Host System Environment Preparation

Note

These steps are required when configuring the host system to support virtualization.

Updating the BIOS Settings

  1. Enter to the BIOS setup.

  2. Enable the VT-d parameter in BIOS. This setting is usually under Socket configuration > IIO configuration > Intel VT-d.

    ../_images/bios1.png

  3. Enable SR-IOV in BIOS. This setting is usually under Platform Configuration > Miscellaneous Configuration > SR-IOV Support.

    ../_images/bios2.png

Configuring the Host OS

  1. Check the kernel requirements are met.

  2. Verify appropriate kernel boot parameters are defined using the following command:

    cat /proc/cmdline

    If the parameters are not defined, the grubby command can be used to add the parameters. Reboot the system after adding the kernel parameters, and verify they are correct with the above command.

    For SR-IOV:

    grubby --update-kernel=ALL --args="intel_iommu=on"

    Note

    grubby --remove-args argument can be used to remove any arguments that are not required.

  3. Once the system is restarted, check the DMAR and IOMMU messages using the following command:

    dmesg | grep -e DMAR -e IOMMU

    You should see a similar output as below:

    ../_images/verify_dmar_settings.png

Kernel Requirements

SR-IOV

No special limitations. Any kernel version which is supported by Intel QAT 2.0 can be used.

Kernel Boot Parameters

SR-IOV

intel_iommu=on

Install Virtualization Packages

  1. Install virtualization related packages using the following command:

    dnf -y install qemu-kvm libvirt

  2. Verify device capabilities using below command:

    (lspci -vnd 8086:4940 || lspci -vnd 8086:4942 || lspci -vnd 8086:4944 || lspci -vnd 8086:4946 ) | (grep SR-IOV)
    ../_images/lspci_virt_capabilities.png

    Note

    • For SR-IOV, Single Root I/O Virtualization (SR-IOV) needs to be present.

System Environment Preparation Demo

Here is a demonstration of how to configure the system to enable virtualization.