ESX(i) Support of Intel VT-x and AMD-V Features

ESX(i) Support of Intel VT-x and AMD-V Features

Basic VT-x functionality was introduced in ESX 3.0.  The following table indicates when support was added to ESX(i) for new Intel VT-x features as hardware support for virtualization evolved.

VT-x FeatureESX(i) ReleaseFeature Disable
NMI-Window Exiting/Virtual NMIsESX 3.5none
Virtualize APIC AccessesESX(i) 4.0monitor_control.disable_flexpriority = TRUE
Enable EPTESX(i) 4.0monitor.virtual_mmu = software
Descriptor-Table ExitingTBDN/A
Enable RDTSCPESX(i) 4.0featMask.vm.cpuid.RDTSCP = "Val:0"
Virtualize x2APIC ModeESXi 5.1none
Enable VPIDESX(i) 4.0none
WBINVD ExitingESX(i) 4.0none
Unrestricted GuestESXi 5.0monitor_control.disable_realmodehv = TRUE
APIC-Register VirtualizationESXi 6.0monitor_control.disable_apichv = TRUE
Virtual Interrupt DeliveryESXi 6.0monitor_control.disable_apichv = TRUE
Posted InterruptsESXi 6.0monitor_control.disable_apicpi = TRUE
PAUSE-Loop ExitingESXi 5.0monitor_control.disable_pause_loop_exiting = TRUE
RDRAND ExitingTBDN/A
Enable INVPCIDESXi 5.1featMask.vm.cpuid.INVPCID = "Val:0"
VM FunctionsTBDN/A
VMCS ShadowingESXi 6.0monitor_control.disable_vmcs_shadow = TRUE
EPT Violation #VETBDN/A
Enable XSAVES/XRSTORSTBDN/A
VMX Preemption TimerTBDN/A
EPT Access/Dirty BitsESXi 5.5none
RDSEED exitingTBDN/A
Use TSC scalingTBDN/A

Note that the configuration options used to disable the features may not be supported in future releases, and the feature mask options require virtual hardware version 9 or later.

Basic AMD-V functionality was introduced in ESX(i) 4.0.  The following table indicates when support was added to ESX(i) for new AMD-V features as hardware support for virtualization evolved.

AMD-V FeatureESX(i) ReleaseFeature Disable
Nested PagingESX(i) 4.0monitor.virtual_mmu = software
LBR VirtualizationTBDN/A
SVM LockESX(i) 4.0N/A
Next RIPESX(i) 4.0monitor_control.disable_nrip = TRUE
TSC Ratio MSRESXi 6.0none
VMCB Clean BitsESXi 5.0none
Flush by ASIDESXi 5.0none
Decode AssistsESXi 5.0monitor_control.disable_hvsim_ifetch = TRUE [partial]
PAUSE Intercept FilteringESXi 5.0monitor_control.disable_pause_loop_exiting = TRUE
PAUSE Filter ThresholdESXi 5.0monitor_control.disable_pause_loop_exiting = TRUE
Advanced Virtual Interrupt ControllerTBDN/A

Note that the configuration options used to disable the features may not be supported in future releases.

Comments

Hi,

This is useful , how about Vsphere 5.5?

Any update?

ESXi 5.5 supports the same features as ESXi 5.1.

Thanks.

Very useful, thanks for posting.

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Last update:
‎08-31-2013 10:49 PM
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