HA not available when using PCI Passtrough (hostpci)

[Slav Gluhov]

Hello

I am using ProxMox as an VE for all my purposes as an CIO in the University I work.

I have a ProxMox Cluster of 3 nodes where I want to make one VM high-available between two of the nodes, using the third one for quorum reasons only. I have DRBD setup and working properly. Also no problems with the cluster itself.

In my scenario I need to use PCI 10GB Intel LAN cards for creating an advanced router OS. I am using this LAN cards via PCI Passtrough due to many reasons. I want to make that router High-Availabe because its a critical system. I have two problems:
1. When I have hostpci in my VM conf file the HA checkbox is unavailable.
2. When I migrate the machine from one node to another the hostpci rows in my config file disappear.

I am aware that my scenario is an isolated case of practical realisation, but I would appreciate a workaround to enable HA on this case and keep my config file unchanged during migration process. I am ok if the solution includes creating a custom patch.

Please give me some guidance how to solve my issue. Any hints will be highly rated

Regards
Eng. S. Gluhov
IT Manager (CIO)
Plovdiv University

 

[dietmar]

1. When I have hostpci in my VM conf file the HA checkbox is unavailable.

You use a local device, so it is impossible to migrate/start the VM on another node.

 

[Slav Gluhov]

You use a local device, so it is impossible to migrate/start the VM on another node.

I am aware we cannot use the same device on another node. I just want HA enabled and config file unchanged. I plan to make a script that adds the lines needed to remap the local device to its corresponding hardware on the second node.

 

[udo]

In my scenario I need to use PCI 10GB Intel LAN cards for creating an advanced router OS. I am using this LAN cards via PCI Passtrough due to many reasons.

Hi,
perhaps you can do the same with openvswitch-bridges on the 10GB-Nics?

Udo

 

[LnxBil]

The easiest thing to do would be to have another bridge on each host with the physical device in it and a virtual network in the VM. Then you have the same setup without passthrough. Passthrough and HA can and will probably never work. The state of the real hardware is not migrateable.