Re: [PATCH] mm: remove zone->prev_prioriy

KAMEZAWA Hiroyuki
2009-02-12T00:02:04Z

On Wed, 11 Feb 2009 20:23:39 +0900 (JST)
KOSAKI Motohiro <kosaki.motohiro@jp.fujitsu.com> wrote:

> > On Wed, 11 Feb 2009 20:06:46 +0900 (JST) KOSAKI Motohiro <kosaki.motohiro@jp.fujitsu.com> wrote:
> >
> > > > On Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:57:01 +0900
> > > > MinChan Kim <minchan.kim@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > As you know, prev_priority is used as a measure of how much stress page reclaim.
> > > > > But now we doesn't need it due to split-lru's way.
> > > > >
> > > > > I think it would be better to remain why prev_priority isn't needed any more
> > > > > and how split-lru can replace prev_priority's role in changelog.
> > > > >
> > > > > In future, it help mm newbies understand change history, I think.
> > > >
> > > > Yes, I'd be fascinated to see that explanation.
> > > >
> > > > In http://groups.google.pn/group/linux.kernel/browse_thread/thread/fea9c9a0b43162a1
> > > > it was asserted that we intend to use prev_priority again in the future.
> > > >
> > > > We discussed this back in November:
> > > > http://lkml.indiana.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/0811.2/index.html#00001
> > > >
> > > > And I think that I still think that the VM got worse due to its (new)
> > > > failure to track previous state. IIRC, the response to that concern
> > > > was quite similar to handwavy waffling.
> > >
> > > Yes.
> > > I still think it's valuable code.
> > > I think, In theory, VM sould take parallel reclaim bonus.
> >
> > prev_priority had nothing to do with concurrent reclaim?
> >
> > It was there so that when a task enters direct reclaim against a zone,
> > it will immediately adopt the state which the task which most recently
> > ran direct reclaim had.
> >
> > Without this feature, each time a task enters direct reclaim it will need
> > to "relearn" that state - ramping up, making probably-incorrect
> > decisions as it does so.
>
> Yes, I perfectly agree to you.
> theorically, prev_priority is very valuable stuff.
>

Ok, please implement the lost logic again.

-Kame