Re: [PATCH] Move mostly read variables to __read_mostly section.

From: Andi Kleen
Date: Mon Oct 24 2011 - 00:52:17 EST


Eial Czerwacki <eial@xxxxxxxxxxx> writes:
> * Once the number of bh's in the machine exceeds this level, we start
> --- a/kernel/time/timekeeping.c 2010-05-12 14:59:32.000000000 -0700
> +++ b/kernel/time/timekeeping.c 2010-05-24 11:56:32.000000000 -0700
> @@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ __cacheline_aligned_in_smp DEFINE_SEQLOC
> * used instead.
> */
> static struct timespec xtime __attribute__ ((aligned (16)));
> -static struct timespec wall_to_monotonic __attribute__ ((aligned (16)));
> +static struct timespec wall_to_monotonic __attribute__ ((aligned
> (16))) __read_mostly;

That means that a common time fetch/update call will usually have to fetch two
cachelines now instead of one, because it needs xtime and
wall_to_monotonic. Usually those end up nearby.

On the other hand it's rare to fetch wall_to_monotonic without xtime.

So if anything all those variables should be grouped together in a
single cacheline, but definitely not split like you do.

The other changes in your patch are fine for me.

-Andi
--
ak@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx -- Speaking for myself only
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