linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH] mm/memcontrol: Add the drop

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Date:   Mon, 21 Sep 2020 18:55:40 +0800
From:   Yafang Shao <laoar.shao@...il.com>
To:     Michal Hocko <mhocko@...e.com>
Cc:     zangchunxin@...edance.com, Johannes Weiner <hannes@...xchg.org>,
        Vladimir Davydov <vdavydov.dev@...il.com>,
        Andrew Morton <akpm@...ux-foundation.org>,
        Tejun Heo <tj@...nel.org>, lizefan@...wei.com,
        Jonathan Corbet <corbet@....net>,
        Alexei Starovoitov <ast@...nel.org>,
        Daniel Borkmann <daniel@...earbox.net>, kafai@...com,
        Song Liu <songliubraving@...com>, Yonghong Song <yhs@...com>,
        andriin@...com, john.fastabend@...il.com, kpsingh@...omium.org,
        Cgroups <cgroups@...r.kernel.org>, linux-doc@...r.kernel.org,
        Linux MM <linux-mm@...ck.org>,
        LKML <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>,
        netdev <netdev@...r.kernel.org>, bpf@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH] mm/memcontrol: Add the drop_cache interface for cgroup v2

On Mon, Sep 21, 2020 at 4:12 PM Michal Hocko <mhocko@...e.com> wrote:
>
> On Mon 21-09-20 16:02:55, zangchunxin@...edance.com wrote:
> > From: Chunxin Zang <zangchunxin@...edance.com>
> >
> > In the cgroup v1, we have 'force_mepty' interface. This is very
> > useful for userspace to actively release memory. But the cgroup
> > v2 does not.
> >
> > This patch reuse cgroup v1's function, but have a new name for
> > the interface. Because I think 'drop_cache' may be is easier to
> > understand :)
>
> This should really explain a usecase. Global drop_caches is a terrible
> interface and it has caused many problems in the past. People have
> learned to use it as a remedy to any problem they might see and cause
> other problems without realizing that. This is the reason why we even
> log each attempt to drop caches.
>
> I would rather not repeat the same mistake on the memcg level unless
> there is a very strong reason for it.
>

I think we'd better add these comments above the function
mem_cgroup_force_empty() to explain why we don't want to expose this
interface in cgroup2, otherwise people will continue to send this
proposal without any strong reason.


> > Signed-off-by: Chunxin Zang <zangchunxin@...edance.com>
> > ---
> >  Documentation/admin-guide/cgroup-v2.rst | 11 +++++++++++
> >  mm/memcontrol.c                         |  5 +++++
> >  2 files changed, 16 insertions(+)
> >
> > diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/cgroup-v2.rst b/Documentation/admin-guide/cgroup-v2.rst
> > index ce3e05e41724..fbff959c8116 100644
> > --- a/Documentation/admin-guide/cgroup-v2.rst
> > +++ b/Documentation/admin-guide/cgroup-v2.rst
> > @@ -1181,6 +1181,17 @@ PAGE_SIZE multiple when read back.
> >       high limit is used and monitored properly, this limit's
> >       utility is limited to providing the final safety net.
> >
> > +  memory.drop_cache
> > +    A write-only single value file which exists on non-root
> > +    cgroups.
> > +
> > +    Provide a mechanism for users to actively trigger memory
> > +    reclaim. The cgroup will be reclaimed and as many pages
> > +    reclaimed as possible.
> > +
> > +    It will broke low boundary. Because it tries to reclaim the
> > +    memory many times, until the memory drops to a certain level.
> > +
> >    memory.oom.group
> >       A read-write single value file which exists on non-root
> >       cgroups.  The default value is "0".
> > diff --git a/mm/memcontrol.c b/mm/memcontrol.c
> > index 0b38b6ad547d..98646484efff 100644
> > --- a/mm/memcontrol.c
> > +++ b/mm/memcontrol.c
> > @@ -6226,6 +6226,11 @@ static struct cftype memory_files[] = {
> >               .write = memory_max_write,
> >       },
> >       {
> > +             .name = "drop_cache",
> > +             .flags = CFTYPE_NOT_ON_ROOT,
> > +             .write = mem_cgroup_force_empty_write,
> > +     },
> > +     {
> >               .name = "events",
> >               .flags = CFTYPE_NOT_ON_ROOT,
> >               .file_offset = offsetof(struct mem_cgroup, events_file),
> > --
> > 2.11.0
>
> --
> Michal Hocko
> SUSE Labs
>


-- 
Thanks
Yafang