[PATCH 00/28] KVM: arm64: Add support for FEAT_NV2p1 and FEAT_NV3
From: Marc Zyngier <maz@kernel.org>
Date: 2026-07-02 16:03:00
Also in:
kvm, kvmarm
This series adds support for two extensions targeting Nested Virt on
arm64:
- FEAT_NV2p1 is effectively a bug fix for two registers (CNTHCTL_EL2
and CPTR_EL2) that are missing stateful bits when accessed from EL1
in a NV configuration. When this is present, the hypervisor can
avoid a bunch of traps.
- FEAT_NV3 is much more ambitious, and changes the way ERET behaves in
a NV environment. By moving EL1 accesses to HCR_EL2 from memory (via
VNCR) to a dedicated register (NVHCR_EL2), the HW can detect whether
the guest is performing an ERET for itself (NVHCR_EL2.TGE==1) or to
its own guest (NVHCR_EL2.TGE==0). In the former case, ERET is done
directly, and no trap occurs. Similar optimisations are available
for a class of TLBI instructions.
The whole thing has been tested on an FVP model, and shown measurable
improvements for an L1 guest (about 1.5% fewer instructions).
Given that this isn't very convincing on its own, I have built an
approximate emulation of FEAT_NV3 that L1 (and deeper levels) can use
on actual production hardware. For these deeper levels, the numbers
are in the double digit of percentage point reduction (those
interested can look at the patches in the kvm-arm64/nv3 branch in my
tree).
Does it make NV better? Yes!
Does it make NV good? Get real!
Anyway, patches on top of -rc1 plus the current state of kvmarm/fixes.
Marc Zyngier (28):
arm64: sysreg: Emit RESx/UNKN values for Mapping definitions
arm64: Update ID_AA64MMFR4_EL1 description to 2026-03 JSON release
KVM: arm64: Merge guest's HCRX_EL2 using NV_HCRX_GUEST_EXCLUDE
KVM: arm64: Drop __HCRX_EL2_* masks
KVM: arm64: Plumb HCRX_EL2.SRMASKEn in HCRX_EL2 sanitisation
KVM: arm64: Classify CPTR_EL2 as a SR_LOC_SPECIAL register
KVM: arm64: Don't evaluate HCR_EL2.NV on ERET fast path
arm64: Add ARM64_HAS_NV2P1 capability
KVM: arm64: Relax CPTR_EL2 handling when FEAT_NV2p1 is present
KVM: arm64: Relax CNTHCTL_EL2 handling when FEAT_NV2p1 is present
KVM: arm64: Expose FEAT_NV2p1 to NV guests
arm64: Add FEAT_NV2p1 detection
arm64: sysreg: Add NVHCR_EL2 description as a mirror of HCR_EL2
arm64: sysreg: Add HCRX_EL2 bits related to FEAT_NV3
arm64: Add ARM64_HAS_NV3 capability
KVM: arm64: Split NV-specific exit fixups from the non-NV handling
KVM: arm64: Add NV3 control bits to HCRX_EL2 sanitisation
KVM: arm64: Add kvm_has_nv{2,3}() predicates
KVM: arm64: Make HCR_EL2 a non-VNCR register
KVM: arm64: Add sanitisation for NVHCR_EL2
KVM: arm64: Add NVHCR_EL2 handling to the sysreg array
KVM: arm64: Add routing for NVHCR_EL2 trap
KVM: arm64: Add NVHCR_EL2 context switching
KVM: arm64: Engage NV3 ERET trap elision
KVM: arm64: Engage NV3 TLBI trap elision
KVM: arm64: Add FEAT_NV3 detection
KVM: arm64: Expose FEAT_NV3 to guests
arm64: Add override for ID_AA64MMFR4_EL1.NV_frac
arch/arm64/include/asm/cpufeature.h | 1 +
arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_arm.h | 15 ------
arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_emulate.h | 41 +++++++++++++++-
arch/arm64/include/asm/kvm_host.h | 3 +-
arch/arm64/include/asm/vncr_mapping.h | 2 +-
arch/arm64/kernel/cpufeature.c | 18 ++++++-
arch/arm64/kernel/image-vars.h | 1 +
arch/arm64/kernel/pi/idreg-override.c | 10 ++++
arch/arm64/kvm/arch_timer.c | 10 +++-
arch/arm64/kvm/config.c | 25 +++++++++-
arch/arm64/kvm/emulate-nested.c | 16 ++++--
arch/arm64/kvm/hyp/include/hyp/switch.h | 27 ++++++++--
arch/arm64/kvm/hyp/include/hyp/sysreg-sr.h | 11 +++++
arch/arm64/kvm/hyp/vhe/switch.c | 44 +++++++++++++----
arch/arm64/kvm/hyp/vhe/sysreg-sr.c | 21 +++++---
arch/arm64/kvm/nested.c | 14 +++++-
arch/arm64/kvm/sys_regs.c | 57 ++++++++++++++++++++--
arch/arm64/tools/cpucaps | 2 +
arch/arm64/tools/gen-sysreg.awk | 14 ++++--
arch/arm64/tools/sysreg | 42 ++++++++++++++--
20 files changed, 313 insertions(+), 61 deletions(-)
--
2.47.3