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By default, VirtualCenter allows migrations with VMotion between compatible source and destination CPUs only.
In simplest terms, “compatible CPUs†for VMotion purposes means that source and target CPUs must have the same manufacturer (Intel or AMD) and be members of the same basic processor family (Pentium 3 or Pentium 4, for instance). Within a given processor family, the source and target CPUs must also have certain common and extended features implemented (or not implemented, depending on the specific feature) for VMotion to succeed.
To determine if the source and target CPUs meet VMotion requirements, VirtualCenter compares the target CPU to a default bit mask definition. The default bit mask has evolved with each version of VirtualCenter to support (or preclude) VMotion migration given a specific set of CPU features. For example, the VirtualCenter 1.x bit mask doesn’t flag the NX (Intel) or XD (AMD) bits, but the VirtualCenter 2.x bit mask does.
The process of modifying VMotion compatibility settings depends on the VirtualCenter version and the ESX Server 2.x or ESX Server 3.x host system running the virtual machines. Also varying by VirtualCenter Server version and ESX Server version is the scope of modifications to the default bit mask, as follows:
VirtualCenter 1.x—Modifications to the default bit mask apply to all ESX Server 2.x hosts being managed by VirtualCenter.
VirtualCenter 2.x with ESX Server 3.x—Modifications must be made on a per-virtual-machine basis using the VI Client.
VirtualCenter 2.0.1 Patch 2 (and later) with ESX Server 2.x—Modifications are made at the VirtualCenter Server level but can be defined by processor manufacturer, by version number, and other criteria.
VirtualCenter Server 1.x
VirtualCenter Server 1.x bit mask applies to all virtual machines on the ESX Server 2.x host system. VirtualCenter Server 1.x uses a locally stored text file, config.ini, for configuration information. The default location is:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter
Modifying the Default Bit Mask
To modify the default bit mask for all ESX 2.x Server hosts managed by a VirtualCenter Server 1.x system, you make the changes to the VirtualCenter Server’s configuration file (config.ini). The process of editing the config.ini file is generally the same (regardless of CPU vendor):
Open the config.ini file in a text editor, such as WordPad. (If the config.ini doesn’t exist, create a text file named “config.in†and save it in the VirtualCenter application directory.) The config.ini file is typically located in the default VirtualCenter directory:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter
Add to the config.ini file the appropriate line for the CPU feature that you want to mask (see the Table).
Save the file and restart the VirtualCenter management server so that the modified bit mask takes effect. The next time VMotion is attempted, the specific feature will be ignored by VirtualCenter, and VMotion should proceed.
CPU Feature VirtualCenter Server 1.x Vendor Supported?
SSE3 migrate.ignore.extfeature.bits = 0xE5BD Intel, AMD No
SSE4 migrate.ignore.extfeature.bits = 0xE7BC Intel No
Single-core-Dual-core migrate.ignore.feature.bits = 0x90000000 AMD Yes
PERF_MSR migrate.ignore.extfeature.bits = 0xE5A0 Intel Yes
As an example, to effectively enable VMotion between a host based on an Intel CPU that has SSE3 and one that doesn’t, you would add:
migrate.ignore.extfeature.bits = 0xE5BD
Note that VMware neither supports nor recommends modifying the VMotion constraints for SSE3 or SSE4 CPU extended features because of the risk of application or guest OS failure after migration.
VirtualCenter Server 2.x
VirtualCenter Server 2.x provides two different ways to modify VMotion CPU constraints, depending on the version of ESX Server systems.
For ESX Server 3.x hosts, CPU constraints on a per-virtual-machine basis are editable through the Virtual Infrastructure Client (VI Client) graphical user-interface.
For ESX Server 2.x hosts (managed using VirtualCenter 2.0.1 Patch 2 and subsequent releases only), the CPU constraints can be edited directly in the VirtualCenter configuration file (vpxd.cfg).
ESX Server 3.x
In Virtual Center 2.x, the default bit mask for VMotion constraints among ESX Server 3.x systems is applied on a per-virtual-machine basis using the VI Client. Regardless of CPU type or mask modifications, accessing the necessary dialog boxes is generally the same, as follows:
Launch VI Client and connect to the VirtualCenter Server host system.
Select the virtual machine that you want to migrate (by selecting Inventory (from the navigation bar) and navigating to the virtual machine, or by simply clicking on its name in the inventory panel.)
Click Edit Settings (in the Commands section of the Summary tab). The Properties page for the virtual machine displays.
Click the Options tab in the Properties page.
Select Advanced (under Settings on the Options tab) to display several settings-related boxes, including CPU Identification Mask, in the right-hand pane.
For every virtual machine that you want to migrate (that doesn’t meet CPU compatibility constraints for VMotion), you’ll navigate to the CPU Identification Mask section of the Properties-->Options page for starters.
Modifying Default NX/DX Mask
Navigate to the virtual machine’s Properties page-->Options tab (see steps above, if necessary).
Click the Hide the Nx flag from guest radio button to disable this CPU compatibility check for the selected virtual machine.
Click OK to save the change.
Modifying Default Mask
Navigate to the virtual machine’s Properties page-->Options tab (see steps above, if necessary).
Click Advanced... to open the CPU Identification Mask properties dialog box. Note that the CPU Identification Mask dialog box has two tabs—Virtual Machine Default, and AMD Override. Most modifications for Intel CPU features are made on the Virtual Machine Default page. Modifications for AMD CPU features are made on the AMD Overrides page.
Click the Virtual Machine Default tab to activate the dialog box, if necessary.
To modify the mask for a specific feature, enter the series of dashes and 0s shown in the table.
Click OK when you are finished and exit the CPU Identification Mask dialog box.
Feature Level Row Mask
SSE3 1 ecx -
-
-
-
-
-
---0 -0-0
SSE4 1 ecx -
-
-
-
-
0- -
-0
Modifying AMD-Specific Masks
Features that are specific to AMD processors are listed on the AMD Override tab.
Navigate to the virtual machine’s Properties page-->Options tab (see steps above, if necessary).
Click Advanced... to open the CPU Identification Mask properties dialog box.
Click the AMD Override tab to activate the dialog box. The AMD Override page displays.
Enter the appropriate mask as shown in the table. You may need to scroll to find the fields for some register levels.
Click OK to save changes.
Feature Level Row AMD Override
SSE3 1 ecx -
-
-
-
-
-
-
---0
RDTSCP 80000001 edx -
0--- -
-
-
-
-
-
FFXSR 80000001 edx -
--0- -
-
-
-
-
-
Combining Mask Modifications
You can combine modifications to the default bit mask to allow migration with VMotion between groups that are incompatible based on more than one CPU feature. For example, to filter-out the compatibility check for both SSE3 and SSE4 combine the following:
-
-
-
-
-
-
---0 -0-0 and
-
-
-
-
-
0- -
-0
to yield
-
-
-
-
-
--0- ---0 -0-0
ESX Server 2.x
For ESX Server 2.x hosts managed by VirtualCenter 2.0.1 Patch 2 (and subsequent releases), the bit mask can be modified by manually editing the VirtualCenter configuration file. The VirtualCenter 2.x-series configuration file, vpxd.cfg, contains XML tags defining various elements and settings for the VirtualCenter server. Bit-masks can be modified by adding to the configuration file the appropriate XML tags to define the mask in the context of a guest OS configuration option.
Although a full discussion of how to build these elements is beyond the scope of this article, the About the Tags section provides a brief overview. Specific steps for Editing the VirtualCenter Configuration File and XML tags for Common Mask Patterns—specifically, SSE3, SSE4, and SSE3 and SSE4 Combined—that you can use are below.
About the Tags
The tags identify the register to which the mask should apply, and for which hosts and which versions. The tags are direct descendents of the --::::::-x:-x-x--:::::::-x--:::::x-:--:-x--:::::x-:-x:-x-x</ecx> </level-1> </default-vendor> <amd> <level-1> <ecx>:::::::-x</ecx> </level-1> </amd> </cpuFeatureMask>
\----
Reverting to the Default CPU Compatibility Bit Mask
You can restore the default VMotion compatibility constraints by simply reverting any changes made to the default mask:
For VirtualCenter 1.x: Remove any of the lines added to the config.ini file, and then re-starting the VirtualCenter server.
VirtualCenter 2.x \[and ESX Server 3.x]: Reset any changed rows to the defaults by clicking ?Reset All to Default? button on the CPU Identification Mask dialog box.
VirtualCenter 2.x \[and ESX Server 2.x]: Remove any added tags entered in the vpxd.cfg file and re-start the VirtualCenter service.
