mm/madvise: introduce MADV_POPULATE_(READ|WRITE) to prefault page tables
I. Background: Sparse Memory Mappings When we manage sparse memory mappings dynamically in user space - also sometimes involving MAP_NORESERVE - we want to dynamically populate/ discard memory inside such a sparse memory region. Example users are hypervisors (especially implementing memory ballooning or similar technologies like virtio-mem) and memory allocators. In addition, we want to fail in a nice way (instead of generating SIGBUS) if populating does not succeed because we are out of backend memory (which can happen easily with file-based mappings, especially tmpfs and hugetlbfs). While MADV_DONTNEED, MADV_REMOVE and FALLOC_FL_PUNCH_HOLE allow for reliably discarding memory for most mapping types, there is no generic approach to populate page tables and preallocate memory. Although mmap() supports MAP_POPULATE, it is not applicable to the concept of sparse memory mappings, where we want to populate/discard dynamically and avoid expensive/problematic remappings. In addition, we never actually report errors during the final populate phase - it is best-effort only. fallocate() can be used to preallocate file-based memory and fail in a safe way. However, it cannot really be used for any private mappings on anonymous files via memfd due to COW semantics. In addition, fallocate() does not actually populate page tables, so we still always get pagefaults on first access - which is sometimes undesired (i.e., real-time workloads) and requires real prefaulting of page tables, not just a preallocation of backend storage. There might be interesting use cases for sparse memory regions along with mlockall(MCL_ONFAULT) which fallocate() cannot satisfy as it does not prefault page tables. II. On preallcoation/prefaulting from user space Because we don't have a proper interface, what applications (like QEMU and databases) end up doing is touching (i.e., reading+writing one byte to not overwrite existing data) all individual pages. However, that approach 1) Can result in wear on storage backing, because we end up reading/writing each page; this is especially a problem for dax/pmem. 2) Can result in mmap_sem contention when prefaulting via multiple threads. 3) Requires expensive signal handling, especially to catch SIGBUS in case of hugetlbfs/shmem/file-backed memory. For example, this is problematic in hypervisors like QEMU where SIGBUS handlers might already be used by other subsystems concurrently to e.g, handle hardware errors. "Simply" doing preallocation concurrently from other thread is not that easy. III. On MADV_WILLNEED Extending MADV_WILLNEED is not an option because 1. It would change the semantics: "Expect access in the near future." and "might be a good idea to read some pages" vs. "Definitely populate/ preallocate all memory and definitely fail on errors.". 2. Existing users (like virtio-balloon in QEMU when deflating the balloon) don't want populate/prealloc semantics. They treat this rather as a hint to give a little performance boost without too much overhead - and don't expect that a lot of memory might get consumed or a lot of time might be spent. IV. MADV_POPULATE_READ and MADV_POPULATE_WRITE Let's introduce MADV_POPULATE_READ and MADV_POPULATE_WRITE, inspired by MAP_POPULATE, with the following semantics: 1. MADV_POPULATE_READ can be used to prefault page tables just like manually reading each individual page. This will not break any COW mappings. The shared zero page might get mapped and no backend storage might get preallocated -- allocation might be deferred to write-fault time. Especially shared file mappings require an explicit fallocate() upfront to actually preallocate backend memory (blocks in the file system) in case the file might have holes. 2. If MADV_POPULATE_READ succeeds, all page tables have been populated (prefaulted) readable once. 3. MADV_POPULATE_WRITE can be used to preallocate backend memory and prefault page tables just like manually writing (or reading+writing) each individual page. This will break any COW mappings -- e.g., the shared zeropage is never populated. 4. If MADV_POPULATE_WRITE succeeds, all page tables have been populated (prefaulted) writable once. 5. MADV_POPULATE_READ and MADV_POPULATE_WRITE cannot be applied to special mappings marked with VM_PFNMAP and VM_IO. Also, proper access permissions (e.g., PROT_READ, PROT_WRITE) are required. If any such mapping is encountered, madvise() fails with -EINVAL. 6. If MADV_POPULATE_READ or MADV_POPULATE_WRITE fails, some page tables might have been populated. 7. MADV_POPULATE_READ and MADV_POPULATE_WRITE will return -EHWPOISON when encountering a HW poisoned page in the range. 8. Similar to MAP_POPULATE, MADV_POPULATE_READ and MADV_POPULATE_WRITE cannot protect from the OOM (Out Of Memory) handler killing the process. While the use case for MADV_POPULATE_WRITE is fairly obvious (i.e., preallocate memory and prefault page tables for VMs), one issue is that whenever we prefault pages writable, the pages have to be marked dirty, because the CPU could dirty them any time. while not a real problem for hugetlbfs or dax/pmem, it can be a problem for shared file mappings: each page will be marked dirty and has to be written back later when evicting. MADV_POPULATE_READ allows for optimizing this scenario: Pre-read a whole mapping from backend storage without marking it dirty, such that eviction won't have to write it back. As discussed above, shared file mappings might require an explciit fallocate() upfront to achieve preallcoation+prepopulation. Although sparse memory mappings are the primary use case, this will also be useful for other preallocate/prefault use cases where MAP_POPULATE is not desired or the semantics of MAP_POPULATE are not sufficient: as one example, QEMU users can trigger preallocation/prefaulting of guest RAM after the mapping was created -- and don't want errors to be silently suppressed. Looking at the history, MADV_POPULATE was already proposed in 2013 [1], however, the main motivation back than was performance improvements -- which should also still be the case. V. Single-threaded performance comparison I did a short experiment, prefaulting page tables on completely *empty mappings/files* and repeated the experiment 10 times. The results correspond to the shortest execution time. In general, the performance benefit for huge pages is negligible with small mappings. V.1: Private mappings POPULATE_READ and POPULATE_WRITE is fastest. Note that Reading/POPULATE_READ will populate the shared zeropage where applicable -- which result in short population times. The fastest way to allocate backend storage (here: swap or huge pages) and prefault page tables is POPULATE_WRITE. V.2: Shared mappings fallocate() is fastest, however, doesn't prefault page tables. POPULATE_WRITE is faster than simple writes and read/writes. POPULATE_READ is faster than simple reads. Without a fd, the fastest way to allocate backend storage and prefault page tables is POPULATE_WRITE. With an fd, the fastest way is usually FALLOCATE+POPULATE_READ or FALLOCATE+POPULATE_WRITE respectively; one exception are actual files: FALLOCATE+Read is slightly faster than FALLOCATE+POPULATE_READ. The fastest way to allocate backend storage prefault page tables is FALLOCATE+POPULATE_WRITE -- except when dealing with actual files; then, FALLOCATE+POPULATE_READ is fastest and won't directly mark all pages as dirty. v.3: Detailed results ================================================== 2 MiB MAP_PRIVATE: ************************************************** Anon 4 KiB : Read : 0.119 ms Anon 4 KiB : Write : 0.222 ms Anon 4 KiB : Read/Write : 0.380 ms Anon 4 KiB : POPULATE_READ : 0.060 ms Anon 4 KiB : POPULATE_WRITE : 0.158 ms Memfd 4 KiB : Read : 0.034 ms Memfd 4 KiB : Write : 0.310 ms Memfd 4 KiB : Read/Write : 0.362 ms Memfd 4 KiB : POPULATE_READ : 0.039 ms Memfd 4 KiB : POPULATE_WRITE : 0.229 ms Memfd 2 MiB : Read : 0.030 ms Memfd 2 MiB : Write : 0.030 ms Memfd 2 MiB : Read/Write : 0.030 ms Memfd 2 MiB : POPULATE_READ : 0.030 ms Memfd 2 MiB : POPULATE_WRITE : 0.030 ms tmpfs : Read : 0.033 ms tmpfs : Write : 0.313 ms tmpfs : Read/Write : 0.406 ms tmpfs : POPULATE_READ : 0.039 ms tmpfs : POPULATE_WRITE : 0.285 ms file : Read : 0.033 ms file : Write : 0.351 ms file : Read/Write : 0.408 ms file : POPULATE_READ : 0.039 ms file : POPULATE_WRITE : 0.290 ms hugetlbfs : Read : 0.030 ms hugetlbfs : Write : 0.030 ms hugetlbfs : Read/Write : 0.030 ms hugetlbfs : POPULATE_READ : 0.030 ms hugetlbfs : POPULATE_WRITE : 0.030 ms ************************************************** 4096 MiB MAP_PRIVATE: ************************************************** Anon 4 KiB : Read : 237.940 ms Anon 4 KiB : Write : 708.409 ms Anon 4 KiB : Read/Write : 1054.041 ms Anon 4 KiB : POPULATE_READ : 124.310 ms Anon 4 KiB : POPULATE_WRITE : 572.582 ms Memfd 4 KiB : Read : 136.928 ms Memfd 4 KiB : Write : 963.898 ms Memfd 4 KiB : Read/Write : 1106.561 ms Memfd 4 KiB : POPULATE_READ : 78.450 ms Memfd 4 KiB : POPULATE_WRITE : 805.881 ms Memfd 2 MiB : Read : 357.116 ms Memfd 2 MiB : Write : 357.210 ms Memfd 2 MiB : Read/Write : 357.606 ms Memfd 2 MiB : POPULATE_READ : 356.094 ms Memfd 2 MiB : POPULATE_WRITE : 356.937 ms tmpfs : Read : 137.536 ms tmpfs : Write : 954.362 ms tmpfs : Read/Write : 1105.954 ms tmpfs : POPULATE_READ : 80.289 ms tmpfs : POPULATE_WRITE : 822.826 ms file : Read : 137.874 ms file : Write : 987.025 ms file : Read/Write : 1107.439 ms file : POPULATE_READ : 80.413 ms file : POPULATE_WRITE : 857.622 ms hugetlbfs : Read : 355.607 ms hugetlbfs : Write : 355.729 ms hugetlbfs : Read/Write : 356.127 ms hugetlbfs : POPULATE_READ : 354.585 ms hugetlbfs : POPULATE_WRITE : 355.138 ms ************************************************** 2 MiB MAP_SHARED: ************************************************** Anon 4 KiB : Read : 0.394 ms Anon 4 KiB : Write : 0.348 ms Anon 4 KiB : Read/Write : 0.400 ms Anon 4 KiB : POPULATE_READ : 0.326 ms Anon 4 KiB : POPULATE_WRITE : 0.273 ms Anon 2 MiB : Read : 0.030 ms Anon 2 MiB : Write : 0.030 ms Anon 2 MiB : Read/Write : 0.030 ms Anon 2 MiB : POPULATE_READ : 0.030 ms Anon 2 MiB : POPULATE_WRITE : 0.030 ms Memfd 4 KiB : Read : 0.412 ms Memfd 4 KiB : Write : 0.372 ms Memfd 4 KiB : Read/Write : 0.419 ms Memfd 4 KiB : POPULATE_READ : 0.343 ms Memfd 4 KiB : POPULATE_WRITE : 0.288 ms Memfd 4 KiB : FALLOCATE : 0.137 ms Memfd 4 KiB : FALLOCATE+Read : 0.446 ms Memfd 4 KiB : FALLOCATE+Write : 0.330 ms Memfd 4 KiB : FALLOCATE+Read/Write : 0.454 ms Memfd 4 KiB : FALLOCATE+POPULATE_READ : 0.379 ms Memfd 4 KiB : FALLOCATE+POPULATE_WRITE : 0.268 ms Memfd 2 MiB : Read : 0.030 ms Memfd 2 MiB : Write : 0.030 ms Memfd 2 MiB : Read/Write : 0.030 ms Memfd 2 MiB : POPULATE_READ : 0.030 ms Memfd 2 MiB : POPULATE_WRITE : 0.030 ms Memfd 2 MiB : FALLOCATE : 0.030 ms Memfd 2 MiB : FALLOCATE+Read : 0.031 ms Memfd 2 MiB : FALLOCATE+Write : 0.031 ms Memfd 2 MiB : FALLOCATE+Read/Write : 0.031 ms Memfd 2 MiB : FALLOCATE+POPULATE_READ : 0.030 ms Memfd 2 MiB : FALLOCATE+POPULATE_WRITE : 0.030 ms tmpfs : Read : 0.416 ms tmpfs : Write : 0.369 ms tmpfs : Read/Write : 0.425 ms tmpfs : POPULATE_READ : 0.346 ms tmpfs : POPULATE_WRITE : 0.295 ms tmpfs : FALLOCATE : 0.139 ms tmpfs : FALLOCATE+Read : 0.447 ms tmpfs : FALLOCATE+Write : 0.333 ms tmpfs : FALLOCATE+Read/Write : 0.454 ms tmpfs : FALLOCATE+POPULATE_READ : 0.380 ms tmpfs : FALLOCATE+POPULATE_WRITE : 0.272 ms file : Read : 0.191 ms file : Write : 0.511 ms file : Read/Write : 0.524 ms file : POPULATE_READ : 0.196 ms file : POPULATE_WRITE : 0.434 ms file : FALLOCATE : 0.004 ms file : FALLOCATE+Read : 0.197 ms file : FALLOCATE+Write : 0.554 ms file : FALLOCATE+Read/Write : 0.480 ms file : FALLOCATE+POPULATE_READ : 0.201 ms file : FALLOCATE+POPULATE_WRITE : 0.381 ms hugetlbfs : Read : 0.030 ms hugetlbfs : Write : 0.030 ms hugetlbfs : Read/Write : 0.030 ms hugetlbfs : POPULATE_READ : 0.030 ms hugetlbfs : POPULATE_WRITE : 0.030 ms hugetlbfs : FALLOCATE : 0.030 ms hugetlbfs : FALLOCATE+Read : 0.031 ms hugetlbfs : FALLOCATE+Write : 0.031 ms hugetlbfs : FALLOCATE+Read/Write : 0.030 ms hugetlbfs : FALLOCATE+POPULATE_READ : 0.030 ms hugetlbfs : FALLOCATE+POPULATE_WRITE : 0.030 ms ************************************************** 4096 MiB MAP_SHARED: ************************************************** Anon 4 KiB : Read : 1053.090 ms Anon 4 KiB : Write : 913.642 ms Anon 4 KiB : Read/Write : 1060.350 ms Anon 4 KiB : POPULATE_READ : 893.691 ms Anon 4 KiB : POPULATE_WRITE : 782.885 ms Anon 2 MiB : Read : 358.553 ms Anon 2 MiB : Write : 358.419 ms Anon 2 MiB : Read/Write : 357.992 ms Anon 2 MiB : POPULATE_READ : 357.533 ms Anon 2 MiB : POPULATE_WRITE : 357.808 ms Memfd 4 KiB : Read : 1078.144 ms Memfd 4 KiB : Write : 942.036 ms Memfd 4 KiB : Read/Write : 1100.391 ms Memfd 4 KiB : POPULATE_READ : 925.829 ms Memfd 4 KiB : POPULATE_WRITE : 804.394 ms Memfd 4 KiB : FALLOCATE : 304.632 ms Memfd 4 KiB : FALLOCATE+Read : 1163.359 ms Memfd 4 KiB : FALLOCATE+Write : 933.186 ms Memfd 4 KiB : FALLOCATE+Read/Write : 1187.304 ms Memfd 4 KiB : FALLOCATE+POPULATE_READ : 1013.660 ms Memfd 4 KiB : FALLOCATE+POPULATE_WRITE : 794.560 ms Memfd 2 MiB : Read : 358.131 ms Memfd 2 MiB : Write : 358.099 ms Memfd 2 MiB : Read/Write : 358.250 ms Memfd 2 MiB : POPULATE_READ : 357.563 ms Memfd 2 MiB : POPULATE_WRITE : 357.334 ms Memfd 2 MiB : FALLOCATE : 356.735 ms Memfd 2 MiB : FALLOCATE+Read : 358.152 ms Memfd 2 MiB : FALLOCATE+Write : 358.331 ms Memfd 2 MiB : FALLOCATE+Read/Write : 358.018 ms Memfd 2 MiB : FALLOCATE+POPULATE_READ : 357.286 ms Memfd 2 MiB : FALLOCATE+POPULATE_WRITE : 357.523 ms tmpfs : Read : 1087.265 ms tmpfs : Write : 950.840 ms tmpfs : Read/Write : 1107.567 ms tmpfs : POPULATE_READ : 922.605 ms tmpfs : POPULATE_WRITE : 810.094 ms tmpfs : FALLOCATE : 306.320 ms tmpfs : FALLOCATE+Read : 1169.796 ms tmpfs : FALLOCATE+Write : 933.730 ms tmpfs : FALLOCATE+Read/Write : 1191.610 ms tmpfs : FALLOCATE+POPULATE_READ : 1020.474 ms tmpfs : FALLOCATE+POPULATE_WRITE : 798.945 ms file : Read : 654.101 ms file : Write : 1259.142 ms file : Read/Write : 1289.509 ms file : POPULATE_READ : 661.642 ms file : POPULATE_WRITE : 1106.816 ms file : FALLOCATE : 1.864 ms file : FALLOCATE+Read : 656.328 ms file : FALLOCATE+Write : 1153.300 ms file : FALLOCATE+Read/Write : 1180.613 ms file : FALLOCATE+POPULATE_READ : 668.347 ms file : FALLOCATE+POPULATE_WRITE : 996.143 ms hugetlbfs : Read : 357.245 ms hugetlbfs : Write : 357.413 ms hugetlbfs : Read/Write : 357.120 ms hugetlbfs : POPULATE_READ : 356.321 ms hugetlbfs : POPULATE_WRITE : 356.693 ms hugetlbfs : FALLOCATE : 355.927 ms hugetlbfs : FALLOCATE+Read : 357.074 ms hugetlbfs : FALLOCATE+Write : 357.120 ms hugetlbfs : FALLOCATE+Read/Write : 356.983 ms hugetlbfs : FALLOCATE+POPULATE_READ : 356.413 ms hugetlbfs : FALLOCATE+POPULATE_WRITE : 356.266 ms ************************************************** [1] https://lkml.org/lkml/2013/6/27/698 [akpm@linux-foundation.org: coding style fixes] Link: https://lkml.kernel.org/r/20210419135443.12822-3-david@redhat.comSigned-off-by:David Hildenbrand <david@redhat.com> Cc: Arnd Bergmann <arnd@arndb.de> Cc: Michal Hocko <mhocko@suse.com> Cc: Oscar Salvador <osalvador@suse.de> Cc: Matthew Wilcox (Oracle) <willy@infradead.org> Cc: Andrea Arcangeli <aarcange@redhat.com> Cc: Minchan Kim <minchan@kernel.org> Cc: Jann Horn <jannh@google.com> Cc: Jason Gunthorpe <jgg@ziepe.ca> Cc: Dave Hansen <dave.hansen@intel.com> Cc: Hugh Dickins <hughd@google.com> Cc: Rik van Riel <riel@surriel.com> Cc: Michael S. Tsirkin <mst@redhat.com> Cc: Kirill A. Shutemov <kirill.shutemov@linux.intel.com> Cc: Vlastimil Babka <vbabka@suse.cz> Cc: Richard Henderson <rth@twiddle.net> Cc: Ivan Kokshaysky <ink@jurassic.park.msu.ru> Cc: Matt Turner <mattst88@gmail.com> Cc: Thomas Bogendoerfer <tsbogend@alpha.franken.de> Cc: "James E.J. Bottomley" <James.Bottomley@HansenPartnership.com> Cc: Helge Deller <deller@gmx.de> Cc: Chris Zankel <chris@zankel.net> Cc: Max Filippov <jcmvbkbc@gmail.com> Cc: Mike Kravetz <mike.kravetz@oracle.com> Cc: Peter Xu <peterx@redhat.com> Cc: Rolf Eike Beer <eike-kernel@sf-tec.de> Cc: Ram Pai <linuxram@us.ibm.com> Cc: Shuah Khan <shuah@kernel.org> Signed-off-by:
Andrew Morton <akpm@linux-foundation.org> Signed-off-by:
Linus Torvalds <torvalds@linux-foundation.org>
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