Re: [PATCH 2/2] kvm: use cpumask_var_t for cpus_hardware_enabled

From: Avi Kivity
Date: Mon Dec 08 2008 - 04:46:51 EST


Rusty Russell wrote:
This isn't on stack, so it isn't buying us anything.

It's the CONFIG_NR_CPUS=4096 but nr_cpu_ids=4 case which we win using
dynamic allocation. Gotta love distribution kernels.


What does it buy? 4096/8 = 512 bytes statically allocated?

I understand passing things as pointers, but allocating everything dynamically is unCish.

Is the plan to drop cpumask_t?

Yes. And undefine 'struct cpumask' if CONFIG_CPUMASK_OFFSTACK. That
will stop assignment and on-stack declarations for all but the most
determined.

If so, we're penalizing non-stack users by forcing them to go through another pointer (and cacheline).

Not quite. If !CONFIG_CPUMASK_OFFSTACK, cpumask_var_t == cpumask_t[1].
Blame Linus :)

Hm, is there a C trick which will error out when allocating something on the stack, but work when allocating statically? I can think of something to do the reverse, but that doesn't help.

Maybe a weak or visibility attribute? These don't make sense on function locals.

--
I have a truly marvellous patch that fixes the bug which this
signature is too narrow to contain.

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