XVIF(4) | Device Drivers Manual (xen) | XVIF(4)

# NAME

`xvif` — Xen backend paravirtualized network interface

# SYNOPSIS

`pseudo-device xvif`

# DESCRIPTION

The `xvif` interface forms the backend part of the paravirtualized drivers used by Xen domains to offer network connectivity.

When the guest domain is NetBSD, the endpoint of the `xvif` interface is a xennet(4) interface. In the XenStore, `xvif` and `xennet` are identified by “vif” (virtual interface) entries.

All `xvif` interfaces follow the “xvifXiY” naming convention, where ‘X’ represents the guest domain identifier, and ‘Y’ an arbitrary identifier; most of the time, it is the frontend interface identifier, e.g. “xennetY”.

For convenience, the MAC address of an `xvif` interface is chosen by incrementing the third byte of the MAC address of the frontend device.

Conceptually, frontends and backends drivers are similar to two Ethernet cards connected via a crossover cable.

# DIAGNOSTICS

xvif%di%d: can't read %s/mac: %d
  The MAC address for this interface could not be read from XenStore.
xvif%di%d: %s is not a valid mac address
  The MAC address specified in the configuration file of the newly created guest domain is invalid.
xvif%di%d: Ethernet address %s
  MAC address of the `xvif` interface.

# SEE ALSO

ifmedia(4), xennet(4), ifconfig(8)

# HISTORY

The `xvif` driver first appeared in NetBSD 4.0.

# AUTHORS

The `xvif` driver was written by Manuel Bouyer <bouyer@NetBSD.org>.

April 7, 2011 | NetBSD 10.99