perf/core: Use kmem_cache to allocate the PMU specific data

Currently, the PMU specific data task_ctx_data is allocated by the function kzalloc() in the perf generic code. When there is no specific alignment requirement for the task_ctx_data, the method works well for now. However, there will be a problem once a specific alignment requirement is introduced in future features, e.g., the Architecture LBR XSAVE feature requires 64-byte alignment. If the specific alignment requirement is not fulfilled, the XSAVE family of instructions will fail to save/restore the xstate to/from the task_ctx_data. The function kzalloc() itself only guarantees a natural alignment. A new method to allocate the task_ctx_data has to be introduced, which has to meet the requirements as below: - must be a generic method can be used by different architectures, because the allocation of the task_ctx_data is implemented in the perf generic code; - must be an alignment-guarantee method (The alignment requirement is not changed after the boot); - must be able to allocate/free a buffer (smaller than a page size) dynamically; - should not cause extra CPU overhead or space overhead. Several options were considered as below: - One option is to allocate a larger buffer for task_ctx_data. E.g., ptr = kmalloc(size + alignment, GFP_KERNEL); ptr &= ~(alignment - 1); This option causes space overhead. - Another option is to allocate the task_ctx_data in the PMU specific code. To do so, several function pointers have to be added. As a result, both the generic structure and the PMU specific structure will become bigger. Besides, extra function calls are added when allocating/freeing the buffer. This option will increase both the space overhead and CPU overhead. - The third option is to use a kmem_cache to allocate a buffer for the task_ctx_data. The kmem_cache can be created with a specific alignment requirement by the PMU at boot time. A new pointer for kmem_cache has to be added in the generic struct pmu, which would be used to dynamically allocate a buffer for the task_ctx_data at run time. Although the new pointer is added to the struct pmu, the existing variable task_ctx_size is not required anymore. The size of the generic structure is kept the same. The third option which meets all the aforementioned requirements is used to replace kzalloc() for the PMU specific data allocation. A later patch will remove the kzalloc() method and the related variables.

KLKan Liang committed 6 years ago