Improving Windows Docker performance inside KVM
Recently I've had to use Docker on Windows (note this is using Hyper-V not WSL since WSL has some odd bugs).
However this has been pretty slow, I'm using Debian Bullseye which uses KVM 5.2.0 and Windows 10
This is the config generated by Virt Manager (with the adjustment of the CPU to passthrough)
<domain type='kvm'>
<name>win10</name>
<uuid>12bc6598-d71d-4d8d-9a15-6b52e36a3b19</uuid>
<metadata>
<libosinfo:libosinfo xmlns:libosinfo="http://libosinfo.org/xmlns/libvirt/domain/1.0">
<libosinfo:os id="http://microsoft.com/win/10"/>
</libosinfo:libosinfo>
</metadata>
<memory unit='KiB'>8388608</memory>
<currentMemory unit='KiB'>8388608</currentMemory>
<vcpu placement='static'>8</vcpu>
<os>
<type arch='x86_64' machine='pc-q35-5.2'>hvm</type>
<boot dev='hd'/>
</os>
<features>
<acpi/>
<apic/>
<hyperv>
<relaxed state='on'/>
<vapic state='on'/>
<spinlocks state='on' retries='8191'/>
</hyperv>
<vmport state='off'/>
</features>
<cpu mode='host-passthrough' check='partial' migratable='on'/>
<clock offset='localtime'>
<timer name='rtc' tickpolicy='catchup'/>
<timer name='pit' tickpolicy='delay'/>
<timer name='hpet' present='no'/>
<timer name='hypervclock' present='yes'/>
</clock>
<on_poweroff>destroy</on_poweroff>
<on_reboot>restart</on_reboot>
<on_crash>destroy</on_crash>
<pm>
<suspend-to-mem enabled='no'/>
<suspend-to-disk enabled='no'/>
</pm>
<devices>
<emulator>/usr/bin/qemu-system-x86_64</emulator>
<disk type='file' device='disk'>
<driver name='qemu' type='qcow2'/>
<source file='/kvm/win10.qcow2'/>
<target dev='sda' bus='sata'/>
<address type='drive' controller='0' bus='0' target='0' unit='0'/>
</disk>
<disk type='file' device='cdrom'>
<driver name='qemu' type='raw'/>
<source file='/kvm/Win10_21H1_English_x64.iso'/>
<target dev='sdb' bus='sata'/>
<readonly/>
<address type='drive' controller='0' bus='0' target='0' unit='1'/>
</disk>
<controller type='usb' index='0' model='qemu-xhci' ports='15'>
<address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x02' slot='0x00' function='0x0'/>
</controller>
<controller type='sata' index='0'>
<address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x1f' function='0x2'/>
</controller>
<controller type='pci' index='0' model='pcie-root'/>
<controller type='pci' index='1' model='pcie-root-port'>
<model name='pcie-root-port'/>
<target chassis='1' port='0x10'/>
<address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x02' function='0x0' multifunction='on'/>
</controller>
<controller type='pci' index='2' model='pcie-root-port'>
<model name='pcie-root-port'/>
<target chassis='2' port='0x11'/>
<address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x02' function='0x1'/>
</controller>
<controller type='pci' index='3' model='pcie-root-port'>
<model name='pcie-root-port'/>
<target chassis='3' port='0x12'/>
<address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x02' function='0x2'/>
</controller>
<controller type='pci' index='4' model='pcie-root-port'>
<model name='pcie-root-port'/>
<target chassis='4' port='0x13'/>
<address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x02' function='0x3'/>
</controller>
<controller type='pci' index='5' model='pcie-root-port'>
<model name='pcie-root-port'/>
<target chassis='5' port='0x14'/>
<address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x02' function='0x4'/>
</controller>
<controller type='virtio-serial' index='0'>
<address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x03' slot='0x00' function='0x0'/>
</controller>
<interface type='network'>
<mac address='52:54:00:db:76:91'/>
<source network='default'/>
<model type='virtio'/>
<address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x01' slot='0x00' function='0x0'/>
</interface>
<serial type='pty'>
<target type='isa-serial' port='0'>
<model name='isa-serial'/>
</target>
</serial>
<console type='pty'>
<target type='serial' port='0'/>
</console>
<channel type='spicevmc'>
<target type='virtio' name='com.redhat.spice.0'/>
<address type='virtio-serial' controller='0' bus='0' port='1'/>
</channel>
<input type='tablet' bus='usb'>
<address type='usb' bus='0' port='1'/>
</input>
<input type='mouse' bus='ps2'/>
<input type='keyboard' bus='ps2'/>
<tpm model='tpm-tis'>
<backend type='emulator' version='2.0'/>
</tpm>
<graphics type='spice' autoport='yes'>
<listen type='address'/>
<image compression='off'/>
</graphics>
<sound model='ich9'>
<address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x1b' function='0x0'/>
</sound>
<video>
<model type='qxl' ram='65536' vram='65536' vgamem='16384' heads='1' primary='yes'/>
<address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x01' function='0x0'/>
</video>
<redirdev bus='usb' type='spicevmc'>
<address type='usb' bus='0' port='2'/>
</redirdev>
<redirdev bus='usb' type='spicevmc'>
<address type='usb' bus='0' port='3'/>
</redirdev>
<memballoon model='virtio'>
<address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x04' slot='0x00' function='0x0'/>
</memballoon>
</devices>
</domain>
Below is the optimized version which for my use case is 2.6 times faster
<domain type='kvm'>
<name>win10</name>
<uuid>12bc6598-d71d-4d8d-9a15-6b52e36a3b19</uuid>
<metadata>
<libosinfo:libosinfo xmlns:libosinfo="http://libosinfo.org/xmlns/libvirt/domain/1.0">
<libosinfo:os id="http://microsoft.com/win/10"/>
</libosinfo:libosinfo>
</metadata>
<memory unit='KiB'>8388608</memory>
<currentMemory unit='KiB'>8388608</currentMemory>
<vcpu placement='static'>8</vcpu>
<os>
<type arch='x86_64' machine='pc-q35-5.2'>hvm</type>
<boot dev='hd'/>
</os>
<features>
<acpi/>
<apic/>
<hyperv>
<relaxed state='on'/>
<vapic state='on'/>
<spinlocks state='on' retries='8191'/>
<vpindex state='on'/>
<runtime state='on'/>
<synic state='on'/>
<stimer state='on'/>
<reset state='on'/>
<vendor_id state='on' value='1234567890ab'/>
<frequencies state='on'/>
<reenlightenment state='on'/>
<tlbflush state='on'/>
<ipi state='on'/>
<evmcs state='off'/>
</hyperv>
<kvm>
<hidden state='on'/>
<hint-dedicated state='on'/>
<poll-control state='on'/>
</kvm>
<vmport state='off'/>
<smm state='on'/>
</features>
<cpu mode='host-passthrough' check='none' migratable='on'>
<topology sockets='1' dies='1' cores='4' threads='2'/>
<cache mode='passthrough'/>
<feature policy='require' name='topoext'/>
<feature policy='require' name='svm'/>
<feature policy='require' name='x2apic'/>
<feature policy='require' name='hypervisor'/>
</cpu>
<clock offset='localtime'>
<timer name='rtc' tickpolicy='catchup'/>
<timer name='pit' tickpolicy='delay'/>
<timer name='hpet' present='no'/>
<timer name='hypervclock' present='yes'/>
<timer name='tsc' present='yes' mode='native'/>
</clock>
<on_poweroff>destroy</on_poweroff>
<on_reboot>restart</on_reboot>
<on_crash>destroy</on_crash>
<pm>
<suspend-to-mem enabled='no'/>
<suspend-to-disk enabled='no'/>
</pm>
<devices>
<emulator>/usr/bin/qemu-system-x86_64</emulator>
<disk type='file' device='disk'>
<driver name='qemu' type='qcow2'/>
<source file='/kvm/win10.qcow2'/>
<target dev='sda' bus='sata'/>
<address type='drive' controller='0' bus='0' target='0' unit='0'/>
</disk>
<disk type='file' device='cdrom'>
<driver name='qemu' type='raw'/>
<source file='/kvm/Win10_21H1_English_x64.iso'/>
<target dev='sdb' bus='sata'/>
<readonly/>
<address type='drive' controller='0' bus='0' target='0' unit='1'/>
</disk>
<controller type='usb' index='0' model='qemu-xhci' ports='15'>
<address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x02' slot='0x00' function='0x0'/>
</controller>
<controller type='sata' index='0'>
<address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x1f' function='0x2'/>
</controller>
<controller type='pci' index='0' model='pcie-root'/>
<controller type='pci' index='1' model='pcie-root-port'>
<model name='pcie-root-port'/>
<target chassis='1' port='0x10'/>
<address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x02' function='0x0' multifunction='on'/>
</controller>
<controller type='pci' index='2' model='pcie-root-port'>
<model name='pcie-root-port'/>
<target chassis='2' port='0x11'/>
<address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x02' function='0x1'/>
</controller>
<controller type='pci' index='3' model='pcie-root-port'>
<model name='pcie-root-port'/>
<target chassis='3' port='0x12'/>
<address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x02' function='0x2'/>
</controller>
<controller type='pci' index='4' model='pcie-root-port'>
<model name='pcie-root-port'/>
<target chassis='4' port='0x13'/>
<address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x02' function='0x3'/>
</controller>
<controller type='pci' index='5' model='pcie-root-port'>
<model name='pcie-root-port'/>
<target chassis='5' port='0x14'/>
<address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x02' function='0x4'/>
</controller>
<controller type='virtio-serial' index='0'>
<address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x03' slot='0x00' function='0x0'/>
</controller>
<interface type='network'>
<mac address='52:54:00:db:76:91'/>
<source network='default'/>
<model type='virtio'/>
<address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x01' slot='0x00' function='0x0'/>
</interface>
<serial type='pty'>
<target type='isa-serial' port='0'>
<model name='isa-serial'/>
</target>
</serial>
<console type='pty'>
<target type='serial' port='0'/>
</console>
<channel type='spicevmc'>
<target type='virtio' name='com.redhat.spice.0'/>
<address type='virtio-serial' controller='0' bus='0' port='1'/>
</channel>
<input type='tablet' bus='usb'>
<address type='usb' bus='0' port='1'/>
</input>
<input type='mouse' bus='ps2'/>
<input type='keyboard' bus='ps2'/>
<tpm model='tpm-tis'>
<backend type='emulator' version='2.0'/>
</tpm>
<graphics type='spice' autoport='yes'>
<listen type='address'/>
<image compression='off'/>
</graphics>
<sound model='ich9'>
<address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x1b' function='0x0'/>
</sound>
<video>
<model type='qxl' ram='65536' vram='65536' vgamem='16384' heads='1' primary='yes'/>
<address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x01' function='0x0'/>
</video>
<redirdev bus='usb' type='spicevmc'>
<address type='usb' bus='0' port='2'/>
</redirdev>
<redirdev bus='usb' type='spicevmc'>
<address type='usb' bus='0' port='3'/>
</redirdev>
<memballoon model='none'/>
</devices>
</domain>
Here is the diff between the two
--- win10base 2022-11-01 12:05:42.244194124 +0000
+++ win10optimized 2022-11-01 11:31:03.856397568 +0000
@@ -20,15 +20,40 @@
<relaxed state='on'/>
<vapic state='on'/>
<spinlocks state='on' retries='8191'/>
+ <vpindex state='on'/>
+ <runtime state='on'/>
+ <synic state='on'/>
+ <stimer state='on'/>
+ <reset state='on'/>
+ <vendor_id state='on' value='1234567890ab'/>
+ <frequencies state='on'/>
+ <reenlightenment state='on'/>
+ <tlbflush state='on'/>
+ <ipi state='on'/>
+ <evmcs state='off'/>
</hyperv>
+ <kvm>
+ <hidden state='on'/>
+ <hint-dedicated state='on'/>
+ <poll-control state='on'/>
+ </kvm>
<vmport state='off'/>
+ <smm state='on'/>
</features>
- <cpu mode='host-passthrough' check='partial' migratable='on'/>
+ <cpu mode='host-passthrough' check='none' migratable='on'>
+ <topology sockets='1' dies='1' cores='4' threads='2'/>
+ <cache mode='passthrough'/>
+ <feature policy='require' name='topoext'/>
+ <feature policy='require' name='svm'/>
+ <feature policy='require' name='x2apic'/>
+ <feature policy='require' name='hypervisor'/>
+ </cpu>
<clock offset='localtime'>
<timer name='rtc' tickpolicy='catchup'/>
<timer name='pit' tickpolicy='delay'/>
<timer name='hpet' present='no'/>
<timer name='hypervclock' present='yes'/>
+ <timer name='tsc' present='yes' mode='native'/>
</clock>
<on_poweroff>destroy</on_poweroff>
<on_reboot>restart</on_reboot>
@@ -130,8 +155,6 @@
<redirdev bus='usb' type='spicevmc'>
<address type='usb' bus='0' port='3'/>
</redirdev>
- <memballoon model='virtio'>
- <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x04' slot='0x00' function='0x0'/>
- </memballoon>
+ <memballoon model='none'/>
</devices>
</domain>
Why does this work? No idea I've not had a chance to investigate.