WARNING - OLD ARCHIVES

This is an archived copy of the Xen.org mailing list, which we have preserved to ensure that existing links to archives are not broken. The live archive, which contains the latest emails, can be found at http://lists.xen.org/
   
 
 
Xen 
 
Home Products Support Community News
 
   
 

xen-devel

Re: [Xen-devel] query related to NOW()

To: xen-devel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Xen-devel] query related to NOW()
From: Mark Williamson <mark.williamson@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2007 11:49:43 +0000
Cc: "Pradeep Singh, TLS-Chennai" <pradeep_s@xxxxxx>
Delivery-date: Tue, 27 Feb 2007 03:48:58 -0800
Envelope-to: www-data@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
In-reply-to: <66E8AEE9980BB44CA5FCAD39EBA56AC67EDFB4@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
List-help: <mailto:xen-devel-request@lists.xensource.com?subject=help>
List-id: Xen developer discussion <xen-devel.lists.xensource.com>
List-post: <mailto:xen-devel@lists.xensource.com>
List-subscribe: <http://lists.xensource.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/xen-devel>, <mailto:xen-devel-request@lists.xensource.com?subject=subscribe>
List-unsubscribe: <http://lists.xensource.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/xen-devel>, <mailto:xen-devel-request@lists.xensource.com?subject=unsubscribe>
References: <66E8AEE9980BB44CA5FCAD39EBA56AC67EDFB4@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sender: xen-devel-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
User-agent: KMail/1.9.5
>  NOW() macro which is used to get current time on xen, makes use of
> rdtscll(). rdtscll reads the 64 bit timer value from the TSC register on
> x86 architecture. AFAIK TSC registers are no longer considered a safe
> guarntee to determine exact timings on SMP, multicore platform as well as
> may give incorrect values when used after a wake up from hibernation.
>
>  My query is then why is TSC register used in xen to get the current time??
>  Does this means Xen doesnot have good SMP support and also doesnot support
> hibernation? Just to add using TSC register means hampering portability,
> right? Then why does Xen uses it?

As far as I know the TSC is only used for local processor timings in Xen and 
not for synchronisation between processors, so it shouldn't impact the SMP 
support - SMP has been designed in from the start.

Hibernation is currently not supported in Xen but I think folks are working on 
power management and related code.

Portability shouldn't be a problem as non-x86 architectures can implement a 
different time system if required (they probably already do, actually, so it 
might be interesting to look at the different approaches they take).

Cheers,
Mark

-- 
Dave: Just a question. What use is a unicyle with no seat?  And no pedals!
Mark: To answer a question with a question: What use is a skateboard?
Dave: Skateboards have wheels.
Mark: My wheel has a wheel!

_______________________________________________
Xen-devel mailing list
Xen-devel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://lists.xensource.com/xen-devel

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>