[coreboot] [GSoC] Coreboot Spice Payload

[Leandro Dorileo]

Hi Hao


On Wed, Mar 23, 2011 at 3:37 AM, Hao Li <lihao at mprc.pku.edu.cn> wrote:
> Hi Leandro,
>
> Are you talking about implementing the Spice protocol client in the
> coreboot?


Yes, correct. I`m talking about implementing the Spice protocol - with
that, surely I mean the client piece.


> Does it rely on QEMU?


Not exactly the client but QEMU is a vital component of the
architecture, it`s the user mode component for kvm hipervisor. I
mentioned QEMU to show the virtualization stack is already capable of
running spice "aware" clients.


> I think the scenario you are talking about,
> or Spice protocol itself, it quite similar to RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol)
> protocol, isn't it?



Maybe on the remote nature, but I`m sure it differs a lot on some
other aspects. RDP is purely a remote rendering protocol and Spice is
a remote virtual desktop one. Spice includes in the architecture
optimizations for virtualized operating systems which is the reason
for the specified VDI layer.



> In the typical client-server model, for example, a
> Network Computer (with limited hardware resource) running a tiny Linux
> allows you to "rdesktop" to any server supporting RDP protocol.


Well, this is not a typical client-server model. It includes
components not necessarily present in the "typical" remote desktop
scenario. We`re running an operating system in a virtualized
environment with its capabilities and specific features, the client
for example doesn`t connect directly to the guest operating system but
a middle ware.


> Maybe you
> need to think of a more appealing scenario. :)

If we see a simple client running in a "proper" operating system we
realize that even using the spice protocol we can have rich
clients(and we do) it`s just a matter of protocol it may be RDP, Spice
or any other, but we still need a full OS running in the client side,
if we have all our heavy CPU tasks running in another computer why a
full operating system running?

When I say we can run a desktop in a cheap piece of hardware I mean
"really poor piece of hardware" things that wouldn`t be capable of
running a MS Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, whatever it is.

You can still ask yourself, why some one would need something like
this? well, some companies may save a lot of money with that. I see it
as an interesting option, eliminating many dollar that would be
invested in hundreds or thousands of desktop computers - it`s just a
matter of option. :-)

Thank you for your questions. Best regards.

-- 
Leandro Dorileo