[PATCH] intel_idle: mention assumption that wbinvd is not needed

[PATCH] intel_idle: mention assumption that wbinvd is not needed

[Alexander Monakov]

Intel SDM does not explicitly say that entering a C-state via MWAIT will
implicitly flush CPU caches as appropriate for that C-state. However,
documentation for individual Intel CPU generations does mention this
behavior.

Since intel_idle binds to any Intel CPU with MWAIT, mention this
assumption on MWAIT behavior. In passing, reword opening comment
to make it clear that driver can load on any future Intel CPU with MWAIT.

Signed-off-by: Alexander Monakov <amonakov@ispras.ru>
Cc: Rafael J. Wysocki <rafael.j.wysocki@intel.com>
---
Hi,

I noticed that one of significant optimizations of intel_idle over
acpi_idle is elision of explicit wbinvd: ACPI requires the OS to flush
caches when entering C3, and Linux issues an explicit wbinvd to do that,
but intel_idle simply issues mwait with the expectation that the CPU
will automatically flush caches if needed.

To me this is a fairly subtle point that became even more subtle
following the update to intel_idle that made it capable to bind to old
and future Intel CPUs with MWAIT (by the way, thanks for that!)

Can you take this patch to spell out the assumption?

 drivers/idle/intel_idle.c | 8 ++++++--
 1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/drivers/idle/intel_idle.c b/drivers/idle/intel_idle.c
index f4495841bf68..1e5666cf8763 100644
--- a/drivers/idle/intel_idle.c
+++ b/drivers/idle/intel_idle.c
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
  */
 
 /*
- * intel_idle is a cpuidle driver that loads on specific Intel processors
+ * intel_idle is a cpuidle driver that loads on all Intel CPUs with MWAIT
  * in lieu of the legacy ACPI processor_idle driver.  The intent is to
  * make Linux more efficient on these processors, as intel_idle knows
  * more than ACPI, as well as make Linux more immune to ACPI BIOS bugs.
@@ -20,7 +20,11 @@
  * All CPUs have same idle states as boot CPU
  *
  * Chipset BM_STS (bus master status) bit is a NOP
- *	for preventing entry into deep C-stats
+ *	for preventing entry into deep C-states
+ *
+ * CPU will flush caches as needed when entering a C-state via MWAIT
+ *	(in contrast to entering ACPI C3, where acpi_idle driver is
+ *	itself responsible for flushing, via WBINVD)
  */
 
 /*
-- 
2.26.2

Re: [PATCH] intel_idle: mention assumption that wbinvd is not needed

[Rafael J. Wysocki]

On Sun, Oct 11, 2020 at 1:13 AM Alexander Monakov <amonakov@ispras.ru> wrote:
>
> Intel SDM does not explicitly say that entering a C-state via MWAIT will
> implicitly flush CPU caches as appropriate for that C-state. However,
> documentation for individual Intel CPU generations does mention this
> behavior.
>
> Since intel_idle binds to any Intel CPU with MWAIT, mention this
> assumption on MWAIT behavior. In passing, reword opening comment
> to make it clear that driver can load on any future Intel CPU with MWAIT.
>
> Signed-off-by: Alexander Monakov <amonakov@ispras.ru>
> Cc: Rafael J. Wysocki <rafael.j.wysocki@intel.com>
> ---
> Hi,
>
> I noticed that one of significant optimizations of intel_idle over
> acpi_idle is elision of explicit wbinvd: ACPI requires the OS to flush
> caches when entering C3, and Linux issues an explicit wbinvd to do that,
> but intel_idle simply issues mwait with the expectation that the CPU
> will automatically flush caches if needed.
>
> To me this is a fairly subtle point that became even more subtle
> following the update to intel_idle that made it capable to bind to old
> and future Intel CPUs with MWAIT (by the way, thanks for that!)
>
> Can you take this patch to spell out the assumption?
>
>  drivers/idle/intel_idle.c | 8 ++++++--
>  1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
>
> diff --git a/drivers/idle/intel_idle.c b/drivers/idle/intel_idle.c
> index f4495841bf68..1e5666cf8763 100644
> --- a/drivers/idle/intel_idle.c
> +++ b/drivers/idle/intel_idle.c
> @@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
>   */
>
>  /*
> - * intel_idle is a cpuidle driver that loads on specific Intel processors
> + * intel_idle is a cpuidle driver that loads on all Intel CPUs with MWAIT
>   * in lieu of the legacy ACPI processor_idle driver.  The intent is to
>   * make Linux more efficient on these processors, as intel_idle knows
>   * more than ACPI, as well as make Linux more immune to ACPI BIOS bugs.
> @@ -20,7 +20,11 @@
>   * All CPUs have same idle states as boot CPU
>   *
>   * Chipset BM_STS (bus master status) bit is a NOP
> - *     for preventing entry into deep C-stats
> + *     for preventing entry into deep C-states
> + *
> + * CPU will flush caches as needed when entering a C-state via MWAIT

I would rephrase this to mention that the above actually is an assumption.

> + *     (in contrast to entering ACPI C3, where acpi_idle driver is

And mentioning acpi_idle here is not needed; it would be sufficient to
say something like "in which case the WBINVD instruction needs to be
executed to flush the caches".

> + *     itself responsible for flushing, via WBINVD)
>   */
>
>  /*
> --

Thanks!

Re: [PATCH] intel_idle: mention assumption that wbinvd is not needed

[Alexander Monakov]

On Mon, 12 Oct 2020, Rafael J. Wysocki wrote:

> > @@ -20,7 +20,11 @@
> >   * All CPUs have same idle states as boot CPU
> >   *
> >   * Chipset BM_STS (bus master status) bit is a NOP
> > - *     for preventing entry into deep C-stats
> > + *     for preventing entry into deep C-states
> > + *
> > + * CPU will flush caches as needed when entering a C-state via MWAIT
> 
> I would rephrase this to mention that the above actually is an assumption.

This comment block is by itself a list of assumptions. It begins with heading
"Design Assumptions" and then lists two assumptions. This patch adds a third
one.

With that clarified, do you still need me to change this hunk?

> 
> > + *     (in contrast to entering ACPI C3, where acpi_idle driver is
> 
> And mentioning acpi_idle here is not needed; it would be sufficient to
> say something like "in which case the WBINVD instruction needs to be
> executed to flush the caches".

I see, thanks, I will change this for v2 once the above is cleared up.

Thanks.
Alexander

Re: [PATCH] intel_idle: mention assumption that wbinvd is not needed

[Rafael J. Wysocki]

On Mon, Oct 12, 2020 at 1:14 PM Alexander Monakov <amonakov@ispras.ru> wrote:
>
> On Mon, 12 Oct 2020, Rafael J. Wysocki wrote:
>
> > > @@ -20,7 +20,11 @@
> > >   * All CPUs have same idle states as boot CPU
> > >   *
> > >   * Chipset BM_STS (bus master status) bit is a NOP
> > > - *     for preventing entry into deep C-stats
> > > + *     for preventing entry into deep C-states
> > > + *
> > > + * CPU will flush caches as needed when entering a C-state via MWAIT
> >
> > I would rephrase this to mention that the above actually is an assumption.
>
> This comment block is by itself a list of assumptions.

Ah, OK

> It begins with heading
> "Design Assumptions" and then lists two assumptions. This patch adds a third
> one.
>
> With that clarified, do you still need me to change this hunk?

No need.