Re: [External] Re: [RESEND PATCH v2 00/12] Convert all vmstat counters to pages or bytes

[Muchun Song]

On Mon, Dec 7, 2020 at 11:02 PM Michal Hocko <mhocko@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> On Mon 07-12-20 22:52:30, Muchun Song wrote:
> > On Mon, Dec 7, 2020 at 9:00 PM Michal Hocko <mhocko@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > >
> > > On Sun 06-12-20 18:14:39, Muchun Song wrote:
> > > > Hi,
> > > >
> > > > This patch series is aimed to convert all THP vmstat counters to pages
> > > > and some KiB vmstat counters to bytes.
> > > >
> > > > The unit of some vmstat counters are pages, some are bytes, some are
> > > > HPAGE_PMD_NR, and some are KiB. When we want to expose these vmstat
> > > > counters to the userspace, we have to know the unit of the vmstat counters
> > > > is which one. It makes the code complex. Because there are too many choices,
> > > > the probability of making a mistake will be greater.
> > > >
> > > > For example, the below is some bug fix:
> > > >   - 7de2e9f195b9 ("mm: memcontrol: correct the NR_ANON_THPS counter of hierarchical memcg")
> > > >   - not committed(it is the first commit in this series) ("mm: memcontrol: fix NR_ANON_THPS account")
> > > >
> > > > This patch series can make the code simple (161 insertions(+), 187 deletions(-)).
> > > > And make the unit of the vmstat counters are either pages or bytes. Fewer choices
> > > > means lower probability of making mistakes :).
> > > >
> > > > This was inspired by Johannes and Roman. Thanks to them.
> > >
> > > It would be really great if you could summarize the current and after
> > > the patch state so that exceptions are clear and easier to review. The
> >
> > Agree. Will do in the next version. Thanks.
> >
> >
> > > existing situation is rather convoluted but we have at least units part
> > > of the name so it is not too hard to notice that. Reducing exeptions
> > > sounds nice but I am not really sure it is such an improvement it is
> > > worth a lot of code churn. Especially when it comes to KB vs B. Counting
> >
> > There are two vmstat counters (NR_KERNEL_STACK_KB and
> > NR_KERNEL_SCS_KB) whose units are KB. If we do this, all
> > vmstat counter units are either pages or bytes in the end. When
> > we expose those counters to userspace, it can be easy. You can
> > reference to:
> >
> >     [RESEND PATCH v2 11/12] mm: memcontrol: make the slab calculation consistent
> >
> > From this point of view, I think that it is worth doing this. Right?
>
> Well, unless I am missing something, we have two counters in bytes, two
> in kB, both clearly distinguishable by the B/KB suffix. Changing KB to B
> will certainly reduce the different classes of units, no question about
> that, but I am not really sure this is worth all the code churn. Maybe
> others will think otherwise.
>
> As I've said the THP accounting change makes more sense to me because it
> allows future changes which are already undergoing so there is more
> merit in those.

OK, will delete the convert of KB to B. Thanks.

> --
> Michal Hocko
> SUSE Labs



-- 
Yours,
Muchun