Re: [LSF/MM/BFP ATTEND] [LSF/MM/BFP TOPIC] Storage: Copy Offload

[Nikos Tsironis <ntsironis@arrikto.com>]

On 1/27/22 09:14, Chaitanya Kulkarni wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> * Background :-
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Copy offload is a feature that allows file-systems or storage devices
> to be instructed to copy files/logical blocks without requiring
> involvement of the local CPU.
> 
> With reference to the RISC-V summit keynote [1] single threaded
> performance is limiting due to Denard scaling and multi-threaded
> performance is slowing down due Moore's law limitations. With the rise
> of SNIA Computation Technical Storage Working Group (TWG) [2],
> offloading computations to the device or over the fabrics is becoming
> popular as there are several solutions available [2]. One of the common
> operation which is popular in the kernel and is not merged yet is Copy
> offload over the fabrics or on to the device.
> 
> * Problem :-
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> The original work which is done by Martin is present here [3]. The
> latest work which is posted by Mikulas [4] is not merged yet. These two
> approaches are totally different from each other. Several storage
> vendors discourage mixing copy offload requests with regular READ/WRITE
> I/O. Also, the fact that the operation fails if a copy request ever
> needs to be split as it traverses the stack it has the unfortunate
> side-effect of preventing copy offload from working in pretty much
> every common deployment configuration out there.
> 
> * Current state of the work :-
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> With [3] being hard to handle arbitrary DM/MD stacking without
> splitting the command in two, one for copying IN and one for copying
> OUT. Which is then demonstrated by the [4] why [3] it is not a suitable
> candidate. Also, with [4] there is an unresolved problem with the
> two-command approach about how to handle changes to the DM layout
> between an IN and OUT operations.
> 
> We have conducted a call with interested people late last year since
> lack of LSFMMM and we would like to share the details with broader
> community members.
> 
> * Why Linux Kernel Storage System needs Copy Offload support now ?
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> With the rise of the SNIA Computational Storage TWG and solutions [2],
> existing SCSI XCopy support in the protocol, recent advancement in the
> Linux Kernel File System for Zoned devices (Zonefs [5]), Peer to Peer
> DMA support in the Linux Kernel mainly for NVMe devices [7] and
> eventually NVMe Devices and subsystem (NVMe PCIe/NVMeOF) will benefit
> from Copy offload operation.
> 
> With this background we have significant number of use-cases which are
> strong candidates waiting for outstanding Linux Kernel Block Layer Copy
> Offload support, so that Linux Kernel Storage subsystem can to address
> previously mentioned problems [1] and allow efficient offloading of the
> data related operations. (Such as move/copy etc.)
> 
> For reference following is the list of the use-cases/candidates waiting
> for Copy Offload support :-
> 
> 1. SCSI-attached storage arrays.
> 2. Stacking drivers supporting XCopy DM/MD.
> 3. Computational Storage solutions.
> 7. File systems :- Local, NFS and Zonefs.
> 4. Block devices :- Distributed, local, and Zoned devices.
> 5. Peer to Peer DMA support solutions.
> 6. Potentially NVMe subsystem both NVMe PCIe and NVMeOF.
> 
> * What we will discuss in the proposed session ?
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> I'd like to propose a session to go over this topic to understand :-
> 
> 1. What are the blockers for Copy Offload implementation ?
> 2. Discussion about having a file system interface.
> 3. Discussion about having right system call for user-space.
> 4. What is the right way to move this work forward ?
> 5. How can we help to contribute and move this work forward ?
> 
> * Required Participants :-
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> I'd like to invite file system, block layer, and device drivers
> developers to:-
> 
> 1. Share their opinion on the topic.
> 2. Share their experience and any other issues with [4].
> 3. Uncover additional details that are missing from this proposal.
> 
> Required attendees :-
> 
> Martin K. Petersen
> Jens Axboe
> Christoph Hellwig
> Bart Van Assche
> Zach Brown
> Roland Dreier
> Ric Wheeler
> Trond Myklebust
> Mike Snitzer
> Keith Busch
> Sagi Grimberg
> Hannes Reinecke
> Frederick Knight
> Mikulas Patocka
> Keith Busch
> 
> -ck
> 
> [1]https://content.riscv.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/A-New-Golden-Age-for-Computer-Architecture-History-Challenges-and-Opportunities-David-Patterson-.pdf
> [2] https://www.snia.org/computational
> https://www.napatech.com/support/resources/solution-descriptions/napatech-smartnic-solution-for-hardware-offload/
>         https://www.eideticom.com/products.html
> https://www.xilinx.com/applications/data-center/computational-storage.html
> [3] git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/mkp/linux.git xcopy
> [4] https://www.spinics.net/lists/linux-block/msg00599.html
> [5] https://lwn.net/Articles/793585/
> [6] https://nvmexpress.org/new-nvmetm-specification-defines-zoned-
> namespaces-zns-as-go-to-industry-technology/
> [7] https://github.com/sbates130272/linux-p2pmem
> [8] https://kernel.dk/io_uring.pdf

I would like to participate in the discussion too.

The dm-clone target would also benefit from copy offload, as it heavily
employs dm-kcopyd. I have been exploring redesigning kcopyd in order to
achieve increased IOPS in dm-clone and dm-snapshot for small copies over
NVMe devices, but copy offload sounds even more promising, especially
for larger copies happening in the background (as is the case with
dm-clone's background hydration).

Thanks,
Nikos