NVMe Emulation — QEMU documentation

# NVMe Emulation

QEMU provides NVMe emulation through the `nvme`, `nvme-ns` and `nvme-subsys` devices.

See the following sections for specific information on

> - Adding NVMe Devices, additional namespaces and NVM subsystems.

> - Configuration of Optional Features such as Controller Memory Buffer, Simple Copy, Zoned Namespaces, metadata and End-to-End Data Protection,

## Adding NVMe Devices

### Controller Emulation

The QEMU emulated NVMe controller implements version 1.4 of the NVM Express specification. All mandatory features are implement with a couple of exceptions and limitations:

> - Accounting numbers in the SMART/Health log page are reset when the device is power cycled.

> - Interrupt Coalescing is not supported and is disabled by default.

The simplest way to attach an NVMe controller on the QEMU PCI bus is to add the following parameters:

    -drive file=nvm.img,if=none,id=nvm
    -device nvme,serial=deadbeef,drive=nvm

There are a number of optional general parameters for the `nvme` device. Some are mentioned here, but see `-device nvme,help` to list all possible parameters.

`max_ioqpairs=UINT32` (default: `64`)

  Set the maximum number of allowed I/O queue pairs. This replaces the deprecated `num_queues` parameter.

`msix_qsize=UINT16` (default: `65`)

  The number of MSI-X vectors that the device should support.

`mdts=UINT8` (default: `7`)

  Set the Maximum Data Transfer Size of the device.

`use-intel-id` (default: `off`)

  Since QEMU 5.2, the device uses a QEMU allocated “Red Hat” PCI Device and Vendor ID. Set this to `on` to revert to the unallocated Intel ID previously used.

### Additional Namespaces

In the simplest possible invocation sketched above, the device only support a single namespace with the namespace identifier `1`. To support multiple namespaces and additional features, the `nvme-ns` device must be used.

    -device nvme,id=nvme-ctrl-0,serial=deadbeef
    -drive file=nvm-1.img,if=none,id=nvm-1
    -device nvme-ns,drive=nvm-1
    -drive file=nvm-2.img,if=none,id=nvm-2
    -device nvme-ns,drive=nvm-2

The namespaces defined by the `nvme-ns` device will attach to the most recently defined `nvme-bus` that is created by the `nvme` device. Namespace identifers are allocated automatically, starting from `1`.

There are a number of parameters available:

`nsid` (default: `0`)

  Explicitly set the namespace identifier.

`uuid` (default: autogenerated)

  Set the UUID of the namespace. This will be reported as a “Namespace UUID” descriptor in the Namespace Identification Descriptor List.

`bus`

  If there are more `nvme` devices defined, this parameter may be used to attach the namespace to a specific `nvme` device (identified by an `id` parameter on the controller device).

### NVM Subsystems

Additional features becomes available if the controller device (`nvme`) is linked to an NVM Subsystem device (`nvme-subsys`).

The NVM Subsystem emulation allows features such as shared namespaces and multipath I/O.

    -device nvme-subsys,id=nvme-subsys-0,nqn=subsys0
    -device nvme,serial=a,subsys=nvme-subsys-0
    -device nvme,serial=b,subsys=nvme-subsys-0

This will create an NVM subsystem with two controllers. Having controllers linked to an `nvme-subsys` device allows additional `nvme-ns` parameters:

`shared` (default: `off`)

  Specifies that the namespace will be attached to all controllers in the subsystem. If set to `off` (the default), the namespace will remain a private namespace and may only be attached to a single controller at a time.

`detached` (default: `off`)

  If set to `on`, the namespace will be be available in the subsystem, but not attached to any controllers initially.

Thus, adding

    -drive file=nvm-1.img,if=none,id=nvm-1
    -device nvme-ns,drive=nvm-1,nsid=1,shared=on
    -drive file=nvm-2.img,if=none,id=nvm-2
    -device nvme-ns,drive=nvm-2,nsid=3,detached=on

will cause NSID 1 will be a shared namespace (due to `shared=on`) that is initially attached to both controllers. NSID 3 will be a private namespace (i.e. only attachable to a single controller at a time) and will not be attached to any controller initially (due to `detached=on`).

## Optional Features

### Controller Memory Buffer

`nvme` device parameters related to the Controller Memory Buffer support:

`cmb_size_mb=UINT32` (default: `0`)

  This adds a Controller Memory Buffer of the given size at offset zero in BAR 2.

`legacy-cmb` (default: `off`)

  By default, the device uses the “v1.4 scheme” for the Controller Memory Buffer support (i.e, the CMB is initially disabled and must be explicitly enabled by the host). Set this to `on` to behave as a v1.3 device wrt. the CMB.

### Simple Copy

The device includes support for TP 4065 (“Simple Copy Command”). A number of additional `nvme-ns` device parameters may be used to control the Copy command limits:

`mssrl=UINT16` (default: `128`)

  Set the Maximum Single Source Range Length (`MSSRL`). This is the maximum number of logical blocks that may be specified in each source range.

`mcl=UINT32` (default: `128`)

  Set the Maximum Copy Length (`MCL`). This is the maximum number of logical blocks that may be specified in a Copy command (the total for all source ranges).

`msrc=UINT8` (default: `127`)

  Set the Maximum Source Range Count (`MSRC`). This is the maximum number of source ranges that may be used in a Copy command. This is a 0’s based value.

### Zoned Namespaces

A namespaces may be “Zoned” as defined by TP 4053 (“Zoned Namespaces”). Set `zoned=on` on an `nvme-ns` device to configure it as a zoned namespace.

The namespace may be configured with additional parameters

`zoned.zone_size=SIZE` (default: `128MiB`)

  Define the zone size (`ZSZE`).

`zoned.zone_capacity=SIZE` (default: `0`)

  Define the zone capacity (`ZCAP`). If left at the default (`0`), the zone capacity will equal the zone size.

`zoned.descr_ext_size=UINT32` (default: `0`)

  Set the Zone Descriptor Extension Size (`ZDES`). Must be a multiple of 64 bytes.

`zoned.cross_read=BOOL` (default: `off`)

  Set to `on` to allow reads to cross zone boundaries.

`zoned.max_active=UINT32` (default: `0`)

  Set the maximum number of active resources (`MAR`). The default (`0`) allows all zones to be active.

`zoned.max_open=UINT32` (default: `0`)

  Set the maximum number of open resources (`MOR`). The default (`0`) allows all zones to be open. If `zoned.max_active` is specified, this value must be less than or equal to that.

### Metadata

The virtual namespace device supports LBA metadata in the form separate metadata (`MPTR`-based) and extended LBAs.

`ms=UINT16` (default: `0`)

  Defines the number of metadata bytes per LBA.

`mset=UINT8` (default: `0`)

  Set to `1` to enable extended LBAs.

### End-to-End Data Protection

The virtual namespace device supports DIF- and DIX-based protection information (depending on `mset`).

`pi=UINT8` (default: `0`)

  Enable protection information of the specified type (type `1`, `2` or `3`).

`pil=UINT8` (default: `0`)

  Controls the location of the protection information within the metadata. Set to `1` to transfer protection information as the first eight bytes of metadata. Otherwise, the protection information is transferred as the last eight bytes.