Re: [PATCH v2 00/16] fs,x86/resctrl: Add kernel-mode (e.g., PLZA) support to the resctrl subsystem

[Reinette Chatre <reinette.chatre@intel.com>]

Hi Babu,

On 4/8/26 4:07 PM, Moger, Babu wrote:
> On 4/8/2026 4:24 PM, Reinette Chatre wrote:
>> On 4/8/26 1:45 PM, Babu Moger wrote:
...

>>> The modes "global_assign_ctrl_inherit_mon_per_cpu" and "global_assign_ctrl_assign_mon_per_cpu" represent the actual PLZA modes.
>>>
>>> Both of these modes introduce new files kernel_mode_cpus/ and kernel_mode_cpus_list in the resctrl group.
>>
>> Right. To be specific when the user changes the mode to either "global_assign_ctrl_inherit_mon_per_cpu" or
>> "global_assign_ctrl_assign_mon_per_cpu" the new files will be created in the default resource group with
>> associated setting applied globally at that time.
> 
> If, at that point, "info/kernel_mode_assignment" points to // (the default group), is that correct?

I see "info/kernel_mode_assignment" pointing to default group as the only
option right after a mode switch away from "inherit_ctrl_and_mon".

To elaborate, the current idea is that the mode within info/kernel_mode determines
which, if any, control files are presented to user space.
Assuming that the system boots up with:
	# cat info/kernel_mode
	[inherit_ctrl_and_mon]
	global_assign_ctrl_inherit_mon_per_cpu
	global_assign_ctrl_assign_mon_per_cpu

In above scenario "info/kernel_mode_assignment" does not exist (is not visible to
user space).

When the user switches to either "global_assign_ctrl_inherit_mon_per_cpu" or
'global_assign_ctrl_assign_mon_per_cpu" then "info/kernel_mode_assignment" is created
(or made visible to user space) and is expected to point to default group.
User can change the group using "info/kernel_mode_assignment" at this point.

If the current scenario is below ...
	# cat info/kernel_mode
	[global_assign_ctrl_inherit_mon_per_cpu]
	inherit_ctrl_and_mon
	global_assign_ctrl_assign_mon_per_cpu

... then "info/kernel_mode_assignment" will exist but what it should contain if
user switches mode at this point may be up for discussion.

option 1)
When user switches mode to "global_assign_ctrl_assign_mon_per_cpu" then
the resource group in "info/kernel_mode_assignment" is reset to the
default group and all CPUs PLZA state reset to match. The kernel_mode_cpus
and kernel_mode_cpuslist files become visible in default resource group
and they contain "all online CPUs".

option 2)
When user switches mode to "global_assign_ctrl_assign_mon_per_cpu" then
the resource group in "info/kernel_mode_assignment" is kept and all
CPUs PLZA state set to match it while also keeping the current 
values of that resource group's kernel_mode_cpus and kernel_mode_cpuslist
files.

I am leaning towards "option 1" to keep it consistent with a switch from
"inherit_ctrl_and_mon" and being deterministic about how a mode is started with
a clean slate. What are your thoughts? What would be use case where a user would
want to switch between "global_assign_ctrl_inherit_mon_per_cpu" and
"global_assign_ctrl_assign_mon_per_cpu" to just switch rmid_en on and off?


> And if "info/kernel_mode_assignment" points to a different group
> (for example, test//), then the kernel_mode_cpus/ and
> kernel_mode_cpus_list files will be created only under the test//
> group. Is that correct?

I expect that if "info/kernel_mode_assignment" exists then the group
listed within contains kernel_mode_cpus and kernel_mode_cpuslist.
How the group ends up in "info/kernel_mode_assignment" could result
from mode change or from write by user space.

Reinette