Re: [PATCH 0/2] Introduce panic function when slub leaks

[Vlastimil Babka]

On 9/25/24 15:18, Hyeonggon Yoo wrote:
> On Wed, Sep 25, 2024 at 12:23 PM Fangzheng Zhang
> <fangzheng.zhang@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>
>> Hi all,
> 
> Hi Fangzheng,
> 
>> A method to detect slub leaks by monitoring its usage in real time
>> on the page allocation path of the slub. When the slub occupancy
>> exceeds the user-set value, it is considered that the slub is leaking
>> at this time
> 
> I'm not sure why this should be a kernel feature. Why not write a user
> script that parses
> MemTotal: and Slab: part of /proc/meminfo file and generates a log
> entry or an alarm?

Yes very much agreed. It seems rather arbitrary. Why slab, why not any other
kernel-specific counter in /proc/meminfo? Why include NR_SLAB_RECLAIMABLE_B
when that's used by caches with shrinkers?
A userspace solution should be straightforward and universal - easily
configurable for different scenarios.

>> and a panic operation will be triggered immediately.
> 
> I don't think it would be a good idea to panic unnecessarily.
> IMO it is not proper to panic when the kernel can still run.

Yes these days it's practically impossible to add a BUG_ON() for more
serious conditions than this.

Please don't post new versions addressing specific implementation details
until this fundamental issue is addressed.

Thanks,
Vlastimil

> Any thoughts?
> 
> Thanks,
> Hyeonggon