[PATCH 5/5] docs: cgroup-v2: document the iocost BPF cost model attachment

From: Tao Cui

Date: Wed Oct 28 2026 - 10:49:45 EST


From: Tao Cui <cuitao@xxxxxxxxxx>

Document the BPF cost model attachment in the io.cost.model section
of the cgroup v2 documentation: attaching an iocost_model_ops
struct_ops to a device by its major:minor, the model=bpf readback
while attached (ctrl keeps describing the coefficients), the builtin
model coming back on detach, and ctrl writes never selecting a
model. The device's line is populated by attaching too, and the
attachment paragraph is split into attaching, model selection and
detaching.

Suggested-by: Tejun Heo <tj@xxxxxxxxxx>
Signed-off-by: Tao Cui <cuitao@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
Documentation/admin-guide/cgroup-v2.rst | 46 ++++++++++++++++++++-----
1 file changed, 38 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)

diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/cgroup-v2.rst b/Documentation/admin-guide/cgroup-v2.rst
index 9e3c67b02ae2..fd274037a9df 100644
--- a/Documentation/admin-guide/cgroup-v2.rst
+++ b/Documentation/admin-guide/cgroup-v2.rst
@@ -2056,8 +2056,9 @@ IO Interface Files
currently implements "io.weight" proportional control. Lines
are keyed by $MAJ:$MIN device numbers and not ordered. The
line for a given device is populated on the first write for
- the device on "io.cost.qos" or "io.cost.model". The following
- nested keys are defined.
+ the device on "io.cost.qos" or "io.cost.model", or when a BPF
+ cost model is attached to it. The following nested keys are
+ defined.

====== =====================================
enable Weight-based control enable
@@ -2111,13 +2112,41 @@ IO Interface Files
implements "io.weight" proportional control. Lines are keyed
by $MAJ:$MIN device numbers and not ordered. The line for a
given device is populated on the first write for the device on
- "io.cost.qos" or "io.cost.model". The following nested keys
- are defined.
+ "io.cost.qos" or "io.cost.model", or when a BPF cost model is
+ attached to it. The following nested keys are defined.

- ===== ================================
+ ===== ==========================================
ctrl "auto" or "user"
- model The cost model in use - "linear"
- ===== ================================
+ model The cost model in use - "linear" or "bpf"
+ ===== ==========================================
+
+ When CONFIG_BLK_CGROUP_IOCOST_BPF is enabled, a BPF cost
+ model can be bound to a device by attaching an
+ "iocost_model_ops" struct_ops carrying the whole disk's
+ major:minor in its "dev" member (a partition's major:minor is
+ rejected). Attaching creates the controller if needed, like
+ an io.cost.model write does, switches the device's pricing to
+ the model and populates the device's line in this file and in
+ "io.cost.qos" if it did not exist yet. Attaching fails with
+ -EBUSY if the device already has a model attached. The
+ attached model prices IOs only while the controller is
+ enabled through "io.cost.qos"; attaching does not enable it.
+
+ While a model is attached, "model" selects between it and the
+ builtin model: "model=bpf" switches to the attached model and
+ "model=linear" switches back to the builtin model, and neither
+ detaches the struct_ops.
+
+ Only detaching removes the model, after which "model=bpf"
+ fails and the device prices with the builtin model again.
+ Device removal ejects the attached model as well, while the
+ struct_ops link remains until userspace destroys it. "ctrl"
+ accepts only "auto" and "user" and never selects a model. It
+ keeps describing the builtin coefficients, which take effect
+ again when switched back. The automatic profile stepping does
+ not switch profiles while the BPF model is in use; as with
+ user-set parameters, the profile selected from the device
+ class still applies.

When "ctrl" is "auto", the kernel may change all parameters
dynamically. When "ctrl" is set to "user" or any other
@@ -2125,7 +2154,8 @@ IO Interface Files
automatic changes are disabled.

When "model" is "linear", the following model parameters are
- defined.
+ defined. They remain readable and writable while "model" is
+ "bpf" but take effect only after switching back to "linear".

============= ========================================
[r|w]bps The maximum sequential IO throughput
--
2.43.0