[PATCH v3] mm/page_reporting: Add page_reporting_delay_ms module parameter

[PATCH v3] mm/page_reporting: Add page_reporting_delay_ms module parameter

[pratmal]

From: Pratyush Mallick <pratmal@google.com>

Currently, the free page reporting uses a hardcoded delay of
(2 HZ) between reporting intervals. While this is a reasonable
default, it lacks the flexibility to adapt to varying guest workloads.

A low delay allows aggressive memory reclamation, returning unused
pages to the host as quickly as possible. However, during spiky
allocation/free churn, this immediate reporting can lead to a severe
performance penalty (nested page faults) as the guest re-allocates memory
that the host has just unmapped. In these scenarios, there is benefit
from increasing the delay to batch free pages over a longer window,
absorbing the churn without hypercall and re-fault overhead.

This patch exposes the delay as a module parameter:
/sys/module/page_reporting/parameters/page_reporting_delay_ms, measured
in milliseconds and defaults to 2000ms.

Signed-off-by: Pratyush Mallick <pratmal@google.com>
---
v3:
 - Converted page_reporting_delay_ms from a sysctl to a module parameter.
 - Dropped the max value cap (PAGE_REPORTING_DELAY_MS_MAX).
 - Documented page_reporting_delay_ms in kernel-parameters.txt.
 - Updated code comments in mm/page_reporting.c.
 - v2: https://lore.kernel.org/linux-mm/3da27fde-25dc-4cb8-8e05-74cd26fc2f7c@kernel.org/T/#t

v2:
 - Documented page_reporting_delay_ms in Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/vm.rst.
 - v1: https://lore.kernel.org/linux-mm/20260722192935.1646848-1-pratmal@google.com/T/#u

v1: Fixed feedback from RFC.
 - Added lower and upper cap to sysctl value.
 - Reverted the reordering on page_reporting_delay_ms.
 - Dropped the mod_delayed_work() change.
 - RFC: https://lore.kernel.org/linux-mm/20260714171456.2350037-1-pratmal@google.com/T/#u
 .../admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt         |  6 ++++++
 mm/page_reporting.c                           | 21 ++++++++++++-------
 2 files changed, 19 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)

diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt b/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt
index b5493a7f8f22..364c2dce8e70 100644
--- a/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt
+++ b/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt
@@ -4810,6 +4810,12 @@ Kernel parameters
 			Adjust the minimal page reporting order. The page
 			reporting is disabled when it exceeds MAX_PAGE_ORDER.
 
+	page_reporting.page_reporting_delay_ms=
+			[KNL] Free page reporting delay in milliseconds
+			Format: <unsigned integer>
+			Adjust the delay in milliseconds between free page
+			reporting intervals. Default is 2000 (2 seconds).
+
 	panic=		[KNL] Kernel behaviour on panic: delay <timeout>
 			timeout > 0: seconds before rebooting
 			timeout = 0: wait forever
diff --git a/mm/page_reporting.c b/mm/page_reporting.c
index 942e84b6908a..a67311468204 100644
--- a/mm/page_reporting.c
+++ b/mm/page_reporting.c
@@ -47,7 +47,11 @@ MODULE_PARM_DESC(page_reporting_order, "Set page reporting order");
  */
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(page_reporting_order);
 
-#define PAGE_REPORTING_DELAY	(2 * HZ)
+static unsigned int page_reporting_delay_ms = 2 * MSEC_PER_SEC;
+module_param(page_reporting_delay_ms, uint, 0644);
+MODULE_PARM_DESC(page_reporting_delay_ms,
+		 "Set page reporting delay in milliseconds");
+
 static struct page_reporting_dev_info __rcu *pr_dev_info __read_mostly;
 
 enum {
@@ -76,11 +80,11 @@ __page_reporting_request(struct page_reporting_dev_info *prdev)
 		return;
 
 	/*
-	 * Delay the start of work to allow a sizable queue to build. For
-	 * now we are limiting this to running no more than once every
-	 * couple of seconds.
+	 * Delay the start of work to allow a sizable queue to build.
+	 * We limit this based on page_reporting_delay_ms.
 	 */
-	schedule_delayed_work(&prdev->work, PAGE_REPORTING_DELAY);
+	schedule_delayed_work(&prdev->work,
+			      msecs_to_jiffies(page_reporting_delay_ms));
 }
 
 /* notify prdev of free page reporting request */
@@ -335,12 +339,13 @@ static void page_reporting_process(struct work_struct *work)
 err_out:
 	/*
 	 * If the state has reverted back to requested then there may be
-	 * additional pages to be processed. We will defer for 2s to allow
-	 * more pages to accumulate.
+	 * additional pages to be processed. We will defer by
+	 * page_reporting_delay_ms to allow more pages to accumulate.
 	 */
 	state = atomic_cmpxchg(&prdev->state, state, PAGE_REPORTING_IDLE);
 	if (state == PAGE_REPORTING_REQUESTED)
-		schedule_delayed_work(&prdev->work, PAGE_REPORTING_DELAY);
+		schedule_delayed_work(&prdev->work,
+				      msecs_to_jiffies(page_reporting_delay_ms));
 }
 
 static DEFINE_MUTEX(page_reporting_mutex);
-- 
2.55.0.229.g6434b31f56-goog

Re: [PATCH v3] mm/page_reporting: Add page_reporting_delay_ms module parameter

[SJ Park]

On Mon, 27 Jul 2026 23:05:45 +0000 pratmal@google.com wrote:

> From: Pratyush Mallick <pratmal@google.com>
> 
> Currently, the free page reporting uses a hardcoded delay of
> (2 HZ) between reporting intervals. While this is a reasonable
> default, it lacks the flexibility to adapt to varying guest workloads.
> 
> A low delay allows aggressive memory reclamation, returning unused
> pages to the host as quickly as possible. However, during spiky
> allocation/free churn, this immediate reporting can lead to a severe
> performance penalty (nested page faults) as the guest re-allocates memory
> that the host has just unmapped. In these scenarios, there is benefit
> from increasing the delay to batch free pages over a longer window,
> absorbing the churn without hypercall and re-fault overhead.
> 
> This patch exposes the delay as a module parameter:
> /sys/module/page_reporting/parameters/page_reporting_delay_ms, measured
> in milliseconds and defaults to 2000ms.

Makes sense to me.

> 
> Signed-off-by: Pratyush Mallick <pratmal@google.com>

Reviewed-by: SJ Park <sj@kernel.org>


Thanks,
SJ

[...]

Re: [PATCH v3] mm/page_reporting: Add page_reporting_delay_ms module parameter

[Andrew Morton]

On Mon, 27 Jul 2026 23:05:45 +0000 pratmal@google.com wrote:

> From: Pratyush Mallick <pratmal@google.com>
> 
> Currently, the free page reporting uses a hardcoded delay of
> (2 HZ) between reporting intervals. While this is a reasonable
> default, it lacks the flexibility to adapt to varying guest workloads.
> 
> A low delay allows aggressive memory reclamation, returning unused
> pages to the host as quickly as possible. However, during spiky
> allocation/free churn, this immediate reporting can lead to a severe
> performance penalty (nested page faults) as the guest re-allocates memory
> that the host has just unmapped. In these scenarios, there is benefit
> from increasing the delay to batch free pages over a longer window,
> absorbing the churn without hypercall and re-fault overhead.
> 
> This patch exposes the delay as a module parameter:
> /sys/module/page_reporting/parameters/page_reporting_delay_ms, measured
> in milliseconds and defaults to 2000ms.

Of course we'd prefer some sort of self-tuning so the kernel
automatically avoids the situation.  But the user's expectation that
reporting occurs at a fixed frequency messes up that concept.


> diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt b/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt

lgtm.  It conflicts with Link Lin's "mm/page_reporting: use
system_freezable_wq to fix UAF during suspend".  Easy resolution:


 Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt |    6 ++++
 mm/page_reporting.c                             |   19 ++++++++------
 2 files changed, 17 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)

--- a/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt~mm-page_reporting-add-page_reporting_delay_ms-module-parameter
+++ a/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt
@@ -4813,6 +4813,12 @@ Kernel parameters
 			Adjust the minimal page reporting order. The page
 			reporting is disabled when it exceeds MAX_PAGE_ORDER.
 
+	page_reporting.page_reporting_delay_ms=
+			[KNL] Free page reporting delay in milliseconds
+			Format: <unsigned integer>
+			Adjust the delay in milliseconds between free page
+			reporting intervals. Default is 2000 (2 seconds).
+
 	panic=		[KNL] Kernel behaviour on panic: delay <timeout>
 			timeout > 0: seconds before rebooting
 			timeout = 0: wait forever
--- a/mm/page_reporting.c~mm-page_reporting-add-page_reporting_delay_ms-module-parameter
+++ a/mm/page_reporting.c
@@ -48,7 +48,11 @@ MODULE_PARM_DESC(page_reporting_order, "
  */
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(page_reporting_order);
 
-#define PAGE_REPORTING_DELAY	(2 * HZ)
+static unsigned int page_reporting_delay_ms = 2 * MSEC_PER_SEC;
+module_param(page_reporting_delay_ms, uint, 0644);
+MODULE_PARM_DESC(page_reporting_delay_ms,
+		 "Set page reporting delay in milliseconds");
+
 static struct page_reporting_dev_info __rcu *pr_dev_info __read_mostly;
 
 enum {
@@ -77,12 +81,11 @@ __page_reporting_request(struct page_rep
 		return;
 
 	/*
-	 * Delay the start of work to allow a sizable queue to build. For
-	 * now we are limiting this to running no more than once every
-	 * couple of seconds.
+	 * Delay the start of work to allow a sizable queue to build.
+	 * We limit this based on page_reporting_delay_ms.
 	 */
 	queue_delayed_work(system_freezable_wq, &prdev->work,
-			   PAGE_REPORTING_DELAY);
+			   msecs_to_jiffies(page_reporting_delay_ms));
 }
 
 /* notify prdev of free page reporting request */
@@ -337,13 +340,13 @@ static void page_reporting_process(struc
 err_out:
 	/*
 	 * If the state has reverted back to requested then there may be
-	 * additional pages to be processed. We will defer for 2s to allow
-	 * more pages to accumulate.
+	 * additional pages to be processed. We will defer by
+	 * page_reporting_delay_ms to allow more pages to accumulate.
 	 */
 	state = atomic_cmpxchg(&prdev->state, state, PAGE_REPORTING_IDLE);
 	if (state == PAGE_REPORTING_REQUESTED)
 		queue_delayed_work(system_freezable_wq, &prdev->work,
-				   PAGE_REPORTING_DELAY);
+				   msecs_to_jiffies(page_reporting_delay_ms));
 }
 
 static DEFINE_MUTEX(page_reporting_mutex);
_

Re: [PATCH v3] mm/page_reporting: Add page_reporting_delay_ms module parameter

[Pratyush Mallick]

> Of course we'd prefer some sort of self-tuning so the kernel
> automatically avoids the situation.  But the user's expectation that
> reporting occurs at a fixed frequency messes up that concept.

That's definitely a good direction to ponder for future iterations. :')
Thanks for handling the merge resolution.

Regards,
Pratyush

On Mon, Jul 27, 2026 at 6:13 PM Andrew Morton <akpm@linux-foundation.org> wrote:
>
> On Mon, 27 Jul 2026 23:05:45 +0000 pratmal@google.com wrote:
>
> > From: Pratyush Mallick <pratmal@google.com>
> >
> > Currently, the free page reporting uses a hardcoded delay of
> > (2 HZ) between reporting intervals. While this is a reasonable
> > default, it lacks the flexibility to adapt to varying guest workloads.
> >
> > A low delay allows aggressive memory reclamation, returning unused
> > pages to the host as quickly as possible. However, during spiky
> > allocation/free churn, this immediate reporting can lead to a severe
> > performance penalty (nested page faults) as the guest re-allocates memory
> > that the host has just unmapped. In these scenarios, there is benefit
> > from increasing the delay to batch free pages over a longer window,
> > absorbing the churn without hypercall and re-fault overhead.
> >
> > This patch exposes the delay as a module parameter:
> > /sys/module/page_reporting/parameters/page_reporting_delay_ms, measured
> > in milliseconds and defaults to 2000ms.
>
> Of course we'd prefer some sort of self-tuning so the kernel
> automatically avoids the situation.  But the user's expectation that
> reporting occurs at a fixed frequency messes up that concept.
>
>
> > diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt b/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt
>
> lgtm.  It conflicts with Link Lin's "mm/page_reporting: use
> system_freezable_wq to fix UAF during suspend".  Easy resolution:
>
>
>  Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt |    6 ++++
>  mm/page_reporting.c                             |   19 ++++++++------
>  2 files changed, 17 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)
>
> --- a/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt~mm-page_reporting-add-page_reporting_delay_ms-module-parameter
> +++ a/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt
> @@ -4813,6 +4813,12 @@ Kernel parameters
>                         Adjust the minimal page reporting order. The page
>                         reporting is disabled when it exceeds MAX_PAGE_ORDER.
>
> +       page_reporting.page_reporting_delay_ms=
> +                       [KNL] Free page reporting delay in milliseconds
> +                       Format: <unsigned integer>
> +                       Adjust the delay in milliseconds between free page
> +                       reporting intervals. Default is 2000 (2 seconds).
> +
>         panic=          [KNL] Kernel behaviour on panic: delay <timeout>
>                         timeout > 0: seconds before rebooting
>                         timeout = 0: wait forever
> --- a/mm/page_reporting.c~mm-page_reporting-add-page_reporting_delay_ms-module-parameter
> +++ a/mm/page_reporting.c
> @@ -48,7 +48,11 @@ MODULE_PARM_DESC(page_reporting_order, "
>   */
>  EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(page_reporting_order);
>
> -#define PAGE_REPORTING_DELAY   (2 * HZ)
> +static unsigned int page_reporting_delay_ms = 2 * MSEC_PER_SEC;
> +module_param(page_reporting_delay_ms, uint, 0644);
> +MODULE_PARM_DESC(page_reporting_delay_ms,
> +                "Set page reporting delay in milliseconds");
> +
>  static struct page_reporting_dev_info __rcu *pr_dev_info __read_mostly;
>
>  enum {
> @@ -77,12 +81,11 @@ __page_reporting_request(struct page_rep
>                 return;
>
>         /*
> -        * Delay the start of work to allow a sizable queue to build. For
> -        * now we are limiting this to running no more than once every
> -        * couple of seconds.
> +        * Delay the start of work to allow a sizable queue to build.
> +        * We limit this based on page_reporting_delay_ms.
>          */
>         queue_delayed_work(system_freezable_wq, &prdev->work,
> -                          PAGE_REPORTING_DELAY);
> +                          msecs_to_jiffies(page_reporting_delay_ms));
>  }
>
>  /* notify prdev of free page reporting request */
> @@ -337,13 +340,13 @@ static void page_reporting_process(struc
>  err_out:
>         /*
>          * If the state has reverted back to requested then there may be
> -        * additional pages to be processed. We will defer for 2s to allow
> -        * more pages to accumulate.
> +        * additional pages to be processed. We will defer by
> +        * page_reporting_delay_ms to allow more pages to accumulate.
>          */
>         state = atomic_cmpxchg(&prdev->state, state, PAGE_REPORTING_IDLE);
>         if (state == PAGE_REPORTING_REQUESTED)
>                 queue_delayed_work(system_freezable_wq, &prdev->work,
> -                                  PAGE_REPORTING_DELAY);
> +                                  msecs_to_jiffies(page_reporting_delay_ms));
>  }
>
>  static DEFINE_MUTEX(page_reporting_mutex);
> _
>

Re: [PATCH v3] mm/page_reporting: Add page_reporting_delay_ms module parameter

[Link Lin]

On Mon, Jul 27, 2026 at 6:13 PM Andrew Morton <akpm@linux-foundation.org> wrote:
> > diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt b/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt
>
> lgtm.  It conflicts with Link Lin's "mm/page_reporting: use
> system_freezable_wq to fix UAF during suspend".  Easy resolution:

Thanks Andrew for handling the conflict resolution!

Sincerely,
Link Lin

Re: [PATCH v3] mm/page_reporting: Add page_reporting_delay_ms module parameter

[Lorenzo Stoakes (ARM)]

On Mon, Jul 27, 2026 at 11:05:45PM +0000, pratmal@google.com wrote:
> From: Pratyush Mallick <pratmal@google.com>
>
> Currently, the free page reporting uses a hardcoded delay of
> (2 HZ) between reporting intervals. While this is a reasonable
> default, it lacks the flexibility to adapt to varying guest workloads.
>
> A low delay allows aggressive memory reclamation, returning unused
> pages to the host as quickly as possible. However, during spiky
> allocation/free churn, this immediate reporting can lead to a severe
> performance penalty (nested page faults) as the guest re-allocates memory
> that the host has just unmapped. In these scenarios, there is benefit
> from increasing the delay to batch free pages over a longer window,
> absorbing the churn without hypercall and re-fault overhead.

Since you're talking about increasing it, maybe set the floor at the current
value of 2s?

>
> This patch exposes the delay as a module parameter:
> /sys/module/page_reporting/parameters/page_reporting_delay_ms, measured
> in milliseconds and defaults to 2000ms.

I'm not sure this is great as it means we now have a parameter we have to
support forever and autotuning becomes harder to implement, also if later the
implementation is changed, this might prevent a reimplementation.

Have you considered actually adding logic to detect the problem you're having
and delay in that case?

It seems like this is the "easy" solution but it has a price too.

>
> Signed-off-by: Pratyush Mallick <pratmal@google.com>
> ---
> v3:
>  - Converted page_reporting_delay_ms from a sysctl to a module parameter.
>  - Dropped the max value cap (PAGE_REPORTING_DELAY_MS_MAX).
>  - Documented page_reporting_delay_ms in kernel-parameters.txt.
>  - Updated code comments in mm/page_reporting.c.
>  - v2: https://lore.kernel.org/linux-mm/3da27fde-25dc-4cb8-8e05-74cd26fc2f7c@kernel.org/T/#t
>
> v2:
>  - Documented page_reporting_delay_ms in Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/vm.rst.
>  - v1: https://lore.kernel.org/linux-mm/20260722192935.1646848-1-pratmal@google.com/T/#u
>
> v1: Fixed feedback from RFC.
>  - Added lower and upper cap to sysctl value.
>  - Reverted the reordering on page_reporting_delay_ms.
>  - Dropped the mod_delayed_work() change.
>  - RFC: https://lore.kernel.org/linux-mm/20260714171456.2350037-1-pratmal@google.com/T/#u
>  .../admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt         |  6 ++++++
>  mm/page_reporting.c                           | 21 ++++++++++++-------
>  2 files changed, 19 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)
>
> diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt b/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt
> index b5493a7f8f22..364c2dce8e70 100644
> --- a/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt
> +++ b/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt
> @@ -4810,6 +4810,12 @@ Kernel parameters
>  			Adjust the minimal page reporting order. The page
>  			reporting is disabled when it exceeds MAX_PAGE_ORDER.
>
> +	page_reporting.page_reporting_delay_ms=
> +			[KNL] Free page reporting delay in milliseconds
> +			Format: <unsigned integer>
> +			Adjust the delay in milliseconds between free page
> +			reporting intervals. Default is 2000 (2 seconds).
> +
>  	panic=		[KNL] Kernel behaviour on panic: delay <timeout>
>  			timeout > 0: seconds before rebooting
>  			timeout = 0: wait forever
> diff --git a/mm/page_reporting.c b/mm/page_reporting.c
> index 942e84b6908a..a67311468204 100644
> --- a/mm/page_reporting.c
> +++ b/mm/page_reporting.c
> @@ -47,7 +47,11 @@ MODULE_PARM_DESC(page_reporting_order, "Set page reporting order");
>   */
>  EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(page_reporting_order);
>
> -#define PAGE_REPORTING_DELAY	(2 * HZ)
> +static unsigned int page_reporting_delay_ms = 2 * MSEC_PER_SEC;
> +module_param(page_reporting_delay_ms, uint, 0644);
> +MODULE_PARM_DESC(page_reporting_delay_ms,
> +		 "Set page reporting delay in milliseconds");
> +
>  static struct page_reporting_dev_info __rcu *pr_dev_info __read_mostly;
>
>  enum {
> @@ -76,11 +80,11 @@ __page_reporting_request(struct page_reporting_dev_info *prdev)
>  		return;
>
>  	/*
> -	 * Delay the start of work to allow a sizable queue to build. For
> -	 * now we are limiting this to running no more than once every
> -	 * couple of seconds.
> +	 * Delay the start of work to allow a sizable queue to build.
> +	 * We limit this based on page_reporting_delay_ms.
>  	 */
> -	schedule_delayed_work(&prdev->work, PAGE_REPORTING_DELAY);
> +	schedule_delayed_work(&prdev->work,
> +			      msecs_to_jiffies(page_reporting_delay_ms));

Err, do we not want to limit this to something sensible? What if the user
specifies 0 does it just hammer the system at that stage?

>  }
>
>  /* notify prdev of free page reporting request */
> @@ -335,12 +339,13 @@ static void page_reporting_process(struct work_struct *work)
>  err_out:
>  	/*
>  	 * If the state has reverted back to requested then there may be
> -	 * additional pages to be processed. We will defer for 2s to allow
> -	 * more pages to accumulate.
> +	 * additional pages to be processed. We will defer by
> +	 * page_reporting_delay_ms to allow more pages to accumulate.
>  	 */
>  	state = atomic_cmpxchg(&prdev->state, state, PAGE_REPORTING_IDLE);
>  	if (state == PAGE_REPORTING_REQUESTED)
> -		schedule_delayed_work(&prdev->work, PAGE_REPORTING_DELAY);
> +		schedule_delayed_work(&prdev->work,
> +				      msecs_to_jiffies(page_reporting_delay_ms));

This code is duplicated, while you've making this change maybe pull this into
its own function?

>  }
>
>  static DEFINE_MUTEX(page_reporting_mutex);
> --
> 2.55.0.229.g6434b31f56-goog
>

Thanks, Lorenzo

Re: [PATCH v3] mm/page_reporting: Add page_reporting_delay_ms module parameter

[Lorenzo Stoakes (ARM)]

(Also this patch should require a tag from Vlasta as it comes under the page
allocator.)

Cheers, Lorenzo

Re: [PATCH v3] mm/page_reporting: Add page_reporting_delay_ms module parameter

[David Hildenbrand (Arm)]

On 7/28/26 13:13, Lorenzo Stoakes (ARM) wrote:
> On Mon, Jul 27, 2026 at 11:05:45PM +0000, pratmal@google.com wrote:
>> From: Pratyush Mallick <pratmal@google.com>
>>
>> Currently, the free page reporting uses a hardcoded delay of
>> (2 HZ) between reporting intervals. While this is a reasonable
>> default, it lacks the flexibility to adapt to varying guest workloads.
>>
>> A low delay allows aggressive memory reclamation, returning unused
>> pages to the host as quickly as possible. However, during spiky
>> allocation/free churn, this immediate reporting can lead to a severe
>> performance penalty (nested page faults) as the guest re-allocates memory
>> that the host has just unmapped. In these scenarios, there is benefit
>> from increasing the delay to batch free pages over a longer window,
>> absorbing the churn without hypercall and re-fault overhead.
> 
> Since you're talking about increasing it, maybe set the floor at the current
> value of 2s?
> 
>>
>> This patch exposes the delay as a module parameter:
>> /sys/module/page_reporting/parameters/page_reporting_delay_ms, measured
>> in milliseconds and defaults to 2000ms.
> 
> I'm not sure this is great as it means we now have a parameter we have to
> support forever and autotuning becomes harder to implement, also if later the
> implementation is changed, this might prevent a reimplementation.

While I'd prefer to keep the implementation as simple as possible unless really
required, I guess auto-tune could be enabled by setting the parameter to e.g.,
-1 in the future.

> 
> Have you considered actually adding logic to detect the problem you're having
> and delay in that case?
> 
> It seems like this is the "easy" solution but it has a price too.
> 
>>
>> Signed-off-by: Pratyush Mallick <pratmal@google.com>
>> ---
>> v3:
>>  - Converted page_reporting_delay_ms from a sysctl to a module parameter.
>>  - Dropped the max value cap (PAGE_REPORTING_DELAY_MS_MAX).
>>  - Documented page_reporting_delay_ms in kernel-parameters.txt.
>>  - Updated code comments in mm/page_reporting.c.
>>  - v2: https://lore.kernel.org/linux-mm/3da27fde-25dc-4cb8-8e05-74cd26fc2f7c@kernel.org/T/#t
>>
>> v2:
>>  - Documented page_reporting_delay_ms in Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/vm.rst.
>>  - v1: https://lore.kernel.org/linux-mm/20260722192935.1646848-1-pratmal@google.com/T/#u
>>
>> v1: Fixed feedback from RFC.
>>  - Added lower and upper cap to sysctl value.
>>  - Reverted the reordering on page_reporting_delay_ms.
>>  - Dropped the mod_delayed_work() change.
>>  - RFC: https://lore.kernel.org/linux-mm/20260714171456.2350037-1-pratmal@google.com/T/#u
>>  .../admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt         |  6 ++++++
>>  mm/page_reporting.c                           | 21 ++++++++++++-------
>>  2 files changed, 19 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)
>>
>> diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt b/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt
>> index b5493a7f8f22..364c2dce8e70 100644
>> --- a/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt
>> +++ b/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt
>> @@ -4810,6 +4810,12 @@ Kernel parameters
>>  			Adjust the minimal page reporting order. The page
>>  			reporting is disabled when it exceeds MAX_PAGE_ORDER.
>>
>> +	page_reporting.page_reporting_delay_ms=
>> +			[KNL] Free page reporting delay in milliseconds
>> +			Format: <unsigned integer>
>> +			Adjust the delay in milliseconds between free page
>> +			reporting intervals. Default is 2000 (2 seconds).
>> +
>>  	panic=		[KNL] Kernel behaviour on panic: delay <timeout>
>>  			timeout > 0: seconds before rebooting
>>  			timeout = 0: wait forever
>> diff --git a/mm/page_reporting.c b/mm/page_reporting.c
>> index 942e84b6908a..a67311468204 100644
>> --- a/mm/page_reporting.c
>> +++ b/mm/page_reporting.c
>> @@ -47,7 +47,11 @@ MODULE_PARM_DESC(page_reporting_order, "Set page reporting order");
>>   */
>>  EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(page_reporting_order);
>>
>> -#define PAGE_REPORTING_DELAY	(2 * HZ)
>> +static unsigned int page_reporting_delay_ms = 2 * MSEC_PER_SEC;
>> +module_param(page_reporting_delay_ms, uint, 0644);
>> +MODULE_PARM_DESC(page_reporting_delay_ms,
>> +		 "Set page reporting delay in milliseconds");
>> +
>>  static struct page_reporting_dev_info __rcu *pr_dev_info __read_mostly;
>>
>>  enum {
>> @@ -76,11 +80,11 @@ __page_reporting_request(struct page_reporting_dev_info *prdev)
>>  		return;
>>
>>  	/*
>> -	 * Delay the start of work to allow a sizable queue to build. For
>> -	 * now we are limiting this to running no more than once every
>> -	 * couple of seconds.
>> +	 * Delay the start of work to allow a sizable queue to build.
>> +	 * We limit this based on page_reporting_delay_ms.
>>  	 */
>> -	schedule_delayed_work(&prdev->work, PAGE_REPORTING_DELAY);
>> +	schedule_delayed_work(&prdev->work,
>> +			      msecs_to_jiffies(page_reporting_delay_ms));
> 
> Err, do we not want to limit this to something sensible? What if the user
> specifies 0 does it just hammer the system at that stage?

IIUC, 0 just means "as soon there is a suitable free page block to report, start
reporting immediately".

With 2s, we wait 2s before we start reporting immediately by kicking the
workqueue immediately.

So "0" does not mean "report all the time", rather "start reporting immediately
as we are notified about a pageblock to report".

-- 
Cheers,

David

Re: [PATCH v3] mm/page_reporting: Add page_reporting_delay_ms module parameter

[Pratyush Mallick]

On Tue, Jul 28, 2026 at 11:55 AM David Hildenbrand (Arm)
<david@kernel.org> wrote:
>
> On 7/28/26 13:13, Lorenzo Stoakes (ARM) wrote:
> > On Mon, Jul 27, 2026 at 11:05:45PM +0000, pratmal@google.com wrote:
> >> From: Pratyush Mallick <pratmal@google.com>
> >>
> >> Currently, the free page reporting uses a hardcoded delay of
> >> (2 HZ) between reporting intervals. While this is a reasonable
> >> default, it lacks the flexibility to adapt to varying guest workloads.
> >>
> >> A low delay allows aggressive memory reclamation, returning unused
> >> pages to the host as quickly as possible. However, during spiky
> >> allocation/free churn, this immediate reporting can lead to a severe
> >> performance penalty (nested page faults) as the guest re-allocates memory
> >> that the host has just unmapped. In these scenarios, there is benefit
> >> from increasing the delay to batch free pages over a longer window,
> >> absorbing the churn without hypercall and re-fault overhead.
> >
> > Since you're talking about increasing it, maybe set the floor at the current
> > value of 2s?

We benefit equally by setting the value to zero as well. This would immediately
report the pages being freed back to the host without any delay. This helps when
the host is under pressure, as any immediate memory release would help it.

> >>
> >> This patch exposes the delay as a module parameter:
> >> /sys/module/page_reporting/parameters/page_reporting_delay_ms, measured
> >> in milliseconds and defaults to 2000ms.
> >
> > I'm not sure this is great as it means we now have a parameter we have to
> > support forever and autotuning becomes harder to implement, also if later the
> > implementation is changed, this might prevent a reimplementation.
>
> While I'd prefer to keep the implementation as simple as possible unless really
> required, I guess auto-tune could be enabled by setting the parameter to e.g.,
> -1 in the future.

The case we're trying to solve involves tuning free page reporting based on host
memory pressure. I think the host is the primary beneficiary of free page
reporting, so if we wanted to dynamically autotune this delay, we would need
some mechanism from the host to enlighten the guest about its current memory
pressure and the autotuner would build its heuristics around it.
As far as I understand, no such mechanism currently exists. While
we do have ballooning, it requires the guest to actively allocate memory under
pressure, which makes it a comparatively slower mechanism and wouldn't help
much for simply adjusting the reporting rate of already free pages.

> >>      /*
> >> -     * Delay the start of work to allow a sizable queue to build. For
> >> -     * now we are limiting this to running no more than once every
> >> -     * couple of seconds.
> >> +     * Delay the start of work to allow a sizable queue to build.
> >> +     * We limit this based on page_reporting_delay_ms.
> >>       */
> >> -    schedule_delayed_work(&prdev->work, PAGE_REPORTING_DELAY);
> >> +    schedule_delayed_work(&prdev->work,
> >> +                          msecs_to_jiffies(page_reporting_delay_ms));
> >
> > Err, do we not want to limit this to something sensible? What if the user
> > specifies 0 does it just hammer the system at that stage?
>
> IIUC, 0 just means "as soon there is a suitable free page block to report, start
> reporting immediately".
>
> With 2s, we wait 2s before we start reporting immediately by kicking the
> workqueue immediately.
>
> So "0" does not mean "report all the time", rather "start reporting immediately
> as we are notified about a pageblock to report".

Right. Setting the delay to 0 does not hammer the system. The execution
is constrained by two checks:
1. The worker is only scheduled when high-order pages (default is >= 2MB) are
freed. This makes scheduling relatively infrequent compared to normal 4K
page allocations.
2. Even when the worker wakes up, the actual expensive operations, such
as page isolation, acquiring locks, and hypercalls to report pages, are
guarded by the watermark check in page_reporting_process_zone(). We only
proceed with reporting if the zone has enough free pages to fill the
capacity batches (32 slots by default). If the watermark is not met,
the worker simply
exits and returns to the IDLE state without issuing any hypercalls.

> >>       state = atomic_cmpxchg(&prdev->state, state, PAGE_REPORTING_IDLE);
> >>       if (state == PAGE_REPORTING_REQUESTED)
> >> -             schedule_delayed_work(&prdev->work, PAGE_REPORTING_DELAY);
> >> +             schedule_delayed_work(&prdev->work,
> >> +                                   msecs_to_jiffies(page_reporting_delay_ms));
> >
> > This code is duplicated, while you've making this change maybe pull this into
> > its own function?
> >

Thanks. I can create a new function for this and send a V4.

Regards,
Pratyush