Re: Pin-pointing the root of unusual application latencies

From: John Sigler
Date: Thu Jul 26 2007 - 11:16:51 EST


[ Adding linux-net to the mix ]

John Sigler wrote:

( check_dektec_in-1095 |#0): new 271 us user-latency.
( check_dektec_in-1095 |#0): new 275 us user-latency.
( check_dektec_in-1095 |#0): new 290 us user-latency.
( check_dektec_in-1095 |#0): new 297 us user-latency.
( check_dektec_in-1095 |#0): new 345 us user-latency.
( check_dektec_in-1095 |#0): new 358 us user-latency.
( check_dektec_in-1095 |#0): new 384 us user-latency.
( check_dektec_in-1095 |#0): new 392 us user-latency.
( check_dektec_in-1095 |#0): new 395 us user-latency.
( check_dektec_in-1095 |#0): new 396 us user-latency.
( check_dektec_in-1095 |#0): new 1031 us user-latency.
( check_dektec_in-1095 |#0): new 1100 us user-latency.
( check_dektec_in-1095 |#0): new 1105 us user-latency.
( check_dektec_in-1095 |#0): new 1106 us user-latency.

Here's the function trace for the 1106-µs latency:

http://linux.kernel.free.fr/latency/1106-us-trace.txt

These two lines repeat ~2000 times for ~800 µs:

softirq--4 0.... 272us : __lock_text_start (rt_run_flush)
softirq--4 0.... 272us : rt_spin_unlock (rt_run_flush)

With a pair of the following in the middle:

softirq--4 0.... 670us : call_rcu (rt_run_flush)
softirq--4 0D..1 670us : __rcu_advance_callbacks (call_rcu)

Could someone explain why the kernel is "spinning" in rt_run_flush.
http://lxr.linux.no/source/net/ipv4/route.c#L692
What is the kernel trying to do?

Is the kernel in the following loop?

701 for (i = rt_hash_mask; i >= 0; i--) {
702 spin_lock_bh(rt_hash_lock_addr(i));
703 rth = rt_hash_table[i].chain;
704 if (rth)
705 rt_hash_table[i].chain = NULL;
706 spin_unlock_bh(rt_hash_lock_addr(i));

Line 702 would be __lock_text_start (rt_run_flush)
Line 706 would be rt_spin_unlock
Is that correct?

And this would be done 2000 times because rt_hash_mask=2000?

Regards.
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