Configuring the hypervisor host

The hypervisor host domain is configured through a buildfile, exactly like a QNX OS image.

For detailed instructions about how to use QNX buildfiles, including buildfile structure, contents, and syntax, see the “OS Image Buildfiles” chapter in the QNX SDP Building Embedded Systems guide.

The buildfile for a hypervisor host differs from buildfiles for standard QNX OS images as follows:

Virtualization module (libmod_qvm.a)

Includes instructions for including the virtualization module (libmod_qvm.a). You add this module just like you add an adaptive partitioning (APS) module. For example, a buildfile for the hypervisor host for a supported ARM platform might begin as follows:

[+compress]
[image=0x40100000]
[uid=0 gid=0]
[virtual=aarch64le,raw] boot = {
    [+keeplinked] startup-rcar_h3 -P1 -W -vv
    [+keeplinked module=qvm module=aps] PATH=/proc/boot:/sbin:/bin:/usr/bin:/opt/bin/sbin:/usr/sbin
    LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/proc/boot:/lib:/usr/lib:/lib/dll:/opt/lib procnto-smp-instr -ae -v
}

Of particular interest in this example is module=qvm, which brings the virtualization module into the build.

Host domain code

Includes instructions to include and start the qvm, and other code that will run in the hypervisor host domain. For example, the following includes and starts a qvm process instance and assembles a VM:

qvm
VM (qvm) configuration files

Includes the paths to the qvm configuration files that the different instances of the qvm process should use when creating and assembling VMs, and indicates where to place these configuration files in the image. For example:

/vm/config/qnx704.qvmconf = guests/qnx7/qnx704.qvmconf
Virtual device (vdev) shared objects

Includes virtual device modules (vdev-*.so) in the shared object list. For example:

vdev-8259.so
vdev-ser8250.so
vdev-timer8254.so
vdev-mc146818.so
vdev-virtio-console.so
vdev-virtio-blk.so
vdev-virtio-net.so
vdev-shmem.so
vdev-pckeyboard.so
vdev-ioapic.so
vdev-pci-dummy.so
vdev-hpet.so
vdev-pl011.so
vdev-vgpu-gvtg.so
vdev-progress.so
Unused component removal
The buildfile should include only components required by the hypervisor host.
You should remove all components that aren't required, so that they don't get included in the hypervisor host image.
For example, if a device (e.g., USB) is passed through to a guest, the hypervisor host (or another guest) may not also have access to the device, so remove the driver from the hypervisor host buildfile (see “pass” in the “VM Configuration Reference” chapter).

Safety variants for the QHS

DANGER

If you are using the QHS, you must specify that you want the safety variants of the kernel module and the vdevs. In your host buildfile:

  • Use [module=qvm-safety] instead of [module=qvm] for the kernel module safety variant.
  • Use vdev-*-safety.so for the safety variant of each vdev; for example, vdev-foo-safety.so.
  • Use the smmuman-*-safety files required for your board (see “Installation” in the SMMUMAN User's Guide).

See the QNX Hypervisor for Safety 2.0 Safety Manual for more information.

Safety variant support for PCI pass-through devices

If your hypervisor system will pass-through PCI devices, you must include the pci_server-qvm_support.so module in your hypervisor host. For instructions, see pci-server in the QNX SDP Utilities Reference.