eBPF-based Extensible Paravirtualization for High Performance Applications

Explore the concept of eBPF-based Extensible Paravirtualization in this 27-minute conference talk by Luigi Leonardi from the University of Pisa. Delve into the challenges faced by high-performance applications when running in virtual environments and discover an innovative solution using host-injected eBPF programs. Learn how this approach bridges the semantic gap between guest OS and host hypervisor without modifying the guest kernel or resorting to static resource allocation. Examine the application of this technique to CPU affinity and its impact on various microbenchmarks. The talk covers key topics including an introduction to eBPF, the eBPF approach and goals, system components, device drivers, and a comparison with HyperApp. Gain insights into use cases, the semantic gap problem, and experimental results, including the effects on hyperthreading. Conclude with a comprehensive understanding of this cutting-edge approach to improving virtual machine performance for resource-intensive applications.

Outline
What is eBPF
eBPF approach
eBPF goals
eBPF system
Device driver
Comparison with HyperApp
Use Case
Semantic Gap
Experiments
HyperThreading
Conclusion