Re: [PATCH 8/9] cxl/core: Add dax_kmem_region and sysram_region drivers

Jonathan Cameron
2026-02-02T18:20:20Z

On Thu, 29 Jan 2026 16:04:41 -0500
Gregory Price <gourry@gourry.net> wrote:

> In the current kmem driver binding process, the only way for users
> to define hotplug policy is via a build-time option, or by not
> onlining memory by default and setting each individual memory block
> online after hotplug occurs. We can solve this with a configuration
> step between region-probe and dax-probe.
>
> Add the infrastructure for a two-stage driver binding for kmem-mode
> dax regions. The cxl_dax_kmem_region driver probes cxl_sysram_region
> devices and creates cxl_dax_region with dax_driver=kmem.
>
> This creates an interposition step where users can configure policy.
>
> Device hierarchy:
> region0 -> sysram_region0 -> dax_region0 -> dax0.0
>
> The sysram_region device exposes a sysfs 'online_type' attribute
> that allows users to configure the memory online type before the
> underlying dax_region is created and memory is hotplugged.
>
> sysram_region0/online_type:
> invalid: not configured, blocks probe
> offline: memory will not be onlined automatically
> online: memory will be onlined in ZONE_NORMAL
> online_movable: memory will be onlined in ZONE_MMOVABLE

ZONE_MOVABLE

>
> The device initializes with online_type=invalid which prevents the
> cxl_dax_kmem_region driver from binding until the user explicitly
> configures a valid online_type.
>
> This enables a two-step binding process:
> echo region0 > cxl_sysram_region/bind
> echo online_movable > sysram_region0/online_type
> echo sysram_region0 > cxl_dax_kmem_region/bind
>
> Signed-off-by: Gregory Price <gourry@gourry.net>
Trivial stuff. Will mull over this series as a whole...
My first instinctive reaction is positive - I'm just wondering
where additional drivers fit into this and whether it has the
right degree of flexibility.

> diff --git a/drivers/cxl/core/region.c b/drivers/cxl/core/region.c
> index 6200ca1cc2dd..8bef91dc726c 100644
> --- a/drivers/cxl/core/region.c
> +++ b/drivers/cxl/core/region.c
> @@ -3734,8 +3734,20 @@ int cxl_region_init(void)
> if (rc)
> goto err_dax;
>
> + rc = cxl_driver_register(&cxl_sysram_region_driver);

This smells like a loop over an array of drivers is becoming sensible.

> + if (rc)
> + goto err_sysram;
> +
> + rc = cxl_driver_register(&cxl_dax_kmem_region_driver);
> + if (rc)
> + goto err_dax_kmem;
> +
> return 0;
>
> +err_dax_kmem:
> + cxl_driver_unregister(&cxl_sysram_region_driver);
> +err_sysram:
> + cxl_driver_unregister(&cxl_devdax_region_driver);
> err_dax:
> cxl_driver_unregister(&cxl_region_driver);
> return rc;
> @@ -3743,6 +3755,8 @@ int cxl_region_init(void)
>
> void cxl_region_exit(void)
> {
> + cxl_driver_unregister(&cxl_dax_kmem_region_driver);
> + cxl_driver_unregister(&cxl_sysram_region_driver);
> cxl_driver_unregister(&cxl_devdax_region_driver);
> cxl_driver_unregister(&cxl_region_driver);
> }
> diff --git a/drivers/cxl/core/sysram_region.c b/drivers/cxl/core/sysram_region.c
> new file mode 100644
> index 000000000000..5665db238d0f
> --- /dev/null
> +++ b/drivers/cxl/core/sysram_region.c
> @@ -0,0 +1,180 @@
> +// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
> +/* Copyright(c) 2026 Meta Platforms, Inc. All rights reserved. */
> +/*
> + * CXL Sysram Region - Intermediate device for kmem hotplug configuration
> + *
> + * This provides an intermediate device between cxl_region and cxl_dax_region
> + * that allows users to configure memory hotplug parameters (like online_type)
> + * before the underlying dax_region is created and memory is hotplugged.
> + */
> +
> +#include <linux/memory_hotplug.h>
> +#include <linux/device.h>
> +#include <linux/slab.h>
> +#include <cxlmem.h>
> +#include <cxl.h>
> +#include "core.h"

> +
> +static DEVICE_ATTR_RW(online_type);
> +
> +static struct attribute *cxl_sysram_region_attrs[] = {
> + &dev_attr_online_type.attr,
> + NULL,

As below.

> +};
> +
> +static const struct attribute_group cxl_sysram_region_attribute_group = {
> + .attrs = cxl_sysram_region_attrs,
> +};
> +
> +static const struct attribute_group *cxl_sysram_region_attribute_groups[] = {
> + &cxl_base_attribute_group,
> + &cxl_sysram_region_attribute_group,
> + NULL,

Trivial, but don't want a comma on that NULL.

> +};

> diff --git a/drivers/cxl/cxl.h b/drivers/cxl/cxl.h
> index 674d5f870c70..1544c27e9c89 100644
> --- a/drivers/cxl/cxl.h
> +++ b/drivers/cxl/cxl.h
> @@ -596,6 +596,25 @@ struct cxl_dax_region {
> enum dax_driver_type dax_driver;
> };
>
> +/**
> + * struct cxl_sysram_region - CXL RAM region for system memory hotplug
> + * @dev: device for this sysram_region
> + * @cxlr: parent cxl_region
> + * @hpa_range: Host physical address range for the region
> + * @online_type: Memory online type (MMOP_* 0-3, or -1 if not configured)

Ah. An there's our reason for an int. Can we just add a MMOP enum value
for not configured yet and so let us use it as an enum?
Or have a separate bool for that and ignore the online_type until it's set.

> + *
> + * Intermediate device that allows configuration of memory hotplug
> + * parameters before the underlying dax_region is created. The device
> + * starts with online_type=-1 which prevents the cxl_dax_kmem_region
> + * driver from binding until the user explicitly sets online_type.
> + */
> +struct cxl_sysram_region {
> + struct device dev;
> + struct cxl_region *cxlr;
> + struct range hpa_range;
> + int online_type;
> +};