Re: Negative scalability by removal of lock_kernel()?(Was: Strange performance behavior of 2.4.0-test9)

Andrew Morton
2000-10-27T10:25:05Z

Andi Kleen wrote:
>
> When you have two CPUs contending on common paths it is better to do:
> [ spinlock stuff ]

Andi, if the lock_kernel() is removed then the first time the CPUs will butt heads is on a semaphore. This is much more expensive.

I bet if acquire_fl_sem() and release_fl_sem() are turned into lock_kernel()/unlock_kernel() then the scalability will come back.