Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2012 07:36:47 -0500
From: Cliff Wickman <cpw@sgi.com>
To: Ingo Molnar <mingo@kernel.org>
Cc: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org, x86@kernel.org,
        Jack Steiner <steiner@sgi.com>, Mike Travis <travis@sgi.com>
Subject: Re: [PATCH 3/3] x86: UV2 BAU hang workarounds
Message-ID: <20120625123647.GA28138@sgi.com>
References: <E1Si3c5-0008I6-CG@eag09.americas.sgi.com> <20120622131459.GC31884@sgi.com> <20120625100321.GB27081@gmail.com>
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On Mon, Jun 25, 2012 at 12:03:21PM +0200, Ingo Molnar wrote:
> 
> * Cliff Wickman <cpw@sgi.com> wrote:
> 
> > On SGI's UV2 the BAU (Broadcast Assist Unit) driver can hang under a
> > heavy load.  To cure this: 
> > 
> > - Disable the UV2 extended status mode (see UV2_EXT_SHFT), as this
> >   mode changes BAU behavior in more ways then just delivering an extra bit
> >   of status.  Revert status to just two meaningful bits, like UV1.
> > - Use no IPI-style resets on UV2.  Just give up the request for whatever the
> >   reason it failed and let it be accomplished with the legacy IPI method.
> > - Use no alternate sending descriptor (the former UV2 workaround
> >   bcp->using_desc and handle_uv2_busy() stuff).  Just disable the use of the
> >   BAU for a period of time in favor of the legacy IPI method when the h/w bug
> >   leaves a descriptor busy.
> >   -- new tunable: giveup_limit determines the threshold at which a hub is 
> >      so plugged that it should do all requests with the legacy IPI method for a
> >      period of time
> >   -- generalize disable_for_congestion() (renamed disable_for_period()) for
> >      use whenever a hub should avoid using the BAU for a period of time
> > 
> > Misc:
> > - fix find_another_by_swack(), which is part of the UV2 bug workaround
> > - correct and clarify the statistics (new stats s_overipilimit s_giveuplimit
> >   s_enters s_ipifordisabled s_plugged s_congested)
> 
> Sigh, it looks like something that ought to be 7 successive, 
> easy to review commits got mixed up into a single, huge, hard to 
> review commit. How did that happen?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> 	Ingo

Hi Ingo,

  Yes, admittedly large.
  This patch was the 'bottom line' of a great deal of experimentation on
  how to work around some hardware problems with the bau.  This is what
  remains after pulling out the unnecessary or unhelpful attempts.
  I could break it up for review purposes, if you think anyone would
  want to examine each component.
  You sound like you're willing to spend that time and effort.  Yes?

-Cliff

-- 
Cliff Wickman
SGI
cpw@sgi.com
(651) 683-3824
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