Re: [PATCH v3 6/7] iommu: Introduce IOMMU_RESV_DIRECT_RELAXABLE reserved memory regions

From: Robin Murphy
Date: Thu May 16 2019 - 13:55:55 EST


On 16/05/2019 14:23, Auger Eric wrote:
Hi Robin,
On 5/16/19 2:46 PM, Robin Murphy wrote:
On 16/05/2019 11:08, Eric Auger wrote:
Introduce a new type for reserved region. This corresponds
to directly mapped regions which are known to be relaxable
in some specific conditions, such as device assignment use
case. Well known examples are those used by USB controllers
providing PS/2 keyboard emulation for pre-boot BIOS and
early BOOT or RMRRs associated to IGD working in legacy mode.

Since commit c875d2c1b808 ("iommu/vt-d: Exclude devices using RMRRs
from IOMMU API domains") and commit 18436afdc11a ("iommu/vt-d: Allow
RMRR on graphics devices too"), those regions are currently
considered "safe" with respect to device assignment use case
which requires a non direct mapping at IOMMU physical level
(RAM GPA -> HPA mapping).

Those RMRRs currently exist and sometimes the device is
attempting to access it but this has not been considered
an issue until now.

However at the moment, iommu_get_group_resv_regions() is
not able to make any difference between directly mapped
regions: those which must be absolutely enforced and those
like above ones which are known as relaxable.

This is a blocker for reporting severe conflicts between
non relaxable RMRRs (like MSI doorbells) and guest GPA space.

With this new reserved region type we will be able to use
iommu_get_group_resv_regions() to enumerate the IOVA space
that is usable through the IOMMU API without introducing
regressions with respect to existing device assignment
use cases (USB and IGD).

Signed-off-by: Eric Auger <eric.auger@xxxxxxxxxx>

---

Note: At the moment the sysfs ABI is not changed. However I wonder
whether it wouldn't be preferable to report the direct region as
"direct_relaxed" there. At the moment, in case the same direct
region is used by 2 devices, one USB/GFX and another not belonging
to the previous categories, the direct region will be output twice
with "direct" type.

Hmm, that sounds a bit off - if we have overlapping regions within the
same domain, then we need to do some additional pre-processing to adjust
them anyway, since any part of a relaxable region which overlaps a
non-relaxable region cannot actually be relaxed, and so really should
never be described as such.
In iommu_insert_resv_region(), we are overlapping regions of the same
type. So iommu_get_group_resv_regions() should return both the relaxable
region and non relaxable one. I should test this again using a hacked
kernel though.

We should still consider relaxable regions as being able to merge back in to regular direct regions to a degree - If a relaxable region falls entirely within a direct one then there's no point exposing it because the direct region *has* to take precedence and be enforced. If there is an incomplete overlap then we could possibly just trust consumers to see it and give the direct region precedence themselves, but since the relaxable region is our own in-kernel invention rather than firmware gospel I think it would be safer to truncate it to just its non-overlapping part.

Robin.