Re: [PATCH 2/6] migration: introduce savevm, loadvm, delvm QMP commands

[Dr. David Alan Gilbert]

* Daniel P. Berrangé (berrange@redhat.com) wrote:
> On Thu, Jul 02, 2020 at 01:12:52PM -0500, Eric Blake wrote:
> > On 7/2/20 12:57 PM, Daniel P. Berrangé wrote:
> > > savevm, loadvm and delvm are some of the few commands that have never
> > > been converted to use QMP. The primary reason for this lack of
> > > conversion is that they block execution of the thread for as long as
> > > they run.
> > > 
> > > Despite this downside, however, libvirt and applications using libvirt
> > > has used these commands for as long as QMP has existed, via the
> > > "human-monitor-command" passthrough command. IOW, while it is clearly
> > > desirable to be able to fix the blocking problem, this is not an
> > > immediate obstacle to real world usage.
> > > 
> > > Meanwhile there is a need for other features which involve adding new
> > > parameters to the commands. This is possible with HMP passthrough, but
> > > it provides no reliable way for apps to introspect features, so using
> > > QAPI modelling is highly desirable.
> > > 
> > > This patch thus introduces trival savevm, loadvm, delvm commands
> > 
> > trivial
> > 
> > > to QMP that are functionally identical to the HMP counterpart, including
> > > the blocking problem.
> > 
> > Should we name them 'x-savevm', 'x-loadvm', 'x-delvm' to give ourselves room
> > to change them when we DO solve the blocking issue?  Or will the solution of
> > the blocking issue introduce new QMP commands, at which point we can add QMP
> > deprecation markers on these commands to eventually retire them?
> 
> I was in two minds about this, so I'm open to arguments either way.
> 
> The primary goal is for libvirt to consume the APIs as soon as possible,
> and generally libvirt doesn't want todo this is they are declared experimental
> via a "x-" prefix. So that pushes me away from "x-".
> 
> If we don't have an "x-" prefix and want to make changes, we can add extra
> parameters to trigger new behaviour in backwards compatible manner. Or we can
> simply deprecate these commands, deleting them 2 releases later, while adding
> completely new commands.
> 
> If we think the prposed design will definitely need incompatible changes in
> a very short time frame though, that would push towards "x-".
> 
> So IMHO the right answer largely depends on whether there is a credible
> strategy to implement the ideal non-blocking solution in a reasonable amount
> of time. I can't justify spending much time on this myself, but I'm willing
> to consider & try proposals for solving the blocking problem if they're not
> too complex / invasive.

Remind me, what was the problem with just making a block: migration
channel, and then we can migrate to it?

Dave

> I just don't want to end up having a "x-savevm" command for another 10 years,
> waiting for a perfect solution that never arrives because people always have
> higher priority items, as apps are clearly able to accept the blocking problem
> if the alternative is no snapshots at all.
> 
> 
> > > +
> > > +##
> > > +# @savevm:
> > > +#
> > > +# Save a VM snapshot
> > > +#
> > > +# @tag: name of the snapshot to create. If it already
> > > +# exists it will be replaced.
> > > +#
> > > +# Note that execution of the VM will be paused during the time
> > > +# it takes to save the snapshot
> > > +#
> > > +# Returns: nothing
> > > +#
> > > +# Example:
> > > +#
> > > +# -> { "execute": "savevm",
> > > +#      "data": {
> > > +#         "tag": "my-snap"
> > > +#      }
> > > +#    }
> > > +# <- { "return": { } }
> > > +#
> > > +# Since: 5.2
> > 
> > I guess you are NOT trying to make 5.1 soft freeze next week?
> 
> Correct. It is unrealistic to consider this for soft freeze.
> 
> I'd really love to have a solution in 5.2 though, even if it doesn't
> solve all our problems. Something that can at least unblock apps that
> want to use OVMF with internal snapshots today.
> 
> Regards,
> Daniel
> -- 
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--
Dr. David Alan Gilbert / dgilbert@redhat.com / Manchester, UK