diff --git a/docs/formatdomain.html.in b/docs/formatdomain.html.in index 02ce7924cc..2d8ba64fe6 100644 --- a/docs/formatdomain.html.in +++ b/docs/formatdomain.html.in @@ -1272,19 +1272,21 @@ model even if the destination host contains more capable CPUs for the running instance of the guest; but shutting down and restarting the guest may present different hardware to the guest according to - the capabilities of the new host. Beware, due to the - way libvirt detects host CPU and due to the fact libvirt does not - talk to QEMU/KVM when creating the CPU model, CPU configuration - created using host-model may not work as expected. The - guest CPU may differ from the configuration and it may also confuse - guest OS by using a combination of CPU features and other parameters - (such as CPUID level) that don't work. Until these issues are fixed, - it's a good idea to avoid using host-model and use - custom mode with just the CPU model from host - capabilities XML. - Since 1.2.11 PowerISA allows - processors to run VMs in binary compatibility mode supporting an - older version of ISA. Libvirt on PowerPC architecture uses the + the capabilities of the new host. Prior to libvirt 3.2.0 and QEMU + 2.9.0 detection of the host CPU model via QEMU is not supported. + Thus the CPU configuration created using host-model + may not work as expected. + Since 3.2.0 and QEMU 2.9.0 this mode + works the way it was designed and it is indicated by the + fallback attribute set to forbid in the + host-model CPU definition advertised in + domain capabilities XML. + When fallback attribute is set to allow + in the domain capabilities XML, it is recommended to use + custom mode with just the CPU model from the host + capabilities XML. Since 1.2.11 PowerISA + allows processors to run VMs in binary compatibility mode supporting + an older version of ISA. Libvirt on PowerPC architecture uses the host-model to signify a guest mode CPU running in binary compatibility mode. Example: When a user needs a power7 VM to run in compatibility mode @@ -1307,6 +1309,15 @@ a migration is attempted then the guest may hang or crash upon resuming execution on the destination host. + + Both host-model and host-passthrough modes + make sense when a domain can run directly on the host CPUs (for + example, domains with type kvm). The actual host CPU is + irrelevant for domains with emulated virtual CPUs (such as domains with + type qemu). However, for backward compatibility + host-model may be implemented even for domains running on + emulated CPUs in which case the best CPU the hypervisor is able to + emulate may be used rather then trying to mimic the host CPU model.
model