Support for nested fault in a virtual machine environment

US7305592B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Intel Corporation · US

Inventors

• Gilbert Neiger · Portland, US
• Andrew V. Anderson · Forest Grove, US
• Steven M. Bennett · Hillsboro, US
• Jason W. Brandt · Austin, US
• Erik Cota-Robles · Portland, US
• Stalinselvaraj Jeyasingh · Portland, US
• Alain Kagi · Portland, US
• Sanjoy K. Mondal · Austin, US
• Rajesh S. Parthasarathy · Hillsboro, US
• Dion Rodgers · Hillsboro, US
• Lawrence O. Smith · Beaverton, US
• Richard Uhlig · Hillsboro, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 30, 2004
• Grant date: Dec 4, 2007
• Expiry date: Dec 22, 2025

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06F11/0793
• WIPO field: Computer technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

In one embodiment, information pertaining to a first fault occurring during operation of a virtual machine (VM) is stored in a first field. A second fault is detected while delivering the first fault to the VM, and a determination is made as to whether the second fault is associated with a transition of control to a virtual machine monitor (VMM). If this determination is positive, information pertaining to the second fault is stored in a second field, and control is transitioned to the VMM.