On 04/26/2017 at 04:09 PM, Ingo Molnar wrote:
> * Xunlei Pang <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> The current kernel_ident_mapping_init() creates the identity
>> mapping using 2MB page(PMD level), this patch adds the 1GB
>> page(PUD level) support.
>>
>> This is useful on large machines to save some reserved memory
>> (as paging structures) in the kdump case when kexec setups up
>> identity mappings before booting into the new kernel.
>>
>> We will utilize this new support in the following patch.
> Well, the primary advantage would be better TLB coverage/performance, because 
> we'd 
> utilize 1GB TLBs instead of 2MB ones, right?
>
> Any kexec fallout is secondary.
>
> And I'd like to hear more about the primary advantage: what are the effects 
> of 
> this change on a typical test system you have access to:
>
> - For example what percentage of the identity mapping was 4K mapped (if any) 
> and
>   2MB mapped - and how did this change due to the patch - how many 2MB 
> mappings
>   remained and how many 1GB mappings were added?
>
> - Is there anything else we could do to improve the in-RAM layout of kernel 
> data 
>   structures. For example IIRC the CPU breaks up all TLBs under 2MB physical 
> into 
>   4K TLBs. Is this the current limit and could we just reserve all that space 
> and 
>   not use it for anything important? 2MB of RAM wasted is a very small amount 
> of 
>   space, compared to the potential performance advantages.

Currently kernel_ident_mapping_init() only setups PMD large pages, seems there 
are no 4KB
mapped or others. Do you mean 
init_memory_mapping()->kernel_physical_mapping_init()?

The new struct x86_mapping_info::direct_gbpages added has the default value 
false, it has no
effect on the existing code, after patch 2, there will be 1GB pages(1GB TLBs) 
for kexec ident
mapping if direct_gbpages is true.

>
>>      void *(*alloc_pgt_page)(void *); /* allocate buf for page table */
>>      void *context;                   /* context for alloc_pgt_page */
>> -    unsigned long pmd_flag;          /* page flag for PMD entry */
>> +    unsigned long page_flag;         /* page flag for PMD or PUD entry */
>>      unsigned long offset;            /* ident mapping offset */
>> +    bool direct_gbpages;            /* PUD level 1GB page support */
> Doesn't follow the existing alignment.

Ah, yes, missed the space. Thanks!

Regards,
Xunlei

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