Re: [Qemu-devel] [PATCH] kvm: rename HINTS_DEDICATED to KVM_HINTS_REALTIME

Re: [Qemu-devel] [PATCH] kvm: rename HINTS_DEDICATED to KVM_HINTS_REALTIME

[Eduardo Habkost]

CCing qemu-devel, as I'm now discussing userspace.

On Thu, May 17, 2018 at 10:55:33PM +0300, Michael S. Tsirkin wrote:
> On Thu, May 17, 2018 at 03:46:58PM -0300, Eduardo Habkost wrote:
> > On Thu, May 17, 2018 at 05:54:24PM +0300, Michael S. Tsirkin wrote:
> > > HINTS_DEDICATED seems to be somewhat confusing:
> > > 
> > > Guest doesn't really care whether it's the only task running on a host
> > > CPU as long as it's not preempted.
> > > 
> > > And there are more reasons for Guest to be preempted than host CPU
> > > sharing, for example, with memory overcommit it can get preempted on a
> > > memory access, post copy migration can cause preemption, etc.
> > > 
> > > Let's call it KVM_HINTS_REALTIME which seems to better
> > > match what guests expect.
> > > 
> > > Also, the flag most be set on all vCPUs - current guests assume th.
> > > Note so in the documentation.
> > > 
> > > Signed-off-by: Michael S. Tsirkin <mst@redhat.com>
> > > ---
> > >  Documentation/virtual/kvm/cpuid.txt  | 6 +++---
> > >  arch/x86/include/uapi/asm/kvm_para.h | 2 +-
> > >  arch/x86/kernel/kvm.c                | 8 ++++----
> > >  3 files changed, 8 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)
> > > 
> > > diff --git a/Documentation/virtual/kvm/cpuid.txt b/Documentation/virtual/kvm/cpuid.txt
> > > index d4f33eb8..ab022dc 100644
> > > --- a/Documentation/virtual/kvm/cpuid.txt
> > > +++ b/Documentation/virtual/kvm/cpuid.txt
> > > @@ -72,8 +72,8 @@ KVM_FEATURE_CLOCKSOURCE_STABLE_BIT ||    24 || host will warn if no guest-side
> > >  
> > >  flag                               || value || meaning
> > >  ==================================================================================
> > > -KVM_HINTS_DEDICATED                ||     0 || guest checks this feature bit to
> > > -                                   ||       || determine if there is vCPU pinning
> > > -                                   ||       || and there is no vCPU over-commitment,
> > > +KVM_HINTS_REALTIME                 ||     0 || guest checks this feature bit to
> > > +                                   ||       || determine that vCPUs are never
> > > +                                   ||       || preempted for an unlimited time,
> > >                                     ||       || allowing optimizations
> > 
> > My understanding of the original patch is that the intention is
> > to tell the guest that it is very unlikely to be preempted,
> > so it
> > can choose a more appropriate spinlock implementation.  This
> > description implies that the guest will never be preempted, which
> > is much stronger guarantee.
> 
> Note:
> 
> ...  for an unlimited time.

Which still sounds like a stronger guarantee than the original
description.  But:

> 
> > 
> > Isn't this new description incompatible with existing usage of
> > the hint, which might include people who just use vCPU pinning
> > but no mlock?
> 
> Without mlock you should always use pv spinlocks.
> 
> Otherwise you risk blocking on a lock taken by
> a VCPU that is in turn blocked on IO, where the IO
> is not completing because CPU is being used up
> spinning.

So the stronger guarantee seems necessary.

Now what should host userspace do if the user is trying to run an
existing configuration where the CPUID hint was set but memory is
not pinned?

-- 
Eduardo

Re: [Qemu-devel] [PATCH] kvm: rename HINTS_DEDICATED to KVM_HINTS_REALTIME

[Michael S. Tsirkin]

On Fri, May 18, 2018 at 01:04:31PM -0300, Eduardo Habkost wrote:
> CCing qemu-devel, as I'm now discussing userspace.
> 
> On Thu, May 17, 2018 at 10:55:33PM +0300, Michael S. Tsirkin wrote:
> > On Thu, May 17, 2018 at 03:46:58PM -0300, Eduardo Habkost wrote:
> > > On Thu, May 17, 2018 at 05:54:24PM +0300, Michael S. Tsirkin wrote:
> > > > HINTS_DEDICATED seems to be somewhat confusing:
> > > > 
> > > > Guest doesn't really care whether it's the only task running on a host
> > > > CPU as long as it's not preempted.
> > > > 
> > > > And there are more reasons for Guest to be preempted than host CPU
> > > > sharing, for example, with memory overcommit it can get preempted on a
> > > > memory access, post copy migration can cause preemption, etc.
> > > > 
> > > > Let's call it KVM_HINTS_REALTIME which seems to better
> > > > match what guests expect.
> > > > 
> > > > Also, the flag most be set on all vCPUs - current guests assume th.
> > > > Note so in the documentation.
> > > > 
> > > > Signed-off-by: Michael S. Tsirkin <mst@redhat.com>
> > > > ---
> > > >  Documentation/virtual/kvm/cpuid.txt  | 6 +++---
> > > >  arch/x86/include/uapi/asm/kvm_para.h | 2 +-
> > > >  arch/x86/kernel/kvm.c                | 8 ++++----
> > > >  3 files changed, 8 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)
> > > > 
> > > > diff --git a/Documentation/virtual/kvm/cpuid.txt b/Documentation/virtual/kvm/cpuid.txt
> > > > index d4f33eb8..ab022dc 100644
> > > > --- a/Documentation/virtual/kvm/cpuid.txt
> > > > +++ b/Documentation/virtual/kvm/cpuid.txt
> > > > @@ -72,8 +72,8 @@ KVM_FEATURE_CLOCKSOURCE_STABLE_BIT ||    24 || host will warn if no guest-side
> > > >  
> > > >  flag                               || value || meaning
> > > >  ==================================================================================
> > > > -KVM_HINTS_DEDICATED                ||     0 || guest checks this feature bit to
> > > > -                                   ||       || determine if there is vCPU pinning
> > > > -                                   ||       || and there is no vCPU over-commitment,
> > > > +KVM_HINTS_REALTIME                 ||     0 || guest checks this feature bit to
> > > > +                                   ||       || determine that vCPUs are never
> > > > +                                   ||       || preempted for an unlimited time,
> > > >                                     ||       || allowing optimizations
> > > 
> > > My understanding of the original patch is that the intention is
> > > to tell the guest that it is very unlikely to be preempted,
> > > so it
> > > can choose a more appropriate spinlock implementation.  This
> > > description implies that the guest will never be preempted, which
> > > is much stronger guarantee.
> > 
> > Note:
> > 
> > ...  for an unlimited time.
> 
> Which still sounds like a stronger guarantee than the original
> description.  But:
> 
> > 
> > > 
> > > Isn't this new description incompatible with existing usage of
> > > the hint, which might include people who just use vCPU pinning
> > > but no mlock?
> > 
> > Without mlock you should always use pv spinlocks.
> > 
> > Otherwise you risk blocking on a lock taken by
> > a VCPU that is in turn blocked on IO, where the IO
> > is not completing because CPU is being used up
> > spinning.
> 
> So the stronger guarantee seems necessary.
> 
> Now what should host userspace do if the user is trying to run an
> existing configuration where the CPUID hint was set but memory is
> not pinned?
> 
> -- 
> Eduardo

As much as we'd like to be helpful and validate input, you need a real
time host too. I'm not sure how we'd find out - I suggest we do not
bother for now.

-- 
MST

Re: [Qemu-devel] [PATCH] kvm: rename HINTS_DEDICATED to KVM_HINTS_REALTIME

[Eduardo Habkost]

On Fri, May 18, 2018 at 08:01:49PM +0300, Michael S. Tsirkin wrote:
> On Fri, May 18, 2018 at 01:04:31PM -0300, Eduardo Habkost wrote:
> > CCing qemu-devel, as I'm now discussing userspace.
> > 
> > On Thu, May 17, 2018 at 10:55:33PM +0300, Michael S. Tsirkin wrote:
> > > On Thu, May 17, 2018 at 03:46:58PM -0300, Eduardo Habkost wrote:
> > > > On Thu, May 17, 2018 at 05:54:24PM +0300, Michael S. Tsirkin wrote:
> > > > > HINTS_DEDICATED seems to be somewhat confusing:
> > > > > 
> > > > > Guest doesn't really care whether it's the only task running on a host
> > > > > CPU as long as it's not preempted.
> > > > > 
> > > > > And there are more reasons for Guest to be preempted than host CPU
> > > > > sharing, for example, with memory overcommit it can get preempted on a
> > > > > memory access, post copy migration can cause preemption, etc.
> > > > > 
> > > > > Let's call it KVM_HINTS_REALTIME which seems to better
> > > > > match what guests expect.
> > > > > 
> > > > > Also, the flag most be set on all vCPUs - current guests assume th.
> > > > > Note so in the documentation.
> > > > > 
> > > > > Signed-off-by: Michael S. Tsirkin <mst@redhat.com>
> > > > > ---
> > > > >  Documentation/virtual/kvm/cpuid.txt  | 6 +++---
> > > > >  arch/x86/include/uapi/asm/kvm_para.h | 2 +-
> > > > >  arch/x86/kernel/kvm.c                | 8 ++++----
> > > > >  3 files changed, 8 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)
> > > > > 
> > > > > diff --git a/Documentation/virtual/kvm/cpuid.txt b/Documentation/virtual/kvm/cpuid.txt
> > > > > index d4f33eb8..ab022dc 100644
> > > > > --- a/Documentation/virtual/kvm/cpuid.txt
> > > > > +++ b/Documentation/virtual/kvm/cpuid.txt
> > > > > @@ -72,8 +72,8 @@ KVM_FEATURE_CLOCKSOURCE_STABLE_BIT ||    24 || host will warn if no guest-side
> > > > >  
> > > > >  flag                               || value || meaning
> > > > >  ==================================================================================
> > > > > -KVM_HINTS_DEDICATED                ||     0 || guest checks this feature bit to
> > > > > -                                   ||       || determine if there is vCPU pinning
> > > > > -                                   ||       || and there is no vCPU over-commitment,
> > > > > +KVM_HINTS_REALTIME                 ||     0 || guest checks this feature bit to
> > > > > +                                   ||       || determine that vCPUs are never
> > > > > +                                   ||       || preempted for an unlimited time,
> > > > >                                     ||       || allowing optimizations
> > > > 
> > > > My understanding of the original patch is that the intention is
> > > > to tell the guest that it is very unlikely to be preempted,
> > > > so it
> > > > can choose a more appropriate spinlock implementation.  This
> > > > description implies that the guest will never be preempted, which
> > > > is much stronger guarantee.
> > > 
> > > Note:
> > > 
> > > ...  for an unlimited time.
> > 
> > Which still sounds like a stronger guarantee than the original
> > description.  But:
> > 
> > > 
> > > > 
> > > > Isn't this new description incompatible with existing usage of
> > > > the hint, which might include people who just use vCPU pinning
> > > > but no mlock?
> > > 
> > > Without mlock you should always use pv spinlocks.
> > > 
> > > Otherwise you risk blocking on a lock taken by
> > > a VCPU that is in turn blocked on IO, where the IO
> > > is not completing because CPU is being used up
> > > spinning.
> > 
> > So the stronger guarantee seems necessary.
> > 
> > Now what should host userspace do if the user is trying to run an
> > existing configuration where the CPUID hint was set but memory is
> > not pinned?
> 
> As much as we'd like to be helpful and validate input, you need a real
> time host too. I'm not sure how we'd find out - I suggest we do not
> bother for now.

I'm worried that people will start enabling the flag in all kinds
of scenarios where the guarantees can't be kept, and make the
meaning of the flag in practice completely different from its
documented meaning.

So I'd like to either detect cases where it's obviously wrong to
enable the flag, or document the requirements very clearly on
QEMU documentation.

-- 
Eduardo

Re: [Qemu-devel] [PATCH] kvm: rename HINTS_DEDICATED to KVM_HINTS_REALTIME

[Paolo Bonzini]

On 18/05/2018 18:04, Eduardo Habkost wrote:
>> Without mlock you should always use pv spinlocks.
>>
>> Otherwise you risk blocking on a lock taken by
>> a VCPU that is in turn blocked on IO, where the IO
>> is not completing because CPU is being used up
>> spinning.
>
> So the stronger guarantee seems necessary.
> 
> Now what should host userspace do if the user is trying to run an
> existing configuration where the CPUID hint was set but memory is
> not pinned?

As mentioned elsewhere in the thread, there are many ways to pin memory,
and mlock is not always necessary.  However, I agree with Michael in
making the hint provide a stronger guarantee.

Paolo

Re: [Qemu-devel] [PATCH] kvm: rename HINTS_DEDICATED to KVM_HINTS_REALTIME

[Paolo Bonzini]

On 18/05/2018 19:13, Eduardo Habkost wrote:
>> As much as we'd like to be helpful and validate input, you need a real
>> time host too. I'm not sure how we'd find out - I suggest we do not
>> bother for now.
> I'm worried that people will start enabling the flag in all kinds
> of scenarios where the guarantees can't be kept, and make the
> meaning of the flag in practice completely different from its
> documented meaning.

I don't think we should try to detect anything.  As far as QEMU is
concerned, it's mostly garbage in, garbage out when it comes to invalid
configurations.  It's just a bit, and using it in invalid configurations
is okay if you're doing it (for example) for debugging.

Paolo

Re: [Qemu-devel] [PATCH] kvm: rename HINTS_DEDICATED to KVM_HINTS_REALTIME

[Eduardo Habkost]

On Fri, May 18, 2018 at 07:18:57PM +0200, Paolo Bonzini wrote:
> On 18/05/2018 19:13, Eduardo Habkost wrote:
> >> As much as we'd like to be helpful and validate input, you need a real
> >> time host too. I'm not sure how we'd find out - I suggest we do not
> >> bother for now.
> > I'm worried that people will start enabling the flag in all kinds
> > of scenarios where the guarantees can't be kept, and make the
> > meaning of the flag in practice completely different from its
> > documented meaning.
> 
> I don't think we should try to detect anything.  As far as QEMU is
> concerned, it's mostly garbage in, garbage out when it comes to invalid
> configurations.  It's just a bit, and using it in invalid configurations
> is okay if you're doing it (for example) for debugging.

In this case, I'd like the requirements and recommendations to be
included in QEMU documentation.  Especially to point out the most
obvious and more likely mistakes (like not ensuring memory is
pinned at all, or letting the vCPU threads be interrupted).

So, is there a known list of steps required to configure a host
to enable kvm-hints-realtime safely, already?  I'd like the
documentation to be better than "you should fiddle with the CPU
affinity on your system and also ensure memory will be pinned;
good luck".

-- 
Eduardo