[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

[PATCH 8/9] x86/mwait-idle: Add cmdline option to adjust C-states table


  • To: "xen-devel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" <xen-devel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • From: Jan Beulich <jbeulich@xxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Thu, 12 Mar 2026 17:57:53 +0100
  • Autocrypt: addr=jbeulich@xxxxxxxx; keydata= xsDiBFk3nEQRBADAEaSw6zC/EJkiwGPXbWtPxl2xCdSoeepS07jW8UgcHNurfHvUzogEq5xk hu507c3BarVjyWCJOylMNR98Yd8VqD9UfmX0Hb8/BrA+Hl6/DB/eqGptrf4BSRwcZQM32aZK 7Pj2XbGWIUrZrd70x1eAP9QE3P79Y2oLrsCgbZJfEwCgvz9JjGmQqQkRiTVzlZVCJYcyGGsD /0tbFCzD2h20ahe8rC1gbb3K3qk+LpBtvjBu1RY9drYk0NymiGbJWZgab6t1jM7sk2vuf0Py O9Hf9XBmK0uE9IgMaiCpc32XV9oASz6UJebwkX+zF2jG5I1BfnO9g7KlotcA/v5ClMjgo6Gl MDY4HxoSRu3i1cqqSDtVlt+AOVBJBACrZcnHAUSuCXBPy0jOlBhxPqRWv6ND4c9PH1xjQ3NP nxJuMBS8rnNg22uyfAgmBKNLpLgAGVRMZGaGoJObGf72s6TeIqKJo/LtggAS9qAUiuKVnygo 3wjfkS9A3DRO+SpU7JqWdsveeIQyeyEJ/8PTowmSQLakF+3fote9ybzd880fSmFuIEJldWxp Y2ggPGpiZXVsaWNoQHN1c2UuY29tPsJgBBMRAgAgBQJZN5xEAhsDBgsJCAcDAgQVAggDBBYC AwECHgECF4AACgkQoDSui/t3IH4J+wCfQ5jHdEjCRHj23O/5ttg9r9OIruwAn3103WUITZee e7Sbg12UgcQ5lv7SzsFNBFk3nEQQCACCuTjCjFOUdi5Nm244F+78kLghRcin/awv+IrTcIWF hUpSs1Y91iQQ7KItirz5uwCPlwejSJDQJLIS+QtJHaXDXeV6NI0Uef1hP20+y8qydDiVkv6l IreXjTb7DvksRgJNvCkWtYnlS3mYvQ9NzS9PhyALWbXnH6sIJd2O9lKS1Mrfq+y0IXCP10eS FFGg+Av3IQeFatkJAyju0PPthyTqxSI4lZYuJVPknzgaeuJv/2NccrPvmeDg6Coe7ZIeQ8Yj t0ARxu2xytAkkLCel1Lz1WLmwLstV30g80nkgZf/wr+/BXJW/oIvRlonUkxv+IbBM3dX2OV8 AmRv1ySWPTP7AAMFB/9PQK/VtlNUJvg8GXj9ootzrteGfVZVVT4XBJkfwBcpC/XcPzldjv+3 HYudvpdNK3lLujXeA5fLOH+Z/G9WBc5pFVSMocI71I8bT8lIAzreg0WvkWg5V2WZsUMlnDL9 mpwIGFhlbM3gfDMs7MPMu8YQRFVdUvtSpaAs8OFfGQ0ia3LGZcjA6Ik2+xcqscEJzNH+qh8V m5jjp28yZgaqTaRbg3M/+MTbMpicpZuqF4rnB0AQD12/3BNWDR6bmh+EkYSMcEIpQmBM51qM EKYTQGybRCjpnKHGOxG0rfFY1085mBDZCH5Kx0cl0HVJuQKC+dV2ZY5AqjcKwAxpE75MLFkr wkkEGBECAAkFAlk3nEQCGwwACgkQoDSui/t3IH7nnwCfcJWUDUFKdCsBH/E5d+0ZnMQi+G0A nAuWpQkjM1ASeQwSHEeAWPgskBQL
  • Cc: Andrew Cooper <andrew.cooper3@xxxxxxxxxx>, Roger Pau Monné <roger.pau@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • Delivery-date: Thu, 12 Mar 2026 16:58:00 +0000
  • List-id: Xen developer discussion <xen-devel.lists.xenproject.org>

From: Artem Bityutskiy <artem.bityutskiy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Add a new module parameter that allows adjusting the C-states table used by
the driver.

Currently, the C-states table is hardcoded in the driver based on the CPU
model. The goal is to have good enough defaults for most users.

However, C-state characteristics, such as exit latency and residency, can
vary between different variants of the same CPU model and BIOS settings.
Moreover, different platform usage models and user preferences may benefit
from different C-state target_residency values.

Provide a way for users to adjust the C-states table via a module parameter
"table". The general format is:
"state1:latency1:target_residency1,state2:latency2:target_residency2,..."

In other words, represent each C-state by its name, exit latency (in
microseconds), and target residency (in microseconds), separated by colons.
Separate multiple C-states by commas.

For example, suppose a CPU has 3 C-states with the following
characteristics:
  C1:  exit_latency=1, target_residency=2
  C1E: exit_latency=10, target_residency=10
  C6:  exit_latency=100, target_residency=500

Users can specify a custom C-states table as follows:

1. intel_idle.table="C1:2:2,C1E:5:20,C6:150:600"
   Result: C1:  exit_latency=2, target_residency=2
           C1E: exit_latency=5, target_residency=20
           C6:  exit_latency=150, target_residency=600
2. intel_idle.table="C6::400"
   Result: C1:  exit_latency=1, target_residency=2 (unchanged)
           C1E: exit_latency=10, target_residency=10 (unchanged)
           C6:  exit_latency=100, target_residency=400
                (only target_residency changed)

Signed-off-by: Artem Bityutskiy <artem.bityutskiy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Link: https://patch.msgid.link/20251216080402.156988-3-dedekind1@xxxxxxxxx
Signed-off-by: Rafael J. Wysocki <rafael.j.wysocki@xxxxxxxxx>
Origin: git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git 
111f77a23348

Add __init to get_cmdline_field(). Put cmdline_table_str[] in .init.data.
Other adjustments to fit our env.

Signed-off-by: Jan Beulich <jbeulich@xxxxxxxx>
---
For the initial attempt, I've left the new option as a standalone one. It
may be worth integrating with "mwait-idle", but I think much of the
parsing would then want doing differently. It'll then likely be much
harder to apply future Linux changes there.

--- a/docs/misc/xen-command-line.pandoc
+++ b/docs/misc/xen-command-line.pandoc
@@ -1928,6 +1928,23 @@ Print boot time MTRR state.
 Use the MWAIT idle driver (with model specific C-state knowledge) instead
 of the ACPI based one.
 
+### mwait-idle.table (x86)
+> `= <string>`
+
+ Define the C-states table from a user input string. Expected format is
+ 'name:latency:residency', where:
+ - name: The C-state name.
+ - latency: The C-state exit latency in us.
+ - residency: The C-state target residency in us.
+
+ Multiple C-states can be defined by separating them with commas:
+ 'name1:latency1:residency1,name2:latency2:residency2'
+
+ Example: intel_idle.table=C1:1:1,C1E:5:10,C6:100:600
+
+ To leave latency or residency unchanged, use an empty field, for example:
+ 'C1:1:1,C1E::10' - leaves C1E latency unchanged.
+
 ### nmi (x86)
 > `= ignore | dom0 | fatal`
 
--- a/xen/arch/x86/cpu/mwait-idle.c
+++ b/xen/arch/x86/cpu/mwait-idle.c
@@ -70,6 +70,11 @@
 static __initdata bool opt_mwait_idle = true;
 boolean_param("mwait-idle", opt_mwait_idle);
 
+/* The maximum allowed length for the 'table' module parameter  */
+#define MAX_CMDLINE_TABLE_LEN 256
+static char cmdline_table_str[MAX_CMDLINE_TABLE_LEN] __initdata;
+string_param("mwait-idle.table", cmdline_table_str);
+
 static unsigned int mwait_substates;
 
 #define LAPIC_TIMER_ALWAYS_RELIABLE 0xFFFFFFFF
@@ -122,6 +127,9 @@ struct cpuidle_state {
  */
 #define CPUIDLE_FLAG_IBRS              0x20000
 
+/* C-states data from the 'mwait-idle.table' cmdline parameter */
+static struct cpuidle_state cmdline_states[ACPI_PROCESSOR_MAX_POWER] 
__initdata;
+
 /*
  * MWAIT takes an 8-bit "hint" in EAX "suggesting"
  * the C-state (top nibble) and sub-state (bottom nibble)
@@ -1546,6 +1554,161 @@ static void __init mwait_idle_state_tabl
        }
 }
 
+ /**
+  * get_cmdline_field - Get the current field from a cmdline string.
+  * @args: The cmdline string to get the current field from.
+  * @field: Pointer to the current field upon return.
+  * @sep: The fields separator character.
+  *
+  * Examples:
+  *   Input: args="C1:1:1,C1E:2:10", sep=':'
+  *   Output: field="C1", return "1:1,C1E:2:10"
+  *   Input: args="C1:1:1,C1E:2:10", sep=','
+  *   Output: field="C1:1:1", return "C1E:2:10"
+  *   Ipnut: args="::", sep=':'
+  *   Output: field="", return ":"
+  *
+  * Return: The continuation of the cmdline string after the field or NULL.
+  */
+static char *__init get_cmdline_field(char *args, char **field, char sep)
+{
+       unsigned int i;
+
+       for (i = 0; args[i] && !isspace(args[i]); i++) {
+               if (args[i] == sep)
+                       break;
+       }
+
+       *field = args;
+
+       if (args[i] != sep)
+               return NULL;
+
+       args[i] = '\0';
+       return args + i + 1;
+}
+
+/**
+ * cmdline_table_adjust - Adjust the C-states table with data from cmdline.
+ *
+ * Adjust the C-states table with data from the 'mwait-idle.table' parameter
+ * (if specified).
+ */
+static void __init cmdline_table_adjust(void)
+{
+       char *args = cmdline_table_str;
+       struct cpuidle_state *state;
+       unsigned int i, state_count;
+
+       if (args[0] == '\0')
+               /* The 'mwait-idle.table' module parameter was not specified */
+               return;
+
+       /* Create a copy of the C-states table */
+       for (i = 0;
+            i < ARRAY_SIZE(cmdline_states) && icpu.state_table[i].name[0];
+            i++)
+               cmdline_states[i] = icpu.state_table[i];
+
+       state_count = i;
+
+       /*
+        * Adjust the C-states table copy with data from the 'mwait-idle.table'
+        * module parameter.
+        */
+       while (args) {
+               char *fields, *name, *val;
+
+               /*
+                * Get the next C-state definition, which is expected to be
+                * '<name>:<latency_us>:<target_residency_us>'. Treat "empty"
+                * fields as unchanged. For example,
+                * '<name>::<target_residency_us>' leaves the latency unchanged.
+                */
+               args = get_cmdline_field(args, &fields, ',');
+
+               /* name */
+               fields = get_cmdline_field(fields, &name, ':');
+               if (!fields)
+                       goto error;
+
+               /* Find the C-state by its name */
+               state = NULL;
+               for (i = 0; i < state_count; i++) {
+                       if (!strcmp(name, cmdline_states[i].name)) {
+                               state = &cmdline_states[i];
+                               break;
+                       }
+               }
+
+               if (!state) {
+                       printk(XENLOG_ERR PREFIX "C-state '%s' was not found\n",
+                              name);
+                       continue;
+               }
+
+               /* Latency */
+               fields = get_cmdline_field(fields, &val, ':');
+               if (!fields)
+                       goto error;
+
+               if (*val) {
+                       const char *end;
+                       unsigned long n = simple_strtoul(val, &end, 0);
+
+                       state->exit_latency = n;
+                       if (*end || state->exit_latency != n)
+                               goto error;
+               }
+
+               /* Target residency */
+               fields = get_cmdline_field(fields, &val, ':');
+
+               if (*val) {
+                       const char *end;
+                       unsigned long n = simple_strtoul(val, &end, 0);
+
+                       state->target_residency = n;
+                       if (*end || state->target_residency != n)
+                               goto error;
+               }
+
+               /*
+                * Allow for 3 more fields, but ignore them. Helps to make
+                * possible future extensions of the cmdline format backward
+                * compatible.
+                */
+               for (i = 0; fields && i < 3; i++) {
+                       fields = get_cmdline_field(fields, &val, ':');
+                       if (!fields)
+                               break;
+               }
+
+               if (fields) {
+                       printk(XENLOG_ERR PREFIX
+                              "Too many fields for C-state '%s'\n",
+                              state->name);
+                       goto error;
+               }
+
+               printk(XENLOG_INFO PREFIX
+                      "C-state from cmdline: name=%s, latency=%u, 
residency=%u\n",
+                      state->name, state->exit_latency, 
state->target_residency);
+       }
+
+       /* Copy the adjusted C-states table back */
+       for (i = 0; i < state_count; i++)
+               icpu.state_table[i] = cmdline_states[i];
+
+       printk(XENLOG_INFO PREFIX
+              "Adjusted C-states with data from 'mwait-idle.table'\n");
+       return;
+
+ error:
+       printk(PREFIX
+              "Failed to adjust C-states with data from 'mwait-idle.table'\n");
+}
+
 static int __init mwait_idle_probe(void)
 {
        unsigned int eax, ebx, ecx;
@@ -1595,6 +1758,8 @@ static int __init mwait_idle_probe(void)
 
        mwait_idle_state_table_update();
 
+       cmdline_table_adjust();
+
        return 0;
 }
 




 


Rackspace

Lists.xenproject.org is hosted with RackSpace, monitoring our
servers 24x7x365 and backed by RackSpace's Fanatical Support®.