Re: [PATCH v2] cpufreq: intel_pstate: Change the calculation of next pstate
From: Rafael J. Wysocki
Date: Fri May 02 2014 - 08:10:28 EST
On Thursday, May 01, 2014 06:48:08 PM Dirk Brandewie wrote:
> On 05/01/2014 04:18 PM, Rafael J. Wysocki wrote:
> > On Thursday, May 01, 2014 02:30:42 PM Dirk Brandewie wrote:
> >> On 05/01/2014 02:00 PM, Stratos Karafotis wrote:
> >>> Currently the driver calculates the next pstate proportional to
> >>> core_busy factor, scaled by the ratio max_pstate / current_pstate.
> >>>
> >>> Using the scaled load (core_busy) to calculate the next pstate
> >>> is not always correct, because there are cases that the load is
> >>> independent from current pstate. For example, a tight 'for' loop
> >>> through many sampling intervals will cause a load of 100% in
> >>> every pstate.
> >>>
> >>> So, change the above method and calculate the next pstate with
> >>> the assumption that the next pstate should not depend on the
> >>> current pstate. The next pstate should only be directly
> >>> proportional to measured load.
> >>>
> >>> Tested on Intel i7-3770 CPU @ 3.40GHz.
> >>> Phoronix benchmark of Linux Kernel Compilation 3.1 test shows an
> >>> increase ~1.5% in performance. Below the test results using turbostat
> >>> (5 iterations):
> >>>
> >>> Without patch:
> >>>
> >>> Ph. avg Time Total time PkgWatt Total Energy
> >>> 79.63 266.416 57.74 15382.85984
> >>> 79.63 265.609 57.87 15370.79283
> >>> 79.57 266.994 57.54 15362.83476
> >>> 79.53 265.304 57.83 15342.53032
> >>> 79.71 265.977 57.76 15362.83152
> >>> avg 79.61 266.06 57.74 15364.36985
> >>>
> >>> With patch:
> >>>
> >>> Ph. avg Time Total time PkgWatt Total Energy
> >>> 78.23 258.826 59.14 15306.96964
> >>> 78.41 259.110 59.15 15326.35650
> >>> 78.40 258.530 59.26 15320.48780
> >>> 78.46 258.673 59.20 15313.44160
> >>> 78.19 259.075 59.16 15326.87700
> >>> avg 78.34 258.842 59.18 15318.82650
> >>>
> >>> The total test time reduced by ~2.6%, while the total energy
> >>> consumption during a test iteration reduced by ~0.35%
> >>>
> >>> Signed-off-by: Stratos Karafotis <stratosk@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >>> ---
> >>>
> >>> Changes v1 -> v2
> >>> - Enhance change log as Rafael and Viresh suggested
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> drivers/cpufreq/intel_pstate.c | 15 +++++++--------
> >>> 1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)
> >>>
> >>> diff --git a/drivers/cpufreq/intel_pstate.c b/drivers/cpufreq/intel_pstate.c
> >>> index 0999673..8e309db 100644
> >>> --- a/drivers/cpufreq/intel_pstate.c
> >>> +++ b/drivers/cpufreq/intel_pstate.c
> >>> @@ -608,28 +608,27 @@ static inline void intel_pstate_set_sample_time(struct cpudata *cpu)
> >>> mod_timer_pinned(&cpu->timer, jiffies + delay);
> >>> }
> >>>
> >>> -static inline int32_t intel_pstate_get_scaled_busy(struct cpudata *cpu)
> >>> +static inline int32_t intel_pstate_get_busy(struct cpudata *cpu)
> >>> {
> >>> - int32_t core_busy, max_pstate, current_pstate;
> >>> + int32_t core_busy, max_pstate;
> >>>
> >>> core_busy = cpu->sample.core_pct_busy;
> >>> max_pstate = int_tofp(cpu->pstate.max_pstate);
> >>> - current_pstate = int_tofp(cpu->pstate.current_pstate);
> >>> - core_busy = mul_fp(core_busy, div_fp(max_pstate, current_pstate));
> >>> + core_busy = mul_fp(core_busy, max_pstate);
> >>
> >> NAK, The goal of this code is to find out how busy the core is at the current
> >> P state. This change will return a value WAY too high.
> >>
> >> Assume core_busy is 100 and the max non-turbo P state is 34 (3.4GHz) this code
> >> would return a busy value of 3400. The PID is trying to keep the busy value
> >> at the setpoint any value of ~3% will drive the P state to the highest turbo
> >> P state in this example.
> >
> > Well, the problem is that the numbers above indicate an improvement in energy
> > efficiency as a result of this patch and we need to explain that result.
> >
> The performance governor is the best option for this workload.
>
> This change will give you the highest trubo for all but very idle work loads.
I see.
> Lets say you have a processor with max P state of 3.4GHz The current P state
> is 1.6 GHz so if the processor was 100% in C0 the core_busy values would be
> 47% This number scaled would be 100%. With the change above the PID would be
> reacting to a load of 1598%. APERF/MPERF give you the percent of entire
> core scaling it lets you find out how busy your are within the cureent P state.
OK
Stratos seems to be arguing that we can achieve better results, in therms of
both performance and energy efficiency, if we disregard the history and only
take the current situation into account. The patch itself may not be correct,
but the idea is worth consideration in my opinion, especially in the face
of the fact that we made a similar change in cpufreq and the results improved.
--
I speak only for myself.
Rafael J. Wysocki, Intel Open Source Technology Center.
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