[Xen-devel] vif frontend initialization failing on HVM domains, Xen 4.0.X

[Jason Sonnek <jsonnek@xxxxxxxxx>]

I'll try this one more time, any help greatly appreciated.

When I create an HVM domain in Xen 4.0.X, network vif frontend initialization stalls at some point and the frontend/backend are never connected. This works properly in Xen 3.3.1, but does not work in either Xen 4.0.0 or Xen 4.0.1.

When I start an HVM domain:
  1. QEMU creates a tap device and attaches it to the specified bridge
  2. xend writes frontend and backend details to the store
  3. the hotplug scripts create and initialize the backend device

At this point, nothing further happens. The backend is left languishing in XenbusStateInitWait as netfront never allocates the ring buffer and event channel. I've confirmed that netfront_probe() is never invoked in Dom0, though the xen-netfront driver is loaded.

This is a serious problem if you want to, for instance, put the backend in a driver domain. I also suspect it's the source of a problem with stub domains that I posted over the weekend.

I've tried Xen 4.0.0/Xen 4.0.1 with pv_ops 2.6.32.25 and SuSE xenified 2.6.34 Dom0 kernel. Same behavior in both cases. I've been at this for a while, so I can provide voluminous debugging data upon request.

Thanks!

Jason
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