Re: [RFC PATCH v1 0/3] Saving power by cpu evacuation usingsched_mc=n

From: Vaidyanathan Srinivasan
Date: Tue Apr 28 2009 - 12:16:26 EST


* Ingo Molnar <mingo@xxxxxxx> [2009-04-28 10:52:37]:

>
> * Peter Zijlstra <a.p.zijlstra@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> > > > Also, the user interface should be that single thermal
> > > > capacity knob, more fine grained control is undesired.
> > >
> > > For power savings, a single evacuation knob will do. While for
> > > thermal we will need additional parameters to choose the right
> > > cores to evacuate. Some sort of directional/vector parameter.
> >
> > Why? are machines that non-uniform in cooling capacity that it
> > really matters which core generates the heat? Sounds like badly
> > designed hardware to me.
> >
> > I would expect it to only be the total head generated/power taken
> > from the rack unit.
>
> If we add thermal throttling at the kernel level then a single knob
> (with a percentile-ish unit) is probably the furthest we will go -
> with "not doing it at all" still being the other, very tempting
> alternative.

Sure, this is all we would like to do. Simpler interface is welcome
and will have easy adoption.

> If the only technical way you can find to do it is via myriads of
> non-intuitive knobs and per core settings - then the answer is
> really 'no thanks'.

Agreed. We definitely do not want to add myriads of non-intuitive
knobs. Lets see if a percentage/capacity type knob will work for all.

Thanks,
Vaidy

--
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in
the body of a message to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/