Re: [PATCH 1/3] Reintroduce zone_reclaim_interval for when zone_reclaim() scans and fails to avoid CPU spinning at 100% on NUMA

From: KOSAKI Motohiro
Date: Tue Jun 09 2009 - 05:59:21 EST


> > > > Here it is just recording the jiffies value. The real smarts with the counter
> > > > use time_before() which I assumed could handle jiffie wrap-arounds. Even
> > > > if it doesn't, the consequence is that one scan will occur that could have
> > > > been avoided around the time of the jiffie wraparound. The value will then
> > > > be reset and it will be fine.
> > >
> > > time_before() assume two argument are enough nearly time.
> > > if we use 32bit cpu and HZ=1000, about jiffies wraparound about one month.
> > >
> > > Then,
> > >
> > > 1. zone reclaim failure occur
> > > 2. system works fine for one month
> > > 3. jiffies wrap and time_before() makes mis-calculation.
> > >
> >
> > And the scan occurs uselessly and zone_reclaim_failure gets set again.
> > I believe the one useless scan is not significant enough to warrent dealing
> > with jiffie wraparound.
>
> Thank you for kindful explanation.
> I fully agreed.

Bah, no, not agreed.
simple last failure recording makes following scenario.


1. zone reclaim failure occur. update zone_reclaim_failure.
^
| time_before() return 1, and zone_reclaim() return immediately.
v
2. after 32 second.
^
| time_before() return 0, and zone_reclaim() works normally
v
3. after one month
^
| time_before() return 1, and zone_reclaim() return immediately.
| although recent zone_reclaim() never failed.
v
4. after more one month




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