[PATCH v4 2/3] selftests/resctrl: Implement cl_flush() and sb() for aarch64

From: Richard Cheng

Date: Wed Jul 22 2026 - 00:00:59 EST


cl_flush() and sb() compile to empty functions on aarch64, making
mem_flush() a silent no-op and leaving CMT/CAT tests operating on
unflushed state.

Add "dsb sy" for sb(), ARM requires a DSB whose access type covers both
loads and stores.

For cl_flush(), "dc civac" only reaches the Point of Coherency, on
ARM MPAM systems the SLC lies past the PoC and may be a NOP on coherent
platforms. Instead, dirty each cacheline with a store so that
mem_flush's full-buffer sweep evicts lines from the SLC via LRU
pressure.

Signed-off-by: Richard Cheng <icheng@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
Changes since v3:
- cl_flush(): replace "dc civac" with a dirty store. dc civac only
cleans to the Point of Coherency, so it does not reach the SLC
where MPAM cache portions are enforced. Rely on LRU eviction from
mem_flush()'s full-buffer sweep instead.

tools/testing/selftests/resctrl/fill_buf.c | 11 +++++++++++
1 file changed, 11 insertions(+)

diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/resctrl/fill_buf.c b/tools/testing/selftests/resctrl/fill_buf.c
index b9fa7968cd6e..eae0262fe265 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/resctrl/fill_buf.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/resctrl/fill_buf.c
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ static void sb(void)
#if defined(__i386) || defined(__x86_64)
asm volatile("sfence\n\t"
: : : "memory");
+#elif defined(__aarch64__)
+ asm volatile("dsb sy\n\t"
+ : : : "memory");
#endif
}

@@ -35,6 +38,14 @@ static void cl_flush(void *p)
#if defined(__i386) || defined(__x86_64)
asm volatile("clflush (%0)\n\t"
: : "r"(p) : "memory");
+#elif defined(__aarch64__)
+ /*
+ * Dirty the cache line with a store. As mem_flush() sweeps
+ * the full test buffer (sized larger than the SLC), cache pressure
+ * evicts lines from the SLC via LRU replacement.
+ */
+ asm volatile("strb wzr, [%0]\n\t"
+ : : "r"(p) : "memory");
#endif
}

--
2.43.0