Intel 64 and IA-32 Architectures Software Developers Manual Volume 3B, System Programming Guide Part 2

Table Of Contents
Vol. 3 28-5
HANDLING BOUNDARY CONDITIONS IN A VIRTUAL MACHINE MONITOR
28.3.2 Control of Platform Interrupts
To meet the interrupt virtualization requirements, the VMM needs to take ownership
of the physical interrupts and the various interrupt controllers in the platform. VMM
control of physical interrupts may be enabled through the host-control settings of the
“external-interrupt exiting” VM-execution control. To take ownership of the platform
interrupt controllers, the VMM needs to expose the virtual interrupt controller devices
to the virtual machines and restrict guest access to the platform interrupt controllers.
Intel 64 and IA-32 platforms can support three types of external interrupt control
mechanisms: Programmable Interrupt Controllers (PIC), Advanced Programmable
Figure 28-1. Host External Interrupts and Guest Virtual Interrupts
Device Driver B
Device Driver C
Virtual Device C
Emulation
Device Driver A
Monitor Handler
Host IDTR
Device A Device B
Hardware
Platform Interrupt Platform Interrupt
Virtual Machine Monitor (VMM)
Host IDT
Host
Host
Vector X
Vector Y
Guest IDTR
Guest IDT
Guest
Vector P
VM
Virtual Interrupt
Virtual Interrupt
Guest
Vector Q
OM19041