Enhancing interrupt handling in a virtual environment

A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to perform a method for enhancing the handling of interrupts in a virtual computing environment, the method comprising:

• configuring a CPU such that the CPU, when in a virtual machine (VM) mode, directs an interrupt to a VM;
• running a guest in the VM, when in the VM context, with a hypervisor IDT to determine how the interrupt should be handled;
• the hypervisor IDT directing an interrupt that is to be handled by the guest to an interrupt handler in a guest IDT without causing a transition to the hypervisor;
• and
• the hypervisor IDT causing a transition to the hypervisor if an interrupt is to be handled by the hypervisor.

A system for enhancing the handling of interrupts in a virtual computing environment when a CPU is in a guest mode, comprising:

• a logic unit for configuring a CPU such that the CPU, when in a virtual machine (VM) mode, directs an interrupt to a VM;
• a logic unit for running a guest in the VM, when in the VM context, with a hypervisor IDT to determine how the interrupt should be handled;
• and
• a logic unit for the hypervisor IDT directing an interrupt that is to be handled by the guest to an interrupt handler in a guest IDT without causing a transition to the hypervisor;
• and
• a logic unit for the hypervisor IDT causing a transition to the hypervisor if an interrupt is to be handled by the hypervisor.