[libvirt] Question about the host-model CPU mode

[Jiri Denemark]

On Fri, Oct 20, 2017 at 15:04:57 +0200, David Hildenbrand wrote:
> On 20.10.2017 14:50, Jiri Denemark wrote:
> > The thing is libvirt calls query-cpu-model-expansion to check what the
> > host CPU is. This 'host-model' CPU is replaced with the probed CPU model
> > when a domain starts. The problem described by Marc is that the probed
> > CPU model cannot be used universally with all machine types. So starting
> > a domain on such host with machine type s390-virtio-ccw-2.10 works, but
> > a domain with machine type s390-virtio-ccw-2.9 fails to start with the
> > same probed CPU model.
> > 
> 
> My assumption would be that the CPU model is copied into the XML when
> the domain fist starts. This is what the documentation describes.

The CPU model is copied into the XML each time the domain starts.

> So when upgrading QEMU, the CPU model in the XML is still the same
> (z13), even though something different is now reported in the host info
> after upgrading QEMU (z14).
> 
> In this case it would continue to work.
> 
> The problem is that the CPU model is not copied into the XML doesn't
> remain there, right? It is suddenly replaced with a z14 host model.

Even preserving the actual CPU model in the XML from the first start
wouldn't solve the issue. You can always create a new domain with
s390-virtio-ccw-2.9 machine type even on the upgraded host.

Jirka