Re: [PATCH 2/3] introduce intel_rapl driver

[Peter Zijlstra]

On Fri, 2011-05-27 at 16:26 +0800, Zhang Rui wrote:
> > > +static void rapl_event_update(struct perf_event *event)
> > > +{
> > > +   s64 prev;
> > > +   u64 now;
> > > +   struct rapl_domain *domain = to_rapl_domain(event->pmu);
> > > +
> > > +   now = rapl_read_energy(domain);
> > 
> > So I had to get the Intel SDM because your driver lacks all useful
> > information, and I learned that the RAPL status MSRs contain 32 bits.
> > 
> > So you get those 32 bits, divide them by some number,
> > 
> > > +   prev = local64_xchg(&event->hw.prev_count, now);
> > > +   local64_add(now - prev, &event->count);
> > 
> > And then expect that to work?
> > 
> rapl_read_energy first reads energy status from MSR and then invokes
> rapl_unit_xlate to translate it into Joules.
> For example, on the laptop I tested, the energy unit bits is 0x10, which
> means that the energy unit is 1/65536 Joule.
> So I need to divide the value read from MSR by 65536 to calculate how
> many Joules of energy are cost. 
> 
> But this reveals a problem. If the task is scheduled out with energy
> consumption less than 1 Joule, we failed to record it.
> 
> IMO, a new callback should be introduced so that I can save the MSR
> value first and translate it to Joule when the task exits. Or just do
> the translation in user space.
> 
> what do you think? 

That's not the problem I meant, but lets start with that, you can solve
that differently, just keep a fraction somewhere in hw_perf_event.

Anyway, the problem you missed is what happens when those 32 bits roll
over, at that point you get now < prev and the value added to
event->count is a _HUGE_ 64 bit number.


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