of valid
entries in the 'entries' array, which is then filled.

The entries returned are the host cpuid as returned by the cpuid instruction,
with unknown or unsupported features masked out.  Some features (for example,
x2apic), may not be present in the host cpu, but are exposed by kvm if it can
emulate them efficiently. The fields in each entry are defined as follows:

  function: the eax value used to obtain the entry
  index: the ecx value used to obtain the entry (for entries that are
         affected by ecx)
  flags: an OR of zero or more of the following:
        KVM_CPUID_FLAG_SIGNIFCANT_INDEX:
           if the index field is valid
        KVM_CPUID_FLAG_STATEFUL_FUNC:
           if cpuid for this function returns different values for successive
           invocations; there will be several entries with the same function,
           all with this flag set
        KVM_CPUID_FLAG_STATE_READ_NEXT:
           for KVM_CPUID_FLAG_STATEFUL_FUNC entries, set if this entry is
           the first entry to be read by a cpu
   eax, ebx, ecx, edx: the values returned by the cpuid instruction for
         this function/index combination

4.47 KVM_PPC_GET_PVINFO

Capability: KVM_CAP_PPC_GET_PVINFO
Architectures: ppc
Type: vm ioctl
Parameters: struct kvm_ppc_pvinfo (out)
Returns: 0 on success, !0 on error

struct kvm_ppc_pvinfo {
	__u32 flags;
	__u32 hcall[4];
	__u8  pad[108];
};

This ioctl fetches PV specific information that need to be passed to the guest
using the device tree or other means from vm context.

For now the only implemented piece of information distributed here is an array
of 4 instructions that make up a hypercall.

If any additional field gets added to this structure later on, a bit for that
additional piece of information will be set in the flags bitmap.

4.48 KVM_ASSIGN_PCI_DEVICE

Capability: KVM_CAP_DEVICE_ASSIGNMENT
Architectures: x86 ia64
Type: vm ioctl
Parameters: struct kvm_assigned_pci_dev (in)
Returns: 0 on success, -1 on error

Assigns a host PCI device to the VM.

struct kvm_assigned_pci_dev {
	__u32 assigned_dev_id;
	__u32 busnr;
	__u32 devfn;
	__u32 flags;
	__u32 segnr;
	union {
		__u32 reserved[11];
	};
};

The PCI device is specified by the triple segnr, busnr, and devfn.
Identification in succeeding service requests is done via assigned_dev_id. The
following flags are specified:

/* Depends on KVM_CAP_IOMMU */
#define KVM_DEV_ASSIGN_ENABLE_IOMMU	(1 << 0)

4.49 KVM_DEASSIGN_PCI_DEVICE

Capability: KVM_CAP_DEVICE_DEASSIGNMENT
Architectures: x86 ia64
Type: vm ioctl
Parameters: struct kvm_assigned_pci_dev (in)
Returns: 0 on success, -1 on error

Ends PCI device assignment, releasing all associated resources.

See KVM_CAP_DEVICE_ASSIGNMENT for the data structure. Only assigned_dev_id is
used in kvm_assigned_pci_dev to identify the device.

4.50 KVM_ASSIGN_DEV_IRQ

Capability: KVM_CAP_ASSIGN_DEV_IRQ
Architectures: x86 ia64
Type: vm ioctl
Parameters: struct kvm_assigned_irq (in)
Returns: 0 on success, -1 on error

Assigns an IRQ to a passed-through device.

struct kvm_assigned_irq {
	__u32 assigned_dev_id;
	__u32 host_irq; /* ignored (legacy field) */
	__u32 guest_irq;
	__u32 flags;
	union {
		__u32 reserved[12];
	};
};

The following flags are defined:

#define KVM_DEV_IRQ_HOST_INTX    (1 << 0)
#define KVM_DEV_IRQ_HOST_MSI     (1 << 1)
#define KVM_DEV_IRQ_HOST_MSIX    (1 << 2)

#define KVM_DEV_IRQ_GUEST_INTX   (1 << 8)
#define KVM_DEV_IRQ_GUEST_MSI    (1 << 9)
#define KVM_DEV_IRQ_GUEST_MSIX   (1 << 10)

It is not valid to specify multiple types per host or guest IRQ. However, the
IRQ type of host and guest can differ or can even be null.

4.51 KVM_DEASSIGN_DEV_IRQ

Capability: KVM_CAP_ASSIGN_DEV_IRQ
Architectures: x86 ia64
Type: vm ioctl
Parameters: struct kvm_assigned_irq (in)
Returns: 0 on success, -1 on error

Ends an IRQ assignment to a passed-through device.

See KVM_ASSIGN_DEV_IRQ for the data structure. The target device is specified
by assigned_dev_id, flags must correspond to the IRQ type specified on
KVM_ASSIGN_DEV_IRQ. Partial deassignment of host or guest IRQ is allowed.

4.52 KVM_SET_GSI_ROUTING

Capability: KVM_CAP_IRQ_ROUTING
Architectures: x86 ia64
Type: vm ioctl
Parameters: struct kvm_irq_routing (in)
Returns: 0 on success, -1 on error

Sets the GSI routing table entries, overwriting any previously set entries.

struct kvm_irq_routing {
	__u32 nr;
	__u32 flags;
	struct kvm_irq_routing_entry entries[0];
};

No flags are specified so far, the corresponding field must be set to zero.

struct kvm_irq_routing_entry {
	__u32 gsi;
	__u32 type;
	__u32 flags;
	__u32 pad;
	union {
		struct kvm_irq_routing_irqchip irqchip;
		struct kvm_irq_routing_msi msi;
		__u32 pad[8];
	} u;
};

/* gsi routing entry types */
#define KVM_IRQ_ROUTING_IRQCHIP 1
#define KVM_IRQ_ROUTING_MSI 2

No flags are specified so far, the corresponding field must be set to zero.

struct kvm_irq_routing_irqchip {
	__u32 irqchip;
	__u32 pin;
};

struct kvm_irq_routing_msi {
	__u32 address_lo;
	__u32 address_hi;
	__u32 data;
	__u32 pad;
};

4.53 KVM_ASSIGN_SET_MSIX_NR

Capability: KVM_CAP_DEVICE_MSIX
Architectures: x86 ia64
Type: vm ioctl
Parameters: struct kvm_assigned_msix_nr (in)
Returns: 0 on success, -1 on error

Set the number of MSI-X interrupts for an assigned device. The number is
reset again by terminating the MSI-X assignment of the device via
KVM_DEASSIGN_DEV_IRQ. Calling this service more than once at any earlier
point will fail.

struct kvm_assigned_msix_nr {
	__u32 assigned_dev_id;
	__u16 entry_nr;
	__u16 padding;
};

#define KVM_MAX_MSIX_PER_DEV		256

4.54 KVM_ASSIGN_SET_MSIX_ENTRY

Capability: KVM_CAP_DEVICE_MSIX
Architectures: x86 ia64
Type: vm ioctl
Parameters: struct kvm_assigned_msix_entry (in)
Returns: 0 on success, -1 on error

Specifies the routing of an MSI-X assigned device interrupt to a GSI. Setting
the GSI vector to zero means disabling the interrupt.

struct kvm_assigned_msix_entry {
	__u32 assigned_dev_id;
	__u32 gsi;
	__u16 entry; /* The index of entry in the MSI-X table */
	__u16 padding[3];
};

4.54 KVM_SET_TSC_KHZ

Capability: KVM_CAP_TSC_CONTROL
Architectures: x86
Type: vcpu ioctl
Parameters: virtual tsc_khz
Returns: 0 on success, -1 on error

Specifies the tsc frequency for the virtual machine. The unit of the
frequency is KHz.

4.55 KVM_GET_TSC_KHZ

Capability: KVM_CAP_GET_TSC_KHZ
Architectures: x86
Type: vcpu ioctl
Parameters: none
Returns: virtual tsc-khz on success, negative value on error

Returns the tsc frequency of the guest. The unit of the return value is
KHz. If the host has unstable tsc this ioctl returns -EIO instead as an
error.

4.56 KVM_GET_LAPIC

Capability: KVM_CAP_IRQCHIP
Architectures: x86
Type: vcpu ioctl
Parameters: struct kvm_lapic_state (out)
Returns: 0 on success, -1 on error

#define KVM_APIC_REG_SIZE 0x400
struct kvm_lapic_state {
	char regs[KVM_APIC_REG_SIZE];
};

Reads the Local APIC registers and copies them into the input argument.  The
data format and layout are the same as documented in the architecture manual.

4.57 KVM_SET_LAPIC

Capability: KVM_CAP_IRQCHIP
Architectures: x86
Type: vcpu ioctl
Parameters: struct kvm_lapic_state (in)
Returns: 0 on success, -1 on error

#define KVM_APIC_REG_SIZE 0x400
struct kvm_lapic_state {
	char regs[KVM_APIC_REG_SIZE];
};

Copies the input argument into the the Local APIC registers.  The data format
and layout are the same as documented in the architecture manual.

4.58 KVM_IOEVENTFD

Capability: KVM_CAP_IOEVENTFD
Architectures: all
Type: vm ioctl
Parameters: struct kvm_ioeventfd (in)
Returns: 0 on success, !0 on error

This ioctl attaches or detaches an ioeventfd to a legal pio/mmio address
within the guest.  A guest write in the registered address will signal the
provided event instead of triggering an exit.

struct kvm_ioeventfd {
	__u64 datamatch;
	__u64 addr;        /* legal pio/mmio address */
	__u32 len;         /* 1, 2, 4, or 8 bytes    */
	__s32 fd;
	__u32 flags;
	__u8  pad[36];
};

The following flags are defined:

#define KVM_IOEVENTFD_FLAG_DATAMATCH (1 << kvm_ioeventfd_flag_nr_datamatch)
#define KVM_IOEVENTFD_FLAG_PIO       (1 << kvm_ioeventfd_flag_nr_pio)
#define KVM_IOEVENTFD_FLAG_DEASSIGN  (1 << kvm_ioeventfd_flag_nr_deassign)

If datamatch flag is set, the event will be signaled only if the written value
to the registered address is equal to datamatch in struct kvm_ioeventfd.

4.62 KVM_CREATE_SPAPR_TCE

Capability: KVM_CAP_SPAPR_TCE
Architectures: powerpc
Type: vm ioctl
Parameters: struct kvm_create_spapr_tce (in)
Returns: file descriptor for manipulating the created TCE table

This creates a virtual TCE (translation control entry) table, which
is an IOMMU for PAPR-style virtual I/O.  It is used to translate
logical addresses used in virtual I/O into guest physical addresses,
and provides a scatter/gather capability for PAPR virtual I/O.

/* for KVM_CAP_SPAPR_TCE */
struct kvm_create_spapr_tce {
	__u64 liobn;
	__u32 window_size;
};

The liobn field gives the logical IO bus number for which to create a
TCE table.  The window_size field specifies the size of the DMA window
which this TCE table will translate - the table will contain one 64
bit TCE entry for every 4kiB of the DMA window.

When the guest issues an H_PUT_TCE hcall on a liobn for which a TCE
table has been created using this ioctl(), the kernel will handle it
in real mode, updating the TCE table.  H_PUT_TCE calls for other
liobns will cause a vm exit and must be handled by userspace.

The return value is a file descriptor which can be passed to mmap(2)
to map the created TCE table into userspace.  This lets userspace read
the entries written by kernel-handled H_PUT_TCE calls, and also lets
userspace update the TCE table directly which is useful in some
circumstances.

4.63 KVM_ALLOCATE_RMA

Capability: KVM_CAP_PPC_RMA
Architectures: powerpc
Type: vm ioctl
Parameters: struct kvm_allocate_rma (out)
Returns: file descriptor for mapping the allocated RMA

This allocates a Real Mode Area (RMA) from the pool allocated at boot
time by the kernel.  An RMA is a physically-contiguous, aligned region
of memory used on older POWER processors to provide the memory which
will be accessed by real-mode (MMU off) accesses in a KVM guest.
POWER processors support a set of sizes for the RMA that usually
includes 64MB, 128MB, 256MB and some larger powers of two.

/* for KVM_ALLOCATE_RMA */
struct kvm_allocate_rma {
	__u64 rma_size;
};

The return value is a file descriptor which can be passed to mmap(2)
to map the allocated RMA into userspace.  The mapped area can then be
passed to the KVM_SET_USER_MEMORY_REGION ioctl to establish it as the
RMA for a virtual machine.  The size of the RMA in bytes (which is
fixed at host kernel boot time) is returned in the rma_size field of
the argument structure.

The KVM_CAP_PPC_RMA capability is 1 or 2 if the KVM_ALLOCATE_RMA ioctl
is supported; 2 if the processor requires all virtual machines to have
an RMA, or 1 if the processor can use an RMA but doesn't require it,
because it supports the Virtual RMA (VRMA) facility.

5. The kvm_run structure

Application code obtains a pointer to the kvm_run structure by
mmap()ing a vcpu fd.  From that point, application code can control
execution by changing fields in kvm_run prior to calling the KVM_RUN
ioctl, and obtain information about the reason KVM_RUN returned by
looking up structure members.

struct kvm_run {
	/* in */
	__u8 request_interrupt_window;

Request that KVM_RUN return when it becomes possible to inject external
interrupts into the guest.  Useful in conjunction with KVM_INTERRUPT.

	__u8 padding1[7];

	/* out */
	__u32 exit_reason;

When KVM_RUN has returned successfully (return value 0), this informs
application code why KVM_RUN has returned.  Allowable values for this
field are detailed below.

	__u8 ready_for_interrupt_injection;

If request_interrupt_window has been specified, this field indicates
an interrupt can be injected now with KVM_INTERRUPT.

	__u8 if_flag;

The value of the current interrupt flag.  Only valid if in-kernel
local APIC is not used.

	__u8 padding2[2];

	/* in (pre_kvm_run), out (post_kvm_run) */
	__u64 cr8;

The value of the cr8 register.  Only valid if in-kernel local APIC is
not used.  Both input and output.

	__u64 apic_base;

The value of the APIC BASE msr.  Only valid if in-kernel local
APIC is not used.  Both input and output.

	union {
		/* KVM_EXIT_UNKNOWN */
		struct {
			__u64 hardware_exit_reason;
		} hw;

If exit_reason is KVM_EXIT_UNKNOWN, the vcpu has exited due to unknown
reasons.  Further architecture-specific information is available in
hardware_exit_reason.

		/* KVM_EXIT_FAIL_ENTRY */
		struct {
			__u64 hardware_entry_failure_reason;
		} fail_entry;

If exit_reason is KVM_EXIT_FAIL_ENTRY, the vcpu could not be run due
to unknown reasons.  Further architecture-specific information is
available in hardware_entry_failure_reason.

		/* KVM_EXIT_EXCEPTION */
		struct {
			__u32 exception;
			__u32 error_code;
		} ex;

Unused.

		/* KVM_EXIT_IO */
		struct {
#define KVM_EXIT_IO_IN  0
#define KVM_EXIT_IO_OUT 1
			__u8 direction;
			__u8 size; /* bytes */
			__u16 port;
			__u32 count;
			__u64 data_offset; /* relative to kvm_run start */
		} io;

If exit_reason is KVM_EXIT_IO, then the vcpu has
executed a port I/O instruction which could not be satisfied by kvm.
data_offset describes where the data is located (KVM_EXIT_IO_OUT) or
where kvm expects application code to place the data for the next
KVM_RUN invocation (KVM_EXIT_IO_IN).  Data format is a packed array.

		struct {
			struct kvm_debug_exit_arch arch;
		} debug;

Unused.

		/* KVM_EXIT_MMIO */
		struct {
			__u64 phys_addr;
			__u8  data[8];
			__u32 len;
			__u8  is_write;
		} mmio;

If exit_reason is KVM_EXIT_MMIO, then the vcpu has
executed a memory-mapped I/O instruction which could not be satisfied
by kvm.  The 'data' member contains the written data if 'is_write' is
true, and should be filled by application code otherwise.

NOTE: For KVM_EXIT_IO, KVM_EXIT_MMIO and KVM_EXIT_OSI, the corresponding
operations are complete (and guest state is consistent) only after userspace
has re-entered the kernel with KVM_RUN.  The kernel side will first finish
incomplete operations and then check for pending signals.  Userspace
can re-enter the guest with an unmasked signal pending to complete
pending operations.

		/* KVM_EXIT_HYPERCALL */
		struct {
			__u64 nr;
			__u64 args[6];
			__u64 ret;
			__u32 longmode;
			__u32 pad;
		} hypercall;

Unused.  This was once used for 'hypercall to userspace'.  To implement
such functionality, use KVM_EXIT_IO (x86) or KVM_EXIT_MMIO (all except s390).
Note KVM_EXIT_IO is significantly faster than KVM_EXIT_MMIO.

		/* KVM_EXIT_TPR_ACCESS */
		struct {
			__u64 rip;
			__u32 is_write;
			__u32 pad;
		} tpr_access;

To be documented (KVM_TPR_ACCESS_REPORTING).

		/* KVM_EXIT_S390_SIEIC */
		struct {
			__u8 icptcode;
			__u64 mask; /* psw upper half */
			__u64 addr; /* psw lower half */
			__u16 ipa;
			__u32 ipb;
		} s390_sieic;

s390 specific.

		/* KVM_EXIT_S390_RESET */
#define KVM_S390_RESET_POR       1
#define KVM_S390_RESET_CLEAR     2
#define KVM_S390_RESET_SUBSYSTEM 4
#define KVM_S390_RESET_CPU_INIT  8
#define KVM_S390_RESET_IPL       16
		__u64 s390_reset_flags;

s390 specific.

		/* KVM_EXIT_DCR */
		struct {
			__u32 dcrn;
			__u32 data;
			__u8  is_write;
		} dcr;

powerpc specific.

		/* KVM_EXIT_OSI */
		struct {
			__u64 gprs[32];
		} osi;

MOL uses a special hypercall interface it calls 'OSI'. To enable it, we catch
hypercalls and exit with this exit struct that contains all the guest gprs.

If exit_reason is KVM_EXIT_OSI, then the vcpu has triggered such a hypercall.
Userspace can now handle the hypercall and when it's done modify the gprs as
necessary. Upon guest entry all guest GPRs will then be replaced by the values
in this struct.

		/* KVM_EXIT_PAPR_HCALL */
		struct {
			__u64 nr;
			__u64 ret;
			__u64 args[9];
		} papr_hcall;

This is used on 64-bit PowerPC when emulating a pSeries partition,
e.g. with the 'pseries' machine type in qemu.  It occurs when the
guest does a hypercall using the 'sc 1' instruction.  The 'nr' field
contains the hypercall number (from the guest R3), and 'args' contains
the arguments (from the guest R4 - R12).  Userspace should put the
return code in 'ret' and any extra returned values in args[].
The possible hypercalls are defined in the Power Architecture Platform
Requirements (PAPR) document available from www.power.org (free
developer registration required to access it).

		/* Fix the size of the union. */
		char padding[256];
	};
};