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diff --git a/Documentation/x86/topology.txt b/Documentation/x86/topology.txt new file mode 100644 index 000000000..06afac252 --- /dev/null +++ b/Documentation/x86/topology.txt @@ -0,0 +1,208 @@ +x86 Topology +============ + +This documents and clarifies the main aspects of x86 topology modelling and +representation in the kernel. Update/change when doing changes to the +respective code. + +The architecture-agnostic topology definitions are in +Documentation/cputopology.txt. This file holds x86-specific +differences/specialities which must not necessarily apply to the generic +definitions. Thus, the way to read up on Linux topology on x86 is to start +with the generic one and look at this one in parallel for the x86 specifics. + +Needless to say, code should use the generic functions - this file is *only* +here to *document* the inner workings of x86 topology. + +Started by Thomas Gleixner <tglx@linutronix.de> and Borislav Petkov <bp@alien8.de>. + +The main aim of the topology facilities is to present adequate interfaces to +code which needs to know/query/use the structure of the running system wrt +threads, cores, packages, etc. + +The kernel does not care about the concept of physical sockets because a +socket has no relevance to software. It's an electromechanical component. In +the past a socket always contained a single package (see below), but with the +advent of Multi Chip Modules (MCM) a socket can hold more than one package. So +there might be still references to sockets in the code, but they are of +historical nature and should be cleaned up. + +The topology of a system is described in the units of: + + - packages + - cores + - threads + +* Package: + + Packages contain a number of cores plus shared resources, e.g. DRAM + controller, shared caches etc. + + AMD nomenclature for package is 'Node'. + + Package-related topology information in the kernel: + + - cpuinfo_x86.x86_max_cores: + + The number of cores in a package. This information is retrieved via CPUID. + + - cpuinfo_x86.phys_proc_id: + + The physical ID of the package. This information is retrieved via CPUID + and deduced from the APIC IDs of the cores in the package. + + - cpuinfo_x86.logical_id: + + The logical ID of the package. As we do not trust BIOSes to enumerate the + packages in a consistent way, we introduced the concept of logical package + ID so we can sanely calculate the number of maximum possible packages in + the system and have the packages enumerated linearly. + + - topology_max_packages(): + + The maximum possible number of packages in the system. Helpful for per + package facilities to preallocate per package information. + + +* Cores: + + A core consists of 1 or more threads. It does not matter whether the threads + are SMT- or CMT-type threads. + + AMDs nomenclature for a CMT core is "Compute Unit". The kernel always uses + "core". + + Core-related topology information in the kernel: + + - smp_num_siblings: + + The number of threads in a core. The number of threads in a package can be + calculated by: + + threads_per_package = cpuinfo_x86.x86_max_cores * smp_num_siblings + + +* Threads: + + A thread is a single scheduling unit. It's the equivalent to a logical Linux + CPU. + + AMDs nomenclature for CMT threads is "Compute Unit Core". The kernel always + uses "thread". + + Thread-related topology information in the kernel: + + - topology_core_cpumask(): + + The cpumask contains all online threads in the package to which a thread + belongs. + + The number of online threads is also printed in /proc/cpuinfo "siblings." + + - topology_sibling_mask(): + + The cpumask contains all online threads in the core to which a thread + belongs. + + - topology_logical_package_id(): + + The logical package ID to which a thread belongs. + + - topology_physical_package_id(): + + The physical package ID to which a thread belongs. + + - topology_core_id(); + + The ID of the core to which a thread belongs. It is also printed in /proc/cpuinfo + "core_id." + + + +System topology examples + +Note: + +The alternative Linux CPU enumeration depends on how the BIOS enumerates the +threads. Many BIOSes enumerate all threads 0 first and then all threads 1. +That has the "advantage" that the logical Linux CPU numbers of threads 0 stay +the same whether threads are enabled or not. That's merely an implementation +detail and has no practical impact. + +1) Single Package, Single Core + + [package 0] -> [core 0] -> [thread 0] -> Linux CPU 0 + +2) Single Package, Dual Core + + a) One thread per core + + [package 0] -> [core 0] -> [thread 0] -> Linux CPU 0 + -> [core 1] -> [thread 0] -> Linux CPU 1 + + b) Two threads per core + + [package 0] -> [core 0] -> [thread 0] -> Linux CPU 0 + -> [thread 1] -> Linux CPU 1 + -> [core 1] -> [thread 0] -> Linux CPU 2 + -> [thread 1] -> Linux CPU 3 + + Alternative enumeration: + + [package 0] -> [core 0] -> [thread 0] -> Linux CPU 0 + -> [thread 1] -> Linux CPU 2 + -> [core 1] -> [thread 0] -> Linux CPU 1 + -> [thread 1] -> Linux CPU 3 + + AMD nomenclature for CMT systems: + + [node 0] -> [Compute Unit 0] -> [Compute Unit Core 0] -> Linux CPU 0 + -> [Compute Unit Core 1] -> Linux CPU 1 + -> [Compute Unit 1] -> [Compute Unit Core 0] -> Linux CPU 2 + -> [Compute Unit Core 1] -> Linux CPU 3 + +4) Dual Package, Dual Core + + a) One thread per core + + [package 0] -> [core 0] -> [thread 0] -> Linux CPU 0 + -> [core 1] -> [thread 0] -> Linux CPU 1 + + [package 1] -> [core 0] -> [thread 0] -> Linux CPU 2 + -> [core 1] -> [thread 0] -> Linux CPU 3 + + b) Two threads per core + + [package 0] -> [core 0] -> [thread 0] -> Linux CPU 0 + -> [thread 1] -> Linux CPU 1 + -> [core 1] -> [thread 0] -> Linux CPU 2 + -> [thread 1] -> Linux CPU 3 + + [package 1] -> [core 0] -> [thread 0] -> Linux CPU 4 + -> [thread 1] -> Linux CPU 5 + -> [core 1] -> [thread 0] -> Linux CPU 6 + -> [thread 1] -> Linux CPU 7 + + Alternative enumeration: + + [package 0] -> [core 0] -> [thread 0] -> Linux CPU 0 + -> [thread 1] -> Linux CPU 4 + -> [core 1] -> [thread 0] -> Linux CPU 1 + -> [thread 1] -> Linux CPU 5 + + [package 1] -> [core 0] -> [thread 0] -> Linux CPU 2 + -> [thread 1] -> Linux CPU 6 + -> [core 1] -> [thread 0] -> Linux CPU 3 + -> [thread 1] -> Linux CPU 7 + + AMD nomenclature for CMT systems: + + [node 0] -> [Compute Unit 0] -> [Compute Unit Core 0] -> Linux CPU 0 + -> [Compute Unit Core 1] -> Linux CPU 1 + -> [Compute Unit 1] -> [Compute Unit Core 0] -> Linux CPU 2 + -> [Compute Unit Core 1] -> Linux CPU 3 + + [node 1] -> [Compute Unit 0] -> [Compute Unit Core 0] -> Linux CPU 4 + -> [Compute Unit Core 1] -> Linux CPU 5 + -> [Compute Unit 1] -> [Compute Unit Core 0] -> Linux CPU 6 + -> [Compute Unit Core 1] -> Linux CPU 7 |