Re: [PATCH v5 6/7] sched/deadline: Deferrable dl server

[Steven Rostedt <rostedt@goodmis.org>]

On Fri, 5 Apr 2024 16:35:49 +0200
Daniel Bristot de Oliveira <bristot@redhat.com> wrote:

> A reproducer always helps. So, your task there is not a periodic task... it is
> a sporadic task because it sleeps for a fixed amount of time after the runtime.
> 
> A periodic task with period 76 would wake at 0, 76, 152 - like cyclictest...
> so consuming at a fixed time rate if the scheduler allows it.
> 
> In the case of a fixed sleep time at the end of the execution, it will end up
> "throwing away bandwidth" if the runtime is not given at the beginning of the
> period because it will run slower... accumulating error. But that was not the
> main point here...
> 
> The problem here was more like: if a fair task goes to sleep in the middle of
> the server activation (for a lock?), and then wakes up again, the code in v5 is
> forcing it to defer... again. Thus, it is getting less bandwidth... notice that
> it does not even need to be at the start of the period. It is the middle of the
> execution.
> 
> Intuitively, reducing the deferred time would help there. But the best thing to do is:
> 
> If the fair task waited for the defer, and the real-time tasks are still using all
> CPU time, do not defer the activation again, and keep the defer mechanism disabled
> until the real-time tasks allow the fair scheduler to run in the background. So,
> making the defer mode equivalent to the non-defer mode until the RT tasks start
> to behave again.
> 
> For that, in the v6, there is a variable (dl_defer_running), once the dl_server
> is enqueued after the defer time, the variable dl_defer_running is set.
> 
> If the fair task sleeps in the middle of the period, that variable do not change.
> 
> If the fair task wakes up and the dl_defer_running is still set, do not defer.
> Keep running until you consume the reservation.
> 
> The variable dl_defer_running is set to 0 only after the fair tasks consume
> its runtime without being in a dl_server... IOW, when the RT tasks start to
> behave.

Very nice explanation! Thanks Daniel.

> 
> No interface change.
> 
> With that in place, your reproducers are working. I have a periodic version
> of your reproducer, also improving how the task consumes the runtime,.. I
> will send it to you so you can have a look.

Looking forward to reviewing your patches when I'm back from PTO.

-- Steve