Intel Working On Improving Linux Virtualization With VT-d Scalable Mode

Intel VT-d revision 3.0 adds a "Scalable Mode" translation mode for enabling Scalable I/O virtualization and the patches have been in the works for supporting this within the Linux kernel.

Intel open-source developer Ashok Raj has written a detailed block post covering this Intel virtualization enhancement for directed I/O and its benefit on performance and overcoming existing I/O virtualization shortcomings.

As implied by the name, this new mode should be much more scalable compared to be PCIe SR-IOV. The post can be read at 01.org for those interested in I/O virtualization performance.

Also on the virtualization front but pertaining to Intel GVT-g graphics, there is an RFC patch series with a set of ten patches implementing pvMMIO for improving the graphics performance by about 4% on average for media and 3D benchmarks. Other optimizations are also still possible for tuning more performance out of GVT-g.