VMware Hypercall API Makes It Into Linux 6.11 For Basis To Allow Confidential Computing

When it comes to virtualization with the Linux 6.11 kernel, in addition to the latest AMD SEV-SNP code making it upstream, for those making use of VMware virtualization products their initial "VMware Hypercall" API has been merged.

The VMware Hypercall API improves upon the VMware guest / virtual device interface in a more CPU architecture independent manner. The VMware Hypercall API was devised in part to better support CPU features such as around confidential computing with technologies like Intel Trust Domain Extensions (TDX) and AMD Secure Encrypted Virtualization (SEV).

The VMware Hypercall API introduction was submitted last week and merged for Linux 6.11. It's simply summed up there as:

"Add a unified VMware hypercall API layer which should be used by all callers instead of them doing homegrown solutions. This will provide for adding API support for confidential computing solutions like TDX"

Up to this point VMware hypercall inovations were spread throughput the kernel and relying on inline Assembly code. With this new VMware Hypercall API layer, things are more unified and better supporting functionality around memory encryption and confidential computing.