On Fri, Aug 12, 2011 at 06:56:06AM +0800, Peter Zijlstra wrote: > On Tue, 2011-08-09 at 19:20 +0200, Peter Zijlstra wrote: > > So going by: > > > > write_bw > > ref_bw = dirty_ratelimit * pos_ratio * -------- > > dirty_bw > > > > pos_ratio seems to be the feedback on the deviation of the dirty pages > > around its setpoint. So we adjust the reference bw (or rather ratelimit) > > to take account of the shift in output vs input capacity as well as the > > shift in dirty pages around its setpoint. > > > > From that we derive the condition that: > > > > pos_ratio(setpoint) := 1 > > > > Now in order to create a linear function we need one more condition. We > > get one from the fact that once we hit the limit we should hard throttle > > our writers. We get that by setting the ratelimit to 0, because, after > > all, pause = nr_dirtied / ratelimit would yield inf. in that case. Thus: > > > > pos_ratio(limit) := 0 > > > > Using these two conditions we can solve the equations and get your: > > > > limit - dirty > > pos_ratio(dirty) = ---------------- > > limit - setpoint > > > > Now, for some reason you chose not to use limit, but something like > > min(limit, 4*thresh) something to do with the slope affecting the rate > > of adjustment. This wants a comment someplace. > > Ok, so I think that pos_ratio(limit) := 0, is a stronger condition than > your negative slope (df/dx < 0), simply because it implies your > condition and because it expresses our hard stop at limit. Right. That's good point. > Also, while I know this is totally over the top, but.. > > I saw you added a ramp and brake area in future patches, so have you > considered using a third order polynomial instead? No I have not ;) The 3 lines/curves should be a bit more flexible/configurable than the single 3rd order polynomial. However the 3rd order polynomial is sure much more simple and consistent by removing the explicit rampup/brake areas and curves. > The simple: > > f(x) = -x^3 > > has the 'right' shape, all we need is move it so that: > > f(s) = 1 > > and stretch it to put the single root at our limit. You'd get something > like: > > s - x 3 > f(x) := 1 + (-----) > d > > Which, as required, is 1 at our setpoint and the factor d stretches the > middle bit. Which has a single (real) root at: > > x = s + d, > > by setting that to our limit, we get: > > d = l - s > > Making our final function look like: > > s - x 3 > f(x) := 1 + (-----) > l - s Very intuitive reasoning, thanks! I substituted real numbers to the function assuming a mem=2GB system. with limit=thresh: gnuplot> set xrange [60000:80000] gnuplot> plot 1 + (70000.0 - x)**3/(80000-70000.0)**3 with limit=thresh+thresh/DIRTY_SCOPE gnuplot> set xrange [60000:90000] gnuplot> plot 1 + (70000.0 - x)**3/(90000-70000.0)**3 Figures attached. The latter produces reasonably flat slope and I'll give it a spin in the dd tests :) > You can clamp it at [0,2] or so. Looking at the figures, we may even do without the clamp because it's already inside the range [0, 2]. > The implementation wouldn't be too horrid either, something like: > > unsigned long bdi_pos_ratio(..) > { > if (dirty > limit) > return 0; > > if (dirty < 2*setpoint - limit) > return 2 * SCALE; > > x = SCALE * (setpoint - dirty) / (limit - setpoint); > xx = (x * x) / SCALE; > xxx = (xx * x) / SCALE; > > return xxx; > } Looks very neat, much simpler than the three curves solution! Thanks, Fengguang -- To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-fsdevel" in the body of a message to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html