Re: [PATCH v3 22/29] selftests/resctrl: Rewrite Cache Allocation Technology (CAT) test

Reinette Chatre
2023-12-13T21:57:09Z

Hi Ilpo,

On 12/11/2023 4:18 AM, Ilpo Järvinen wrote:
> CAT test spawns two processes into two different control groups with
> exclusive schemata. Both the processes alloc a buffer from memory
> matching their allocated LLC block size and flush the entire buffer out
> of caches. Since the processes are reading through the buffer only once
> during the measurement and initially all the buffer was flushed, the
> test isn't testing CAT.
>
> Rewrite the CAT test to allocate a buffer sized to half of LLC. Then
> perform a sequence of tests with different LLC alloc sizes starting
> from half of the CBM bits down to 1-bit CBM. Flush the buffer before
> each test and read the buffer twice. Observe the LLC misses on the
> second read through the buffer. As the allocated LLC block gets smaller
> and smaller, the LLC misses will become larger and larger giving a
> strong signal on CAT working properly.
>
> The new CAT test is using only a single process because it relies on
> measured effect against another run of itself rather than another
> process adding noise. The rest of the system is set to use the CBM bits
> not used by the CAT test to keep the test isolated.
>
> Replace count_bits() with count_contiguous_bits() to get the first bit
> position in order to be able to calculate masks based on it.
>
> This change has been tested with a number of systems from different
> generations.
>
> Suggested-by: Reinette Chatre <reinette.chatre@intel.com>
> Signed-off-by: Ilpo Järvinen <ilpo.jarvinen@linux.intel.com>
> ---

Thank you!

Reviewed-by: Reinette Chatre <reinette.chatre@intel.com>

Reinette