Re: [PATCH v6 3/4] riscv: Add checksum library

From: Charlie Jenkins
Date: Mon Sep 18 2023 - 22:58:28 EST


On Sat, Sep 16, 2023 at 09:32:40AM +0000, David Laight wrote:
> From: Charlie Jenkins
> > Sent: 15 September 2023 18:01
> >
> > Provide a 32 and 64 bit version of do_csum. When compiled for 32-bit
> > will load from the buffer in groups of 32 bits, and when compiled for
> > 64-bit will load in groups of 64 bits.
> >
> ...
> > + /*
> > + * Do 32-bit reads on RV32 and 64-bit reads otherwise. This should be
> > + * faster than doing 32-bit reads on architectures that support larger
> > + * reads.
> > + */
> > + while (len > 0) {
> > + csum += data;
> > + csum += csum < data;
> > + len -= sizeof(unsigned long);
> > + ptr += 1;
> > + data = *ptr;
> > + }
>
> I think you'd be better adding the 'carry' bits in a separate
> variable.
> It reduces the register dependency chain length in the loop.
> (Helps if the cpu can execute two instructions in one clock.)
>
> The masked misaligned data values are max 24 bits
> (if
>
> You'll also almost certainly remove at least one instruction
> from the loop by comparing against the end address rather than
> changing 'len'.
>
> So ending up with (something like):
> end = buff + length;
> ...
> while (++ptr < end) {
> csum += data;
> carry += csum < data;
> data = ptr[-1];
> }
> (Although a do-while loop tends to generate better code
> and gcc will pretty much always make that transformation.)
>
> I think that is 4 instructions per word (load, add, cmp+set, add).
> In principle they could be completely pipelined and all
> execute (for different loop iterations) in the same clock.
> (But that is pretty unlikely to happen - even x86 isn't that good.)
> But taking two clocks is quite plausible.
> Plus 2 instructions per loop (inc, cmp+jmp).
> They might execute in parallel, but unrolling once
> may be required.
>
It looks like GCC actually ends up generating 7 total instructions:
ffffffff808d2acc: 97b6 add a5,a5,a3
ffffffff808d2ace: 00d7b533 sltu a0,a5,a3
ffffffff808d2ad2: 0721 add a4,a4,8
ffffffff808d2ad4: 86be mv a3,a5
ffffffff808d2ad6: 962a add a2,a2,a0
ffffffff808d2ad8: ff873783 ld a5,-8(a4)
ffffffff808d2adc: feb768e3 bltu a4,a1,ffffffff808d2acc <do_csum+0x34>

This mv instruction could be avoided if the registers were shuffled
around, but perhaps this way reduces some dependency chains.
> ...
> > + if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_RISCV_ISA_ZBB) &&
> > + riscv_has_extension_likely(RISCV_ISA_EXT_ZBB)) {
> ...
> > + }
> > +end:
> > + return csum >> 16;
> > + }
>
> Is it really worth doing all that to save (I think) 4 instructions?
> (shift, shift, or with rotate twice).
> There is much more to be gained by careful inspection
> of the loop (even leaving it in C).
>

The main benefit was from using rev8 to replace swab32. However, now
that I am looking at the assembly in the kernel it is not outputting the
asm that matches what I have from an out of kernel test case, so rev8
might not be beneficial. I am going to have to look at this more to
figure out what is happening.

> > +
> > +#ifndef CONFIG_32BIT
> > + csum += (csum >> 32) | (csum << 32);
> > + csum >>= 32;
> > +#endif
> > + csum = (unsigned int)csum + (((unsigned int)csum >> 16) | ((unsigned int)csum << 16));
>
> Use ror64() and ror32().
>
> David
>

Good idea.

- Charlie

> > + if (offset & 1)
> > + return (unsigned short)swab32(csum);
> > + return csum >> 16;
> > +}
> >
> > --
> > 2.42.0
>
> -
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