[PATCH] perf/x86: fix wrong assumption that LBR is only useful for sampling events

From: Andrii Nakryiko
Date: Thu Sep 05 2024 - 14:01:16 EST


It's incorrect to assume that LBR can/should only be used with sampling
events. BPF subsystem provides bpf_get_branch_snapshot() BPF helper,
which expects a properly setup and activated perf event which allows
kernel to capture LBR data.

For instance, retsnoop tool ([0]) makes an extensive use of this
functionality and sets up perf event as follows:

struct perf_event_attr attr;

memset(&attr, 0, sizeof(attr));
attr.size = sizeof(attr);
attr.type = PERF_TYPE_HARDWARE;
attr.config = PERF_COUNT_HW_CPU_CYCLES;
attr.sample_type = PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_STACK;
attr.branch_sample_type = PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_KERNEL;

Commit referenced in Fixes tag broke this setup by making invalid assumption
that LBR is useful only for sampling events. Remove that assumption.

Note, earlier we removed a similar assumption on AMD side of LBR support,
see [1] for details.

[0] https://github.com/anakryiko/retsnoop
[1] 9794563d4d05 ("perf/x86/amd: Don't reject non-sampling events with configured LBR")

Cc: stable@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx # 6.8+
Fixes: 85846b27072d ("perf/x86: Add PERF_X86_EVENT_NEEDS_BRANCH_STACK flag")
Signed-off-by: Andrii Nakryiko <andrii@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
arch/x86/events/intel/core.c | 2 +-
1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/arch/x86/events/intel/core.c b/arch/x86/events/intel/core.c
index 9e519d8a810a..f82a342b8852 100644
--- a/arch/x86/events/intel/core.c
+++ b/arch/x86/events/intel/core.c
@@ -3972,7 +3972,7 @@ static int intel_pmu_hw_config(struct perf_event *event)
x86_pmu.pebs_aliases(event);
}

- if (needs_branch_stack(event) && is_sampling_event(event))
+ if (needs_branch_stack(event))
event->hw.flags |= PERF_X86_EVENT_NEEDS_BRANCH_STACK;

if (branch_sample_counters(event)) {
--
2.43.5