Implementing concurrent device driver maintenance and recovery for an SRIOV adapter in a virtualized system

摘要

A method, system and computer program product are provided for implementing concurrent adapter driver maintenance and recovery for a Single Root Input/Output Virtualization (SRIOV) adapter in a computer system. An adapter driver at start up time performs configuration of the adapter and each of a set of virtual functions (VFs). The adapter driver writes critical adapter and VF configuration data to a scratchpad buffer. When device driver maintenance is needed, such as to load updated adapter driver firmware, all VF drivers are held off temporarily, current adapter driver is detached, and then the adapter driver is reloaded with the updated driver firmware. Then the adapter driver is restarted with the updated adapter driver firmware, and performs a reinitialization process. The adapter driver performs adapter and VF configuration restoring existing configuration using values read from the scratchpad buffer.

主权项

1. A method for implementing concurrent device driver maintenance and recovery for a Single Root Input/Output Virtualization (SRIOV) adapter in a computer system comprising:
providing a physical function (PF) adjunct including an adapter driver with a hypervisor for managing physical functions and virtual functions of the Single Root Input/Output Virtualization (SRIOV) adapter; each virtual function being associated with a physical function, and the physical function supporting SRIOV capabilities; performing an initialization process including said adapter driver performing adapter and virtual function (VF) configuration, and said adapter driver writing adapter and virtual function (VF) configuration data to a scratchpad buffer, said scratchpad buffer kept in said hypervisor and said scratchpad buffer being completely managed within said hypervisor without requiring external management; responsive to configuration changes being made, said adapter driver updating configuration data in the scratchpad buffer; responsive to adapter driver maintenance being needed, said hypervisor placing each VF driver in a freeze state, said hypervisor detaching a current adapter driver, and said hypervisor reloading the adapter driver with an updated adapter driver firmware; said hypervisor restarting the adapter driver with the updated adapter driver firmware, and said adapter driver performing a reinitialization process including said adapter driver restoring adapter and virtual function (VF) configuration using configuration data values read from the scratchpad buffer; and said hypervisor preserving the configuration data in the scratchpad buffer during adapter driver restart for implementing concurrent device driver maintenance and recovery for the Single Root Input/Output Virtualization (SRIOV) adapter.