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Diffstat (limited to 'docs/devel/migration/best-practices.rst')
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diff --git a/docs/devel/migration/best-practices.rst b/docs/devel/migration/best-practices.rst new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..d7c34a3014 --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/devel/migration/best-practices.rst @@ -0,0 +1,48 @@ +============== +Best practices +============== + +Debugging +========= + +The migration stream can be analyzed thanks to ``scripts/analyze-migration.py``. + +Example usage: + +.. code-block:: shell + + $ qemu-system-x86_64 -display none -monitor stdio + (qemu) migrate "exec:cat > mig" + (qemu) q + $ ./scripts/analyze-migration.py -f mig + { + "ram (3)": { + "section sizes": { + "pc.ram": "0x0000000008000000", + ... + +See also ``analyze-migration.py -h`` help for more options. + +Firmware +======== + +Migration migrates the copies of RAM and ROM, and thus when running +on the destination it includes the firmware from the source. Even after +resetting a VM, the old firmware is used. Only once QEMU has been restarted +is the new firmware in use. + +- Changes in firmware size can cause changes in the required RAMBlock size + to hold the firmware and thus migration can fail. In practice it's best + to pad firmware images to convenient powers of 2 with plenty of space + for growth. + +- Care should be taken with device emulation code so that newer + emulation code can work with older firmware to allow forward migration. + +- Care should be taken with newer firmware so that backward migration + to older systems with older device emulation code will work. + +In some cases it may be best to tie specific firmware versions to specific +versioned machine types to cut down on the combinations that will need +support. This is also useful when newer versions of firmware outgrow +the padding. |