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diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/pm/intel_pstate.rst b/Documentation/admin-guide/pm/intel_pstate.rst new file mode 100644 index 000000000000..1d6249825efc --- /dev/null +++ b/Documentation/admin-guide/pm/intel_pstate.rst @@ -0,0 +1,753 @@ +=============================================== +``intel_pstate`` CPU Performance Scaling Driver +=============================================== + +:: + + Copyright (c) 2017 Intel Corp., Rafael J. Wysocki <rafael.j.wysocki@intel.com> + + +General Information +=================== + +``intel_pstate`` is a part of the +:doc:`CPU performance scaling subsystem <cpufreq>` in the Linux kernel +(``CPUFreq``). It is a scaling driver for the Sandy Bridge and later +generations of Intel processors. Note, however, that some of those processors +may not be supported. [To understand ``intel_pstate`` it is necessary to know +how ``CPUFreq`` works in general, so this is the time to read :doc:`cpufreq` if +you have not done that yet.] + +For the processors supported by ``intel_pstate``, the P-state concept is broader +than just an operating frequency or an operating performance point (see the +`LinuxCon Europe 2015 presentation by Kristen Accardi <LCEU2015_>`_ for more +information about that). For this reason, the representation of P-states used +by ``intel_pstate`` internally follows the hardware specification (for details +refer to `Intel® 64 and IA-32 Architectures Software Developer’s Manual +Volume 3: System Programming Guide <SDM_>`_). However, the ``CPUFreq`` core +uses frequencies for identifying operating performance points of CPUs and +frequencies are involved in the user space interface exposed by it, so +``intel_pstate`` maps its internal representation of P-states to frequencies too +(fortunately, that mapping is unambiguous). At the same time, it would not be +practical for ``intel_pstate`` to supply the ``CPUFreq`` core with a table of +available frequencies due to the possible size of it, so the driver does not do +that. Some functionality of the core is limited by that. + +Since the hardware P-state selection interface used by ``intel_pstate`` is +available at the logical CPU level, the driver always works with individual +CPUs. Consequently, if ``intel_pstate`` is in use, every ``CPUFreq`` policy +object corresponds to one logical CPU and ``CPUFreq`` policies are effectively +equivalent to CPUs. In particular, this means that they become "inactive" every +time the corresponding CPU is taken offline and need to be re-initialized when +it goes back online. + +``intel_pstate`` is not modular, so it cannot be unloaded, which means that the +only way to pass early-configuration-time parameters to it is via the kernel +command line. However, its configuration can be adjusted via ``sysfs`` to a +great extent. In some configurations it even is possible to unregister it via +``sysfs`` which allows another ``CPUFreq`` scaling driver to be loaded and +registered (see `below <status_attr_>`_). + + +Operation Modes +=============== + +``intel_pstate`` can operate in three different modes: in the active mode with +or without hardware-managed P-states support and in the passive mode. Which of +them will be in effect depends on what kernel command line options are used and +on the capabilities of the processor. + +Active Mode +----------- + +This is the default operation mode of ``intel_pstate``. If it works in this +mode, the ``scaling_driver`` policy attribute in ``sysfs`` for all ``CPUFreq`` +policies contains the string "intel_pstate". + +In this mode the driver bypasses the scaling governors layer of ``CPUFreq`` and +provides its own scaling algorithms for P-state selection. Those algorithms +can be applied to ``CPUFreq`` policies in the same way as generic scaling +governors (that is, through the ``scaling_governor`` policy attribute in +``sysfs``). [Note that different P-state selection algorithms may be chosen for +different policies, but that is not recommended.] + +They are not generic scaling governors, but their names are the same as the +names of some of those governors. Moreover, confusingly enough, they generally +do not work in the same way as the generic governors they share the names with. +For example, the ``powersave`` P-state selection algorithm provided by +``intel_pstate`` is not a counterpart of the generic ``powersave`` governor +(roughly, it corresponds to the ``schedutil`` and ``ondemand`` governors). + +There are two P-state selection algorithms provided by ``intel_pstate`` in the +active mode: ``powersave`` and ``performance``. The way they both operate +depends on whether or not the hardware-managed P-states (HWP) feature has been +enabled in the processor and possibly on the processor model. + +Which of the P-state selection algorithms is used by default depends on the +:c:macro:`CONFIG_CPU_FREQ_DEFAULT_GOV_PERFORMANCE` kernel configuration option. +Namely, if that option is set, the ``performance`` algorithm will be used by +default, and the other one will be used by default if it is not set. + +Active Mode With HWP +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + +If the processor supports the HWP feature, it will be enabled during the +processor initialization and cannot be disabled after that. It is possible +to avoid enabling it by passing the ``intel_pstate=no_hwp`` argument to the +kernel in the command line. + +If the HWP feature has been enabled, ``intel_pstate`` relies on the processor to +select P-states by itself, but still it can give hints to the processor's +internal P-state selection logic. What those hints are depends on which P-state +selection algorithm has been applied to the given policy (or to the CPU it +corresponds to). + +Even though the P-state selection is carried out by the processor automatically, +``intel_pstate`` registers utilization update callbacks with the CPU scheduler +in this mode. However, they are not used for running a P-state selection +algorithm, but for periodic updates of the current CPU frequency information to +be made available from the ``scaling_cur_freq`` policy attribute in ``sysfs``. + +HWP + ``performance`` +..................... + +In this configuration ``intel_pstate`` will write 0 to the processor's +Energy-Performance Preference (EPP) knob (if supported) or its +Energy-Performance Bias (EPB) knob (otherwise), which means that the processor's +internal P-state selection logic is expected to focus entirely on performance. + +This will override the EPP/EPB setting coming from the ``sysfs`` interface +(see `Energy vs Performance Hints`_ below). + +Also, in this configuration the range of P-states available to the processor's +internal P-state selection logic is always restricted to the upper boundary +(that is, the maximum P-state that the driver is allowed to use). + +HWP + ``powersave`` +................... + +In this configuration ``intel_pstate`` will set the processor's +Energy-Performance Preference (EPP) knob (if supported) or its +Energy-Performance Bias (EPB) knob (otherwise) to whatever value it was +previously set to via ``sysfs`` (or whatever default value it was +set to by the platform firmware). This usually causes the processor's +internal P-state selection logic to be less performance-focused. + +Active Mode Without HWP +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + +This is the default operation mode for processors that do not support the HWP +feature. It also is used by default with the ``intel_pstate=no_hwp`` argument +in the kernel command line. However, in this mode ``intel_pstate`` may refuse +to work with the given processor if it does not recognize it. [Note that +``intel_pstate`` will never refuse to work with any processor with the HWP +feature enabled.] + +In this mode ``intel_pstate`` registers utilization update callbacks with the +CPU scheduler in order to run a P-state selection algorithm, either +``powersave`` or ``performance``, depending on the ``scaling_cur_freq`` policy +setting in ``sysfs``. The current CPU frequency information to be made +available from the ``scaling_cur_freq`` policy attribute in ``sysfs`` is +periodically updated by those utilization update callbacks too. + +``performance`` +............... + +Without HWP, this P-state selection algorithm is always the same regardless of +the processor model and platform configuration. + +It selects the maximum P-state it is allowed to use, subject to limits set via +``sysfs``, every time the driver configuration for the given CPU is updated +(e.g. via ``sysfs``). + +This is the default P-state selection algorithm if the +:c:macro:`CONFIG_CPU_FREQ_DEFAULT_GOV_PERFORMANCE` kernel configuration option +is set. + +``powersave`` +............. + +Without HWP, this P-state selection algorithm generally depends on the +processor model and/or the system profile setting in the ACPI tables and there +are two variants of it. + +One of them is used with processors from the Atom line and (regardless of the +processor model) on platforms with the system profile in the ACPI tables set to +"mobile" (laptops mostly), "tablet", "appliance PC", "desktop", or +"workstation". It is also used with processors supporting the HWP feature if +that feature has not been enabled (that is, with the ``intel_pstate=no_hwp`` +argument in the kernel command line). It is similar to the algorithm +implemented by the generic ``schedutil`` scaling governor except that the +utilization metric used by it is based on numbers coming from feedback +registers of the CPU. It generally selects P-states proportional to the +current CPU utilization, so it is referred to as the "proportional" algorithm. + +The second variant of the ``powersave`` P-state selection algorithm, used in all +of the other cases (generally, on processors from the Core line, so it is +referred to as the "Core" algorithm), is based on the values read from the APERF +and MPERF feedback registers and the previously requested target P-state. +It does not really take CPU utilization into account explicitly, but as a rule +it causes the CPU P-state to ramp up very quickly in response to increased +utilization which is generally desirable in server environments. + +Regardless of the variant, this algorithm is run by the driver's utilization +update callback for the given CPU when it is invoked by the CPU scheduler, but +not more often than every 10 ms (that can be tweaked via ``debugfs`` in `this +particular case <Tuning Interface in debugfs_>`_). Like in the ``performance`` +case, the hardware configuration is not touched if the new P-state turns out to +be the same as the current one. + +This is the default P-state selection algorithm if the +:c:macro:`CONFIG_CPU_FREQ_DEFAULT_GOV_PERFORMANCE` kernel configuration option +is not set. + +Passive Mode +------------ + +This mode is used if the ``intel_pstate=passive`` argument is passed to the +kernel in the command line (it implies the ``intel_pstate=no_hwp`` setting too). +Like in the active mode without HWP support, in this mode ``intel_pstate`` may +refuse to work with the given processor if it does not recognize it. + +If the driver works in this mode, the ``scaling_driver`` policy attribute in +``sysfs`` for all ``CPUFreq`` policies contains the string "intel_cpufreq". +Then, the driver behaves like a regular ``CPUFreq`` scaling driver. That is, +it is invoked by generic scaling governors when necessary to talk to the +hardware in order to change the P-state of a CPU (in particular, the +``schedutil`` governor can invoke it directly from scheduler context). + +While in this mode, ``intel_pstate`` can be used with all of the (generic) +scaling governors listed by the ``scaling_available_governors`` policy attribute +in ``sysfs`` (and the P-state selection algorithms described above are not +used). Then, it is responsible for the configuration of policy objects +corresponding to CPUs and provides the ``CPUFreq`` core (and the scaling +governors attached to the policy objects) with accurate information on the +maximum and minimum operating frequencies supported by the hardware (including +the so-called "turbo" frequency ranges). In other words, in the passive mode +the entire range of available P-states is exposed by ``intel_pstate`` to the +``CPUFreq`` core. However, in this mode the driver does not register +utilization update callbacks with the CPU scheduler and the ``scaling_cur_freq`` +information comes from the ``CPUFreq`` core (and is the last frequency selected +by the current scaling governor for the given policy). + + +.. _turbo: + +Turbo P-states Support +====================== + +In the majority of cases, the entire range of P-states available to +``intel_pstate`` can be divided into two sub-ranges that correspond to +different types of processor behavior, above and below a boundary that +will be referred to as the "turbo threshold" in what follows. + +The P-states above the turbo threshold are referred to as "turbo P-states" and +the whole sub-range of P-states they belong to is referred to as the "turbo +range". These names are related to the Turbo Boost technology allowing a +multicore processor to opportunistically increase the P-state of one or more +cores if there is enough power to do that and if that is not going to cause the +thermal envelope of the processor package to be exceeded. + +Specifically, if software sets the P-state of a CPU core within the turbo range +(that is, above the turbo threshold), the processor is permitted to take over +performance scaling control for that core and put it into turbo P-states of its +choice going forward. However, that permission is interpreted differently by +different processor generations. Namely, the Sandy Bridge generation of +processors will never use any P-states above the last one set by software for +the given core, even if it is within the turbo range, whereas all of the later +processor generations will take it as a license to use any P-states from the +turbo range, even above the one set by software. In other words, on those +processors setting any P-state from the turbo range will enable the processor +to put the given core into all turbo P-states up to and including the maximum +supported one as it sees fit. + +One important property of turbo P-states is that they are not sustainable. More +precisely, there is no guarantee that any CPUs will be able to stay in any of +those states indefinitely, because the power distribution within the processor +package may change over time or the thermal envelope it was designed for might +be exceeded if a turbo P-state was used for too long. + +In turn, the P-states below the turbo threshold generally are sustainable. In +fact, if one of them is set by software, the processor is not expected to change +it to a lower one unless in a thermal stress or a power limit violation +situation (a higher P-state may still be used if it is set for another CPU in +the same package at the same time, for example). + +Some processors allow multiple cores to be in turbo P-states at the same time, +but the maximum P-state that can be set for them generally depends on the number +of cores running concurrently. The maximum turbo P-state that can be set for 3 +cores at the same time usually is lower than the analogous maximum P-state for +2 cores, which in turn usually is lower than the maximum turbo P-state that can +be set for 1 core. The one-core maximum turbo P-state is thus the maximum +supported one overall. + +The maximum supported turbo P-state, the turbo threshold (the maximum supported +non-turbo P-state) and the minimum supported P-state are specific to the +processor model and can be determined by reading the processor's model-specific +registers (MSRs). Moreover, some processors support the Configurable TDP +(Thermal Design Power) feature and, when that feature is enabled, the turbo +threshold effectively becomes a configurable value that can be set by the +platform firmware. + +Unlike ``_PSS`` objects in the ACPI tables, ``intel_pstate`` always exposes +the entire range of available P-states, including the whole turbo range, to the +``CPUFreq`` core and (in the passive mode) to generic scaling governors. This +generally causes turbo P-states to be set more often when ``intel_pstate`` is +used relative to ACPI-based CPU performance scaling (see `below <acpi-cpufreq_>`_ +for more information). + +Moreover, since ``intel_pstate`` always knows what the real turbo threshold is +(even if the Configurable TDP feature is enabled in the processor), its +``no_turbo`` attribute in ``sysfs`` (described `below <no_turbo_attr_>`_) should +work as expected in all cases (that is, if set to disable turbo P-states, it +always should prevent ``intel_pstate`` from using them). + + +Processor Support +================= + +To handle a given processor ``intel_pstate`` requires a number of different +pieces of information on it to be known, including: + + * The minimum supported P-state. + + * The maximum supported `non-turbo P-state <turbo_>`_. + + * Whether or not turbo P-states are supported at all. + + * The maximum supported `one-core turbo P-state <turbo_>`_ (if turbo P-states + are supported). + + * The scaling formula to translate the driver's internal representation + of P-states into frequencies and the other way around. + +Generally, ways to obtain that information are specific to the processor model +or family. Although it often is possible to obtain all of it from the processor +itself (using model-specific registers), there are cases in which hardware +manuals need to be consulted to get to it too. + +For this reason, there is a list of supported processors in ``intel_pstate`` and +the driver initialization will fail if the detected processor is not in that +list, unless it supports the `HWP feature <Active Mode_>`_. [The interface to +obtain all of the information listed above is the same for all of the processors +supporting the HWP feature, which is why they all are supported by +``intel_pstate``.] + + +User Space Interface in ``sysfs`` +================================= + +Global Attributes +----------------- + +``intel_pstate`` exposes several global attributes (files) in ``sysfs`` to +control its functionality at the system level. They are located in the +``/sys/devices/system/cpu/cpufreq/intel_pstate/`` directory and affect all +CPUs. + +Some of them are not present if the ``intel_pstate=per_cpu_perf_limits`` +argument is passed to the kernel in the command line. + +``max_perf_pct`` + Maximum P-state the driver is allowed to set in percent of the + maximum supported performance level (the highest supported `turbo + P-state <turbo_>`_). + + This attribute will not be exposed if the + ``intel_pstate=per_cpu_perf_limits`` argument is present in the kernel + command line. + +``min_perf_pct`` + Minimum P-state the driver is allowed to set in percent of the + maximum supported performance level (the highest supported `turbo + P-state <turbo_>`_). + + This attribute will not be exposed if the + ``intel_pstate=per_cpu_perf_limits`` argument is present in the kernel + command line. + +``num_pstates`` + Number of P-states supported by the processor (between 0 and 255 + inclusive) including both turbo and non-turbo P-states (see + `Turbo P-states Support`_). + + The value of this attribute is not affected by the ``no_turbo`` + setting described `below <no_turbo_attr_>`_. + + This attribute is read-only. + +``turbo_pct`` + Ratio of the `turbo range <turbo_>`_ size to the size of the entire + range of supported P-states, in percent. + + This attribute is read-only. + +.. _no_turbo_attr: + +``no_turbo`` + If set (equal to 1), the driver is not allowed to set any turbo P-states + (see `Turbo P-states Support`_). If unset (equalt to 0, which is the + default), turbo P-states can be set by the driver. + [Note that ``intel_pstate`` does not support the general ``boost`` + attribute (supported by some other scaling drivers) which is replaced + by this one.] + + This attrubute does not affect the maximum supported frequency value + supplied to the ``CPUFreq`` core and exposed via the policy interface, + but it affects the maximum possible value of per-policy P-state limits + (see `Interpretation of Policy Attributes`_ below for details). + +.. _status_attr: + +``status`` + Operation mode of the driver: "active", "passive" or "off". + + "active" + The driver is functional and in the `active mode + <Active Mode_>`_. + + "passive" + The driver is functional and in the `passive mode + <Passive Mode_>`_. + + "off" + The driver is not functional (it is not registered as a scaling + driver with the ``CPUFreq`` core). + + This attribute can be written to in order to change the driver's + operation mode or to unregister it. The string written to it must be + one of the possible values of it and, if successful, the write will + cause the driver to switch over to the operation mode represented by + that string - or to be unregistered in the "off" case. [Actually, + switching over from the active mode to the passive mode or the other + way around causes the driver to be unregistered and registered again + with a different set of callbacks, so all of its settings (the global + as well as the per-policy ones) are then reset to their default + values, possibly depending on the target operation mode.] + + That only is supported in some configurations, though (for example, if + the `HWP feature is enabled in the processor <Active Mode With HWP_>`_, + the operation mode of the driver cannot be changed), and if it is not + supported in the current configuration, writes to this attribute with + fail with an appropriate error. + +Interpretation of Policy Attributes +----------------------------------- + +The interpretation of some ``CPUFreq`` policy attributes described in +:doc:`cpufreq` is special with ``intel_pstate`` as the current scaling driver +and it generally depends on the driver's `operation mode <Operation Modes_>`_. + +First of all, the values of the ``cpuinfo_max_freq``, ``cpuinfo_min_freq`` and +``scaling_cur_freq`` attributes are produced by applying a processor-specific +multiplier to the internal P-state representation used by ``intel_pstate``. +Also, the values of the ``scaling_max_freq`` and ``scaling_min_freq`` +attributes are capped by the frequency corresponding to the maximum P-state that +the driver is allowed to set. + +If the ``no_turbo`` `global attribute <no_turbo_attr_>`_ is set, the driver is +not allowed to use turbo P-states, so the maximum value of ``scaling_max_freq`` +and ``scaling_min_freq`` is limited to the maximum non-turbo P-state frequency. +Accordingly, setting ``no_turbo`` causes ``scaling_max_freq`` and +``scaling_min_freq`` to go down to that value if they were above it before. +However, the old values of ``scaling_max_freq`` and ``scaling_min_freq`` will be +restored after unsetting ``no_turbo``, unless these attributes have been written +to after ``no_turbo`` was set. + +If ``no_turbo`` is not set, the maximum possible value of ``scaling_max_freq`` +and ``scaling_min_freq`` corresponds to the maximum supported turbo P-state, +which also is the value of ``cpuinfo_max_freq`` in either case. + +Next, the following policy attributes have special meaning if +``intel_pstate`` works in the `active mode <Active Mode_>`_: + +``scaling_available_governors`` + List of P-state selection algorithms provided by ``intel_pstate``. + +``scaling_governor`` + P-state selection algorithm provided by ``intel_pstate`` currently in + use with the given policy. + +``scaling_cur_freq`` + Frequency of the average P-state of the CPU represented by the given + policy for the time interval between the last two invocations of the + driver's utilization update callback by the CPU scheduler for that CPU. + +The meaning of these attributes in the `passive mode <Passive Mode_>`_ is the +same as for other scaling drivers. + +Additionally, the value of the ``scaling_driver`` attribute for ``intel_pstate`` +depends on the operation mode of the driver. Namely, it is either +"intel_pstate" (in the `active mode <Active Mode_>`_) or "intel_cpufreq" (in the +`passive mode <Passive Mode_>`_). + +Coordination of P-State Limits +------------------------------ + +``intel_pstate`` allows P-state limits to be set in two ways: with the help of +the ``max_perf_pct`` and ``min_perf_pct`` `global attributes +<Global Attributes_>`_ or via the ``scaling_max_freq`` and ``scaling_min_freq`` +``CPUFreq`` policy attributes. The coordination between those limits is based +on the following rules, regardless of the current operation mode of the driver: + + 1. All CPUs are affected by the global limits (that is, none of them can be + requested to run faster than the global maximum and none of them can be + requested to run slower than the global minimum). + + 2. Each individual CPU is affected by its own per-policy limits (that is, it + cannot be requested to run faster than its own per-policy maximum and it + cannot be requested to run slower than its own per-policy minimum). + + 3. The global and per-policy limits can be set independently. + +If the `HWP feature is enabled in the processor <Active Mode With HWP_>`_, the +resulting effective values are written into its registers whenever the limits +change in order to request its internal P-state selection logic to always set +P-states within these limits. Otherwise, the limits are taken into account by +scaling governors (in the `passive mode <Passive Mode_>`_) and by the driver +every time before setting a new P-state for a CPU. + +Additionally, if the ``intel_pstate=per_cpu_perf_limits`` command line argument +is passed to the kernel, ``max_perf_pct`` and ``min_perf_pct`` are not exposed +at all and the only way to set the limits is by using the policy attributes. + + +Energy vs Performance Hints +--------------------------- + +If ``intel_pstate`` works in the `active mode with the HWP feature enabled +<Active Mode With HWP_>`_ in the processor, additional attributes are present +in every ``CPUFreq`` policy directory in ``sysfs``. They are intended to allow +user space to help ``intel_pstate`` to adjust the processor's internal P-state +selection logic by focusing it on performance or on energy-efficiency, or +somewhere between the two extremes: + +``energy_performance_preference`` + Current value of the energy vs performance hint for the given policy + (or the CPU represented by it). + + The hint can be changed by writing to this attribute. + +``energy_performance_available_preferences`` + List of strings that can be written to the + ``energy_performance_preference`` attribute. + + They represent different energy vs performance hints and should be + self-explanatory, except that ``default`` represents whatever hint + value was set by the platform firmware. + +Strings written to the ``energy_performance_preference`` attribute are +internally translated to integer values written to the processor's +Energy-Performance Preference (EPP) knob (if supported) or its +Energy-Performance Bias (EPB) knob. + +[Note that tasks may by migrated from one CPU to another by the scheduler's +load-balancing algorithm and if different energy vs performance hints are +set for those CPUs, that may lead to undesirable outcomes. To avoid such +issues it is better to set the same energy vs performance hint for all CPUs +or to pin every task potentially sensitive to them to a specific CPU.] + +.. _acpi-cpufreq: + +``intel_pstate`` vs ``acpi-cpufreq`` +==================================== + +On the majority of systems supported by ``intel_pstate``, the ACPI tables +provided by the platform firmware contain ``_PSS`` objects returning information +that can be used for CPU performance scaling (refer to the `ACPI specification`_ +for details on the ``_PSS`` objects and the format of the information returned +by them). + +The information returned by the ACPI ``_PSS`` objects is used by the +``acpi-cpufreq`` scaling driver. On systems supported by ``intel_pstate`` +the ``acpi-cpufreq`` driver uses the same hardware CPU performance scaling +interface, but the set of P-states it can use is limited by the ``_PSS`` +output. + +On those systems each ``_PSS`` object returns a list of P-states supported by +the corresponding CPU which basically is a subset of the P-states range that can +be used by ``intel_pstate`` on the same system, with one exception: the whole +`turbo range <turbo_>`_ is represented by one item in it (the topmost one). By +convention, the frequency returned by ``_PSS`` for that item is greater by 1 MHz +than the frequency of the highest non-turbo P-state listed by it, but the +corresponding P-state representation (following the hardware specification) +returned for it matches the maximum supported turbo P-state (or is the +special value 255 meaning essentially "go as high as you can get"). + +The list of P-states returned by ``_PSS`` is reflected by the table of +available frequencies supplied by ``acpi-cpufreq`` to the ``CPUFreq`` core and +scaling governors and the minimum and maximum supported frequencies reported by +it come from that list as well. In particular, given the special representation +of the turbo range described above, this means that the maximum supported +frequency reported by ``acpi-cpufreq`` is higher by 1 MHz than the frequency +of the highest supported non-turbo P-state listed by ``_PSS`` which, of course, +affects decisions made by the scaling governors, except for ``powersave`` and +``performance``. + +For example, if a given governor attempts to select a frequency proportional to +estimated CPU load and maps the load of 100% to the maximum supported frequency +(possibly multiplied by a constant), then it will tend to choose P-states below +the turbo threshold if ``acpi-cpufreq`` is used as the scaling driver, because +in that case the turbo range corresponds to a small fraction of the frequency +band it can use (1 MHz vs 1 GHz or more). In consequence, it will only go to +the turbo range for the highest loads and the other loads above 50% that might +benefit from running at turbo frequencies will be given non-turbo P-states +instead. + +One more issue related to that may appear on systems supporting the +`Configurable TDP feature <turbo_>`_ allowing the platform firmware to set the +turbo threshold. Namely, if that is not coordinated with the lists of P-states +returned by ``_PSS`` properly, there may be more than one item corresponding to +a turbo P-state in those lists and there may be a problem with avoiding the +turbo range (if desirable or necessary). Usually, to avoid using turbo +P-states overall, ``acpi-cpufreq`` simply avoids using the topmost state listed +by ``_PSS``, but that is not sufficient when there are other turbo P-states in +the list returned by it. + +Apart from the above, ``acpi-cpufreq`` works like ``intel_pstate`` in the +`passive mode <Passive Mode_>`_, except that the number of P-states it can set +is limited to the ones listed by the ACPI ``_PSS`` objects. + + +Kernel Command Line Options for ``intel_pstate`` +================================================ + +Several kernel command line options can be used to pass early-configuration-time +parameters to ``intel_pstate`` in order to enforce specific behavior of it. All +of them have to be prepended with the ``intel_pstate=`` prefix. + +``disable`` + Do not register ``intel_pstate`` as the scaling driver even if the + processor is supported by it. + +``passive`` + Register ``intel_pstate`` in the `passive mode <Passive Mode_>`_ to + start with. + + This option implies the ``no_hwp`` one described below. + +``force`` + Register ``intel_pstate`` as the scaling driver instead of + ``acpi-cpufreq`` even if the latter is preferred on the given system. + + This may prevent some platform features (such as thermal controls and + power capping) that rely on the availability of ACPI P-states + information from functioning as expected, so it should be used with + caution. + + This option does not work with processors that are not supported by + ``intel_pstate`` and on platforms where the ``pcc-cpufreq`` scaling + driver is used instead of ``acpi-cpufreq``. + +``no_hwp`` + Do not enable the `hardware-managed P-states (HWP) feature + <Active Mode With HWP_>`_ even if it is supported by the processor. + +``hwp_only`` + Register ``intel_pstate`` as the scaling driver only if the + `hardware-managed P-states (HWP) feature <Active Mode With HWP_>`_ is + supported by the processor. + +``support_acpi_ppc`` + Take ACPI ``_PPC`` performance limits into account. + + If the preferred power management profile in the FADT (Fixed ACPI + Description Table) is set to "Enterprise Server" or "Performance + Server", the ACPI ``_PPC`` limits are taken into account by default + and this option has no effect. + +``per_cpu_perf_limits`` + Use per-logical-CPU P-State limits (see `Coordination of P-state + Limits`_ for details). + + +Diagnostics and Tuning +====================== + +Trace Events +------------ + +There are two static trace events that can be used for ``intel_pstate`` +diagnostics. One of them is the ``cpu_frequency`` trace event generally used +by ``CPUFreq``, and the other one is the ``pstate_sample`` trace event specific +to ``intel_pstate``. Both of them are triggered by ``intel_pstate`` only if +it works in the `active mode <Active Mode_>`_. + +The following sequence of shell commands can be used to enable them and see +their output (if the kernel is generally configured to support event tracing):: + + # cd /sys/kernel/debug/tracing/ + # echo 1 > events/power/pstate_sample/enable + # echo 1 > events/power/cpu_frequency/enable + # cat trace + gnome-terminal--4510 [001] ..s. 1177.680733: pstate_sample: core_busy=107 scaled=94 from=26 to=26 mperf=1143818 aperf=1230607 tsc=29838618 freq=2474476 + cat-5235 [002] ..s. 1177.681723: cpu_frequency: state=2900000 cpu_id=2 + +If ``intel_pstate`` works in the `passive mode <Passive Mode_>`_, the +``cpu_frequency`` trace event will be triggered either by the ``schedutil`` +scaling governor (for the policies it is attached to), or by the ``CPUFreq`` +core (for the policies with other scaling governors). + +``ftrace`` +---------- + +The ``ftrace`` interface can be used for low-level diagnostics of +``intel_pstate``. For example, to check how often the function to set a +P-state is called, the ``ftrace`` filter can be set to to +:c:func:`intel_pstate_set_pstate`:: + + # cd /sys/kernel/debug/tracing/ + # cat available_filter_functions | grep -i pstate + intel_pstate_set_pstate + intel_pstate_cpu_init + ... + # echo intel_pstate_set_pstate > set_ftrace_filter + # echo function > current_tracer + # cat trace | head -15 + # tracer: function + # + # entries-in-buffer/entries-written: 80/80 #P:4 + # + # _-----=> irqs-off + # / _----=> need-resched + # | / _---=> hardirq/softirq + # || / _--=> preempt-depth + # ||| / delay + # TASK-PID CPU# |||| TIMESTAMP FUNCTION + # | | | |||| | | + Xorg-3129 [000] ..s. 2537.644844: intel_pstate_set_pstate <-intel_pstate_timer_func + gnome-terminal--4510 [002] ..s. 2537.649844: intel_pstate_set_pstate <-intel_pstate_timer_func + gnome-shell-3409 [001] ..s. 2537.650850: intel_pstate_set_pstate <-intel_pstate_timer_func + <idle>-0 [000] ..s. 2537.654843: intel_pstate_set_pstate <-intel_pstate_timer_func + +Tuning Interface in ``debugfs`` +------------------------------- + +The ``powersave`` algorithm provided by ``intel_pstate`` for `the Core line of +processors in the active mode <powersave_>`_ is based on a `PID controller`_ +whose parameters were chosen to address a number of different use cases at the +same time. However, it still is possible to fine-tune it to a specific workload +and the ``debugfs`` interface under ``/sys/kernel/debug/pstate_snb/`` is +provided for this purpose. [Note that the ``pstate_snb`` directory will be +present only if the specific P-state selection algorithm matching the interface +in it actually is in use.] + +The following files present in that directory can be used to modify the PID +controller parameters at run time: + +| ``deadband`` +| ``d_gain_pct`` +| ``i_gain_pct`` +| ``p_gain_pct`` +| ``sample_rate_ms`` +| ``setpoint`` + +Note, however, that achieving desirable results this way generally requires +expert-level understanding of the power vs performance tradeoff, so extra care +is recommended when attempting to do that. + + +.. _LCEU2015: http://events.linuxfoundation.org/sites/events/files/slides/LinuxConEurope_2015.pdf +.. _SDM: http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/architecture-and-technology/64-ia-32-architectures-software-developer-system-programming-manual-325384.html +.. _ACPI specification: http://www.uefi.org/sites/default/files/resources/ACPI_6_1.pdf +.. _PID controller: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PID_controller |