On Thu 22 Feb 2018 03:17:57 PM CET, Kevin Wolf wrote: >> > While we're at it, would l2-cache-entry-size = MIN(cluster_size, >> > 64k) make sense as a default? >> >> Any reason why you choose 64k, or is it because it's the default >> cluster size? >> >> In general I'd be cautious to reduce the default entry size >> unconditionally because with rotating HDDs it may even have a >> negative (although slight) effect on performance. But the larger the >> cluster, the larger the area mapped by L2 entries, so we need less >> metadata and it makes more sense to read less in general. >> >> In summary: while I think it's probably a good idea, it would be good >> to make some tests before changing the default. > > The exact value of 64k is more or less because it's the default > cluster size, yes. Not changing anything for the default cluster size > makes it a bit easier to justify. > > What I really want to fix is the 2 MB entry size with the maximum > cluster size, because that's just unreasonably large. It's not > completely clear what the ideal size is, but when we increased the > default cluster size from 4k, the optimal values (on rotating hard > disks back then) were 64k or 128k. So I assume that it's somewhere > around these sizes that unnecessary I/O starts to hurt more than > reading one big chunk instead of two smaller ones helps. > > Of course, guest I/O a few years ago and metadata I/O today aren't > exactly the same thing, so I agree that a change should be measured > first. But 64k-128k feels right as an educated guess where to start.
Yes, I agree. >> > So should we default to this minimum on the grounds that for most >> > people, refcounts blocks are probably only accessed sequentially in >> > practice? The remaining memory of the total cache size seems to >> > help the average case more if it's added to the L2 cache instead. >> >> That sounds like a good idea. We should double check that the minimum >> is indeed the required minimum, and run some tests, but otherwise I'm >> all for it. >> >> I think I can take care of this if you want. > > That would be good. > > I'm pretty confident that the minimum is enough because it's also the > default for 64k clusters. Maybe it's too high if I miscalculated back > then, but I haven't seen a crash report related to running out of > refcount block cache entries. Ok, I'll take a look. Berto
