Virtualization curious newb

Operating Systems & Open Source Virtualization
1

I just built an ARCH Linux system for doing compchem/compbiol workflows and python development for a Masters project. I’m also planning to create a windows VM for windows specific tools Fusion360, and maybe the odd game.

The system is small form factor, AMD7950X, 64GB DDR5, ASUS B650E-I, and an RTX 4000 ADA gen SFF. PartPicker in my bio.

I was planning on using the integrated GPU for windows, and the SFF RTX4000 for linux (host) as I will need the CUDA cores for my compchem/compbiol work as well as some of the python development.

But it occurs to me some client apps could use the beefy GPU. I don’t believe the ada SFF can do gpu virtualization like other quadro cards (pls correct if I’m wrong).

So my question is; is it possible to pass a PCI device through to 2 different VMs as long as only one is loaded at a time? If so I could just keep my host light weight, and do all my linux work in a VM that has the RTX4000 passed through. And when I want to use windows close that VM and load the windows VM with pass through access to the same card.

1 Like
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Yes it is possible, there 3 pitfalls:

  1. Unloading the driver correctly (in this case guest)
  2. Resetting the device (Some devices cannot properly reset without power reset).
  3. Loading the correct drive for both host(VFIO) and quest(Nvidia).

When you properly blacklist drivers on the host, this should not be a problem with NV cards.

That said you are not doing exactly that (It seems your “client” is your host ?!?)

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Thanks @BansheeHero

Sounds like I’m setting myself up for a frustrating time if I expect to reliably switch VMs to go from using Fusion360 on Windows with the RTX4000 to working on my workflows in Linux with the RTX4000.

I guess I’m probably going to be doing myself a favour if I let the host use the RTX4000 and do my workflow work on the host, and tolerate windows apps using only the iGPU.

Unfortunately with a small form factor build I only have one slot for a GPU.

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No, switching between 2 guests is not a problem - one for Linux and one for Windows.

I would just avoiding using the host for work.