Message ID | 20210610185725.897541-1-ben.widawsky@intel.com |
---|---|
Headers | show |
Series | Region Creation | expand |
On Thu, 10 Jun 2021 11:57:21 -0700 Ben Widawsky <ben.widawsky@intel.com> wrote: > CXL interleave sets and non-interleave sets are described via regions. A region > is specified in the CXL 2.0 specification and the purpose is to create a > standardized way to preserve the region across reboots. A specific section reference would be helpful. > > Introduced here is the basic mechanism to create and configure and delete a CXL > region. Configuring a region simply means giving it a size, offset within the > CFMWS window, UUID, and a target list. Enabling/activating a region, which > ultimately means programming the HDM decoders in the chain, is left for later > work. > > The patches are only minimally tested so far in QEMU emulation and so x1 > interleave is all that's supported. I'm guessing this is why it's an RFC rather than a final submission? If you can call out the RFC reasons in a cover letter it is helpful as saves people wondering what specifically you want comments on. > > Here is a sample topology (also in patch #4) > > decoder1.0 > ├── create_region > ├── delete_region > ├── devtype > ├── locked > ├── region1.0:0 > │ ├── offset > │ ├── size > │ ├── subsystem -> ../../../../../../../bus/cxl > │ ├── target0 > │ ├── uevent > │ ├── uuid > │ └── verify > ├── size > ├── start > ├── subsystem -> ../../../../../../bus/cxl > ├── target_list > ├── target_type > └── uevent > > Ben Widawsky (4): > cxl/region: Add region creation ABI > cxl/region: Create attribute structure / verify > cxl: Move cxl_memdev conversion helper to mem.h > cxl/region: Introduce concept of region configuration > > Documentation/ABI/testing/sysfs-bus-cxl | 59 +++ > .../driver-api/cxl/memory-devices.rst | 8 + > drivers/cxl/Makefile | 2 +- > drivers/cxl/core.c | 71 ++++ > drivers/cxl/cxl.h | 11 + > drivers/cxl/mem.h | 26 ++ > drivers/cxl/pci.c | 5 - > drivers/cxl/region.c | 400 ++++++++++++++++++ > 8 files changed, 576 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-) > create mode 100644 drivers/cxl/region.c >
On Fri, 11 Jun 2021 14:11:36 +0100 Jonathan Cameron <Jonathan.Cameron@Huawei.com> wrote: > On Thu, 10 Jun 2021 11:57:21 -0700 > Ben Widawsky <ben.widawsky@intel.com> wrote: > > > CXL interleave sets and non-interleave sets are described via regions. A region > > is specified in the CXL 2.0 specification and the purpose is to create a > > standardized way to preserve the region across reboots. > > A specific section reference would be helpful. > > > > > Introduced here is the basic mechanism to create and configure and delete a CXL > > region. Configuring a region simply means giving it a size, offset within the > > CFMWS window, UUID, and a target list. Enabling/activating a region, which > > ultimately means programming the HDM decoders in the chain, is left for later > > work. > > > > The patches are only minimally tested so far in QEMU emulation and so x1 > > interleave is all that's supported. > > I'm guessing this is why it's an RFC rather than a final submission? > > If you can call out the RFC reasons in a cover letter it is helpful > as saves people wondering what specifically you want comments on. Hi Ben, Having read through them all, I think this needs more thought than I feel up to on a Friday afternoon. Will get back to you on v2 perhaps. Jonathan > > > > > Here is a sample topology (also in patch #4) > > > > decoder1.0 > > ├── create_region > > ├── delete_region > > ├── devtype > > ├── locked > > ├── region1.0:0 > > │ ├── offset > > │ ├── size > > │ ├── subsystem -> ../../../../../../../bus/cxl > > │ ├── target0 > > │ ├── uevent > > │ ├── uuid > > │ └── verify > > ├── size > > ├── start > > ├── subsystem -> ../../../../../../bus/cxl > > ├── target_list > > ├── target_type > > └── uevent > > > > Ben Widawsky (4): > > cxl/region: Add region creation ABI > > cxl/region: Create attribute structure / verify > > cxl: Move cxl_memdev conversion helper to mem.h > > cxl/region: Introduce concept of region configuration > > > > Documentation/ABI/testing/sysfs-bus-cxl | 59 +++ > > .../driver-api/cxl/memory-devices.rst | 8 + > > drivers/cxl/Makefile | 2 +- > > drivers/cxl/core.c | 71 ++++ > > drivers/cxl/cxl.h | 11 + > > drivers/cxl/mem.h | 26 ++ > > drivers/cxl/pci.c | 5 - > > drivers/cxl/region.c | 400 ++++++++++++++++++ > > 8 files changed, 576 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-) > > create mode 100644 drivers/cxl/region.c > > >
On 21-06-11 14:53:31, Jonathan Cameron wrote: > On Fri, 11 Jun 2021 14:11:36 +0100 > Jonathan Cameron <Jonathan.Cameron@Huawei.com> wrote: > > > On Thu, 10 Jun 2021 11:57:21 -0700 > > Ben Widawsky <ben.widawsky@intel.com> wrote: > > > > > CXL interleave sets and non-interleave sets are described via regions. A region > > > is specified in the CXL 2.0 specification and the purpose is to create a > > > standardized way to preserve the region across reboots. > > > > A specific section reference would be helpful. > > > > > > > > Introduced here is the basic mechanism to create and configure and delete a CXL > > > region. Configuring a region simply means giving it a size, offset within the > > > CFMWS window, UUID, and a target list. Enabling/activating a region, which > > > ultimately means programming the HDM decoders in the chain, is left for later > > > work. > > > > > > The patches are only minimally tested so far in QEMU emulation and so x1 > > > interleave is all that's supported. > > > > I'm guessing this is why it's an RFC rather than a final submission? > > > > If you can call out the RFC reasons in a cover letter it is helpful > > as saves people wondering what specifically you want comments on. > > Hi Ben, > > Having read through them all, I think this needs more thought than > I feel up to on a Friday afternoon. Will get back to you on v2 > perhaps. > > Jonathan > Thanks for looking. Totally fair too :-) I'm mainly looking for feedback on the region creation and configuration from ABI perspective. Nitty gritty code review can happen with the v1 submission. > > > > > > > > Here is a sample topology (also in patch #4) > > > > > > decoder1.0 > > > ├── create_region > > > ├── delete_region > > > ├── devtype > > > ├── locked > > > ├── region1.0:0 > > > │ ├── offset > > > │ ├── size > > > │ ├── subsystem -> ../../../../../../../bus/cxl > > > │ ├── target0 > > > │ ├── uevent > > > │ ├── uuid > > > │ └── verify > > > ├── size > > > ├── start > > > ├── subsystem -> ../../../../../../bus/cxl > > > ├── target_list > > > ├── target_type > > > └── uevent > > > > > > Ben Widawsky (4): > > > cxl/region: Add region creation ABI > > > cxl/region: Create attribute structure / verify > > > cxl: Move cxl_memdev conversion helper to mem.h > > > cxl/region: Introduce concept of region configuration > > > > > > Documentation/ABI/testing/sysfs-bus-cxl | 59 +++ > > > .../driver-api/cxl/memory-devices.rst | 8 + > > > drivers/cxl/Makefile | 2 +- > > > drivers/cxl/core.c | 71 ++++ > > > drivers/cxl/cxl.h | 11 + > > > drivers/cxl/mem.h | 26 ++ > > > drivers/cxl/pci.c | 5 - > > > drivers/cxl/region.c | 400 ++++++++++++++++++ > > > 8 files changed, 576 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-) > > > create mode 100644 drivers/cxl/region.c > > > > > >
On Thu, Jun 10, 2021 at 11:58 AM Ben Widawsky <ben.widawsky@intel.com> wrote: > > CXL interleave sets and non-interleave sets are described via regions. A region > is specified in the CXL 2.0 specification and the purpose is to create a > standardized way to preserve the region across reboots. > > Introduced here is the basic mechanism to create and configure and delete a CXL > region. Configuring a region simply means giving it a size, offset within the > CFMWS window, UUID, and a target list. Enabling/activating a region, which > ultimately means programming the HDM decoders in the chain, is left for later > work. > > The patches are only minimally tested so far in QEMU emulation and so x1 > interleave is all that's supported. > > Here is a sample topology (also in patch #4) I'm just going to react to the attributes before looking at the implementation to make sure we're level set. > > decoder1.0 > ├── create_region > ├── delete_region > ├── devtype > ├── locked > ├── region1.0:0 > │ ├── offset Is this the region's offset relative to the next available free space in the parent decoder range? If this is output only I think it's ok, but I think the address space allocation decision belongs to the region driver at activation time. I.e. userspace does not have much of a chance at specifying this relative all the other dynamic operations that can be happening in the decoder. > │ ├── size > │ ├── subsystem -> ../../../../../../../bus/cxl > │ ├── target0 > │ ├── uevent > │ ├── uuid > │ └── verify I don't understand the role of a standalone @verify attribute, there is verification that can happen per attribute write, and there is final verification that can happen at region bind time. Either way anything verify would check is duplicated somewhere else, and the verification per attribute update is more precise. For example writes to @size can check for free space in parent decoder and fail if unavailable. Writes to targetX can fail if the memdev is not connected to this decoder's port topology, or the memdev is out of decoder resources. The final region bind will fail if mid-level switches are lacking decoder resources, or would require changing a decoder configuration that is pinned active.
On Fri, 11 Jun 2021 17:44:02 -0700 Dan Williams <dan.j.williams@intel.com> wrote: > On Thu, Jun 10, 2021 at 11:58 AM Ben Widawsky <ben.widawsky@intel.com> wrote: > > > > CXL interleave sets and non-interleave sets are described via regions. A region > > is specified in the CXL 2.0 specification and the purpose is to create a > > standardized way to preserve the region across reboots. > > > > Introduced here is the basic mechanism to create and configure and delete a CXL > > region. Configuring a region simply means giving it a size, offset within the > > CFMWS window, UUID, and a target list. Enabling/activating a region, which > > ultimately means programming the HDM decoders in the chain, is left for later > > work. > > > > The patches are only minimally tested so far in QEMU emulation and so x1 > > interleave is all that's supported. > > > > Here is a sample topology (also in patch #4) > > I'm just going to react to the attributes before looking at the > implementation to make sure we're level set. > > > > > decoder1.0 > > ├── create_region > > ├── delete_region > > ├── devtype > > ├── locked > > ├── region1.0:0 > > │ ├── offset > > Is this the region's offset relative to the next available free space > in the parent decoder range? If this is output only I think it's ok, > but I think the address space allocation decision belongs to the > region driver at activation time. I.e. userspace does not have much of > a chance at specifying this relative all the other dynamic operations > that can be happening in the decoder. > > > │ ├── size > > │ ├── subsystem -> ../../../../../../../bus/cxl > > │ ├── target0 > > │ ├── uevent > > │ ├── uuid > > │ └── verify > > I don't understand the role of a standalone @verify attribute, there > is verification that can happen per attribute write, and there is > final verification that can happen at region bind time. Either way > anything verify would check is duplicated somewhere else, and the > verification per attribute update is more precise. For example writes > to @size can check for free space in parent decoder and fail if > unavailable. This comes back to your question above on whether offset is writable and what it is with respect to. If it is writeable, then you can't really verify size and offset separately. I'm not against just doing it on commit. > Writes to targetX can fail if the memdev is not connected > to this decoder's port topology, or the memdev is out of decoder > resources. The final region bind will fail if mid-level switches are > lacking decoder resources, or would require changing a decoder > configuration that is pinned active.
On 21-06-11 17:44:02, Dan Williams wrote: > On Thu, Jun 10, 2021 at 11:58 AM Ben Widawsky <ben.widawsky@intel.com> wrote: > > > > CXL interleave sets and non-interleave sets are described via regions. A region > > is specified in the CXL 2.0 specification and the purpose is to create a > > standardized way to preserve the region across reboots. > > > > Introduced here is the basic mechanism to create and configure and delete a CXL > > region. Configuring a region simply means giving it a size, offset within the > > CFMWS window, UUID, and a target list. Enabling/activating a region, which > > ultimately means programming the HDM decoders in the chain, is left for later > > work. > > > > The patches are only minimally tested so far in QEMU emulation and so x1 > > interleave is all that's supported. > > > > Here is a sample topology (also in patch #4) > > I'm just going to react to the attributes before looking at the > implementation to make sure we're level set. > > > > > decoder1.0 > > ├── create_region > > ├── delete_region > > ├── devtype > > ├── locked > > ├── region1.0:0 > > │ ├── offset > > Is this the region's offset relative to the next available free space > in the parent decoder range? If this is output only I think it's ok, > but I think the address space allocation decision belongs to the > region driver at activation time. I.e. userspace does not have much of > a chance at specifying this relative all the other dynamic operations > that can be happening in the decoder. > This was my mistake. Offset will be determined by the driver and I intend for this to be read-only. > > │ ├── size > > │ ├── subsystem -> ../../../../../../../bus/cxl > > │ ├── target0 > > │ ├── uevent > > │ ├── uuid > > │ └── verify > > I don't understand the role of a standalone @verify attribute, there > is verification that can happen per attribute write, and there is > final verification that can happen at region bind time. Either way > anything verify would check is duplicated somewhere else, and the > verification per attribute update is more precise. For example writes > to @size can check for free space in parent decoder and fail if > unavailable. Writes to targetX can fail if the memdev is not connected > to this decoder's port topology, or the memdev is out of decoder > resources. The final region bind will fail if mid-level switches are > lacking decoder resources, or would require changing a decoder > configuration that is pinned active. I strongly believe verification per attribute write will get too fragile. I'm afraid it's going to require writing attributes in a specific order so that we can do said verification in a sane way. We can skip that and just check it all on bind. Most of that logic is what would be contained in verify(), so why not expose it for userspace that may want to test out various configs without actually trying to bind? Also, I like having ABI that helps userspace get details on the configuration failure reason. You mention in the other reply, TRACE_EVENT. I suppose userspace could use tracepoints, or scrape dmesg for this same info. Maybe it's 6 one way, a half dozen the other. I'd be interested to know if there are other examples of tracepoints being used by userspace in a way like this and what the experience is like. To summarize, I think we need an atomic way to do verification (which obviously happens at bind()), and I think we need UAPI to get the configuration error.
On Mon, Jun 14, 2021 at 9:12 AM Ben Widawsky <ben.widawsky@intel.com> wrote: > > On 21-06-11 17:44:02, Dan Williams wrote: > > On Thu, Jun 10, 2021 at 11:58 AM Ben Widawsky <ben.widawsky@intel.com> wrote: > > > > > > CXL interleave sets and non-interleave sets are described via regions. A region > > > is specified in the CXL 2.0 specification and the purpose is to create a > > > standardized way to preserve the region across reboots. > > > > > > Introduced here is the basic mechanism to create and configure and delete a CXL > > > region. Configuring a region simply means giving it a size, offset within the > > > CFMWS window, UUID, and a target list. Enabling/activating a region, which > > > ultimately means programming the HDM decoders in the chain, is left for later > > > work. > > > > > > The patches are only minimally tested so far in QEMU emulation and so x1 > > > interleave is all that's supported. > > > > > > Here is a sample topology (also in patch #4) > > > > I'm just going to react to the attributes before looking at the > > implementation to make sure we're level set. > > > > > > > > decoder1.0 > > > ├── create_region > > > ├── delete_region > > > ├── devtype > > > ├── locked > > > ├── region1.0:0 > > > │ ├── offset > > > > Is this the region's offset relative to the next available free space > > in the parent decoder range? If this is output only I think it's ok, > > but I think the address space allocation decision belongs to the > > region driver at activation time. I.e. userspace does not have much of > > a chance at specifying this relative all the other dynamic operations > > that can be happening in the decoder. > > > > This was my mistake. Offset will be determined by the driver and I intend for > this to be read-only. > > > > │ ├── size > > > │ ├── subsystem -> ../../../../../../../bus/cxl > > > │ ├── target0 > > > │ ├── uevent > > > │ ├── uuid > > > │ └── verify > > > > I don't understand the role of a standalone @verify attribute, there > > is verification that can happen per attribute write, and there is > > final verification that can happen at region bind time. Either way > > anything verify would check is duplicated somewhere else, and the > > verification per attribute update is more precise. For example writes > > to @size can check for free space in parent decoder and fail if > > unavailable. Writes to targetX can fail if the memdev is not connected > > to this decoder's port topology, or the memdev is out of decoder > > resources. The final region bind will fail if mid-level switches are > > lacking decoder resources, or would require changing a decoder > > configuration that is pinned active. > > I strongly believe verification per attribute write will get too fragile. I'm > afraid it's going to require writing attributes in a specific order so that we > can do said verification in a sane way. We can skip that and just check it all > on bind. Most of that logic is what would be contained in verify(), so why not > expose it for userspace that may want to test out various configs without > actually trying to bind? Because there's no harm in actually trying to bind. A verify attribute is at best redundant, or I am otherwise not understanding the proposed use case? > Also, I like having ABI that helps userspace get details on the configuration > failure reason. You mention in the other reply, TRACE_EVENT. I suppose userspace > could use tracepoints, or scrape dmesg for this same info. Maybe it's 6 one way, > a half dozen the other. I'd be interested to know if there are other examples of > tracepoints being used by userspace in a way like this and what the experience > is like. > > To summarize, I think we need an atomic way to do verification (which obviously > happens at bind()), and I think we need UAPI to get the configuration error. I expect higher order configuration error reporting and non-atomic pre-verification to come from user tooling. As for what the kernel can do at runtime in the absence of user tooling, or in the development of more aware tooling has been debated in the past [1]. In this case the entire decoder resource topology is visible in userspace, and while userspace can't atomically predict what will happen, it also does not need to because the admin should not be racing resource querying and resource consumption if they want to get a reliable answer. The reason I recommended TRACE_EVENT() rather than dev_dbg() is due to being able to filter event messages by cpu, pid, tid, uid... etc. Another approach I have seen upstream is to emit extra variables with a KOBJ_CHANGE event, but that is more about event reporting than extra information about provisioning failure. [1]: https://lwn.net/Articles/657341/
On 21-06-14 14:04:32, Dan Williams wrote: > On Mon, Jun 14, 2021 at 9:12 AM Ben Widawsky <ben.widawsky@intel.com> wrote: > > > > On 21-06-11 17:44:02, Dan Williams wrote: > > > On Thu, Jun 10, 2021 at 11:58 AM Ben Widawsky <ben.widawsky@intel.com> wrote: > > > > > > > > CXL interleave sets and non-interleave sets are described via regions. A region > > > > is specified in the CXL 2.0 specification and the purpose is to create a > > > > standardized way to preserve the region across reboots. > > > > > > > > Introduced here is the basic mechanism to create and configure and delete a CXL > > > > region. Configuring a region simply means giving it a size, offset within the > > > > CFMWS window, UUID, and a target list. Enabling/activating a region, which > > > > ultimately means programming the HDM decoders in the chain, is left for later > > > > work. > > > > > > > > The patches are only minimally tested so far in QEMU emulation and so x1 > > > > interleave is all that's supported. > > > > > > > > Here is a sample topology (also in patch #4) > > > > > > I'm just going to react to the attributes before looking at the > > > implementation to make sure we're level set. > > > > > > > > > > > decoder1.0 > > > > ├── create_region > > > > ├── delete_region > > > > ├── devtype > > > > ├── locked > > > > ├── region1.0:0 > > > > │ ├── offset > > > > > > Is this the region's offset relative to the next available free space > > > in the parent decoder range? If this is output only I think it's ok, > > > but I think the address space allocation decision belongs to the > > > region driver at activation time. I.e. userspace does not have much of > > > a chance at specifying this relative all the other dynamic operations > > > that can be happening in the decoder. > > > > > > > This was my mistake. Offset will be determined by the driver and I intend for > > this to be read-only. > > > > > > │ ├── size > > > > │ ├── subsystem -> ../../../../../../../bus/cxl > > > > │ ├── target0 > > > > │ ├── uevent > > > > │ ├── uuid > > > > │ └── verify > > > > > > I don't understand the role of a standalone @verify attribute, there > > > is verification that can happen per attribute write, and there is > > > final verification that can happen at region bind time. Either way > > > anything verify would check is duplicated somewhere else, and the > > > verification per attribute update is more precise. For example writes > > > to @size can check for free space in parent decoder and fail if > > > unavailable. Writes to targetX can fail if the memdev is not connected > > > to this decoder's port topology, or the memdev is out of decoder > > > resources. The final region bind will fail if mid-level switches are > > > lacking decoder resources, or would require changing a decoder > > > configuration that is pinned active. > > > > I strongly believe verification per attribute write will get too fragile. I'm > > afraid it's going to require writing attributes in a specific order so that we > > can do said verification in a sane way. We can skip that and just check it all > > on bind. Most of that logic is what would be contained in verify(), so why not > > expose it for userspace that may want to test out various configs without > > actually trying to bind? > > Because there's no harm in actually trying to bind. A verify attribute > is at best redundant, or I am otherwise not understanding the proposed > use case? > That's the use case. Though I don't consider it redundant. All bind() can return is errnos + what you mention below (and following LWN link). > > Also, I like having ABI that helps userspace get details on the configuration > > failure reason. You mention in the other reply, TRACE_EVENT. I suppose userspace > > could use tracepoints, or scrape dmesg for this same info. Maybe it's 6 one way, > > a half dozen the other. I'd be interested to know if there are other examples of > > tracepoints being used by userspace in a way like this and what the experience > > is like. > > > > To summarize, I think we need an atomic way to do verification (which obviously > > happens at bind()), and I think we need UAPI to get the configuration error. > > I expect higher order configuration error reporting and non-atomic > pre-verification to come from user tooling. But isn't that just duplicating code that we have to have in the kernel anyway? > As for what the kernel can do at runtime in the absence of user tooling, or in > the development of more aware tooling has been debated in the past [1]. In > this case the entire decoder resource topology is visible in userspace, an3d > while userspace can't atomically predict what will happen, it also does not > need to because the admin should not be racing resource querying and resource > consumption if they want to get a reliable answer. The reason I recommended > TRACE_EVENT() rather than dev_dbg() is due to being able to filter event > messages by cpu, pid, tid, uid... etc. Another approach I have seen upstream > is to emit extra variables with a KOBJ_CHANGE event, but that is more about > event reporting than extra information about provisioning failure. Interesting. Thanks for the link, it looks like it never landed. I think trace makes a good deal of sense considering all the options. I'm not convinced the interface is "at best redundant". I'll just drop verify(). I have no further arguments in favor and you don't sound convinced of the original ones. > > [1]: https://lwn.net/Articles/657341/
On Mon, Jun 14, 2021 at 2:54 PM Ben Widawsky <ben.widawsky@intel.com> wrote: > > On 21-06-14 14:04:32, Dan Williams wrote: > > On Mon, Jun 14, 2021 at 9:12 AM Ben Widawsky <ben.widawsky@intel.com> wrote: > > > > > > On 21-06-11 17:44:02, Dan Williams wrote: > > > > On Thu, Jun 10, 2021 at 11:58 AM Ben Widawsky <ben.widawsky@intel.com> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > CXL interleave sets and non-interleave sets are described via regions. A region > > > > > is specified in the CXL 2.0 specification and the purpose is to create a > > > > > standardized way to preserve the region across reboots. > > > > > > > > > > Introduced here is the basic mechanism to create and configure and delete a CXL > > > > > region. Configuring a region simply means giving it a size, offset within the > > > > > CFMWS window, UUID, and a target list. Enabling/activating a region, which > > > > > ultimately means programming the HDM decoders in the chain, is left for later > > > > > work. > > > > > > > > > > The patches are only minimally tested so far in QEMU emulation and so x1 > > > > > interleave is all that's supported. > > > > > > > > > > Here is a sample topology (also in patch #4) > > > > > > > > I'm just going to react to the attributes before looking at the > > > > implementation to make sure we're level set. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > decoder1.0 > > > > > ├── create_region > > > > > ├── delete_region > > > > > ├── devtype > > > > > ├── locked > > > > > ├── region1.0:0 > > > > > │ ├── offset > > > > > > > > Is this the region's offset relative to the next available free space > > > > in the parent decoder range? If this is output only I think it's ok, > > > > but I think the address space allocation decision belongs to the > > > > region driver at activation time. I.e. userspace does not have much of > > > > a chance at specifying this relative all the other dynamic operations > > > > that can be happening in the decoder. > > > > > > > > > > This was my mistake. Offset will be determined by the driver and I intend for > > > this to be read-only. > > > > > > > > │ ├── size > > > > > │ ├── subsystem -> ../../../../../../../bus/cxl > > > > > │ ├── target0 > > > > > │ ├── uevent > > > > > │ ├── uuid > > > > > │ └── verify > > > > > > > > I don't understand the role of a standalone @verify attribute, there > > > > is verification that can happen per attribute write, and there is > > > > final verification that can happen at region bind time. Either way > > > > anything verify would check is duplicated somewhere else, and the > > > > verification per attribute update is more precise. For example writes > > > > to @size can check for free space in parent decoder and fail if > > > > unavailable. Writes to targetX can fail if the memdev is not connected > > > > to this decoder's port topology, or the memdev is out of decoder > > > > resources. The final region bind will fail if mid-level switches are > > > > lacking decoder resources, or would require changing a decoder > > > > configuration that is pinned active. > > > > > > I strongly believe verification per attribute write will get too fragile. I'm > > > afraid it's going to require writing attributes in a specific order so that we > > > can do said verification in a sane way. We can skip that and just check it all > > > on bind. Most of that logic is what would be contained in verify(), so why not > > > expose it for userspace that may want to test out various configs without > > > actually trying to bind? > > > > Because there's no harm in actually trying to bind. A verify attribute > > is at best redundant, or I am otherwise not understanding the proposed > > use case? > > > > That's the use case. Though I don't consider it redundant. All bind() can return > is errnos + what you mention below (and following LWN link). > > > > Also, I like having ABI that helps userspace get details on the configuration > > > failure reason. You mention in the other reply, TRACE_EVENT. I suppose userspace > > > could use tracepoints, or scrape dmesg for this same info. Maybe it's 6 one way, > > > a half dozen the other. I'd be interested to know if there are other examples of > > > tracepoints being used by userspace in a way like this and what the experience > > > is like. > > > > > > To summarize, I think we need an atomic way to do verification (which obviously > > > happens at bind()), and I think we need UAPI to get the configuration error. > > > > I expect higher order configuration error reporting and non-atomic > > pre-verification to come from user tooling. > > But isn't that just duplicating code that we have to have in the kernel anyway? It is, but it's less constrained. The kernel could only tell you yes or no for a given region verification. The tooling can identify tradeoffs and potential resource collisions across regions. > > As for what the kernel can do at runtime in the absence of user tooling, or in > > the development of more aware tooling has been debated in the past [1]. In > > this case the entire decoder resource topology is visible in userspace, an3d > > while userspace can't atomically predict what will happen, it also does not > > need to because the admin should not be racing resource querying and resource > > consumption if they want to get a reliable answer. The reason I recommended > > TRACE_EVENT() rather than dev_dbg() is due to being able to filter event > > messages by cpu, pid, tid, uid... etc. Another approach I have seen upstream > > is to emit extra variables with a KOBJ_CHANGE event, but that is more about > > event reporting than extra information about provisioning failure. > > Interesting. Thanks for the link, it looks like it never landed. I think trace > makes a good deal of sense considering all the options. I'm not convinced the > interface is "at best redundant". I'll just drop verify(). I have no further > arguments in favor and you don't sound convinced of the original ones. My main concern is the atomicity of the verify response when two agents are racing through the resource tree. The user tooling can either explicitly coordinate with other user tooling, or the admin could implicitly avoid races. When the races happen they will likely be cases where bind() fails and verify() said everything was ok. In those cases we'll still need a mechanism to understand why bind() failed and by that time it seems everything verify() might have been able to offer has been reimplemented for tracing bind().