[PATCH] sched: fair: Improve PELT decay_load calculation comments

From: Joel Fernandes
Date: Fri Mar 10 2017 - 15:24:13 EST


The PELT decay_load comments are a bit confusing, first of all
the 1/2^N should be (1/2)^N so that the reader doesn't get confused.
Secondly, the y^N splitting into a 2-part decay factor deserves
a better explanation. This patch improves the comments.

Cc: Paul Turner <pjt@xxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: Dietmar Eggemann <dietmar.eggemann@xxxxxxx>
Cc: Juri Lelli <Juri.Lelli@xxxxxxx>
Cc: Patrick Bellasi <patrick.bellasi@xxxxxxx>
Cc: Peter Zijlstra <peterz@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Signed-off-by: Joel Fernandes <joelaf@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
kernel/sched/fair.c | 14 +++++++++-----
1 file changed, 9 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)

diff --git a/kernel/sched/fair.c b/kernel/sched/fair.c
index 6559d197e08a..1e1f2d77751e 100644
--- a/kernel/sched/fair.c
+++ b/kernel/sched/fair.c
@@ -2761,11 +2761,15 @@ static __always_inline u64 decay_load(u64 val, u64 n)
local_n = n;

/*
- * As y^PERIOD = 1/2, we can combine
- * y^n = 1/2^(n/PERIOD) * y^(n%PERIOD)
- * With a look-up table which covers y^n (n<PERIOD)
- *
- * To achieve constant time decay_load.
+ * As y^PERIOD = 1/2, we can decay the load by 1/2
+ * for n/PERIOD number of PERIOD sized instances. Then
+ * we decay by the remaining windows in the final PERIOD,
+ * that is n%PERIOD. In other words, the decay factor
+ * y^N in terms of PERIOD becomes:
+ * y^n = (1/2)^(n/PERIOD) * y^(n%PERIOD).
+ * Since now we only need to compute powers of y where
+ * n < PERIOD, we use a look-up table for y^N (N<PERIOD).
+ * This helps achieve constant time decay_load.
*/
if (unlikely(local_n >= LOAD_AVG_PERIOD)) {
val >>= local_n / LOAD_AVG_PERIOD;
--
2.12.0.246.ga2ecc84866-goog