linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH] proc: revert to show stack information in /proc/{pid}/status

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Date:	Fri, 01 Jan 2010 16:10:16 +0100
From:	Stefani Seibold <stefani@...bold.net>
To:	KOSAKI Motohiro <kosaki.motohiro@...fujitsu.com>
Cc:	LKML <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>, Ingo Molnar <mingo@...e.hu>,
	Peter Zijlstra <a.p.zijlstra@...llo.nl>,
	Alexey Dobriyan <adobriyan@...il.com>,
	"Eric W. Biederman" <ebiederm@...ssion.com>,
	Randy Dunlap <randy.dunlap@...cle.com>,
	Andrew Morton <akpm@...ux-foundation.org>
Subject: Re: [PATCH] proc: revert to show stack information in
 /proc/{pid}/status

Am Freitag, den 01.01.2010, 23:14 +0900 schrieb KOSAKI Motohiro:
> > Am Donnerstag, den 31.12.2009, 23:12 +0900 schrieb KOSAKI Motohiro:
> > > Commit d899bf7b (procfs: provide stack information for threads) introduced
> > > to show stack information in /proc/{pid}/status. But it cause large performance
> > > regression. Unfortunately /proc/{pid}/status is used ps command too and ps is
> > > one of most important component. Because both to take mmap_sem and page table walk
> > > are heavily operation.
> > > 
> > 
> > /proc/<pid>/status is IMHO not a performance relevant thing. The main
> > reason is to provide exact information about a running process.
> 
> No. You have to learn real world use case. if you think so, you should 
> change ps before submit this change. This patch obviously make harm than worth. 
> Nobody (except you) use it but everybody get regression.
> 

It is fascinating that every developer means that only his personal view
and requirements are the wisdom of the world.
   
> 
> > > Thus, this patch revert it. Fortunately /proc/{pid}/task/{tid}/smaps
> > > provide almost same information. we can use it.
> > 
> > Completely wrong. Where does smaps provides this kind of information?
> > Where is there the high water mark of the stack usage?
> 
> You have to see you patch itself. show_map_vma() isn't only used by /proc/pid/maps,
> but also be used by /proc/pid/smaps.
> 
> Now, /proc/{pid}/task/{tid}/smaps show following column.
> 
> 7fb97c181000-7fb97d1d1000 rw-p 00000000 00:00 0                          [threadstack:0084eff0]
> Size:              16704 kB
> Rss:                   8 kB
> Pss:                   8 kB
> Shared_Clean:          0 kB
> Shared_Dirty:          0 kB
> Private_Clean:         0 kB
> Private_Dirty:         8 kB
> Referenced:            8 kB
> Swap:                  0 kB
> KernelPageSize:        4 kB
> MMUPageSize:           4 kB
> 
> It descibe
>   - This vma is thread stack
>   - vma size is 16704kB
>   - stack vsz size in vma is 0x0084eff0 (~ 8508kB)
>   - and, physical memory is used 8kB.
> 

But it don't describe the usage high water mark. With the information
provided by proc/*/smaps this is not possible. It is very funny to get
complains without checking. Your assertion is completely WRONG.

> 
> Anyway, I revert the regresstion patch as other regression patches. if you really want
> this feature, you have three options.
> 
>   1. create new /proc file instead to use /proc/pid/status.

This was discarded by Andrew. He prefered the inclusion
in /proc/pid/status. 

>   2. improve performance until typical use-case don't notice regression.

Not possible.

>   3. change ps and other /proc related userland implementation and resubmit this patch.

ps works quiet well.

> 
> But even if you choose anything, You have to test both its functional and performance
> _before_ submitting kernel patch.

Teach me master! Do you think i don't know that is coast something?.
Walking through the pages coast some runtime. But ps is not a
performance critical application nor a cat /proc/*/status!

Stefani


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