[RFC][PATCH -tip 0/9] tracing: kprobe-based event tracer

[RFC][PATCH -tip 0/9] tracing: kprobe-based event tracer

[Masami Hiramatsu]

Hi,

This is a series of patches which introduce a proof-of concept of
kprobe-based event tracer to ftrace. I think that we could port some
tracing features from systemtap on this vehicle.
This can be applied on the linux-2.6-tip tree.

This patchset includes following changes:
- Add kprobe-tracer plugin
- Add kernel_trap_sp() on x86, ia64, power, s390, arm which are
  ported from systemtap runtime.
- Add module_*probe api for repawning/removing kprobes when target
  module is coming/going.

It's still not unclear that the last module_*probe would better be
provided as APIs or just embed it in trace_kprobe.c.

Future items:
- Use binary print.
- Add kernel_trap_sp() on other archs.
- Support symbol-based memory fetching (for global variables)
- Support primitive types(long, ulong, int, uint, etc) for args.
- Support indirect memory fetch from register etc.
- Check insertion point safety by using instruction decoder.

kprobe-based event tracer
---------------------------

This tracer is similar to the events tracer which is based on Tracepoint
infrastructure. Instead of Tracepoint, this tracer is based on kprobes(kprobe
and kretprobe). It probes anywhere where kprobes can probe(this means, all
functions body except for __kprobes functions).

Unlike the function tracer, this tracer can probe instructions inside of
kernel functions. It allows you to check which instruction has been executed.

Unlike the Tracepoint based events tracer, this tracer can add new probe points
on the fly.

Similar to the events tracer, this tracer doesn't need to be activated via
current_tracer, instead of that, just set probe points via
/debug/tracing/kprobe_probes.

Synopsis of kprobe_probes:
  p SYMBOL[+offs|-offs]|MEMADDR [FETCHARGS]     : set a probe
  r SYMBOL[+0] [FETCHARGS]                      : set a return probe

 FETCHARGS:
  rN    : Fetch Nth register (N >= 0)
  sN    : Fetch Nth entry of stack (N >= 0)
  mADDR : Fetch memory at ADDR (ADDR should be in kernel)
  aN    : Fetch function argument. (N >= 1)(*)
  rv    : Fetch return value.(**)
  rp    : Fetch return address.(**)

  (*) aN may not correct on asmlinkaged functions and at function body.
  (**) only for return probe.

E.g.
  echo p do_sys_open a1 a2 a3 a4 > /debug/tracing/kprobe_probes

 This sets a kprobe on the top of do_sys_open() function with recording
1st to 3rd arguments.

  echo r do_sys_open rv rp >> /debug/tracing/kprobe_probes

 This sets a kretprobe on the return point of do_sys_open() function with
recording return value and return address.

  echo > /debug/tracing/kprobe_probes

 This clears all probe points. and you can see the traced information via
/debug/tracing/trace.

  echo /debug/tracing/trace
# tracer: nop
#
#           TASK-PID    CPU#    TIMESTAMP  FUNCTION
#              | |       |          |         |
           <...>-2376  [001]   262.389131: do_sys_open: @do_sys_open+0 0xffffff9c 0x98db83e 0x8880 0x0
           <...>-2376  [001]   262.391166: sys_open: <-do_sys_open+0 0x5 0xc06e8ebb
           <...>-2376  [001]   264.384876: do_sys_open: @do_sys_open+0 0xffffff9c 0x98db83e 0x8880 0x0
           <...>-2376  [001]   264.386880: sys_open: <-do_sys_open+0 0x5 0xc06e8ebb
           <...>-2084  [001]   265.380330: do_sys_open: @do_sys_open+0 0xffffff9c 0x804be3e 0x0 0x1b6
           <...>-2084  [001]   265.380399: sys_open: <-do_sys_open+0 0x3 0xc06e8ebb

 @SYMBOL means that kernel hits a probe, and <-SYMBOL means kernel returns
from SYMBOL(e.g. "sysenter_do_call: <-sys_open+0" means kernel returns from
sys_open to sysenter_do_call).


 Documentation/ftrace.txt          |   66 ++++
 arch/arm/include/asm/ptrace.h     |    3 +-
 arch/ia64/include/asm/ptrace.h    |    6 +
 arch/powerpc/include/asm/ptrace.h |    1 +
 arch/s390/include/asm/ptrace.h    |    5 +-
 arch/x86/include/asm/ptrace.h     |    4 +-
 include/linux/kprobes.h           |   39 ++
 kernel/kprobes.c                  |  250 ++++++++++++++
 kernel/trace/Kconfig              |    9 +
 kernel/trace/Makefile             |    1 +
 kernel/trace/trace_kprobe.c       |  688 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 11 files changed, 1067 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)


Thank you,

-- 
Masami Hiramatsu

Software Engineer
Hitachi Computer Products (America) Inc.
Software Solutions Division

e-mail: mhiramat@redhat.com

Re: [RFC][PATCH -tip 0/9] tracing: kprobe-based event tracer

[Steven Rostedt]

On Thu, 19 Mar 2009, Masami Hiramatsu wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> This is a series of patches which introduce a proof-of concept of
> kprobe-based event tracer to ftrace. I think that we could port some
> tracing features from systemtap on this vehicle.
> This can be applied on the linux-2.6-tip tree.
> 
> This patchset includes following changes:
> - Add kprobe-tracer plugin
> - Add kernel_trap_sp() on x86, ia64, power, s390, arm which are
>   ported from systemtap runtime.
> - Add module_*probe api for repawning/removing kprobes when target
>   module is coming/going.
> 
> It's still not unclear that the last module_*probe would better be
> provided as APIs or just embed it in trace_kprobe.c.
> 
> Future items:
> - Use binary print.
> - Add kernel_trap_sp() on other archs.
> - Support symbol-based memory fetching (for global variables)
> - Support primitive types(long, ulong, int, uint, etc) for args.
> - Support indirect memory fetch from register etc.
> - Check insertion point safety by using instruction decoder.
> 
> kprobe-based event tracer
> ---------------------------
> 
> This tracer is similar to the events tracer which is based on Tracepoint
> infrastructure. Instead of Tracepoint, this tracer is based on kprobes(kprobe
> and kretprobe). It probes anywhere where kprobes can probe(this means, all
> functions body except for __kprobes functions).
> 
> Unlike the function tracer, this tracer can probe instructions inside of
> kernel functions. It allows you to check which instruction has been executed.
> 
> Unlike the Tracepoint based events tracer, this tracer can add new probe points
> on the fly.
> 
> Similar to the events tracer, this tracer doesn't need to be activated via
> current_tracer, instead of that, just set probe points via
> /debug/tracing/kprobe_probes.
> 
> Synopsis of kprobe_probes:
>   p SYMBOL[+offs|-offs]|MEMADDR [FETCHARGS]     : set a probe
>   r SYMBOL[+0] [FETCHARGS]                      : set a return probe
> 
>  FETCHARGS:
>   rN    : Fetch Nth register (N >= 0)
>   sN    : Fetch Nth entry of stack (N >= 0)
>   mADDR : Fetch memory at ADDR (ADDR should be in kernel)
>   aN    : Fetch function argument. (N >= 1)(*)
>   rv    : Fetch return value.(**)
>   rp    : Fetch return address.(**)
> 
>   (*) aN may not correct on asmlinkaged functions and at function body.
>   (**) only for return probe.
> 
> E.g.
>   echo p do_sys_open a1 a2 a3 a4 > /debug/tracing/kprobe_probes
> 
>  This sets a kprobe on the top of do_sys_open() function with recording
> 1st to 3rd arguments.

Do you mean 1st to 4th?

> 
>   echo r do_sys_open rv rp >> /debug/tracing/kprobe_probes
> 
>  This sets a kretprobe on the return point of do_sys_open() function with
> recording return value and return address.
> 
>   echo > /debug/tracing/kprobe_probes
> 
>  This clears all probe points. and you can see the traced information via
> /debug/tracing/trace.
> 
>   echo /debug/tracing/trace
> # tracer: nop
> #
> #           TASK-PID    CPU#    TIMESTAMP  FUNCTION
> #              | |       |          |         |
>            <...>-2376  [001]   262.389131: do_sys_open: @do_sys_open+0 0xffffff9c 0x98db83e 0x8880 0x0
>            <...>-2376  [001]   262.391166: sys_open: <-do_sys_open+0 0x5 0xc06e8ebb
>            <...>-2376  [001]   264.384876: do_sys_open: @do_sys_open+0 0xffffff9c 0x98db83e 0x8880 0x0
>            <...>-2376  [001]   264.386880: sys_open: <-do_sys_open+0 0x5 0xc06e8ebb
>            <...>-2084  [001]   265.380330: do_sys_open: @do_sys_open+0 0xffffff9c 0x804be3e 0x0 0x1b6
>            <...>-2084  [001]   265.380399: sys_open: <-do_sys_open+0 0x3 0xc06e8ebb
> 
>  @SYMBOL means that kernel hits a probe, and <-SYMBOL means kernel returns
> from SYMBOL(e.g. "sysenter_do_call: <-sys_open+0" means kernel returns from
> sys_open to sysenter_do_call).
> 


This looks cool. I'll have to start playing with it.

Thanks,

-- Steve

Re: [RFC][PATCH -tip 0/9] tracing: kprobe-based event tracer

[Frederic Weisbecker]

On Thu, Mar 19, 2009 at 05:09:56PM -0400, Masami Hiramatsu wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> This is a series of patches which introduce a proof-of concept of
> kprobe-based event tracer to ftrace. I think that we could port some
> tracing features from systemtap on this vehicle.
> This can be applied on the linux-2.6-tip tree.
> 
> This patchset includes following changes:
> - Add kprobe-tracer plugin
> - Add kernel_trap_sp() on x86, ia64, power, s390, arm which are
>   ported from systemtap runtime.
> - Add module_*probe api for repawning/removing kprobes when target
>   module is coming/going.
> 
> It's still not unclear that the last module_*probe would better be
> provided as APIs or just embed it in trace_kprobe.c.
> 
> Future items:
> - Use binary print.
> - Add kernel_trap_sp() on other archs.
> - Support symbol-based memory fetching (for global variables)
> - Support primitive types(long, ulong, int, uint, etc) for args.
> - Support indirect memory fetch from register etc.
> - Check insertion point safety by using instruction decoder.
> 
> kprobe-based event tracer
> ---------------------------
> 
> This tracer is similar to the events tracer which is based on Tracepoint
> infrastructure. Instead of Tracepoint, this tracer is based on kprobes(kprobe
> and kretprobe). It probes anywhere where kprobes can probe(this means, all
> functions body except for __kprobes functions).
> 
> Unlike the function tracer, this tracer can probe instructions inside of
> kernel functions. It allows you to check which instruction has been executed.
> 
> Unlike the Tracepoint based events tracer, this tracer can add new probe points
> on the fly.
> 
> Similar to the events tracer, this tracer doesn't need to be activated via
> current_tracer, instead of that, just set probe points via
> /debug/tracing/kprobe_probes.
> 
> Synopsis of kprobe_probes:
>   p SYMBOL[+offs|-offs]|MEMADDR [FETCHARGS]     : set a probe


Ahh, I see this is not only about parameters but also about very low level
debugging, such as registers dumps.

This is very powerful.


>   r SYMBOL[+0] [FETCHARGS]                      : set a return probe
> 
>  FETCHARGS:
>   rN    : Fetch Nth register (N >= 0)


Ah, it would be useful to have a per arch register naming here.
So that one don't have to feel dizzy when he have to resolve,
say edi register, to a number.


>   sN    : Fetch Nth entry of stack (N >= 0)
>   mADDR : Fetch memory at ADDR (ADDR should be in kernel)
>   aN    : Fetch function argument. (N >= 1)(*)
>   rv    : Fetch return value.(**)
>   rp    : Fetch return address.(**)
> 
>   (*) aN may not correct on asmlinkaged functions and at function body.
>   (**) only for return probe.
> 
> E.g.
>   echo p do_sys_open a1 a2 a3 a4 > /debug/tracing/kprobe_probes
> 
>  This sets a kprobe on the top of do_sys_open() function with recording
> 1st to 3rd arguments.
> 
>   echo r do_sys_open rv rp >> /debug/tracing/kprobe_probes
> 
>  This sets a kretprobe on the return point of do_sys_open() function with
> recording return value and return address.
> 
>   echo > /debug/tracing/kprobe_probes
> 
>  This clears all probe points. and you can see the traced information via
> /debug/tracing/trace.
> 
>   echo /debug/tracing/trace
> # tracer: nop
> #
> #           TASK-PID    CPU#    TIMESTAMP  FUNCTION
> #              | |       |          |         |
>            <...>-2376  [001]   262.389131: do_sys_open: @do_sys_open+0 0xffffff9c 0x98db83e 0x8880 0x0
>            <...>-2376  [001]   262.391166: sys_open: <-do_sys_open+0 0x5 0xc06e8ebb
>            <...>-2376  [001]   264.384876: do_sys_open: @do_sys_open+0 0xffffff9c 0x98db83e 0x8880 0x0
>            <...>-2376  [001]   264.386880: sys_open: <-do_sys_open+0 0x5 0xc06e8ebb
>            <...>-2084  [001]   265.380330: do_sys_open: @do_sys_open+0 0xffffff9c 0x804be3e 0x0 0x1b6
>            <...>-2084  [001]   265.380399: sys_open: <-do_sys_open+0 0x3 0xc06e8ebb
> 
>  @SYMBOL means that kernel hits a probe, and <-SYMBOL means kernel returns
> from SYMBOL(e.g. "sysenter_do_call: <-sys_open+0" means kernel returns from
> sys_open to sysenter_do_call).


Nice :-)

Frederic.


> 
>  Documentation/ftrace.txt          |   66 ++++
>  arch/arm/include/asm/ptrace.h     |    3 +-
>  arch/ia64/include/asm/ptrace.h    |    6 +
>  arch/powerpc/include/asm/ptrace.h |    1 +
>  arch/s390/include/asm/ptrace.h    |    5 +-
>  arch/x86/include/asm/ptrace.h     |    4 +-
>  include/linux/kprobes.h           |   39 ++
>  kernel/kprobes.c                  |  250 ++++++++++++++
>  kernel/trace/Kconfig              |    9 +
>  kernel/trace/Makefile             |    1 +
>  kernel/trace/trace_kprobe.c       |  688 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>  11 files changed, 1067 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)
> 
> 
> Thank you,
> 
> -- 
> Masami Hiramatsu
> 
> Software Engineer
> Hitachi Computer Products (America) Inc.
> Software Solutions Division
> 
> e-mail: mhiramat@redhat.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> --
> To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in
> the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org
> More majordomo info at  http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
> Please read the FAQ at  http://www.tux.org/lkml/

Re: [RFC][PATCH -tip 0/9] tracing: kprobe-based event tracer

[Masami Hiramatsu]

Steven Rostedt wrote:
> On Thu, 19 Mar 2009, Masami Hiramatsu wrote:
> 
>> Hi,
>>
>> This is a series of patches which introduce a proof-of concept of
>> kprobe-based event tracer to ftrace. I think that we could port some
>> tracing features from systemtap on this vehicle.
>> This can be applied on the linux-2.6-tip tree.
>>
>> This patchset includes following changes:
>> - Add kprobe-tracer plugin
>> - Add kernel_trap_sp() on x86, ia64, power, s390, arm which are
>>   ported from systemtap runtime.
>> - Add module_*probe api for repawning/removing kprobes when target
>>   module is coming/going.
>>
>> It's still not unclear that the last module_*probe would better be
>> provided as APIs or just embed it in trace_kprobe.c.
>>
>> Future items:
>> - Use binary print.
>> - Add kernel_trap_sp() on other archs.
>> - Support symbol-based memory fetching (for global variables)
>> - Support primitive types(long, ulong, int, uint, etc) for args.
>> - Support indirect memory fetch from register etc.
>> - Check insertion point safety by using instruction decoder.
>>
>> kprobe-based event tracer
>> ---------------------------
>>
>> This tracer is similar to the events tracer which is based on Tracepoint
>> infrastructure. Instead of Tracepoint, this tracer is based on kprobes(kprobe
>> and kretprobe). It probes anywhere where kprobes can probe(this means, all
>> functions body except for __kprobes functions).
>>
>> Unlike the function tracer, this tracer can probe instructions inside of
>> kernel functions. It allows you to check which instruction has been executed.
>>
>> Unlike the Tracepoint based events tracer, this tracer can add new probe points
>> on the fly.
>>
>> Similar to the events tracer, this tracer doesn't need to be activated via
>> current_tracer, instead of that, just set probe points via
>> /debug/tracing/kprobe_probes.
>>
>> Synopsis of kprobe_probes:
>>   p SYMBOL[+offs|-offs]|MEMADDR [FETCHARGS]     : set a probe
>>   r SYMBOL[+0] [FETCHARGS]                      : set a return probe
>>
>>  FETCHARGS:
>>   rN    : Fetch Nth register (N >= 0)
>>   sN    : Fetch Nth entry of stack (N >= 0)
>>   mADDR : Fetch memory at ADDR (ADDR should be in kernel)
>>   aN    : Fetch function argument. (N >= 1)(*)
>>   rv    : Fetch return value.(**)
>>   rp    : Fetch return address.(**)
>>
>>   (*) aN may not correct on asmlinkaged functions and at function body.
>>   (**) only for return probe.
>>
>> E.g.
>>   echo p do_sys_open a1 a2 a3 a4 > /debug/tracing/kprobe_probes
>>
>>  This sets a kprobe on the top of do_sys_open() function with recording
>> 1st to 3rd arguments.
> 
> Do you mean 1st to 4th?

Oops, yes... it records 1st to 4th arguments.

>>   echo r do_sys_open rv rp >> /debug/tracing/kprobe_probes
>>
>>  This sets a kretprobe on the return point of do_sys_open() function with
>> recording return value and return address.
>>
>>   echo > /debug/tracing/kprobe_probes
>>
>>  This clears all probe points. and you can see the traced information via
>> /debug/tracing/trace.
>>
>>   echo /debug/tracing/trace
>> # tracer: nop
>> #
>> #           TASK-PID    CPU#    TIMESTAMP  FUNCTION
>> #              | |       |          |         |
>>            <...>-2376  [001]   262.389131: do_sys_open: @do_sys_open+0 0xffffff9c 0x98db83e 0x8880 0x0
>>            <...>-2376  [001]   262.391166: sys_open: <-do_sys_open+0 0x5 0xc06e8ebb
>>            <...>-2376  [001]   264.384876: do_sys_open: @do_sys_open+0 0xffffff9c 0x98db83e 0x8880 0x0
>>            <...>-2376  [001]   264.386880: sys_open: <-do_sys_open+0 0x5 0xc06e8ebb
>>            <...>-2084  [001]   265.380330: do_sys_open: @do_sys_open+0 0xffffff9c 0x804be3e 0x0 0x1b6
>>            <...>-2084  [001]   265.380399: sys_open: <-do_sys_open+0 0x3 0xc06e8ebb
>>
>>  @SYMBOL means that kernel hits a probe, and <-SYMBOL means kernel returns
>> from SYMBOL(e.g. "sysenter_do_call: <-sys_open+0" means kernel returns from
>> sys_open to sysenter_do_call).
>>
> 
> 
> This looks cool. I'll have to start playing with it.

Thanks!

> 
> Thanks,
> 
> -- Steve
> 

-- 
Masami Hiramatsu

Software Engineer
Hitachi Computer Products (America) Inc.
Software Solutions Division

e-mail: mhiramat@redhat.com

Re: [RFC][PATCH -tip 0/9] tracing: kprobe-based event tracer

[Masami Hiramatsu]

Frederic Weisbecker wrote:
> On Thu, Mar 19, 2009 at 05:09:56PM -0400, Masami Hiramatsu wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> This is a series of patches which introduce a proof-of concept of
>> kprobe-based event tracer to ftrace. I think that we could port some
>> tracing features from systemtap on this vehicle.
>> This can be applied on the linux-2.6-tip tree.
>>
>> This patchset includes following changes:
>> - Add kprobe-tracer plugin
>> - Add kernel_trap_sp() on x86, ia64, power, s390, arm which are
>>   ported from systemtap runtime.
>> - Add module_*probe api for repawning/removing kprobes when target
>>   module is coming/going.
>>
>> It's still not unclear that the last module_*probe would better be
>> provided as APIs or just embed it in trace_kprobe.c.
>>
>> Future items:
>> - Use binary print.
>> - Add kernel_trap_sp() on other archs.
>> - Support symbol-based memory fetching (for global variables)
>> - Support primitive types(long, ulong, int, uint, etc) for args.
>> - Support indirect memory fetch from register etc.
>> - Check insertion point safety by using instruction decoder.
>>
>> kprobe-based event tracer
>> ---------------------------
>>
>> This tracer is similar to the events tracer which is based on Tracepoint
>> infrastructure. Instead of Tracepoint, this tracer is based on kprobes(kprobe
>> and kretprobe). It probes anywhere where kprobes can probe(this means, all
>> functions body except for __kprobes functions).
>>
>> Unlike the function tracer, this tracer can probe instructions inside of
>> kernel functions. It allows you to check which instruction has been executed.
>>
>> Unlike the Tracepoint based events tracer, this tracer can add new probe points
>> on the fly.
>>
>> Similar to the events tracer, this tracer doesn't need to be activated via
>> current_tracer, instead of that, just set probe points via
>> /debug/tracing/kprobe_probes.
>>
>> Synopsis of kprobe_probes:
>>   p SYMBOL[+offs|-offs]|MEMADDR [FETCHARGS]     : set a probe
> 
> 
> Ahh, I see this is not only about parameters but also about very low level
> debugging, such as registers dumps.
> 
> This is very powerful.

Please take care, don't shot your foot :)
This tracer doesn't have a safety lever(e.g. instruction boundary checker) yet.
So, currently, we need to use this with objdump -d.

> 
>>   r SYMBOL[+0] [FETCHARGS]                      : set a return probe
>>
>>  FETCHARGS:
>>   rN    : Fetch Nth register (N >= 0)
> 
> 
> Ah, it would be useful to have a per arch register naming here.
> So that one don't have to feel dizzy when he have to resolve,
> say edi register, to a number.

Yeah, that should be a good enhancement idea.
This patchset just focuses on implementing the basic functionality.


>>   sN    : Fetch Nth entry of stack (N >= 0)
>>   mADDR : Fetch memory at ADDR (ADDR should be in kernel)
>>   aN    : Fetch function argument. (N >= 1)(*)
>>   rv    : Fetch return value.(**)
>>   rp    : Fetch return address.(**)
>>
>>   (*) aN may not correct on asmlinkaged functions and at function body.
>>   (**) only for return probe.
>>
>> E.g.
>>   echo p do_sys_open a1 a2 a3 a4 > /debug/tracing/kprobe_probes
>>
>>  This sets a kprobe on the top of do_sys_open() function with recording
>> 1st to 3rd arguments.
>>
>>   echo r do_sys_open rv rp >> /debug/tracing/kprobe_probes
>>
>>  This sets a kretprobe on the return point of do_sys_open() function with
>> recording return value and return address.
>>
>>   echo > /debug/tracing/kprobe_probes
>>
>>  This clears all probe points. and you can see the traced information via
>> /debug/tracing/trace.
>>
>>   echo /debug/tracing/trace
>> # tracer: nop
>> #
>> #           TASK-PID    CPU#    TIMESTAMP  FUNCTION
>> #              | |       |          |         |
>>            <...>-2376  [001]   262.389131: do_sys_open: @do_sys_open+0 0xffffff9c 0x98db83e 0x8880 0x0
>>            <...>-2376  [001]   262.391166: sys_open: <-do_sys_open+0 0x5 0xc06e8ebb
>>            <...>-2376  [001]   264.384876: do_sys_open: @do_sys_open+0 0xffffff9c 0x98db83e 0x8880 0x0
>>            <...>-2376  [001]   264.386880: sys_open: <-do_sys_open+0 0x5 0xc06e8ebb
>>            <...>-2084  [001]   265.380330: do_sys_open: @do_sys_open+0 0xffffff9c 0x804be3e 0x0 0x1b6
>>            <...>-2084  [001]   265.380399: sys_open: <-do_sys_open+0 0x3 0xc06e8ebb
>>
>>  @SYMBOL means that kernel hits a probe, and <-SYMBOL means kernel returns
>> from SYMBOL(e.g. "sysenter_do_call: <-sys_open+0" means kernel returns from
>> sys_open to sysenter_do_call).
> 
> 
> Nice :-)

Thanks ;)

> 
> Frederic.
> 
> 
>>  Documentation/ftrace.txt          |   66 ++++
>>  arch/arm/include/asm/ptrace.h     |    3 +-
>>  arch/ia64/include/asm/ptrace.h    |    6 +
>>  arch/powerpc/include/asm/ptrace.h |    1 +
>>  arch/s390/include/asm/ptrace.h    |    5 +-
>>  arch/x86/include/asm/ptrace.h     |    4 +-
>>  include/linux/kprobes.h           |   39 ++
>>  kernel/kprobes.c                  |  250 ++++++++++++++
>>  kernel/trace/Kconfig              |    9 +
>>  kernel/trace/Makefile             |    1 +
>>  kernel/trace/trace_kprobe.c       |  688 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>>  11 files changed, 1067 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)
>>
>>
>> Thank you,
>>
>> -- 
>> Masami Hiramatsu
>>
>> Software Engineer
>> Hitachi Computer Products (America) Inc.
>> Software Solutions Division
>>
>> e-mail: mhiramat@redhat.com
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in
>> the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org
>> More majordomo info at  http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
>> Please read the FAQ at  http://www.tux.org/lkml/
> 

-- 
Masami Hiramatsu

Software Engineer
Hitachi Computer Products (America) Inc.
Software Solutions Division

e-mail: mhiramat@redhat.com

Re: [RFC][PATCH -tip 0/9] tracing: kprobe-based event tracer

[Ingo Molnar]

* Masami Hiramatsu <mhiramat@redhat.com> wrote:

> Frederic Weisbecker wrote:
> > On Thu, Mar 19, 2009 at 05:09:56PM -0400, Masami Hiramatsu wrote:
> >> Hi,
> >>
> >> This is a series of patches which introduce a proof-of concept of
> >> kprobe-based event tracer to ftrace. I think that we could port some
> >> tracing features from systemtap on this vehicle.
> >> This can be applied on the linux-2.6-tip tree.
> >>
> >> This patchset includes following changes:
> >> - Add kprobe-tracer plugin
> >> - Add kernel_trap_sp() on x86, ia64, power, s390, arm which are
> >>   ported from systemtap runtime.
> >> - Add module_*probe api for repawning/removing kprobes when target
> >>   module is coming/going.
> >>
> >> It's still not unclear that the last module_*probe would better be
> >> provided as APIs or just embed it in trace_kprobe.c.
> >>
> >> Future items:
> >> - Use binary print.
> >> - Add kernel_trap_sp() on other archs.
> >> - Support symbol-based memory fetching (for global variables)
> >> - Support primitive types(long, ulong, int, uint, etc) for args.
> >> - Support indirect memory fetch from register etc.
> >> - Check insertion point safety by using instruction decoder.
> >>
> >> kprobe-based event tracer
> >> ---------------------------
> >>
> >> This tracer is similar to the events tracer which is based on Tracepoint
> >> infrastructure. Instead of Tracepoint, this tracer is based on kprobes(kprobe
> >> and kretprobe). It probes anywhere where kprobes can probe(this means, all
> >> functions body except for __kprobes functions).
> >>
> >> Unlike the function tracer, this tracer can probe instructions inside of
> >> kernel functions. It allows you to check which instruction has been executed.
> >>
> >> Unlike the Tracepoint based events tracer, this tracer can add new probe points
> >> on the fly.
> >>
> >> Similar to the events tracer, this tracer doesn't need to be activated via
> >> current_tracer, instead of that, just set probe points via
> >> /debug/tracing/kprobe_probes.
> >>
> >> Synopsis of kprobe_probes:
> >>   p SYMBOL[+offs|-offs]|MEMADDR [FETCHARGS]     : set a probe
> > 
> > 
> > Ahh, I see this is not only about parameters but also about very low level
> > debugging, such as registers dumps.
> > 
> > This is very powerful.
> 
> Please take care, don't shot your foot :)
> This tracer doesn't have a safety lever(e.g. instruction boundary checker) yet.
> So, currently, we need to use this with objdump -d.

Would be really nice to have this in the future. We could reuse 
existing opcode decoders in the x86 code for that i think. KVM has 
probably the most potent one.

Cool stuff!

	Ingo

Re: [RFC][PATCH -tip 0/9] tracing: kprobe-based event tracer

[Ananth N Mavinakayanahalli]

On Fri, Mar 20, 2009 at 09:45:44AM +0100, Ingo Molnar wrote:
> 
> * Masami Hiramatsu <mhiramat@redhat.com> wrote:
> 
> > Frederic Weisbecker wrote:
> > > On Thu, Mar 19, 2009 at 05:09:56PM -0400, Masami Hiramatsu wrote:
> > >> Hi,
> > >>
> > >> This is a series of patches which introduce a proof-of concept of
> > >> kprobe-based event tracer to ftrace. I think that we could port some
> > >> tracing features from systemtap on this vehicle.
> > >> This can be applied on the linux-2.6-tip tree.
> > >>
> > >> This patchset includes following changes:
> > >> - Add kprobe-tracer plugin
> > >> - Add kernel_trap_sp() on x86, ia64, power, s390, arm which are
> > >>   ported from systemtap runtime.
> > >> - Add module_*probe api for repawning/removing kprobes when target
> > >>   module is coming/going.
> > >>
> > >> It's still not unclear that the last module_*probe would better be
> > >> provided as APIs or just embed it in trace_kprobe.c.
> > >>
> > >> Future items:
> > >> - Use binary print.
> > >> - Add kernel_trap_sp() on other archs.
> > >> - Support symbol-based memory fetching (for global variables)
> > >> - Support primitive types(long, ulong, int, uint, etc) for args.
> > >> - Support indirect memory fetch from register etc.
> > >> - Check insertion point safety by using instruction decoder.
> > >>
> > >> kprobe-based event tracer
> > >> ---------------------------
> > >>
> > >> This tracer is similar to the events tracer which is based on Tracepoint
> > >> infrastructure. Instead of Tracepoint, this tracer is based on kprobes(kprobe
> > >> and kretprobe). It probes anywhere where kprobes can probe(this means, all
> > >> functions body except for __kprobes functions).
> > >>
> > >> Unlike the function tracer, this tracer can probe instructions inside of
> > >> kernel functions. It allows you to check which instruction has been executed.
> > >>
> > >> Unlike the Tracepoint based events tracer, this tracer can add new probe points
> > >> on the fly.
> > >>
> > >> Similar to the events tracer, this tracer doesn't need to be activated via
> > >> current_tracer, instead of that, just set probe points via
> > >> /debug/tracing/kprobe_probes.
> > >>
> > >> Synopsis of kprobe_probes:
> > >>   p SYMBOL[+offs|-offs]|MEMADDR [FETCHARGS]     : set a probe
> > > 
> > > 
> > > Ahh, I see this is not only about parameters but also about very low level
> > > debugging, such as registers dumps.
> > > 
> > > This is very powerful.
> > 
> > Please take care, don't shot your foot :)
> > This tracer doesn't have a safety lever(e.g. instruction boundary checker) yet.
> > So, currently, we need to use this with objdump -d.
> 
> Would be really nice to have this in the future. We could reuse 
> existing opcode decoders in the x86 code for that i think. KVM has 
> probably the most potent one.

The KVM decoder has too much of a tie-in to the KVM internals and we
were also told that it is a very performance sensitive part of code.
Jim and Masami can elaborate on specifics, I think.

After considering alternatives, there is currently ongoing work on a
instruction decoder that will work not just for the kernel (djprobes for
instance, kprobes can also adapt to it), but also for userspace when it
gets done.

There is some preliminary code that works. See thread at:
https://www.redhat.com/archives/utrace-devel/2009-February/msg00005.html

Ananth