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-rw-r--r--Documentation/static-keys.txt207
1 files changed, 108 insertions, 99 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/static-keys.txt b/Documentation/static-keys.txt
index ef419fd0897f..b83dfa1c0602 100644
--- a/Documentation/static-keys.txt
+++ b/Documentation/static-keys.txt
@@ -1,30 +1,34 @@
- Static Keys
- -----------
+===========
+Static Keys
+===========
-DEPRECATED API:
+.. warning::
-The use of 'struct static_key' directly, is now DEPRECATED. In addition
-static_key_{true,false}() is also DEPRECATED. IE DO NOT use the following:
+ DEPRECATED API:
-struct static_key false = STATIC_KEY_INIT_FALSE;
-struct static_key true = STATIC_KEY_INIT_TRUE;
-static_key_true()
-static_key_false()
+ The use of 'struct static_key' directly, is now DEPRECATED. In addition
+ static_key_{true,false}() is also DEPRECATED. IE DO NOT use the following::
-The updated API replacements are:
+ struct static_key false = STATIC_KEY_INIT_FALSE;
+ struct static_key true = STATIC_KEY_INIT_TRUE;
+ static_key_true()
+ static_key_false()
-DEFINE_STATIC_KEY_TRUE(key);
-DEFINE_STATIC_KEY_FALSE(key);
-DEFINE_STATIC_KEY_ARRAY_TRUE(keys, count);
-DEFINE_STATIC_KEY_ARRAY_FALSE(keys, count);
-static_branch_likely()
-static_branch_unlikely()
+ The updated API replacements are::
-0) Abstract
+ DEFINE_STATIC_KEY_TRUE(key);
+ DEFINE_STATIC_KEY_FALSE(key);
+ DEFINE_STATIC_KEY_ARRAY_TRUE(keys, count);
+ DEFINE_STATIC_KEY_ARRAY_FALSE(keys, count);
+ static_branch_likely()
+ static_branch_unlikely()
+
+Abstract
+========
Static keys allows the inclusion of seldom used features in
performance-sensitive fast-path kernel code, via a GCC feature and a code
-patching technique. A quick example:
+patching technique. A quick example::
DEFINE_STATIC_KEY_FALSE(key);
@@ -45,7 +49,8 @@ The static_branch_unlikely() branch will be generated into the code with as litt
impact to the likely code path as possible.
-1) Motivation
+Motivation
+==========
Currently, tracepoints are implemented using a conditional branch. The
@@ -60,7 +65,8 @@ possible. Although tracepoints are the original motivation for this work, other
kernel code paths should be able to make use of the static keys facility.
-2) Solution
+Solution
+========
gcc (v4.5) adds a new 'asm goto' statement that allows branching to a label:
@@ -71,7 +77,7 @@ Using the 'asm goto', we can create branches that are either taken or not taken
by default, without the need to check memory. Then, at run-time, we can patch
the branch site to change the branch direction.
-For example, if we have a simple branch that is disabled by default:
+For example, if we have a simple branch that is disabled by default::
if (static_branch_unlikely(&key))
printk("I am the true branch\n");
@@ -87,14 +93,15 @@ optimization.
This lowlevel patching mechanism is called 'jump label patching', and it gives
the basis for the static keys facility.
-3) Static key label API, usage and examples:
+Static key label API, usage and examples
+========================================
-In order to make use of this optimization you must first define a key:
+In order to make use of this optimization you must first define a key::
DEFINE_STATIC_KEY_TRUE(key);
-or:
+or::
DEFINE_STATIC_KEY_FALSE(key);
@@ -102,14 +109,14 @@ or:
The key must be global, that is, it can't be allocated on the stack or dynamically
allocated at run-time.
-The key is then used in code as:
+The key is then used in code as::
if (static_branch_unlikely(&key))
do unlikely code
else
do likely code
-Or:
+Or::
if (static_branch_likely(&key))
do likely code
@@ -120,15 +127,15 @@ Keys defined via DEFINE_STATIC_KEY_TRUE(), or DEFINE_STATIC_KEY_FALSE, may
be used in either static_branch_likely() or static_branch_unlikely()
statements.
-Branch(es) can be set true via:
+Branch(es) can be set true via::
-static_branch_enable(&key);
+ static_branch_enable(&key);
-or false via:
+or false via::
-static_branch_disable(&key);
+ static_branch_disable(&key);
-The branch(es) can then be switched via reference counts:
+The branch(es) can then be switched via reference counts::
static_branch_inc(&key);
...
@@ -142,11 +149,11 @@ static_branch_inc(), will change the branch back to true. Likewise, if the
key is initialized false, a 'static_branch_inc()', will change the branch to
true. And then a 'static_branch_dec()', will again make the branch false.
-Where an array of keys is required, it can be defined as:
+Where an array of keys is required, it can be defined as::
DEFINE_STATIC_KEY_ARRAY_TRUE(keys, count);
-or:
+or::
DEFINE_STATIC_KEY_ARRAY_FALSE(keys, count);
@@ -159,96 +166,98 @@ simply fall back to a traditional, load, test, and jump sequence. Also, the
struct jump_entry table must be at least 4-byte aligned because the
static_key->entry field makes use of the two least significant bits.
-* select HAVE_ARCH_JUMP_LABEL, see: arch/x86/Kconfig
-
-* #define JUMP_LABEL_NOP_SIZE, see: arch/x86/include/asm/jump_label.h
+* ``select HAVE_ARCH_JUMP_LABEL``,
+ see: arch/x86/Kconfig
-* __always_inline bool arch_static_branch(struct static_key *key, bool branch), see:
- arch/x86/include/asm/jump_label.h
+* ``#define JUMP_LABEL_NOP_SIZE``,
+ see: arch/x86/include/asm/jump_label.h
-* __always_inline bool arch_static_branch_jump(struct static_key *key, bool branch),
- see: arch/x86/include/asm/jump_label.h
+* ``__always_inline bool arch_static_branch(struct static_key *key, bool branch)``,
+ see: arch/x86/include/asm/jump_label.h
-* void arch_jump_label_transform(struct jump_entry *entry, enum jump_label_type type),
- see: arch/x86/kernel/jump_label.c
+* ``__always_inline bool arch_static_branch_jump(struct static_key *key, bool branch)``,
+ see: arch/x86/include/asm/jump_label.h
-* __init_or_module void arch_jump_label_transform_static(struct jump_entry *entry, enum jump_label_type type),
- see: arch/x86/kernel/jump_label.c
+* ``void arch_jump_label_transform(struct jump_entry *entry, enum jump_label_type type)``,
+ see: arch/x86/kernel/jump_label.c
+* ``__init_or_module void arch_jump_label_transform_static(struct jump_entry *entry, enum jump_label_type type)``,
+ see: arch/x86/kernel/jump_label.c
-* struct jump_entry, see: arch/x86/include/asm/jump_label.h
+* ``struct jump_entry``,
+ see: arch/x86/include/asm/jump_label.h
5) Static keys / jump label analysis, results (x86_64):
As an example, let's add the following branch to 'getppid()', such that the
-system call now looks like:
+system call now looks like::
-SYSCALL_DEFINE0(getppid)
-{
+ SYSCALL_DEFINE0(getppid)
+ {
int pid;
-+ if (static_branch_unlikely(&key))
-+ printk("I am the true branch\n");
+ + if (static_branch_unlikely(&key))
+ + printk("I am the true branch\n");
rcu_read_lock();
pid = task_tgid_vnr(rcu_dereference(current->real_parent));
rcu_read_unlock();
return pid;
-}
-
-The resulting instructions with jump labels generated by GCC is:
-
-ffffffff81044290 <sys_getppid>:
-ffffffff81044290: 55 push %rbp
-ffffffff81044291: 48 89 e5 mov %rsp,%rbp
-ffffffff81044294: e9 00 00 00 00 jmpq ffffffff81044299 <sys_getppid+0x9>
-ffffffff81044299: 65 48 8b 04 25 c0 b6 mov %gs:0xb6c0,%rax
-ffffffff810442a0: 00 00
-ffffffff810442a2: 48 8b 80 80 02 00 00 mov 0x280(%rax),%rax
-ffffffff810442a9: 48 8b 80 b0 02 00 00 mov 0x2b0(%rax),%rax
-ffffffff810442b0: 48 8b b8 e8 02 00 00 mov 0x2e8(%rax),%rdi
-ffffffff810442b7: e8 f4 d9 00 00 callq ffffffff81051cb0 <pid_vnr>
-ffffffff810442bc: 5d pop %rbp
-ffffffff810442bd: 48 98 cltq
-ffffffff810442bf: c3 retq
-ffffffff810442c0: 48 c7 c7 e3 54 98 81 mov $0xffffffff819854e3,%rdi
-ffffffff810442c7: 31 c0 xor %eax,%eax
-ffffffff810442c9: e8 71 13 6d 00 callq ffffffff8171563f <printk>
-ffffffff810442ce: eb c9 jmp ffffffff81044299 <sys_getppid+0x9>
-
-Without the jump label optimization it looks like:
-
-ffffffff810441f0 <sys_getppid>:
-ffffffff810441f0: 8b 05 8a 52 d8 00 mov 0xd8528a(%rip),%eax # ffffffff81dc9480 <key>
-ffffffff810441f6: 55 push %rbp
-ffffffff810441f7: 48 89 e5 mov %rsp,%rbp
-ffffffff810441fa: 85 c0 test %eax,%eax
-ffffffff810441fc: 75 27 jne ffffffff81044225 <sys_getppid+0x35>
-ffffffff810441fe: 65 48 8b 04 25 c0 b6 mov %gs:0xb6c0,%rax
-ffffffff81044205: 00 00
-ffffffff81044207: 48 8b 80 80 02 00 00 mov 0x280(%rax),%rax
-ffffffff8104420e: 48 8b 80 b0 02 00 00 mov 0x2b0(%rax),%rax
-ffffffff81044215: 48 8b b8 e8 02 00 00 mov 0x2e8(%rax),%rdi
-ffffffff8104421c: e8 2f da 00 00 callq ffffffff81051c50 <pid_vnr>
-ffffffff81044221: 5d pop %rbp
-ffffffff81044222: 48 98 cltq
-ffffffff81044224: c3 retq
-ffffffff81044225: 48 c7 c7 13 53 98 81 mov $0xffffffff81985313,%rdi
-ffffffff8104422c: 31 c0 xor %eax,%eax
-ffffffff8104422e: e8 60 0f 6d 00 callq ffffffff81715193 <printk>
-ffffffff81044233: eb c9 jmp ffffffff810441fe <sys_getppid+0xe>
-ffffffff81044235: 66 66 2e 0f 1f 84 00 data32 nopw %cs:0x0(%rax,%rax,1)
-ffffffff8104423c: 00 00 00 00
+ }
+
+The resulting instructions with jump labels generated by GCC is::
+
+ ffffffff81044290 <sys_getppid>:
+ ffffffff81044290: 55 push %rbp
+ ffffffff81044291: 48 89 e5 mov %rsp,%rbp
+ ffffffff81044294: e9 00 00 00 00 jmpq ffffffff81044299 <sys_getppid+0x9>
+ ffffffff81044299: 65 48 8b 04 25 c0 b6 mov %gs:0xb6c0,%rax
+ ffffffff810442a0: 00 00
+ ffffffff810442a2: 48 8b 80 80 02 00 00 mov 0x280(%rax),%rax
+ ffffffff810442a9: 48 8b 80 b0 02 00 00 mov 0x2b0(%rax),%rax
+ ffffffff810442b0: 48 8b b8 e8 02 00 00 mov 0x2e8(%rax),%rdi
+ ffffffff810442b7: e8 f4 d9 00 00 callq ffffffff81051cb0 <pid_vnr>
+ ffffffff810442bc: 5d pop %rbp
+ ffffffff810442bd: 48 98 cltq
+ ffffffff810442bf: c3 retq
+ ffffffff810442c0: 48 c7 c7 e3 54 98 81 mov $0xffffffff819854e3,%rdi
+ ffffffff810442c7: 31 c0 xor %eax,%eax
+ ffffffff810442c9: e8 71 13 6d 00 callq ffffffff8171563f <printk>
+ ffffffff810442ce: eb c9 jmp ffffffff81044299 <sys_getppid+0x9>
+
+Without the jump label optimization it looks like::
+
+ ffffffff810441f0 <sys_getppid>:
+ ffffffff810441f0: 8b 05 8a 52 d8 00 mov 0xd8528a(%rip),%eax # ffffffff81dc9480 <key>
+ ffffffff810441f6: 55 push %rbp
+ ffffffff810441f7: 48 89 e5 mov %rsp,%rbp
+ ffffffff810441fa: 85 c0 test %eax,%eax
+ ffffffff810441fc: 75 27 jne ffffffff81044225 <sys_getppid+0x35>
+ ffffffff810441fe: 65 48 8b 04 25 c0 b6 mov %gs:0xb6c0,%rax
+ ffffffff81044205: 00 00
+ ffffffff81044207: 48 8b 80 80 02 00 00 mov 0x280(%rax),%rax
+ ffffffff8104420e: 48 8b 80 b0 02 00 00 mov 0x2b0(%rax),%rax
+ ffffffff81044215: 48 8b b8 e8 02 00 00 mov 0x2e8(%rax),%rdi
+ ffffffff8104421c: e8 2f da 00 00 callq ffffffff81051c50 <pid_vnr>
+ ffffffff81044221: 5d pop %rbp
+ ffffffff81044222: 48 98 cltq
+ ffffffff81044224: c3 retq
+ ffffffff81044225: 48 c7 c7 13 53 98 81 mov $0xffffffff81985313,%rdi
+ ffffffff8104422c: 31 c0 xor %eax,%eax
+ ffffffff8104422e: e8 60 0f 6d 00 callq ffffffff81715193 <printk>
+ ffffffff81044233: eb c9 jmp ffffffff810441fe <sys_getppid+0xe>
+ ffffffff81044235: 66 66 2e 0f 1f 84 00 data32 nopw %cs:0x0(%rax,%rax,1)
+ ffffffff8104423c: 00 00 00 00
Thus, the disable jump label case adds a 'mov', 'test' and 'jne' instruction
vs. the jump label case just has a 'no-op' or 'jmp 0'. (The jmp 0, is patched
to a 5 byte atomic no-op instruction at boot-time.) Thus, the disabled jump
-label case adds:
+label case adds::
-6 (mov) + 2 (test) + 2 (jne) = 10 - 5 (5 byte jump 0) = 5 addition bytes.
+ 6 (mov) + 2 (test) + 2 (jne) = 10 - 5 (5 byte jump 0) = 5 addition bytes.
If we then include the padding bytes, the jump label code saves, 16 total bytes
of instruction memory for this small function. In this case the non-jump label
@@ -262,7 +271,7 @@ Since there are a number of static key API uses in the scheduler paths,
'pipe-test' (also known as 'perf bench sched pipe') can be used to show the
performance improvement. Testing done on 3.3.0-rc2:
-jump label disabled:
+jump label disabled::
Performance counter stats for 'bash -c /tmp/pipe-test' (50 runs):
@@ -279,7 +288,7 @@ jump label disabled:
1.601607384 seconds time elapsed ( +- 0.07% )
-jump label enabled:
+jump label enabled::
Performance counter stats for 'bash -c /tmp/pipe-test' (50 runs):