Splitting virtual graphics processing unit (GPU) driver between host and guest operating systems
In general, techniques are described for providing a virtual graphics processing unit driver by receiving, in a user mode of a guest process executed by a computing system, one or more graphics commands from an application of the guest process; triggering, in the user mode of the guest process, an operating system call in response to the one or more graphics commands; translating, in a kernel mode of the guest process, the operating system call into a first virtual buffer; translating, in the user mode of a host process executed by the computing system, the first virtual buffer into the operating system call; and sending, in the user mode of the host process, the operating system call to a graphics processing unit driver in a kernel mode of the host process.
1. A method comprising:
receiving, in a user mode of a guest process executed by a computing system, one or more graphics commands from an application of the guest process;
triggering, in the user mode of the guest process, an operating system call in response to the one or more graphics commands;
translating, in a kernel mode of the guest process, the operating system call into a first virtual buffer;
translating, in the user mode of a host process executed by the computing system, the first virtual buffer into the operating system call; and
sending, in the user mode of the host process, the operating system call to a graphics processing unit driver executing in a kernel mode of the host process.
2. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
sending an address of the first virtual buffer from the guest process to the host process in response to translating the operating system call into the first virtual buffer.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the guest process emulates a first operating system and the host process executes a second operating system, the first operating system different than the second operating system.
4. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
sending, by the graphics processing unit driver in the kernel mode of the host process, one or more graphics processing unit commands, based at least in part on the operating system call, to a graphics processing unit.
5. The method of claim 4 , comprising:
receiving, by the graphics processing unit driver in the kernel mode of the host process, one or more responses from the graphics processing unit for the one or more graphics processing unit commands.
6. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
sending, in the kernel mode of the host process, an operating system call response to a virtual device in user mode of the host process;
translating, in the user mode of the host process, the operating system call response into a second virtual buffer;
translating, in the kernel mode of the guest process, the second virtual buffer into the operating system call response; and
sending, in kernel mode of the guest process, the operating system call response to a virtual graphics processing unit driver in user mode of the guest process.
7. The method of claim 6 , comprising:
sending, in the user mode of the guest process, one or more graphics command responses to the application.
8. The method of claim 6 , comprising:
sending the address of the second virtual buffer to the guest process in response to translating the operating system call response into the second virtual buffer.
9. An apparatus comprising:
a memory to store a host operating system; and
processing circuitry to:
execute the host operating system, the host operating system including a guest process and a host process, to:
receive, in a user mode of the guest process, one or more graphics commands from an application of the guest process;
trigger, in the user mode of the guest process, an operating system call in response to the one or more graphics commands;
translate, in a kernel mode of the guest process, the operating system call into a first virtual buffer;
translate, in the user mode of the host process executed by the computing system, the first virtual buffer into the operating system call; and
send, in the user mode of the host process, the operating system call to a graphics processing unit driver executing in a kernel mode of the host process.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , comprising the processor circuitry to:
send an address of the first virtual buffer from the guest process to the host process in response to translating the operating system call into the first virtual buffer.
11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the guest process emulates an operating system different than the host operating system.
12. The apparatus of claim 9 , comprising the processor circuitry to:
send, by the graphics processing unit driver in the kernel mode of the host process, one or more graphics processing unit commands, based at least in part on the operating system call, to a graphics processing unit.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 , comprising the processor circuitry to:
receive, by the graphics processing unit driver in the kernel mode of the host process, one or more responses from the graphics processing unit for the one or more graphics processing unit commands.
14. The apparatus of claim 9 , comprising the processor circuitry to:
send, in the kernel mode of the host process, an operating system call response to a virtual device in user mode of the host process;
translate, in the user mode of the host process, the operating system call response into a second virtual buffer;
translate, in the kernel mode of the guest process, the second virtual buffer into the operating system call response; and
send, in kernel mode of the guest process, the operating system call response to a virtual graphics processing unit driver in user mode of the guest process.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 , comprising the processor circuitry to:
send, in the user mode of the guest process, one or more graphics command responses to the application.
16. The apparatus of claim 9 , comprising the processor circuitry to:
send the address of the second virtual buffer to the guest process in response to translating the operating system call response into the second virtual buffer.
17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause one or more processors to:
execute a host operating system, the host operating system including a guest process and a host process, to:
receive, in a user mode of the guest process, one or more graphics commands from an application of the guest process;
trigger, in the user mode of the guest process, an operating system call in response to the one or more graphics commands;
translate, in a kernel mode of the guest process, the operating system call into a first virtual buffer;
translate, in the user mode of the host process executed by the computing system, the first virtual buffer into the operating system call; and
send, in the user mode of the host process, the operating system call to a graphics processing unit driver executing in a kernel mode of the host process.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , comprising having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause one or more processors to:
send an address of the first virtual buffer from the guest process to the host process in response to translating the operating system call into the first virtual buffer.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , comprising having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause one or more processors to:
send, in the kernel mode of the host process, an operating system call response to a virtual device in user mode of the host process;
translate, in the user mode of the host process, the operating system call response into a second virtual buffer;
translate, in the kernel mode of the guest process, the second virtual buffer into the operating system call response; and
send, in kernel mode of the guest process, the operating system call response to a virtual graphics processing unit driver in user mode of the guest process.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , comprising having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause one or more processors to:
send, in the user mode of the guest process, one or more graphics command responses to the application.