Intermediary for storage command transfers
Examples described herein relate to accessing an initiator as a Non-Volatile Memory Express (NMVe) device. In some examples, the initiator is configured with an address space, configured in kernel or user space, for access by a virtualized execution environment. In some examples, the initiator to copy one or more storage access commands from the virtualized execution environment into a queue for access by a remote direct memory access (RDMA) compatible network interface. In some examples, the network interface to provide Non-Volatile Memory Express over Fabrics (NVMe-oF) compatible commands based on the one or more storage access commands to a target storage device. In some examples, the initiator is created as a mediated device in kernel space or user space of a host system. In some examples, configuration of a physical storage pool address of the target storage device for access by the virtualized execution environment occurs by receipt of the physical storage pool address in a configuration command. In some examples, configuration of the target storage device for access by the virtualized execution environment occurs by receipt of a storage pool internal NVMe Qualified Name in the configuration command.
1. A method comprising:
causing creation of a processor-executed initiator as a mediated device in kernel space of a host system, wherein the initiator comprises a virtual function I/O (VFIO) based user space layer block in user space of the host system;
the processor-executed initiator copying one or more storage access commands from a virtualized execution environment into a queue for access by a remote direct memory access (RDMA) compatible network interface, wherein
a hypervisor, executing in user space, that utilizes a driver and an interface for communication between the virtualized execution environment and the processor-executed initiator,
the initiator is accessible as a Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) device, and
the initiator is configured with an address space configured solely in the kernel space for access by the virtualized execution environment; and
the network interface transmitting NVMe-oF compatible commands, based on the one or more storage access commands, to a target storage device.
2. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
configuring a physical storage pool address of the target storage device for access by the virtualized execution environment by receipt of the physical storage pool address in a configuration command.
3. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
configuring the target storage device for access by the virtualized execution environment by receipt of a storage pool internal NVMe Qualified Name in a configuration command.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein a device driver for the network interface is to provide the one or more storage access commands into a queue.
5. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
the initiator copying a response to the one or more storage access commands from a queue written-to by the RDMA compatible network interface to a queue accessible to the virtualized execution environment.
6. An apparatus comprising:
at least one processor comprising a cache, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
execute an initiator configured with a storage address space for access, solely in user space, by a virtualized execution environment and
execute a hypervisor, in user space, to associate the virtualized execution environment with the initiator, wherein:
the initiator is created as a virtual function I/O (VFIO) based user space layer block in the user space of a host system,
the initiator is accessible as a Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) device by an NVMe driver and interface,
the initiator is to copy one or more storage access commands from the virtualized execution environment into a queue for access by a remote direct memory access (RDMA) compatible network interface, and
the network interface is to provide NVMe-oF compatible commands based on the one or more storage access commands to a target storage device.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein a physical storage pool address of the target storage device is configured for access by the virtualized execution environment in a configuration command.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the target storage device is configured for access by the virtualized execution environment by receipt of a storage pool internal Non-Volatile Memory Express device Qualified Name in the configuration command.
9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the at least one processor is to execute a device driver for the network interface and the device driver is to provide the one or more storage access commands into a queue.
10. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the initiator is to copy a response to the one or more storage access commands from a queue written-to by the RDMA compatible network interface to a queue accessible to the virtualized execution environment.
11. The apparatus of claim 6 , comprising: a host computing system comprising one or more memory devices, one or more storage devices, and a rack switch, wherein the host computing system is to store and access data transferred using the initiator.
12. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising instructions stored thereon, that if executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
execute an initiator configured with a storage address space for access, solely in kernel space, by a virtualized execution environment;
create the initiator as a mediated kernel layer block in the kernel space, wherein the initiator comprises a virtual function I/O (VFIO) based user space layer block in user space of a host system;
execute a hypervisor, in user space, to associate the virtualized execution environment with the initiator; and
execute a driver and interface, in user space, wherein:
the initiator is accessible as a Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) device by the driver and the interface,
the initiator is to copy one or more storage access commands from the virtualized execution environment into a queue for access by a remote direct memory access (RDMA) compatible network interface, and
the network interface to provide NVMe-oF compatible commands to a target storage device.
13. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein a physical storage pool address of a target storage device is configured for access by the virtualized execution environment in a configuration command.
14. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the target storage device is configured for access by the virtualized execution environment by receipt of a storage pool internal Non-Volatile Memory Express Qualified Name in the configuration command.
15. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 12 , comprising instructions stored thereon, that if executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
execute a device driver for the network interface, wherein the device driver is to provide the one or more storage access commands into a queue.
16. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 12 , comprising instructions stored thereon, that if executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
cause the initiator to copy a response to the one or more storage access commands from a queue written-to by the RDMA compatible network interface to a queue accessible to the virtualized execution environment.
17. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein RDMA comprises use of a send queue (SQ) to transfer work requests to the RDMA compatible network interface and a receive queue (RQ) to receive an RDMA-based command or RDMA-based response.