On Wed, Dec 03, 2014 at 11:13:29AM +0100, Michal Hocko wrote: > On Wed 03-12-14 09:00:26, Minchan Kim wrote: > > On Tue, Dec 02, 2014 at 11:01:25AM +0100, Michal Hocko wrote: > > > On Mon 01-12-14 08:56:52, Minchan Kim wrote: > > > [...] > > > > From 2edd6890f92fa4943ce3c452194479458582d88c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 > > > > From: Minchan Kim <minchan@xxxxxxxxxx> > > > > Date: Mon, 1 Dec 2014 08:53:55 +0900 > > > > Subject: [PATCH] madvise.2: Document MADV_FREE > > > > > > > > Signed-off-by: Minchan Kim <minchan@xxxxxxxxxx> > > > > --- > > > > man2/madvise.2 | 13 +++++++++++++ > > > > 1 file changed, 13 insertions(+) > > > > > > > > diff --git a/man2/madvise.2 b/man2/madvise.2 > > > > index 032ead7..33aa936 100644 > > > > --- a/man2/madvise.2 > > > > +++ b/man2/madvise.2 > > > > @@ -265,6 +265,19 @@ file (see > > > > .BR MADV_DODUMP " (since Linux 3.4)" > > > > Undo the effect of an earlier > > > > .BR MADV_DONTDUMP . > > > > +.TP > > > > +.BR MADV_FREE " (since Linux 3.19)" > > > > +Gives the VM system the freedom to free pages, and tells the system that > > > > +information in the specified page range is no longer important. > > > > +This is an efficient way of allowing > > > > +.BR malloc (3) > > > > > > This might be rather misleading. Only some malloc implementations are > > > using this feature (jemalloc, right?). So either be specific about which > > > implementation or do not add it at all. > > > > Make sense. I don't think it's a good idea to say specific example > > in man page, which is rather arguable and limit the idea. > > > > > > > > > +to free pages anywhere in the address space, while keeping the address space > > > > +valid. The next time that the page is referenced, the page might be demand > > > > +zeroed, or might contain the data that was there before the MADV_FREE call. > > > > +References made to that address space range will not make the VM system page the > > > > +information back in from backing store until the page is modified again. > > > > > > I am not sure I understand the last sentence. So say I did MADV_FREE and > > > the reclaim has dropped that page. I know that the file backed mappings > > > are not supported yet but assume they were for a second... Now, I do > > > read from that location again what is the result? > > > > Zero page. > > OK, it felt strange at first but now that I am thinking about it some > more it starts making sense. So the semantic is: Either zero page > (disconnected from the backing store) or the original content after > madvise(MADV_FREE). The page gets connected to the backing store after > it gets modified again. If this is the case then the sentence in the man > page makes perfect sense. > > What made me confused was that I expected file backed pages would get a > fresh page from the origin but this would be awkward I guess. > > > > If we consider anon mappings then the backing store is misleading as > > > well because memory was dropped and so always newly allocated. > > > > When I read the sentence at first, I thought backing store means swap > > so I don't have any trouble to understand it. But I agree your opinion. > > Target for man page is not a kernel developer but application developer. > > > > > I would rather drop the whole sentence and rather see an explanation > > > what is the difference between to MADV_DONT_NEED. > > > " > > > Unlike MADV_DONT_NEED the memory is freed lazily e.g. when the VM system > > > is under memory pressure. > > > " > > > > It's a good idea but I don't think it's enough. At least we should explan > > cancel of delay free logic(ie, write). So, How about this? > > > > MADV_FREE " (since Linux 3.19)" > > > > Gives the VM system the freedom to free pages, and tells the system that > > it's okay to free pages if the VM system has reasons(e.g., memory pressure). > > So, it looks like delayed MADV_DONTNEED. > > The next time that the page is referenced, the page might be demand > > zeroed if the VM system freed the page. Otherwise, it might contain the data > > that was there before the MADV_FREE call if the VM system didn't free the page. > > New write in the page after the MADV_FREE call makes the VM system not free > > the page any more. > > Dunno, I guess the original content was slightly better. Or the > following wording from UNIX man pages is even more descriptive > (http://www.lehman.cuny.edu/cgi-bin/man-cgi?madvise+3) > " > Tell the kernel that contents in the specified address range are no > longer important and the range will be overwritten. When there is > demand for memory, the system will free pages associated with the > specified address range. In this instance, the next time a page in the > address range is referenced, it will contain all zeroes. Otherwise, > it will con- tain the data that was there prior to the MADV_FREE > call. References made to the address range will not make the system read > from backing store (swap space) until the page is modified again. > > This value cannot be used on mappings that have underlying file objects. > " For me, it would be better. Thanks for the heads up. > > I would just clarify the last sentence with addition > (MAP_PRIVATE|MAP_ANONYMOUS mappings in this implementation). The I want to be consistent with KSM/THP which used "private anonymous pages". So, I guess man page maintainer already acked the term so I want to use it, too. > difference to MADV_DONTNEED is more complicated now so I wouldn't make > the text even more confusing. > > Anyway the confusion started on my end so feel free to stick with the > BSD wording (modulo malloc note which is really confusing as the default > glibc allocator doesn't do that AFAIK). >From cfa212d4fb307ae772b08cf564cab7e6adb8f4fc Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Minchan Kim <minchan@xxxxxxxxxx> Date: Mon, 1 Dec 2014 08:53:55 +0900 Subject: [PATCH] madvise.2: Document MADV_FREE Signed-off-by: Minchan Kim <minchan@xxxxxxxxxx> --- man2/madvise.2 | 12 ++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 12 insertions(+) diff --git a/man2/madvise.2 b/man2/madvise.2 index 032ead7..fc1aaca 100644 --- a/man2/madvise.2 +++ b/man2/madvise.2 @@ -265,6 +265,18 @@ file (see .BR MADV_DODUMP " (since Linux 3.4)" Undo the effect of an earlier .BR MADV_DONTDUMP . +.TP +.BR MADV_FREE " (since Linux 3.19)" +Tell the kernel that contents in the specified address range are no +longer important and the range will be overwritten. When there is +demand for memory, the system will free pages associated with the +specified address range. In this instance, the next time a page in the +address range is referenced, it will contain all zeroes. Otherwise, +it will contain the data that was there prior to the MADV_FREE call. +References made to the address range will not make the system read +from backing store (swap space) until the page is modified again. +It works only with private anonymous pages (see +.BR mmap (2)). .SH RETURN VALUE On success .BR madvise () -- 2.0.0 -- Kind regards, Minchan Kim -- To unsubscribe, send a message with 'unsubscribe linux-mm' in the body to majordomo@xxxxxxxxx. For more info on Linux MM, see: http://www.linux-mm.org/ . Don't email: <a href=mailto:"dont@xxxxxxxxx";> email@xxxxxxxxx </a>