JPH03204731A - Device and method for executing emulation of virtual computer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily and new architecture corresponding to a new virtual computer by constituting the device so that the specifications difference of input/ output areas of the processing issued by the virtual computer necessitated with an emulation by a virtual computer monitor is absorbed by a hardware. CONSTITUTION:An area format changing part 4 reads out data related to the processing stored in input/output areas 3i (i = 1, 2,...) for an allocated virtual computer used for the processing of the required computer, and in the case it can be changed, an area format determined with regard to the virtual computer is changed to a prescribed area format, and the changed data is written in a monitor input/output area 30. A virtual computer monitor 1 executes an emulation, based on the data changed to the prescribed area format. In such a manner, the virtual computer monitor is generated easily, and new architecture can be added easily as the virtual computer.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Table of contents] Overview Industrial field of application Prior art (Fig. 7) Means for solving the problems to be solved by the invention (Figs. 1 and 2) Effects (Fig. 1.
Figure 2) Embodiment (Figures 3.4 and 5.6) Effects of the invention [Summary] - Or, among the processes executed by the hardware according to instructions issued by the virtual machines while sequentially starting a plurality of virtual machines, A virtual machine monitor that emulates processes that cannot be directly executed due to shared hardware, etc. upon request, and data in a designated area format corresponding to each virtual machine and used for virtual machine processing. The present invention relates to an emulation execution device and method for a virtual computer system having a virtual machine input/output area for storing information, and provides an emulation execution device and method for a virtual computer system that is easy to create, versatile, and flexible. For the purpose of reading the data stored in the area and changing it to a predetermined area format;
This configuration includes an area format changing unit that writes changed data into the corresponding area.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a virtual machine emulation execution device and method, and particularly relates to a virtual machine emulation execution device and method, in which one or more virtual machines are started up sequentially, and among the processes executed by the hardware according to instructions issued by the virtual machine, the hardware is shared. A virtual machine monitor performs emulation upon request for processing that cannot be executed directly by instructions because of the processing conditions, and data is stored in a designated area format for use in the processing of each virtual machine, corresponding to each virtual machine. The present invention relates to an emulation execution device and method for a virtual computer system provided with an input/output area for a virtual computer.

Here, "Virtual Machine"
;VM) The purpose of J is to provide multiple users (OS) with a virtual real computer environment using a single piece of hardware, and the hardware configuration is no different from that of conventional computer systems. do not have. The virtual machine mechanism has three main components. A virtual computer control program (hereinafter referred to as a host program or simply a host) sequentially starts up virtual computers (hereinafter referred to as a guest program or simply a guest) using a time-sharing method or the like. First, start Guest 1. Guest 1
After the time slice assigned to the guest has elapsed, the guests are started in sequence, next guest 2, then guest 3, and so on. This approach allows multiple operating systems to run on a single piece of hardware.

As mentioned above, since a single piece of hardware is shared by multiple guests, the system resources used only by that guest (
console, etc.) may be used by the guest without permission, but
Resources shared between guests (such as a physical CPU) cannot be manipulated by the guests without permission. Therefore, the host intervenes in the control of the guest when it is necessary to manipulate system shared resources.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 7, one or more virtual machines are started up in sequence, and among the processes executed by hardware according to instructions issued by the virtual machines, since the hardware is shared, A virtual machine monitor 71 performs emulation upon request for processing that cannot be directly executed, and a virtual machine monitor 71 that stores data in a predetermined area format for use in the processing of each virtual machine, corresponding to each virtual machine. Input/output area 731
, 732. There was an emulation execution device for a virtual computer system equipped with ..., 73n.

The emulation execution device of the virtual machine operates as follows.

When the virtual machine started by the virtual machine monitor 71 performs process A, when a request from hardware reaches the monitor 71 that the process based on an instruction issued from the virtual machine requires emulation, The monitor 71 directly instructs the corresponding input/output area 731 (input/output block) of the virtual machine that issued the request, and based on the read data, the monitor 71 performs emulation. I will do it.

Further, the data obtained as a result of the emulation execution of the monitor 71 is directly written into the virtual machine input/output area 731 corresponding to the virtual machine of the issuer.

That is, in the conventional example, emulation of process A was performed while being aware of the differences in the architecture specifications of each virtual machine (the host program that defines the operation of the virtual machine monitor directly takes into account each area format).

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

By the way, in the past, as explained above, emulation was performed keeping in mind the architecture of each virtual machine, so the architecture of the virtual machine was
When adding a new architecture Z, if the area format of the input/output area (block) A-Z that stores data for processing A of this architecture is different from the existing one,
It is also necessary to change the emulation program of the virtual machine monitor, and there is a problem in that it takes time and effort to create the virtual machine monitor, that is, to construct the virtual monitor by creating the host program.

Therefore, the present invention makes it easy to change and create virtual machine monitors by allowing hardware to absorb specifications differences in the input/output area of processes issued by virtual machines that require emulation by virtual machine monitors, and to create new virtual machine monitors. The purpose of this invention is to provide a versatile and flexible virtual machine system emulation execution device and method that can easily add architectures that support the system.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to solve the above technical problems, the first invention, as shown in FIG. , a virtual machine monitor 1 that emulates instructions that cannot be directly executed, and an input/output area for each virtual machine that stores data in a predetermined area format for use in the processing of the virtual machine. 31, 32. In an emulation execution device for a virtual computer system, an input/output area 30 for storing data in a predetermined area format for use in the processing of the monitor 1 is provided, and
At the start or end of emulation execution, each of the areas 30, 31 . . . 3n is read out, changed to a predetermined area format, and the changed data is transferred to the corresponding area 30, 31 .・・・
- An area format changing unit 4 for writing to 3n is provided.

On the other hand, the second invention is, as shown in Figure 2, when one or more virtual machines are sequentially started, among the processes executed by the hardware according to the instructions issued by the virtual machines, the hardware shares the When there is a request for emulation of a process that cannot be directly executed by the instruction because the instruction is executed (S1), the data is stored in the input/output area of each virtual computer in a predetermined area format corresponding to each virtual computer. In an emulation execution method for a virtual computer system that performs emulation based on data indicating the processing content that has been requested, the data stored in the input/output area for a virtual machine corresponding to the requested virtual machine is read from the area. , if it can be changed equivalently, it is changed to a predetermined area format (S2), the changed data is written to the input/output area for the monitor used for emulation execution (S3), and the written data is Execute emulation based on the data (S4), change the result generated by the emulation execution to the area format corresponding to the requested virtual machine, and write it to the input/output area for the corresponding virtual machine (S5) It is.

[Effect]

The operation of the emulation execution device for a virtual computer system according to the first and second inventions will be explained.

In step Sl, an instruction from a certain virtual computer started by the virtual computer monitor 1 causes a virtual computer to transfer from the hardware a process that cannot be directly executed depending on the instructions of the virtual computer because multiple virtual computers share the hardware. When the computer monitor 1 receives a request, the virtual computer monitor 1 instructs the area format changing unit 4 in step S2.

Then, in step S3, the area format changing unit 4 changes the (allocated) virtual machine input/output area 3i (i=1.2
．． ...), and if it is possible to change it, change the area format defined for the virtual machine to a predetermined area format, and the changed data is transferred to the monitor input/output. It will be written to area 30.

Here, "emulation" refers to processing that cannot be executed by each virtual machine alone due to shared hardware, etc., so that it appears to the program running on the VM as if it were being processed by the virtual machine. It means to process.

The "input/output area" refers to a memory area used for exchanging data between each virtual computer or virtual computer monitor 1 and hardware.

The "predetermined area format" is, for example, one of the virtual machines.
It is a general-purpose area format adopted in , and the processing contents of the virtual machine that adopts the area format include most of the processing contents provided as other virtual computers, In many cases, it refers to an area format in which it is possible to change the processing area format in virtual computing to the area format, even if it is another general-purpose area format that is not used in the plurality of virtual computers. good.

In addition, if it is "not possible", that is, if it is impossible to change the area format in an equivalent sense, then, for example, the hardware executes the processing of the unchangeable part and changes the remaining area to the predetermined area format. When a process that cannot be executed by the virtual machine is specified, an exit code indicating that the process is an "unexecutable process" is written to the input/output area 30 for the monitor. What is necessary is to perform processing such that the virtual machine monitor l outputs the above.

Then, in step S4, the virtual machine monitor 1 executes emulation based on the data changed to the predetermined area format.

At that time, virtual machine monitor 1 is always in the "predetermined area format"
Since emulation is executed using data expressed by , it is possible to execute emulation without being aware of differences in area formats between virtual machines.

The results produced by running the emulation are shown in step S.
In step 5, after the area format of the requested virtual machine is changed again by the area format changing unit 4, the input/output area for the corresponding virtual machine, that is, the requested virtual computer Input/output area 3 for virtual machine
It will be written to 1.

〔Example〕

Next, examples of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of the overall equipment configuration of a virtual computer system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in the figure, in the virtual computer system according to the present embodiment, channels 151, 152, .
Input/output control device and input/output device 16 through each channel
1,162. ...Connected to 16m.

Further, as shown in the figure, the predetermined hardware 12 includes the respective channels 151, 152 . . . . 15m, which performs input/output processing and distributes input/output interrupts to the host or guest.■○P (input/output processor device) 12e, and physical CP'U12a, 12b, which operates as a virtual computer or virtual computer monitor. 12c, 12d
.

12e, a memory control unit (MCU) 12f that controls access to the memory 13, and the memory 13.

In addition, the memory area 3 includes an input/output area 13a for virtual machines associated with each virtual machine, an input/output area 13b for monitoring each virtual machine, a memory area 13c for constructing a virtual computer, and a virtual input/output area 13a for virtual machines. Memory area 1 for device construction
3d. Also, although not shown,
An area is provided for storing hardware interrupt queues provided for hosts and guests.

Furthermore, FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of the virtual computer system according to this embodiment.

Broadly speaking, the virtual computer system according to this embodiment sequentially starts one or more virtual machines, and among the processes executed by the hardware based on the instructions issued by the virtual machines, the hardware is shared, so the It has a virtual machine monitor (hereinafter referred to as "rVM monitor") 11 that emulates processes that cannot be directly executed by instructions in response to a request from the hardware, and a predetermined hardware 12, and the predetermined hardware 12 includes: The CPU itself used to execute the VM monitor 11 is also included. This is the VM monitor 1
This is because the CPU 1 is used only during a certain period of time by the time slice method, and is used as a virtual computer at other times.

As shown in FIG. 4, the VM monitor 11 includes a content decoding unit 11a that decodes the content of an instruction from a virtual machine constructed using a CPU or the like included in the predetermined hardware 12 and issues a corresponding instruction; a virtual machine construction unit 1 that instructs construction of a virtual machine using the predetermined hardware 12;
1b, and a virtual input/output device construction unit 1 that similarly instructs the construction of a virtual input/output device using the predetermined hardware 12.
1c, a management monitoring unit lid that monitors and manages errors, etc. related to the processing of the virtual machine, and an execution order control unit lie that determines the priority order of processing execution of the virtual machine and starts up based on the priority order. , the execution order control unit l
a mode conversion unit 11f that performs conversion between the operation modes of each of the plurality of virtual machines or the operation mode of the VM monitor 11 according to an instruction from the IE; and an emulation unit 11g that performs the emulation based on the instruction of the mode conversion unit 11f; It has the following.

The predetermined hardware 12 includes various hardware such as a CPU (in some cases one or more) and a memory 13, and the memory 13 stores data for constructing each virtual machine when constructing the virtual machine. a memory area 13c for storing virtual machine construction, a memory area 13d for storing construction data of the virtual input/output device, and a virtual machine storing program data (commands and data) for operating each of the virtual machines. an input/output area (input/output block) 13a for the VM monitor 11, and an input/output area for the monitor that is used for processing of the emulation unit 11g of the VM monitor 11 and stores things expressed in the predetermined area format. It has a region 13b. The virtual machine input/output area 13a includes virtual machine input/output areas 13 a 1 +13a2 .corresponding to each virtual computer.・
. . 13an is allocated, and similarly, the virtual machine construction memory area 13c is a virtual machine construction area 13 that stores construction data for each virtual machine.
cl.

13c2. . . . 13cn, and a memory area 13d for storing data for constructing the virtual input/output device.
Similarly, areas 13dl, 13d2, . ---.
It has 13dn.

In addition, the predetermined hardware 12 has an input/output area 13a i (i
=1.2. . It has an area format changing unit 14 configured by a CPU and a program, or hardware, for storing changed data in the corresponding areas 13a and 13b.

Note that the above-mentioned VM monitor 11 is composed of a CPU and a program.

Next, the operation of the virtual computer system according to this embodiment will be explained.

FIG. 5 shows synchronous processing of emulation by the emulation unit 11g of the VM monitor 11 according to the present embodiment (the end of a processing request from the virtual machine to the VM monitor coincides with the end of processing of the requested processing content). Fig. 3 shows a processing flowchart of the processing.

As shown in the figure, the virtual machine is constructed by the virtual machine construction unit 11b in step SYI, and the execution order control unit 1e
A 5TART-Y instruction that starts a predetermined processing instruction A is issued from the virtual machine (architecture Y) started by the virtual machine (architecture Y).

Here, the target of the 5TART-Y instruction is virtual computer Y.
PRB (Process Request Blo
ck)-Y area (input/output area for virtual machine) 13a.

When the 5TART-Y instruction is issued, the CPU is in the problem program state, and when the privileged instruction that is the 5TART-Y instruction is issued, a privileged exception is generated and the problem program state is terminated. , an interrupt to the VM monitor 11 (interception; 1interception, which is a normal interrupt between two virtual machines)
) occurs. Here, according to the instruction from the mode converting section 11f of the VM monitor 11, the operation of the VM monitor 1
Move on to action 1.

In step SXI, if there is the interception, V
The hardware 12 notifies the emulation unit 11g (architecture X) of the M monitor 11 of the 5TART-X command via the content decoding unit 11a.

Then, in step SX2, the emulation section 11
g is READ PRB- for the hardware 12.
Issue X command.

When the READ PRB-X command is issued, the area format changing unit 14 of the hardware 12 changes the architecture Y stored in the virtual machine input/output memory area 13a corresponding to the architecture Y of the virtual machine. The FRB-Y displayed in the area format is changed to the general-purpose area format of the architecture X (predetermined area format described above) FRB-X, and is written to the designated input/output area 13b for the VM monitor.

In step SX3, the emulation unit 11g uses the VM
FRB-X written in input/output area 13b for monitor
will be analyzed and necessary emulation will be executed on the hardware 12.

For example, if a 5TART-X instruction has already been generated and the 5TART-X instruction is already being executed, the 7M monitor 11 determines that the hardware constituting the virtual machine is in an idle state. Then perform an emulation that makes it appear that the virtual machine is busy,
Appropriate condition code;
When input/output, arithmetic logic, etc. instructions are executed, the emulation is completed by setting a code that reflects the results.

Further, for example, if a program error is found in the data, an error interrupt will be generated and the interrupt will be processed.

Furthermore, in cases other than the above, emulation for the PRB-X will be accepted and necessary emulation will be performed.

In this way, the results obtained by executing the emulation of the 5TART-X command are stored in the FRB-X format area prepared in the input/output area 13b for the VM monitor.

In step SX4, the emulation unit 11g writes WRIT.
E PRB-X command (WRITE Process R
equestBlock-X). Then, the area format changing unit 14 provided in the hardware 12 changes the PRB-X in the input/output area 13b for the VM monitor.
into the PRB-Y format, and input/output area 1 for the virtual machine corresponding to the virtual machine that issued the processing request.
Write to 3ai.

In step SX5, the emulation unit 11g sets an appropriate condition code and instructs the virtual machine that issued the processing instruction to resume processing by the program.

When the instruction is given in step SY2, the virtual machine resumes execution from the instruction following the 5TART-Y instruction.

On the other hand, FIG. 6 shows the asynchronous processing of emulation by the emulation unit 11g of the VM monitor 11 according to the present embodiment (the end of a processing request from a virtual machine to the VM monitor and the end of processing of the requested processing content). A process flowchart of the non-matching process) is shown.

As shown in the figure, the virtual computer (architecture Y) built on the hardware 12 in step 5yii
Therefore, a 5TART-Y instruction that starts a predetermined processing instruction A is issued.

When the 5TART-Y command is issued, an interruption (interception) to the VM monitor 11 occurs as in the case described above, and the operation mode shifts to the operation mode of the VM monitor 11.

In step 5XII, if there is such an interception,
The hardware 12 notifies architecture X, which is the emulation unit 11g, that the 5TART-X command has been issued.

Then, in step 5X12, the emulation section 1
1g sends READ PRB to the hardware 12.
-Issues an X command.

When the READ PRB-X command is issued, the area format changing unit 14 of the hardware 12 changes the input/output area 1 for the virtual machine corresponding to the architecture Y of the virtual machine.
Change the FRB-Y displayed in the area format of the architecture Y stored in 3a to FRB-X that has the general area format of the architecture The data is stored in the input/output area 13b for the VM monitor.

In step 5X13, the emulation unit 11g
FRB- written in the input/output area 13b for M monitor
Analyze X.

As a result, if the 5TART-X command has already been issued and the virtual machine is in a busy state, as described above, an appropriate condition code representing the busy state is set and the process ends. and if not,
Emulation of the synchronous processing portion is executed on the hardware 12.

If necessary, after preparing PRB-X in the input/output area 13b for the VM monitor and writing output data there, the emulation unit 11g writes W as described above.
Issue the RITE PRB-X command to prepare the output of synchronous processing to FRB-Y in the virtual machine, write the output data here, and then issue the WRITE PRB-X command to receive the processing request. The output of the synchronous processing part is reflected in PRB-Y of the virtual machine input/output area 13a corresponding to the virtual machine.

In step 5X14, the emulation unit 11g sets an appropriate condition code and instructs the virtual machine that issued the processing instruction to resume processing by the program.

In step 5Y12, architecture Y of the virtual machine resumes execution from the instruction following the 5TART-Y instruction when the instruction is received.

In step 5X15, the emulation unit 11g executes emulation so that the asynchronous part of the process issued in the virtual machine is asynchronous with the execution of the program in the virtual machine.

In step 5X16, the emulation section 11g
RITE PRB-X command (WRITE Processes
sRe-quest Block-X). Then, the area format changing unit 14 provided in the hardware 12 changes the area format PRB-X of the data read from the VM monitor input/output area 13b to PRB-X.
The area format is changed to Y, and the processing request is transferred and written to the input/output area 13a for the virtual machine that issued the processing request.

When the above processing is completed in step 5X17, the emulation unit 11g issues an interrupt to the virtual machine indicating the end of the processing.

If the interrupt occurs in step 5Y13, an interrupt indicating the end of FRB-Y will occur in the virtual machine.

To summarize the above embodiments, it can be said that a virtual computer system that satisfies all of the following items 1 to 2 is characterized by performing 2.

■It is a virtual computer system that can operate multiple types of architectures as virtual computers, and only one virtual computer architecture can be operated at the same time.
It may be more than one.

■Processes specified by instructions issued by a virtual machine (processes defined as processes to be executed by hardware according to the architecture of a virtual machine) that require emulation by a virtual machine monitor.

Among the processes described in ■■, there is a process A that satisfies the following properties. The format of the input/output block for process A and the assignment of values to each area within the input/output block differ between architectures.

In addition, the contents of processing A-X of a certain architecture It is possible to convert an input/output block A-Y for processing A into an input/output block A-X for processing A on architecture X.

■Hardware mode in which the virtual machine monitor operates (
In host mode), the following two hardware implementations are provided.

, a means for converting input/output blocks A-Y existing in a memory area for a virtual machine into input/output blocks A-X in architecture If block AY cannot be equivalently converted into input/output block A-X, the hardware executes the processing of the part that cannot be converted into input/output block A-X, and the remaining input/output block A-X The virtual machine monitor is notified in the form of , or the virtual machine monitor is notified of processes A-X in which a process that is not provided is specified.

2. Means for converting input/output blocks A-X prepared in the virtual machine monitor area into input/output blocks A-Y for architecture Y of the virtual machine, and storing the converted input/output blocks A-Y in the memory area of the virtual machine.

The virtual machine monitor monitors processing A issued from the virtual machine.
By using these two hardware means for emulation and not directly referring to the input/output block for process A in the memory area of the virtual machine, there is no need to be aware of the usage difference between the virtual machines for process A. . Further, there may be a plurality of processes A that are the targets of this operation, and the above two means may be introduced for each of them.

Note that although one virtual computer has been described above, the number of virtual computers is not limited to one.

Furthermore, in the above explanation, it has been explained that the storage area allocated to the computer program and data is determined in advance, but when the storage area becomes necessary,
The decision may be made according to the applicable criteria (dynamic storage allocation).
location).

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, since the present invention is provided with an area format change unit, when the virtual machine monitor starts or ends execution of emulation, the area format is expressed in a predetermined area format corresponding to each virtual machine. The data can be changed to a predetermined area format, so that the hardware can absorb differences in specifications for each virtual machine.

Therefore, since you only need to be aware of the use of one area format, you can easily create a virtual machine monitor, and even if a new architecture is added as a virtual machine, there is no need to change the virtual machine monitor at all. Alternatively, the problem can be dealt with by reducing the amount of changes, and it is possible to provide a versatile and flexible virtual computer system.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is a principle block diagram of the first invention, Figure 2 is a principle flow diagram of the second invention, Figure 3 is a block diagram of the overall equipment configuration according to the embodiment, and Figure 4 is a block diagram of the embodiment. , FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing synchronous processing according to the embodiment, FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing asynchronous processing according to the embodiment, and FIG. 7 is a block diagram according to the conventional example. (11)...Virtual machine monitor (VM monitor) 2...
・Predetermined hardware 3...Memory 3a...I/O area 3b for virtual machine...I/O area for monitor 4.14...Area format changing unit

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A virtual machine monitor (1) that sequentially starts one or more virtual machines and emulates instructions that cannot be directly executed among processes executed by hardware based on instructions issued by the virtual machines; A virtual computer system that is provided with input/output areas (31, 32, . . . ) for virtual computers that store data in respective prescribed area formats for use in the processing of the virtual computers, corresponding to the virtual computers. In the emulation execution device, a monitor input/output area (30) is provided to store data in a predetermined area format for use in the processing of the monitor (1), and the input/output area (30) is changed to an equivalent value at the start or end of emulation execution. If possible, each of the above regions (30, 31,...3n
), change it to a predetermined area format, and transfer the changed data to the corresponding area (30, 31
, . . 3n). , . . 3n). (2) When one or more virtual machines are started up in sequence, a request is made to emulate a process that cannot be directly executed by the instruction issued by the virtual machine ( In the case of S1), in an emulation execution method of a virtual computer system, emulation is performed based on data indicating processing contents stored in an input/output area for each virtual computer in a respectively determined area format corresponding to each virtual computer. , reads the data stored in the virtual machine input/output area corresponding to the requested virtual machine from that area, and if it can be changed equivalently, changes it to a predetermined area format (S
2), writes the changed data to the monitor input/output area used for emulation execution (S3
), executes emulation based on the written data (S4), changes the result of the emulation execution to an area format corresponding to the requested virtual machine, and creates an input/output area for the corresponding virtual machine. (S5) A method for executing emulation of a virtual computer system.