Re: [PATCH 1/3] sched/fair: Add smt_balance and llc_balance to the decision matrix

[Jemmy Wong <jemmywong512@gmail.com>]

Hi Tim,

Thanks for the review.

> On Oct 2, 2026, at 5:34 AM, Tim Chen <tim.c.chen@linux.intel.com> wrote:
> 
> On Mon, 2026-09-28 at 12:20 +0800, Jemmy Wong wrote:
>> The group-type matrix was introduced in commit 0b0695f2b34a
>> ("sched/fair: Rework load_balance()"). When commit fee1759e4f04
>> ("sched/fair: Determine active load balance for SMT sched groups")
>> added group_smt_balance and commit f38cc2f0d8a3 ("sched/cache:
>> Prioritize tasks preferring destination LLC during balancing")
>> added group_llc_balance, neither commit updated the matrix table.
>> 
>> Both types are only tagged on non-local groups in update_sg_lb_stats(),
>> so their local columns are N/A.
>> 
>> As busiest, group_smt_balance is only set when dst_cpu is idle and the
>> SMT group runs more than one task. Against a local has_spare or
>> fully_busy group it goes through the nr_idle checks, where a non-SMT
>> dst group may also force the pull via smt_vs_nonsmt_groups(). Against a
>> local imbalanced or overloaded group the local group is busier and the
>> pair is balanced.
>> 
>> As busiest, group_llc_balance is not an unconditional force. A local
>> overloaded group is busier and the pair is balanced; otherwise the
>> nr_idle checks apply, with prefer_sibling still able to force the pull
>> when the local group has spare capacity.
>> 
>> No functional change.
>> 
>> Signed-off-by: Jemmy Wong <jemmywong512@gmail.com>
>> ---
>> kernel/sched/fair.c | 16 +++++++++-------
>> 1 file changed, 9 insertions(+), 7 deletions(-)
>> 
>> diff --git a/kernel/sched/fair.c b/kernel/sched/fair.c
>> index 7455a83a6a99..f9ddcecfd19d 100644
>> --- a/kernel/sched/fair.c
>> +++ b/kernel/sched/fair.c
>> @@ -12947,13 +12947,15 @@ static inline void calculate_imbalance(struct lb_env *env, struct sd_lb_stats *s
>> /*
>>  * Decision matrix according to the local and busiest group type:
>>  *
>> - * busiest \ local has_spare fully_busy misfit asym imbalanced overloaded
>> - * has_spare        nr_idle   balanced   N/A    N/A  balanced   balanced
>> - * fully_busy       nr_idle   nr_idle    N/A    N/A  balanced   balanced
>> - * misfit_task      force     N/A        N/A    N/A  N/A        N/A
>> - * asym_packing     force     force      N/A    N/A  force      force
>> - * imbalanced       force     force      N/A    N/A  force      force
>> - * overloaded       force     force      N/A    N/A  force      avg_load
>> + * busiest \ local has_spare fully_busy misfit smt asym imbalanced llc overloaded
>> + * has_spare        nr_idle   balanced   N/A   N/A  N/A  balanced  N/A  balanced
>> + * fully_busy       nr_idle   nr_idle    N/A   N/A  N/A  balanced  N/A  balanced
>> + * misfit_task      force     N/A        N/A   N/A  N/A  N/A       N/A  N/A
>> + * smt_balance      nr_idle   nr_idle    N/A   N/A  N/A  balanced  N/A  balanced
>> + * asym_packing     force     force      N/A   N/A  N/A  force     N/A  force
>> + * imbalanced       force     force      N/A   N/A  N/A  force     N/A  force
> 
> Thanks for picking this up - nice to have the table match the code
> again. I walked the new rows and columns against
> sched_balance_find_src_group(), and they line up, with one exception:
> 
>> + * llc_balance      nr_idle   nr_idle    N/A   N/A  N/A  nr_idle   N/A  balanced
> 
> I think local=has_spare, busiest=llc_balance is "force", not "nr_idle":
> 
>        if (sds.prefer_sibling && local->group_type == group_has_spare &&
>            (busiest->group_type == group_llc_balance ||
>             sibling_imbalance(env, &sds, busiest, local) > 1))
>                goto force_balance;
> 
> The group_llc_balance clause short-circuits the sibling_imbalance()
> test, so this pair forces unconditionally once prefer_sibling is set,
> and prefer_sibling is set for LLC-vs-LLC balancing: the groups span
> per-LLC (SD_SHARE_LLC) domains, which keep SD_PREFER_SIBLING (only
> SD_NUMA strips it). That also matches your changelog ("prefer_sibling
> still able to force the pull...") - the table just reads nr_idle where
> the prose says force.
> 
> Could you flip that one cell?
> 
> * llc_balance      force     nr_idle    N/A   N/A  N/A  nr_idle   N/A  balanced

You're right. The group_llc_balance clause short-circuits
sibling_imbalance(), so when the local group is has_spare and
prefer_sibling is set, a busiest llc_balance group is always pulled
from. I'll flip that cell to "force" in v2.

I also checked when prefer_sibling is set. It comes from the busiest
group's flags, i.e. the child domain's SD_PREFER_SIBLING (see
update_sd_lb_stats()). sd_init() sets that flag on every level, so SMT,
CLUSTER, MC and PKG all have it, and only SD_NUMA domains clear it. So
the pull is forced unless the child domain is a NUMA one. I'll reword
the changelog and cover letter to match.

> Thanks.
> 
> Tim
> 
>> + * overloaded       force     force      N/A   N/A  N/A  force     N/A  avg_load
>>  *
>>  * N/A :      Not Applicable because already filtered while updating
>>  *            statistics.

Thanks,
Jemmy