linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH 2/3] bpf powerpc: implement support for tail calls

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Message-Id: <20160926090913.GH15470@naverao1-tp.localdomain>
Date:   Mon, 26 Sep 2016 14:39:13 +0530
From:   "Naveen N. Rao" <naveen.n.rao@...ux.vnet.ibm.com>
To:     Daniel Borkmann <daniel@...earbox.net>
Cc:     Alexei Starovoitov <alexei.starovoitov@...il.com>,
        Ananth N Mavinakayanahalli <ananth@...ibm.com>,
        Alexei Starovoitov <ast@...com>, netdev@...r.kernel.org,
        linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org, linuxppc-dev@...ts.ozlabs.org,
        "David S. Miller" <davem@...emloft.net>
Subject: Re: [PATCH 2/3] bpf powerpc: implement support for tail calls

On 2016/09/26 11:00AM, Daniel Borkmann wrote:
> On 09/26/2016 10:56 AM, Naveen N. Rao wrote:
> > On 2016/09/24 03:30AM, Alexei Starovoitov wrote:
> > > On Sat, Sep 24, 2016 at 12:33:54AM +0200, Daniel Borkmann wrote:
> > > > On 09/23/2016 10:35 PM, Naveen N. Rao wrote:
> > > > > Tail calls allow JIT'ed eBPF programs to call into other JIT'ed eBPF
> > > > > programs. This can be achieved either by:
> > > > > (1) retaining the stack setup by the first eBPF program and having all
> > > > > subsequent eBPF programs re-using it, or,
> > > > > (2) by unwinding/tearing down the stack and having each eBPF program
> > > > > deal with its own stack as it sees fit.
> > > > > 
> > > > > To ensure that this does not create loops, there is a limit to how many
> > > > > tail calls can be done (currently 32). This requires the JIT'ed code to
> > > > > maintain a count of the number of tail calls done so far.
> > > > > 
> > > > > Approach (1) is simple, but requires every eBPF program to have (almost)
> > > > > the same prologue/epilogue, regardless of whether they need it. This is
> > > > > inefficient for small eBPF programs which may not sometimes need a
> > > > > prologue at all. As such, to minimize impact of tail call
> > > > > implementation, we use approach (2) here which needs each eBPF program
> > > > > in the chain to use its own prologue/epilogue. This is not ideal when
> > > > > many tail calls are involved and when all the eBPF programs in the chain
> > > > > have similar prologue/epilogue. However, the impact is restricted to
> > > > > programs that do tail calls. Individual eBPF programs are not affected.
> > > > > 
> > > > > We maintain the tail call count in a fixed location on the stack and
> > > > > updated tail call count values are passed in through this. The very
> > > > > first eBPF program in a chain sets this up to 0 (the first 2
> > > > > instructions). Subsequent tail calls skip the first two eBPF JIT
> > > > > instructions to maintain the count. For programs that don't do tail
> > > > > calls themselves, the first two instructions are NOPs.
> > > > > 
> > > > > Signed-off-by: Naveen N. Rao <naveen.n.rao@...ux.vnet.ibm.com>
> > > > 
> > > > Thanks for adding support, Naveen, that's really great! I think 2) seems
> > > > fine as well in this context as prologue size can vary quite a bit here,
> > > > and depending on program types likelihood of tail call usage as well (but
> > > > I wouldn't expect deep nesting). Thanks a lot!
> > > 
> > > Great stuff. In this circumstances approach 2 makes sense to me as well.
> > 
> > Alexie, Daniel,
> > Thanks for the quick review!
> 
> The patches would go via Michael's tree (same way as with the JIT itself
> in the past), right?

Yes, this set is contained within arch/powerpc, so Michael can take this 
through his tree.

The other set with updates to samples/bpf can probably go through 
David's tree.

- Naveen