This option controls whether QEMU mmap(2) the memory backend file with
MAP_SYNC flag, which can fully guarantee the guest write persistence
to the backend, if MAP_SYNC flag is supported by the host kernel
(Linux kernel 4.15 and later) and the backend is a file supporting
DAX (e.g., file on ext4/xfs file system mounted with '-o dax').

It can take one of following values:
 - on:  try to pass MAP_SYNC to mmap(2); if MAP_SYNC is not supported or
        'share=off', QEMU will abort
 - off: never pass MAP_SYNC to mmap(2)
 - auto (default): if MAP_SYNC is supported and 'share=on', work as if
        'sync=on'; otherwise, work as if 'sync=off'

Signed-off-by: Haozhong Zhang <haozhong.zhang@intel.com>
Signed-off-by: Zhang Yi <yi.z.zhang@linux.intel.com>
---
 backends/hostmem-file.c | 39 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 docs/nvdimm.txt         | 20 +++++++++++++++++++-
 include/exec/memory.h   |  8 ++++++++
 qemu-options.hx         | 22 +++++++++++++++++++++-
 4 files changed, 87 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/backends/hostmem-file.c b/backends/hostmem-file.c
index 0dd7a90..73cf181 100644
--- a/backends/hostmem-file.c
+++ b/backends/hostmem-file.c
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #include "sysemu/hostmem.h"
 #include "sysemu/sysemu.h"
 #include "qom/object_interfaces.h"
+#include "qapi/qapi-visit.h"
 
 /* hostmem-file.c */
 /**
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ struct HostMemoryBackendFile {
     uint64_t align;
     bool discard_data;
     bool is_pmem;
+    OnOffAuto sync;
 };
 
 static void
@@ -62,6 +64,7 @@ file_backend_memory_alloc(HostMemoryBackend *backend, Error **errp)
                                  path,
                                  backend->size, fb->align,
                                  (backend->share ? RAM_SHARED : 0) |
+                                 qemu_ram_sync_flags(fb->sync) |
                                  (fb->is_pmem ? RAM_PMEM : 0),
                                  fb->mem_path, errp);
         g_free(path);
@@ -136,6 +139,39 @@ static void file_memory_backend_set_align(Object *o, Visitor *v,
     error_propagate(errp, local_err);
 }
 
+static void file_memory_backend_get_sync(
+    Object *obj, Visitor *v, const char *name, void *opaque, Error **errp)
+{
+    HostMemoryBackendFile *fb = MEMORY_BACKEND_FILE(obj);
+    OnOffAuto value = fb->sync;
+
+    visit_type_OnOffAuto(v, name, &value, errp);
+}
+
+static void file_memory_backend_set_sync(
+    Object *obj, Visitor *v, const char *name, void *opaque, Error **errp)
+{
+    HostMemoryBackend *backend = MEMORY_BACKEND(obj);
+    HostMemoryBackendFile *fb = MEMORY_BACKEND_FILE(obj);
+    Error *local_err = NULL;
+    OnOffAuto value;
+
+    if (host_memory_backend_mr_inited(backend)) {
+        error_setg(&local_err, "cannot change property '%s' of %s",
+                   name, object_get_typename(obj));
+        goto out;
+    }
+
+    visit_type_OnOffAuto(v, name, &value, &local_err);
+    if (local_err) {
+        goto out;
+    }
+    fb->sync = value;
+
+ out:
+    error_propagate(errp, local_err);
+}
+
 static bool file_memory_backend_get_pmem(Object *o, Error **errp)
 {
     return MEMORY_BACKEND_FILE(o)->is_pmem;
@@ -203,6 +239,9 @@ file_backend_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     object_class_property_add_bool(oc, "pmem",
         file_memory_backend_get_pmem, file_memory_backend_set_pmem,
         &error_abort);
+    object_class_property_add(oc, "sync", "OnOffAuto",
+        file_memory_backend_get_sync, file_memory_backend_set_sync,
+        NULL, NULL, &error_abort);
 }
 
 static void file_backend_instance_finalize(Object *o)
diff --git a/docs/nvdimm.txt b/docs/nvdimm.txt
index 5f158a6..3d89174 100644
--- a/docs/nvdimm.txt
+++ b/docs/nvdimm.txt
@@ -142,11 +142,29 @@ backend of vNVDIMM:
 Guest Data Persistence
 ----------------------
 
+vNVDIMM is designed and implemented to guarantee the guest data
+persistence on the backends even on the host crash and power
+failures. However, there are still some requirements and limitations
+as explained below.
+
 Though QEMU supports multiple types of vNVDIMM backends on Linux,
-currently the only one that can guarantee the guest write persistence
+if MAP_SYNC is not supported by the host kernel and the backends,
+the only backend that can guarantee the guest write persistence
 is the device DAX on the real NVDIMM device (e.g., /dev/dax0.0), to
 which all guest access do not involve any host-side kernel cache.
 
+mmap(2) flag MAP_SYNC is added since Linux kernel 4.15. On such
+systems, QEMU can mmap(2) the backend with MAP_SYNC, which can
+guarantee the guest write persistence to vNVDIMM. Besides the host
+kernel support, enabling MAP_SYNC in QEMU also requires:
+
+ - the backend is a file supporting DAX, e.g., a file on an ext4 or
+   xfs file system mounted with '-o dax',
+
+ - 'sync' option of memory-backend-file is not 'off', and
+
+ - 'share' option of memory-backend-file is 'on'.
+
 When using other types of backends, it's suggested to set 'unarmed'
 option of '-device nvdimm' to 'on', which sets the unarmed flag of the
 guest NVDIMM region mapping structure.  This unarmed flag indicates
diff --git a/include/exec/memory.h b/include/exec/memory.h
index c74c467..b398abb 100644
--- a/include/exec/memory.h
+++ b/include/exec/memory.h
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include "qom/object.h"
 #include "qemu/rcu.h"
 #include "hw/qdev-core.h"
+#include "qapi/error.h"
 
 #define RAM_ADDR_INVALID (~(ram_addr_t)0)
 
@@ -136,6 +137,13 @@ typedef struct IOMMUNotifier IOMMUNotifier;
 
 #define RAM_SYNC (RAM_SYNC_ON_OFF_AUTO_ON | RAM_SYNC_ON_OFF_AUTO_AUTO)
 
+static inline uint64_t qemu_ram_sync_flags(OnOffAuto v)
+{
+    return v == ON_OFF_AUTO_OFF ? RAM_SYNC_ON_OFF_AUTO_OFF :
+           v == ON_OFF_AUTO_ON ? RAM_SYNC_ON_OFF_AUTO_ON :
+           RAM_SYNC_ON_OFF_AUTO_AUTO;
+}
+
 static inline void iommu_notifier_init(IOMMUNotifier *n, IOMMUNotify fn,
                                        IOMMUNotifierFlag flags,
                                        hwaddr start, hwaddr end,
diff --git a/qemu-options.hx b/qemu-options.hx
index 08f8516..77e8810 100644
--- a/qemu-options.hx
+++ b/qemu-options.hx
@@ -3928,7 +3928,7 @@ property must be set.  These objects are placed in the
 
 @table @option
 
-@item -object memory-backend-file,id=@var{id},size=@var{size},mem-path=@var{dir},share=@var{on|off},discard-data=@var{on|off},merge=@var{on|off},dump=@var{on|off},prealloc=@var{on|off},host-nodes=@var{host-nodes},policy=@var{default|preferred|bind|interleave},align=@var{align}
+@item -object memory-backend-file,id=@var{id},size=@var{size},mem-path=@var{dir},share=@var{on|off},discard-data=@var{on|off},merge=@var{on|off},dump=@var{on|off},prealloc=@var{on|off},host-nodes=@var{host-nodes},policy=@var{default|preferred|bind|interleave},align=@var{align},sync=@var{on|off|auto}
 
 Creates a memory file backend object, which can be used to back
 the guest RAM with huge pages.
@@ -4003,6 +4003,26 @@ If @option{pmem} is set to 'on', QEMU will take necessary operations to
 guarantee the persistence of its own writes to @option{mem-path}
 (e.g. in vNVDIMM label emulation and live migration).
 
+The @option{sync} option specifies whether QEMU mmap(2) @option{mem-path}
+with MAP_SYNC flag, which can guarantee the guest write persistence to
+@option{mem-path} even on the host crash and power failures. MAP_SYNC
+requires supports from both the host kernel (since Linux kernel 4.15)
+and @option{mem-path} (only files supporting DAX). It can take one of
+following values:
+
+@table @option
+@item @var{on}
+try to pass MAP_SYNC to mmap(2); if MAP_SYNC is not supported or
+@option{share}=@var{off}, QEMU will abort
+
+@item @var{off}
+never pass MAP_SYNC to mmap(2)
+
+@item @var{auto} (default)
+if MAP_SYNC is supported and @option{share}=@var{on}, work as if
+@option{sync}=@var{on}; otherwise, work as if @option{sync}=@var{off}
+@end table
+
 @item -object memory-backend-ram,id=@var{id},merge=@var{on|off},dump=@var{on|off},share=@var{on|off},prealloc=@var{on|off},size=@var{size},host-nodes=@var{host-nodes},policy=@var{default|preferred|bind|interleave}
 
 Creates a memory backend object, which can be used to back the guest RAM.
-- 
2.7.4

> 
> This option controls whether QEMU mmap(2) the memory backend file with
> MAP_SYNC flag, which can fully guarantee the guest write persistence

Not sure 'persistence' is the right word here. I think it should be
something like 'consistent filesystem metadata for every guest write' just 
to avoid any confusion.

> to the backend, if MAP_SYNC flag is supported by the host kernel
> (Linux kernel 4.15 and later) and the backend is a file supporting
> DAX (e.g., file on ext4/xfs file system mounted with '-o dax').
> 
> It can take one of following values:
>  - on:  try to pass MAP_SYNC to mmap(2); if MAP_SYNC is not supported or
>         'share=off', QEMU will abort
>  - off: never pass MAP_SYNC to mmap(2)
>  - auto (default): if MAP_SYNC is supported and 'share=on', work as if
>         'sync=on'; otherwise, work as if 'sync=off'
> 
> Signed-off-by: Haozhong Zhang <haozhong.zhang@intel.com>
> Signed-off-by: Zhang Yi <yi.z.zhang@linux.intel.com>
> ---
>  backends/hostmem-file.c | 39 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>  docs/nvdimm.txt         | 20 +++++++++++++++++++-
>  include/exec/memory.h   |  8 ++++++++
>  qemu-options.hx         | 22 +++++++++++++++++++++-
>  4 files changed, 87 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/backends/hostmem-file.c b/backends/hostmem-file.c
> index 0dd7a90..73cf181 100644
> --- a/backends/hostmem-file.c
> +++ b/backends/hostmem-file.c
> @@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
>  #include "sysemu/hostmem.h"
>  #include "sysemu/sysemu.h"
>  #include "qom/object_interfaces.h"
> +#include "qapi/qapi-visit.h"
>  
>  /* hostmem-file.c */
>  /**
> @@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ struct HostMemoryBackendFile {
>      uint64_t align;
>      bool discard_data;
>      bool is_pmem;
> +    OnOffAuto sync;
>  };
>  
>  static void
> @@ -62,6 +64,7 @@ file_backend_memory_alloc(HostMemoryBackend *backend, Error
> **errp)
>                                   path,
>                                   backend->size, fb->align,
>                                   (backend->share ? RAM_SHARED : 0) |
> +                                 qemu_ram_sync_flags(fb->sync) |
>                                   (fb->is_pmem ? RAM_PMEM : 0),
>                                   fb->mem_path, errp);
>          g_free(path);
> @@ -136,6 +139,39 @@ static void file_memory_backend_set_align(Object *o,
> Visitor *v,
>      error_propagate(errp, local_err);
>  }
>  
> +static void file_memory_backend_get_sync(
> +    Object *obj, Visitor *v, const char *name, void *opaque, Error **errp)
> +{
> +    HostMemoryBackendFile *fb = MEMORY_BACKEND_FILE(obj);
> +    OnOffAuto value = fb->sync;
> +
> +    visit_type_OnOffAuto(v, name, &value, errp);
> +}
> +
> +static void file_memory_backend_set_sync(
> +    Object *obj, Visitor *v, const char *name, void *opaque, Error **errp)
> +{
> +    HostMemoryBackend *backend = MEMORY_BACKEND(obj);
> +    HostMemoryBackendFile *fb = MEMORY_BACKEND_FILE(obj);
> +    Error *local_err = NULL;
> +    OnOffAuto value;
> +
> +    if (host_memory_backend_mr_inited(backend)) {
> +        error_setg(&local_err, "cannot change property '%s' of %s",
> +                   name, object_get_typename(obj));
> +        goto out;
> +    }
> +
> +    visit_type_OnOffAuto(v, name, &value, &local_err);
> +    if (local_err) {
> +        goto out;
> +    }
> +    fb->sync = value;
> +
> + out:
> +    error_propagate(errp, local_err);
> +}
> +
>  static bool file_memory_backend_get_pmem(Object *o, Error **errp)
>  {
>      return MEMORY_BACKEND_FILE(o)->is_pmem;
> @@ -203,6 +239,9 @@ file_backend_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
>      object_class_property_add_bool(oc, "pmem",
>          file_memory_backend_get_pmem, file_memory_backend_set_pmem,
>          &error_abort);
> +    object_class_property_add(oc, "sync", "OnOffAuto",
> +        file_memory_backend_get_sync, file_memory_backend_set_sync,
> +        NULL, NULL, &error_abort);
>  }
>  
>  static void file_backend_instance_finalize(Object *o)
> diff --git a/docs/nvdimm.txt b/docs/nvdimm.txt
> index 5f158a6..3d89174 100644
> --- a/docs/nvdimm.txt
> +++ b/docs/nvdimm.txt
> @@ -142,11 +142,29 @@ backend of vNVDIMM:
>  Guest Data Persistence
>  ----------------------
>  
> +vNVDIMM is designed and implemented to guarantee the guest data
> +persistence on the backends even on the host crash and power
> +failures. However, there are still some requirements and limitations
> +as explained below.
> +
>  Though QEMU supports multiple types of vNVDIMM backends on Linux,
> -currently the only one that can guarantee the guest write persistence
> +if MAP_SYNC is not supported by the host kernel and the backends,
> +the only backend that can guarantee the guest write persistence
>  is the device DAX on the real NVDIMM device (e.g., /dev/dax0.0), to
>  which all guest access do not involve any host-side kernel cache.
>  
> +mmap(2) flag MAP_SYNC is added since Linux kernel 4.15. On such
> +systems, QEMU can mmap(2) the backend with MAP_SYNC, which can

I think its important to clear about the type of backend. 
i.e DAX file on real NVDIMM device backend.

Thanks,
Pankaj 

> +guarantee the guest write persistence to vNVDIMM. Besides the host
> +kernel support, enabling MAP_SYNC in QEMU also requires:
> +
> + - the backend is a file supporting DAX, e.g., a file on an ext4 or
> +   xfs file system mounted with '-o dax',
> +
> + - 'sync' option of memory-backend-file is not 'off', and
> +
> + - 'share' option of memory-backend-file is 'on'.
> +
>  When using other types of backends, it's suggested to set 'unarmed'
>  option of '-device nvdimm' to 'on', which sets the unarmed flag of the
>  guest NVDIMM region mapping structure.  This unarmed flag indicates
> diff --git a/include/exec/memory.h b/include/exec/memory.h
> index c74c467..b398abb 100644
> --- a/include/exec/memory.h
> +++ b/include/exec/memory.h
> @@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
>  #include "qom/object.h"
>  #include "qemu/rcu.h"
>  #include "hw/qdev-core.h"
> +#include "qapi/error.h"
>  
>  #define RAM_ADDR_INVALID (~(ram_addr_t)0)
>  
> @@ -136,6 +137,13 @@ typedef struct IOMMUNotifier IOMMUNotifier;
>  
>  #define RAM_SYNC (RAM_SYNC_ON_OFF_AUTO_ON | RAM_SYNC_ON_OFF_AUTO_AUTO)
>  
> +static inline uint64_t qemu_ram_sync_flags(OnOffAuto v)
> +{
> +    return v == ON_OFF_AUTO_OFF ? RAM_SYNC_ON_OFF_AUTO_OFF :
> +           v == ON_OFF_AUTO_ON ? RAM_SYNC_ON_OFF_AUTO_ON :
> +           RAM_SYNC_ON_OFF_AUTO_AUTO;
> +}
> +
>  static inline void iommu_notifier_init(IOMMUNotifier *n, IOMMUNotify fn,
>                                         IOMMUNotifierFlag flags,
>                                         hwaddr start, hwaddr end,
> diff --git a/qemu-options.hx b/qemu-options.hx
> index 08f8516..77e8810 100644
> --- a/qemu-options.hx
> +++ b/qemu-options.hx
> @@ -3928,7 +3928,7 @@ property must be set.  These objects are placed in the
>  
>  @table @option
>  
> -@item -object
> memory-backend-file,id=@var{id},size=@var{size},mem-path=@var{dir},share=@var{on|off},discard-data=@var{on|off},merge=@var{on|off},dump=@var{on|off},prealloc=@var{on|off},host-nodes=@var{host-nodes},policy=@var{default|preferred|bind|interleave},align=@var{align}
> +@item -object
> memory-backend-file,id=@var{id},size=@var{size},mem-path=@var{dir},share=@var{on|off},discard-data=@var{on|off},merge=@var{on|off},dump=@var{on|off},prealloc=@var{on|off},host-nodes=@var{host-nodes},policy=@var{default|preferred|bind|interleave},align=@var{align},sync=@var{on|off|auto}
>  
>  Creates a memory file backend object, which can be used to back
>  the guest RAM with huge pages.
> @@ -4003,6 +4003,26 @@ If @option{pmem} is set to 'on', QEMU will take
> necessary operations to
>  guarantee the persistence of its own writes to @option{mem-path}
>  (e.g. in vNVDIMM label emulation and live migration).
>  
> +The @option{sync} option specifies whether QEMU mmap(2) @option{mem-path}
> +with MAP_SYNC flag, which can guarantee the guest write persistence to
> +@option{mem-path} even on the host crash and power failures. MAP_SYNC
> +requires supports from both the host kernel (since Linux kernel 4.15)
> +and @option{mem-path} (only files supporting DAX). It can take one of
> +following values:
> +
> +@table @option
> +@item @var{on}
> +try to pass MAP_SYNC to mmap(2); if MAP_SYNC is not supported or
> +@option{share}=@var{off}, QEMU will abort
> +
> +@item @var{off}
> +never pass MAP_SYNC to mmap(2)
> +
> +@item @var{auto} (default)
> +if MAP_SYNC is supported and @option{share}=@var{on}, work as if
> +@option{sync}=@var{on}; otherwise, work as if @option{sync}=@var{off}
> +@end table
> +
>  @item -object
>  memory-backend-ram,id=@var{id},merge=@var{on|off},dump=@var{on|off},share=@var{on|off},prealloc=@var{on|off},size=@var{size},host-nodes=@var{host-nodes},policy=@var{default|preferred|bind|interleave}
>  
>  Creates a memory backend object, which can be used to back the guest RAM.
> --
> 2.7.4
> 
> 
> 

On 2018-11-26 at 03:46:50 -0500, Pankaj Gupta wrote:
> 
> > 
> > This option controls whether QEMU mmap(2) the memory backend file with
> > MAP_SYNC flag, which can fully guarantee the guest write persistence
> 
> Not sure 'persistence' is the right word here. I think it should be
> something like 'consistent filesystem metadata for every guest write' just 
> to avoid any confusion.

Yes, Agree, the main porpurse of this flag is "*consistent filesystem
metadata", I will improve that comments in next version

Regards
Yi.

> 
> > to the backend, if MAP_SYNC flag is supported by the host kernel
> > (Linux kernel 4.15 and later) and the backend is a file supporting
> > DAX (e.g., file on ext4/xfs file system mounted with '-o dax').
> > 
> > It can take one of following values:
> >  - on:  try to pass MAP_SYNC to mmap(2); if MAP_SYNC is not supported or
> >         'share=off', QEMU will abort
> >  - off: never pass MAP_SYNC to mmap(2)
> >  - auto (default): if MAP_SYNC is supported and 'share=on', work as if
> >         'sync=on'; otherwise, work as if 'sync=off'
> > 
> > Signed-off-by: Haozhong Zhang <haozhong.zhang@intel.com>
> > Signed-off-by: Zhang Yi <yi.z.zhang@linux.intel.com>
> > ---
> >  backends/hostmem-file.c | 39 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> >  docs/nvdimm.txt         | 20 +++++++++++++++++++-
> >  include/exec/memory.h   |  8 ++++++++
> >  qemu-options.hx         | 22 +++++++++++++++++++++-
> >  4 files changed, 87 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
> > 
> > diff --git a/backends/hostmem-file.c b/backends/hostmem-file.c
> > index 0dd7a90..73cf181 100644
> > --- a/backends/hostmem-file.c
> > +++ b/backends/hostmem-file.c
> > @@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
> >  #include "sysemu/hostmem.h"
> >  #include "sysemu/sysemu.h"
> >  #include "qom/object_interfaces.h"
> > +#include "qapi/qapi-visit.h"
> >  
> >  /* hostmem-file.c */
> >  /**
> > @@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ struct HostMemoryBackendFile {
> >      uint64_t align;
> >      bool discard_data;
> >      bool is_pmem;
> > +    OnOffAuto sync;
> >  };
> >  
> >  static void
> > @@ -62,6 +64,7 @@ file_backend_memory_alloc(HostMemoryBackend *backend, Error
> > **errp)
> >                                   path,
> >                                   backend->size, fb->align,
> >                                   (backend->share ? RAM_SHARED : 0) |
> > +                                 qemu_ram_sync_flags(fb->sync) |
> >                                   (fb->is_pmem ? RAM_PMEM : 0),
> >                                   fb->mem_path, errp);
> >          g_free(path);
> > @@ -136,6 +139,39 @@ static void file_memory_backend_set_align(Object *o,
> > Visitor *v,
> >      error_propagate(errp, local_err);
> >  }
> >  
> > +static void file_memory_backend_get_sync(
> > +    Object *obj, Visitor *v, const char *name, void *opaque, Error **errp)
> > +{
> > +    HostMemoryBackendFile *fb = MEMORY_BACKEND_FILE(obj);
> > +    OnOffAuto value = fb->sync;
> > +
> > +    visit_type_OnOffAuto(v, name, &value, errp);
> > +}
> > +
> > +static void file_memory_backend_set_sync(
> > +    Object *obj, Visitor *v, const char *name, void *opaque, Error **errp)
> > +{
> > +    HostMemoryBackend *backend = MEMORY_BACKEND(obj);
> > +    HostMemoryBackendFile *fb = MEMORY_BACKEND_FILE(obj);
> > +    Error *local_err = NULL;
> > +    OnOffAuto value;
> > +
> > +    if (host_memory_backend_mr_inited(backend)) {
> > +        error_setg(&local_err, "cannot change property '%s' of %s",
> > +                   name, object_get_typename(obj));
> > +        goto out;
> > +    }
> > +
> > +    visit_type_OnOffAuto(v, name, &value, &local_err);
> > +    if (local_err) {
> > +        goto out;
> > +    }
> > +    fb->sync = value;
> > +
> > + out:
> > +    error_propagate(errp, local_err);
> > +}
> > +
> >  static bool file_memory_backend_get_pmem(Object *o, Error **errp)
> >  {
> >      return MEMORY_BACKEND_FILE(o)->is_pmem;
> > @@ -203,6 +239,9 @@ file_backend_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
> >      object_class_property_add_bool(oc, "pmem",
> >          file_memory_backend_get_pmem, file_memory_backend_set_pmem,
> >          &error_abort);
> > +    object_class_property_add(oc, "sync", "OnOffAuto",
> > +        file_memory_backend_get_sync, file_memory_backend_set_sync,
> > +        NULL, NULL, &error_abort);
> >  }
> >  
> >  static void file_backend_instance_finalize(Object *o)
> > diff --git a/docs/nvdimm.txt b/docs/nvdimm.txt
> > index 5f158a6..3d89174 100644
> > --- a/docs/nvdimm.txt
> > +++ b/docs/nvdimm.txt
> > @@ -142,11 +142,29 @@ backend of vNVDIMM:
> >  Guest Data Persistence
> >  ----------------------
> >  
> > +vNVDIMM is designed and implemented to guarantee the guest data
> > +persistence on the backends even on the host crash and power
> > +failures. However, there are still some requirements and limitations
> > +as explained below.
> > +
> >  Though QEMU supports multiple types of vNVDIMM backends on Linux,
> > -currently the only one that can guarantee the guest write persistence
> > +if MAP_SYNC is not supported by the host kernel and the backends,
> > +the only backend that can guarantee the guest write persistence
> >  is the device DAX on the real NVDIMM device (e.g., /dev/dax0.0), to
> >  which all guest access do not involve any host-side kernel cache.
> >  
> > +mmap(2) flag MAP_SYNC is added since Linux kernel 4.15. On such
> > +systems, QEMU can mmap(2) the backend with MAP_SYNC, which can
> 
> I think its important to clear about the type of backend. 
> i.e DAX file on real NVDIMM device backend.
> 
> Thanks,
> Pankaj 
> 
> > +guarantee the guest write persistence to vNVDIMM. Besides the host
> > +kernel support, enabling MAP_SYNC in QEMU also requires:
> > +
> > + - the backend is a file supporting DAX, e.g., a file on an ext4 or
> > +   xfs file system mounted with '-o dax',
> > +
> > + - 'sync' option of memory-backend-file is not 'off', and
> > +
> > + - 'share' option of memory-backend-file is 'on'.
> > +
> >  When using other types of backends, it's suggested to set 'unarmed'
> >  option of '-device nvdimm' to 'on', which sets the unarmed flag of the
> >  guest NVDIMM region mapping structure.  This unarmed flag indicates
> > diff --git a/include/exec/memory.h b/include/exec/memory.h
> > index c74c467..b398abb 100644
> > --- a/include/exec/memory.h
> > +++ b/include/exec/memory.h
> > @@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
> >  #include "qom/object.h"
> >  #include "qemu/rcu.h"
> >  #include "hw/qdev-core.h"
> > +#include "qapi/error.h"
> >  
> >  #define RAM_ADDR_INVALID (~(ram_addr_t)0)
> >  
> > @@ -136,6 +137,13 @@ typedef struct IOMMUNotifier IOMMUNotifier;
> >  
> >  #define RAM_SYNC (RAM_SYNC_ON_OFF_AUTO_ON | RAM_SYNC_ON_OFF_AUTO_AUTO)
> >  
> > +static inline uint64_t qemu_ram_sync_flags(OnOffAuto v)
> > +{
> > +    return v == ON_OFF_AUTO_OFF ? RAM_SYNC_ON_OFF_AUTO_OFF :
> > +           v == ON_OFF_AUTO_ON ? RAM_SYNC_ON_OFF_AUTO_ON :
> > +           RAM_SYNC_ON_OFF_AUTO_AUTO;
> > +}
> > +
> >  static inline void iommu_notifier_init(IOMMUNotifier *n, IOMMUNotify fn,
> >                                         IOMMUNotifierFlag flags,
> >                                         hwaddr start, hwaddr end,
> > diff --git a/qemu-options.hx b/qemu-options.hx
> > index 08f8516..77e8810 100644
> > --- a/qemu-options.hx
> > +++ b/qemu-options.hx
> > @@ -3928,7 +3928,7 @@ property must be set.  These objects are placed in the
> >  
> >  @table @option
> >  
> > -@item -object
> > memory-backend-file,id=@var{id},size=@var{size},mem-path=@var{dir},share=@var{on|off},discard-data=@var{on|off},merge=@var{on|off},dump=@var{on|off},prealloc=@var{on|off},host-nodes=@var{host-nodes},policy=@var{default|preferred|bind|interleave},align=@var{align}
> > +@item -object
> > memory-backend-file,id=@var{id},size=@var{size},mem-path=@var{dir},share=@var{on|off},discard-data=@var{on|off},merge=@var{on|off},dump=@var{on|off},prealloc=@var{on|off},host-nodes=@var{host-nodes},policy=@var{default|preferred|bind|interleave},align=@var{align},sync=@var{on|off|auto}
> >  
> >  Creates a memory file backend object, which can be used to back
> >  the guest RAM with huge pages.
> > @@ -4003,6 +4003,26 @@ If @option{pmem} is set to 'on', QEMU will take
> > necessary operations to
> >  guarantee the persistence of its own writes to @option{mem-path}
> >  (e.g. in vNVDIMM label emulation and live migration).
> >  
> > +The @option{sync} option specifies whether QEMU mmap(2) @option{mem-path}
> > +with MAP_SYNC flag, which can guarantee the guest write persistence to
> > +@option{mem-path} even on the host crash and power failures. MAP_SYNC
> > +requires supports from both the host kernel (since Linux kernel 4.15)
> > +and @option{mem-path} (only files supporting DAX). It can take one of
> > +following values:
> > +
> > +@table @option
> > +@item @var{on}
> > +try to pass MAP_SYNC to mmap(2); if MAP_SYNC is not supported or
> > +@option{share}=@var{off}, QEMU will abort
> > +
> > +@item @var{off}
> > +never pass MAP_SYNC to mmap(2)
> > +
> > +@item @var{auto} (default)
> > +if MAP_SYNC is supported and @option{share}=@var{on}, work as if
> > +@option{sync}=@var{on}; otherwise, work as if @option{sync}=@var{off}
> > +@end table
> > +
> >  @item -object
> >  memory-backend-ram,id=@var{id},merge=@var{on|off},dump=@var{on|off},share=@var{on|off},prealloc=@var{on|off},size=@var{size},host-nodes=@var{host-nodes},policy=@var{default|preferred|bind|interleave}
> >  
> >  Creates a memory backend object, which can be used to back the guest RAM.
> > --
> > 2.7.4
> > 
> > 
> >