USB Network Redirection protocol description version 0.2 (unreleased/wip) Revisions --------- Version 0.1 -Initial version (released as initial RFC without a version number) Version 0.2 -Remove usb_redir_report_descriptor packet, as it is not possible to get the cached descriptors from the OS on all platforms and we can do without -Replace vm-host with usb-guest -Replace the synchroneous / asynchroneous commands nomenclature with control / data packets -Move the packet id to the main packet header shared by all packets -Add note: "All integers in the protocol are send over the pipe in least significant byte first order." -Add note: "All structs are packed" -s/data_size/length/ -Add a usb_redir_cancel_data_packet packet -Add usb_redir_reset and usb_redir_reset_status packets USB redirerection protocol (draft) ---------------------------------- The protocol described in this document is meant for tunneling usb transfers to a single usb device. Note: not an entire hub, only a single device. The most significant use case for this is taking a usb device attached to some machine "a" which acts as a client / viewer to a virtual machine "v" hosted on another machine "b", and make the usb device show up inside the virtual machine as if it were attached directly to the virtual machine "v". The described protocol assumes a reliable ordered bidirectional transport is available, for example a tcp socket. All integers in the protocol are send over the pipe in least significant byte first order. All structs send over the pipe are packed (no padding). Definitions: usb-device: The usb-device whose usb transfers are being tunneled. usb-guest: The entity connecting to the usb-device and using it as if connected directly to it. For example a virtual machine running a guest os which accesses a usb-device over the network as if it is part of the virtual machine. usb-host: The entity making the usb-device available for use by a usb-guest. For example a deamon on a machine which "exports" the usb-device over the network which then "appears" inside a virtual machine on another machine. Basic packet structure / communication -------------------------------------- Each packet exchanged between the usb-guest and the usb-host starts with a usb_redir_header, followed by an optional packet type specific header follow by optional additional data. The usb_redir_header each packet starts with looks as follows: struct usb_redir_header { uint32_t type; uint32_t length; uint32_t id; } type: This identifies the type of packet, from the type enum length: Length of the optional type specific packet header + the optional additional data. Can be 0. id: A unique id, generated by the usb-guest when sending a packet, the usb-host will use the same id in its response packet, allowing the usb-guest to match responses to its original requests. There are 2 types of packets: 1) control packets 2) data packets Control packets are handled synchroneously inside the usb-host, it will hand the request over to the host os and then *wait* for a response. The usb-host will thus stop processing further packets. Where as for data packets the usb-host hands them over to the host os with the request to let the usb-host process know when there is a respone from the usb-device. Note that control packets should only be send to the usb-host when no data packets are pending on the device / interface / endpoint affected by the control packet. Any pending data packets will get dropped, and any active iso streams / allocated bulk streams will get stopped / free-ed. Packet type list ---------------- control packets: usb_redir_hello usb_redir_reset usb_redir_reset_status usb_redir_set_configuration usb_redir_get_configuration usb_redir_configuration_status usb_redir_set_alt_setting usb_redir_get_alt_setting usb_redir_alt_setting_status usb_redir_start_iso_stream usb_redir_stop_iso_stream usb_redir_iso_stream_status usb_redir_alloc_bulk_streams usb_redir_free_bulk_streams usb_redir_bulk_streams_status usb_redir_cancel_data_packet data packets: usb_redir_control_packet usb_redir_bulk_packet usb_redir_iso_packet usb_redir_hello --------------- usb_redir_header.type: usb_redir_hello usb_redir_header.length: struct usb_redir_hello_header { char version[64]; uint32_t capabilities[0]; } No packet type specific additional data. A packet of this type is send by both sides as soon as a connection is establised. This packet contains: version: A free form 0 terminated version string, useful for logging should not be parsed! Suggested format: "qemu 0.13", "usb-redir-daemon 0.1", etc. capabilities: A variable length array for announcing capabilities. The value of the length field depends on the size of the capabilities array. If we cross the 32 capabilities count, it will go from 1 uint32_t to 2, etc. the value is 64 + capabilities-array-size * sizeof(uint32_t). Currently the following capabilities are defined: usb_redir_cap_bulk_streams: USB 3 bulk streams are supported usb_redir_reset --------------- usb_redir_header.type: usb_redir_reset usb_redir_header.length: 0 No packet type specific header. No packet type specific additional data. This packet can be send by the usb-guest to cause a reset of the usb device. usb_redir_reset_status ---------------------- usb_redir_header.type: usb_redir_reset_status usb_redir_header.length: sizeof(usb_redir_reset_status_header) struct usb_redir_reser_status_header { uint8_t status; } No packet type specific additional data. This packet is send by the usb-host in response to a usb_redir_reset packet. Note that an error status means that the usb-host was unable to re-connect to the device after the reset! usb_redir_set_configuration --------------------------- usb_redir_header.type: usb_redir_set_configuration usb_redir_header.length: sizeof(usb_redir_set_configuration_header) struct usb_redir_set_configuration_header { uint8_t configuration; } No packet type specific additional data. This packet can be send by the usb-guest to set (change) the active configuration of the usb-device. usb_redir_get_configuration --------------------------- usb_redir_header.type: usb_redir_get_configuration usb_redir_header.length: 0 No packet type specific header. No packet type specific additional data. This packet can be send by the usb-guest to get (query) the active configuration of the usb-device. usb_redir_configuration_status ------------------------------ usb_redir_header.type: usb_redir_configuration_status usb_redir_header.length: sizeof(usb_redir_configuration_status_header) struct usb_redir_configuration_status_header { uint8_t status; uint8_t configuration; } No packet type specific additional data. This is send by the usb-host in response to a usb_redir_set_configuration / usb_redir_get_configuration packet. It reports a status code and on success the resulting / active configuration. usb_redir_set_alt_setting ------------------------- usb_redir_header.type: usb_redir_set_alt_setting usb_redir_header.length: sizeof(usb_redir_set_alt_setting_header) struct usb_redir_set_alt_setting_header { uint8_t interface; uint8_t alt; } No packet type specific additional data. This packet can be send by the usb-guest to set (change) the alt_setting of interface to . usb_redir_get_alt_setting --------------------------- usb_redir_header.type: usb_redir_get_alt_setting usb_redir_header.length: sizeof(usb_redir_get_alt_setting_header) struct usb_redir_get_alt_setting_header { uint8_t interface; } No packet type specific additional data. This packet can be send by the usb-guest to get (query) the active alt_setting of an interface of the usb-device. usb_redir_alt_setting_status ---------------------------- usb_redir_header.type: usb_redir_alt_setting_status usb_redir_header.length: sizeof(usb_redir_alt_setting_status_header) struct usb_redir_alt_setting_status_header { uint8_t status; uint8_t interface; uint8_t alt; } No packet type specific additional data. This is send by the usb-host in response to a usb_redir_set_alt_setting / usb_redir_get_alt_setting packet. It reports a status code, the affected interface and on success the resulting / active alt_setting for that interface. usb_redir_start_iso_stream -------------------------- usb_redir_header.type: usb_redir_start_iso_stream usb_redir_header.length: sizeof(usb_redir_start_iso_stream_header) struct usb_redir_start_iso_stream_header { uint8_t endpoint; uint8_t pkts_per_urb; uint8_t no_urbs; } No packet type specific additional data. This packet can be send by the usb-guest to start a iso stream on the designated endpoint of the usb-device. This function allocates no_urbs urbs with pkts_per_urb iso packets/frames per urb. For iso input endpoints these urbs will get submitted to the device *immediately*, for iso output endpoints the usb-host will wait till it has received (pkts_per_urb * no_urbs / 2) packets to fill its buffers, before submitting the first urb. usb_redir_stop_iso_stream ------------------------- usb_redir_header.type: usb_redir_stop_iso_stream usb_redir_header.length: sizeof(struct usb_redir_start_iso_stream_header) struct usb_redir_stop_iso_stream_header { uint8_t endpoint; }; No packet type specific additional data. This packet can be send by the usb-guest to stop an iso stream on the designated endpoint. This will cancel all pending urbs, flush the usb-host's buffers and free all relevant resources. Note that the usb-guest can still receive isoc data packets from an isoc in endpoint after sending this, as some data packets may already be inside the transport pipe. usb_redir_iso_stream_status --------------------------- usb_redir_header.type: usb_redir_iso_stream_status usb_redir_header.length: sizeof(usb_redir_iso_stream_status_header) struct usb_redir_iso_stream_status_header { uint8_t status; uint8_t endpoint; } No packet type specific additional data. This packet is send by the usb-host in response to a usb_redir_start_iso_stream or usb_redir_stop_iso_stream packet. Note that for the starting of output iso streams a success status only indicates that all the buffers were successfully allocated, the actual stream is not started until enough packets are buffered. Note that this can also be send unsolicited by a usb-host in case of an error with an iso output stream, see usb_redir_iso_packet. usb_redir_alloc_bulk_streams ---------------------------- usb_redir_header.type: usb_redir_alloc_bulk_streams usb_redir_header.length: sizeof(usb_redir_alloc_bulk_streams_header) struct usb_redir_alloc_bulk_streams_header { uint8_t endpoint; uint8_t no_streams; } No packet type specific additional data. This packet can be send by the usb-guest to the usb-host to request that the usb-host allocates IDs so the usb-guest can use up to no_streams stream IDs. usb_redir_free_bulk_streams ---------------------------- usb_redir_header.type: usb_redir_free_bulk_streams usb_redir_header.length: sizeof(usb_redir_free_bulk_streams_header) struct usb_redir_free_bulk_streams_header { uint8_t endpoint; } No packet type specific additional data. This packet can be send by the usb-guest to the usb-host to free any bulk streams previouisly allocated on the endpoint. usb_redir_bulk_streams_status ----------------------------- usb_redir_header.type: usb_redir_bulk_streams_status usb_redir_header.length: sizeof(usb_redir_bulk_streams_status_header) struct usb_redir_bulk_streams_status_header { uint8_t status; uint8_t endpoint; uint8_t no_streams; } No packet type specific additional data. This packet is send by the usb-host in response to a usb_redir_alloc_bulk_streams or usb_redir_free_bulk_streams packet. Note that on a success status in response to a usb_redir_alloc_bulk_streams no_streams may be less then requested due to host controller / device limitations. On a success status in response to a usb_redir_alloc_bulk_streams the usb-guest may use stream ids 1 through no_streams. usb_redir_cancel_data_packet ---------------------------- usb_redir_header.type: usb_redir_cancel_data_packet usb_redir_header.id usb_redir_header.length: 0 No packet type specific header. No packet type specific additional data. This packet can be send by the usb-guest to cancel an earlier send data packet, the id should be set to the id used when sending the packet the guest no wishes to cancel. Note that the usb-guest will always receive back a data packet of the same type and with the same id, the usb-giuest can check if the packet completed normally (before the cancel packet was processed by the usb-host), or was cancelled by looking at the return data packet's status field. usb_redir_control_packet ------------------------ usb_redir_header.type: usb_redir_control_packet usb_redir_header.length: sizeof(usb_redir_control_packet_header) [+ length] struct usb_redir_control_packet_header { uint8_t endpoint; uint8_t request; uint8_t requesttype; uint8_t status; uint16_t value; uint16_t index; uint16_t length; } The additional data contains the control msg data to be send / received. Packets of this type can be send by the usb-guest to the usb-host to initiate a control transfer on the usb-device. endpoint, request, requesttype, value and index have their standard meaning for usb control messages. The status field is only used in the usb-host's response. length is the amount of data the usb-guest is sending / expects to read (in the USB_DIR_IN case). Note that the length should only be added to usb_redir_header.length in one direction (and the actual packet length should match). When the control msg has been processed by the usb-device the usb-host sends a usb_redir_control_packet back to the usb-guest, with all fields unchanged except for the status field and length which get updated to match the actual results. usb_redir_bulk_packet --------------------- usb_redir_header.type: usb_redir_bulk_packet usb_redir_header.length: sizeof(usb_redir_bulk_packet_header) [+ length] struct usb_redir_bulk_packet_header { uint8_t endpoint; uint8_t status; uint16_t length; uint32_t stream_id; } The additional data contains the bulk msg data to be send / received. Packets of this type can be send by the usb-guest to the usb-host to initiate a bulk transfer on the usb-device. endpoint and stream_id have their standard meaning for usb bulk messages. The status field is only used in the usb-host's response. length is the amount of data the usb-guest is sending / expects to read (depending on the direction of the endpoint). When the bulk msg has been processed by the usb-device the usb-host sends a usb_redir_bulk_packet back to the usb-guest, with the status field and length updated to match the actual results. Note just as usb_redir_control_packet this packet only has additional data in one direction depending on the direction of the endpoint. usb_redir_iso_packet -------------------- usb_redir_header.type: usb_redir_iso_packet usb_redir_header.length: sizeof(usb_redir_iso_packet_header) + length struct usb_redir_iso_packet_header { uint8_t endpoint; uint8_t status; uint16_t length; } The additional data contains the iso msg data to be send / received. Packets of this type should be send continuesly (at the endpoint interval speed) as soon as an iso stream is started using usb_redir_start_iso_stream the direction in which they gets send depends on the endpoints direction. The status field only has meaning for packets send from the usb-host to the usb-guest (for iso input endpoints). Due to buffering it is not possibly to timely notify the usb-guest of transfer errors for iso output packets. The usb-host will try to clear any error conditions itself. If it fails to do so it will send a usb_redir_iso_stream_status to the usb-guest indicating there is a problem with the iso stream. Since usb_redir_iso_packet's are send continuously by the usb-host once a stream is started on an iso input endpoint, the usb-host cannot set the usb_redir_header.id to the id of the corresponding received packet. So for usb_redir_iso_packet's the usb-host simply starts with an id of 0 and increments this every packet. Note that when the usb-host has recovered from a stall the id will restart at 0!