Date:   Fri, 29 Apr 2022 13:41:15 -0400
From:   Waiman Long <longman@...hat.com>
To:     Thomas Gleixner <tglx@...utronix.de>,
        Ingo Molnar <mingo@...hat.com>, Borislav Petkov <bp@...en8.de>,
        Dave Hansen <dave.hansen@...ux.intel.com>
Cc:     x86@...nel.org, linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org,
        "H. Peter Anvin" <hpa@...or.com>, Feng Tang <feng.tang@...el.com>,
        Bill Gray <bgray@...hat.com>, Jirka Hladky <jhladky@...hat.com>
Subject: Re: [PATCH 2/2] x86/tsc_sync: Add synchronization overhead to tsc
 adjustment

On 4/27/22 18:38, Thomas Gleixner wrote:
> On Tue, Apr 26 2022 at 11:36, Waiman Long wrote:
>> On 4/25/22 15:24, Thomas Gleixner wrote:
>>> Yes. It's clear that the initial sync overhead is due to the cache line
>>> being remote, but I rather underestimate the compensation. Aside of that
>>> it's not guaranteed that the cache line is actually remote on the first
>>> access. It's by chance, but not by design.
>> In check_tsc_warp(), the (unlikely(prev > now) check may only be
>> triggered to record the possible wrap if last_tsc was previously written
>> to by another cpu. That requires the transfer of lock cacheline from the
>> remote cpu to local cpu as well. So sync overhead with remote cacheline
>> is what really matters here. I had actually thought about just measuring
>> local cacheline sync overhead so as to underestimate it and I am fine
>> about doing it.
> Fair enough, but what I meant is that when estimating the actual sync
> overhead then there is no guarantee that the cache line is remote.
>
> The CPU which does that estimation might have been the last to lock,
> there is no guarantee that the reference CPU locked last or wrote to the
> cache line last.
>
>>> IOW, TSC runs with a constant frequency independent of the actual CPU
>>> frequency, ergo the CPU frequency dependent execution time has an
>>> influence on the resulting compensation value, no?
>>>
>>> On the machine I tested on, it's a factor of 3 between the minimal and
>>> the maximal CPU frequency, which makes quite a difference, right?
>> Yes, I understand that. The measurement of sync_overhead is for
>> estimating the delay (in TSC cycles) that the locking overhead
>> introduces. With 1000MHz frequency, the delay in TSC cycle will be
>> double that of a cpu running at 2000MHz. So you need more compensation
>> in this case. That is why I said that as long as clock frequency doesn't
>> change in the check_tsc_wrap() loop and the sync_overhead measurement
>> part of the code, the actual cpu frequency does not matter here.
> I grant you that it does not matter for the loop under the assumption
> that the loop runs at constant frequency, but is that a guarantee that
> it does not matter later on?
Yes, that is my point that frequency doesn't matter if frequency remain 
the same. Of course, all bets are off if frequency really change.
>
> If you overcompensate by a factor of 3 because the upcoming CPU ran at
> the lowest frequency, then it might become visible later when everything
> runs at full speed.
I don't think the overhead will be directly proportional to the cpu 
frequency. A 3X increase in frequency will certainly cause the overhead 
to be lowered, but it won't be 1/3. Maybe 1/2 at most.
>
>> However about we half the measure sync_overhead as compensation to avoid
>> over-estimation, but probably increase the chance that we need a second
>> adjustment of TSC wrap.
> Half of what?

What I mean is

@@ -533,7 +551,7 @@ void check_tsc_sync_target(void)
          * really depends on CPU, node distance and frequency. Add the
          * estimated sync overhead to the adjustment value.
          */
-       cur->adjusted += cur_max_warp + sync_overhead;
+       cur->adjusted += cur_max_warp + sync_overhead/2;

         pr_warn("TSC ADJUST compensate: CPU%u observed %lld warp 
(overhead %lld>
                 cpu, cur_max_warp, sync_overhead, cur->adjusted);

>> With this patch applied, the measured overhead on the same CooperLake
>> system on different reboot runs varies from 104 to 326.
> Half of something which jumps around? Not convinced. :)
>
> Btw:
>>> Yes, I will try that experiment and report back the results.
> Could you please do that? I really like to see the data points.

I have applied your patch with some modification and below was the 
relevant part of the boot up log on a Cooperlake system with this TSC 
sync problem.

[    0.008858] smpboot: CPU 36 Converting physical 0 to logical die 2
[    0.008858] Sync overhead: 230
[    0.008858] Sync overhead: 547 A: 149597 M: 149596 F: 2500016
[    0.008858] TSC ADJUST compensate: CPU36 observed 76342 warp 
(overhead 230). Adjust: 76457
[    0.008858] smpboot: CPU 54 Converting physical 0 to logical die 3
[    0.008858] Sync overhead: 178
[    0.008858] Sync overhead: 658 A: 177970 M: 177968 F: 2500028
[    0.008858] TSC ADJUST compensate: CPU54 observed 76568 warp 
(overhead 178). Adjust: 76657

BTW, CPUs 36 and 54 are the first CPU of socket 2 and 3 respectively. It 
is always these CPUs that need TSC adjustment.

I have no idea why the sync overhead actually increase in the subsequent 
measurement as the frequency was set at 2.5GHz, I think.

I tried to offline all the CPUs in a socket and then online the first 
CPU as suggested. However, I was not able to cause the tsc_sync loop to run.

BTW, without my patch the same system will boot up with the following log:

[    0.008823] TSC ADJUST compensate: CPU36 observed 86036 warp. Adjust: 
86036
[    0.008823] TSC ADJUST compensate: CPU36 observed 122 warp. Adjust: 86158
[    0.923620] Measured 2 cycles TSC warp between CPUs, turning off TSC 
clock.
[    0.923620] tsc: Marking TSC unstable due to check_tsc_sync_source failed

How about we add the full sync_overhead at bootup stage, but then half 
sync_overhead after boot in case the tsc_sync loop is run again for new 
online CPUs? Or any other scheme that you think is appropriate.

Cheers,
Longman

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