[arch-general] Xen for Arch Linux - Update 1

[RedShift]

Hi all,

Time for an update!

Changelog
linux-xen0:
* linux-xen is renamed to linux-xen0. This way someone can create a 
linux-xenU package if he/she wants
* 64 bit build
* Kernel configurations based on stock Arch Linux kernel as far as is 
allowed

Get the packages at:
http://archserver.be/packages-devel/linux-xen0-2.6.18_xen_3.2.0-2-i686.pkg.tar.gz
http://archserver.be/packages-devel/linux-xen0-2.6.18_xen_3.2.0-2-x86_64.pkg.tar.gz


xen:
* 64 bit build
* Updated initscripts: the scripts are now in rc.d.
  -> xend: archified
  -> xendomains: "Don't touch what you don't know". Script looks pretty 
complex so other than a changed path I did not modify the script

Get the packages at:
http://archserver.be/packages-devel/xen-3.2.1-2-i686.pkg.tar.gz
http://archserver.be/packages-devel/xen-3.2.1-2-x86_64.pkg.tar.gz


You can find the updated PKGBUILDs at:
http://archserver.be/packages-devel/linux-xen0.tar
http://archserver.be/packages-devel/xen.tar

Glenn

RedShift wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I've been keeping busy today with Xen for Arch Linux. I've created the 
> following packages:
>
> -> This package contains the userland tools to administer a Xen dom0 
> host.
> xen-3.2.1-1-i686.pkg
> http://archserver.be/packages-devel/xen-3.2.1-1-i686.pkg.tar.gz
>
>
> -> This package contains the Xen hypervisor/dom0 kernel.
> linux-xen-2.6.18_xen_3.2.0-1-i686.pkg
> http://archserver.be/packages-devel/linux-xen-2.6.18_xen_3.2.0-1-i686.pkg.tar.gz 
>
>
>
> As Xen uses a heavily modified linux kernel, it cannot easily be 
> ported to more current kernel versions. So:
> 1) You're stuck with whatever hardware 2.6.18 supports
> 2) We have to use GCC 3.4 to compile this
> 3) It needs a patch because of using GCC 3.4 (xentime-gcc34.patch) :-(
>
> The kernel configuration is currently the default one that comes with 
> Xen. Most drivers are compiled in statically. I plan to update the 
> configuration to match Arch Linux's stock kernel.
>
> The kernel package does NOT provide support for running AS A 
> paravirtualized* GUEST. The goal of these packages is make the system 
> run guest OS'es without any modifications. This means you need 
> hardware virtualization support. You can check for hardware VT if you 
> have either vmx or svm (respectively Intel's and AMD's virtualization 
> technology) in /proc/cpuinfo. I do not intend to support 
> paravirtualization (see TODO).
>
> I've only tested i686. I can natively run m$ windoze (with networking) 
> on these packages, so the basics work.
>
> The xen package should compile and work on x86_64. The linux-xen 
> package has not even been compiled on x86_64 and will not work ATM.
>
> I've started a wiki article for Xen too, 
> http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Xen
>
> You can grab the PKGBUILDs here:
> * linux-xen: http://archserver.be/packages-devel/linux-xen.tar
> * xen: http://archserver.be/packages-devel/xen.tar
>
> Still TODO:
> * x86_64 support
> * update kernel config to match Arch Linux's stock kernel
> * finish the wiki article, create an example scenario
> * fix initscripts for xen package (they are currently in etc/init.d)
> * paravirtualization: from what I've read, the kernel can be 
> configured to function both as hypervisor and guest. The traditional 
> way is to have two kernels in the distro: one for dom0 and one for 
> domU. It would be great to combine these two - but I'd like some 
> advice on this one. Does it have performance implications?
> -> If having both dom0 and domU support in the same kernel has no 
> negative side-effects I will support paravirtualization. If it does 
> have side-effects that are unacceptable I will not support 
> paravirtualization.
>
> (Paravirtualization is virtualization without hardware support from 
> the CPU. This means the guest OS has to be made compatible with Xen in 
> order to run. This is why you see for example xenU or domU kernels: 
> these are meant to be used inside a Xen domain if the Xen host doesn't 
> have hardware VT)
>
> Any feedback is appreciated.
>
> Glenn
>
>
>