Go to file
Kan Liang 217c2a633e perf/core: Use kmem_cache to allocate the PMU specific data
Currently, the PMU specific data task_ctx_data is allocated by the
function kzalloc() in the perf generic code. When there is no specific
alignment requirement for the task_ctx_data, the method works well for
now. However, there will be a problem once a specific alignment
requirement is introduced in future features, e.g., the Architecture LBR
XSAVE feature requires 64-byte alignment. If the specific alignment
requirement is not fulfilled, the XSAVE family of instructions will fail
to save/restore the xstate to/from the task_ctx_data.

The function kzalloc() itself only guarantees a natural alignment. A
new method to allocate the task_ctx_data has to be introduced, which
has to meet the requirements as below:
- must be a generic method can be used by different architectures,
  because the allocation of the task_ctx_data is implemented in the
  perf generic code;
- must be an alignment-guarantee method (The alignment requirement is
  not changed after the boot);
- must be able to allocate/free a buffer (smaller than a page size)
  dynamically;
- should not cause extra CPU overhead or space overhead.

Several options were considered as below:
- One option is to allocate a larger buffer for task_ctx_data. E.g.,
    ptr = kmalloc(size + alignment, GFP_KERNEL);
    ptr &= ~(alignment - 1);
  This option causes space overhead.
- Another option is to allocate the task_ctx_data in the PMU specific
  code. To do so, several function pointers have to be added. As a
  result, both the generic structure and the PMU specific structure
  will become bigger. Besides, extra function calls are added when
  allocating/freeing the buffer. This option will increase both the
  space overhead and CPU overhead.
- The third option is to use a kmem_cache to allocate a buffer for the
  task_ctx_data. The kmem_cache can be created with a specific alignment
  requirement by the PMU at boot time. A new pointer for kmem_cache has
  to be added in the generic struct pmu, which would be used to
  dynamically allocate a buffer for the task_ctx_data at run time.
  Although the new pointer is added to the struct pmu, the existing
  variable task_ctx_size is not required anymore. The size of the
  generic structure is kept the same.

The third option which meets all the aforementioned requirements is used
to replace kzalloc() for the PMU specific data allocation. A later patch
will remove the kzalloc() method and the related variables.

Signed-off-by: Kan Liang <kan.liang@linux.intel.com>
Signed-off-by: Peter Zijlstra (Intel) <peterz@infradead.org>
Link: https://lkml.kernel.org/r/1593780569-62993-17-git-send-email-kan.liang@linux.intel.com
2020-07-08 11:38:55 +02:00
arch perf/x86/intel/lbr: Support Architectural LBR 2020-07-08 11:38:54 +02:00
block block-5.8-2020-06-26 2020-06-27 08:59:32 -07:00
certs
crypto crypto: drbg - always try to free Jitter RNG instance 2020-06-15 17:38:54 +10:00
Documentation Merge branch 'perf/vlbr' 2020-07-02 15:51:48 +02:00
drivers ARM: OMAP fixes for v5.8 2020-06-28 14:57:14 -07:00
fs - Fix build regression on v4.8 and older 2020-06-28 11:42:16 -07:00
include perf/core: Use kmem_cache to allocate the PMU specific data 2020-07-08 11:38:55 +02:00
init
ipc
kernel perf/core: Use kmem_cache to allocate the PMU specific data 2020-07-08 11:38:55 +02:00
lib Peter Zijlstra says: 2020-06-28 09:42:47 -07:00
LICENSES
mm mm/memory_hotplug.c: fix false softlockup during pfn range removal 2020-06-26 00:27:38 -07:00
net NFS Client Bugfixes for Linux 5.8-rc 2020-06-27 09:35:47 -07:00
samples Merge git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/netdev/net 2020-06-25 18:27:40 -07:00
scripts Paul E. McKenney says: 2020-06-28 10:29:38 -07:00
security selinux/stable-5.8 PR 20200621 2020-06-21 15:41:24 -07:00
sound sound fixes for 5.8-rc3 2020-06-25 09:15:24 -07:00
tools Peter Zijlstra says: 2020-06-28 10:16:15 -07:00
usr
virt
.clang-format
.cocciconfig
.get_maintainer.ignore
.gitattributes
.gitignore
.mailmap
COPYING
CREDITS
Kbuild
Kconfig
MAINTAINERS ARM: SoC fixes for v5.8 2020-06-28 14:55:18 -07:00
Makefile Linux 5.8-rc3 2020-06-28 15:00:24 -07:00
README

Linux kernel
============

There are several guides for kernel developers and users. These guides can
be rendered in a number of formats, like HTML and PDF. Please read
Documentation/admin-guide/README.rst first.

In order to build the documentation, use ``make htmldocs`` or
``make pdfdocs``.  The formatted documentation can also be read online at:

    https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/

There are various text files in the Documentation/ subdirectory,
several of them using the Restructured Text markup notation.

Please read the Documentation/process/changes.rst file, as it contains the
requirements for building and running the kernel, and information about
the problems which may result by upgrading your kernel.