VIRTIO Spec feedback #5 From: Laura Novich

Proposal: diff --git a/abstract.tex b/abstract.tex index b42a0b6..186fb81 100644 — a/abstract.tex +++ b/abstract.tex @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ This document describes the specifications of the “virtio” family of devices. These devices are found in virtual environments, yet by design they are not all that different from physical devices, and this -document treats them as such. This allows the guest to use standard +document treats them as such. This similarity allows the guest to use standard drivers and discovery mechanisms. The purpose of virtio and this specification is that virtual diff --git a/introduction.tex b/introduction.tex index 5d57f78..275ad98 100644 — a/introduction.tex +++ b/introduction.tex @@ -13,14 +13,15 @@ inter-guest communication) requires copying. } Efficient: Virtio devices consist of rings of descriptors for input and output, which are neatly separated to avoid cache + for both input and output, which are neatly laid out to avoid cache effects from both driver and device writing to the same cache lines. Standard: Virtio makes no assumptions about the environment in which it operates, beyond supporting the bus attaching the device. Virtio + it operates, beyond supporting the bus to which device is attached. + In this specification, virtio devices are implemented over PCI and other buses, and earlier drafts been implemented on other buses not included in this spec. + have been implemented on other buses not included here. \footnote{The Linux implementation further separates the PCI virtio code from the specific virtio drivers: these drivers are shared with the non-PCI implementations (currently lguest and S/390).