Re: Windows 2003 HVM Performance

On Fri, Dec 08, 2006 at 08:55:38AM +0000, lists <at> higgers.me.uk wrote:
> Hello all,
> 
> I have recently been trying to install a windows 2003 server on a Xen Dom0 with
> an AMD X2 CPU.  I've not actually been able to finish the installation due to
> the Dom0 host crashing whilst the Windows installation is "registering
> components".  Hopefully the latest version of OpenSUSE (which I'm downloading
> at the moment) will fix that? 
> 
> During the installation I noticed that the section of the install that copied
> files to the harddisc didn't execute very fast which prompted me to google for
> xen HVM harddisc performance figures.  I read some references to a windows
> paravirtualised harddisc driver that would improve performance.  Does anyone
> know whether paravirtualised drivers are in development?  I also read that
> network performance is near native so would it make sense to install windows on
> a partition on the Dom0 and then create a D drive on the windows machine using
> an iSCSI initiator?  This would mean that the domU would be relying on it's
> near native network performance for harddisc accesses.  Has anyone tried this?
> 
> I'd be interested to hear any advice on settings/tweaks to improve windows HVM
> performance.
> 
> Many thanks in advance,
> 

Windows paravirtualized device drivers for disk and network would be a lot
faster, but those are not publicly available :(

They are part of Virtual Iron and Xen Enterprise products only.. :(

-- Pasi