Re: [PATCH 0/3] perf: add support for analyzing events for containers

[Hari Bathini <hbathini@linux.vnet.ibm.com>]

On Friday 11 November 2016 01:18 AM, Eric W. Biederman wrote:
> Hari Bathini <hbathini@linux.vnet.ibm.com> writes:
>
>> Currently, there is no trivial mechanism to analyze events based on
>> containers. perf -G can be used, but it will not filter events for the
>> containers created after perf is invoked, making it difficult to assess/
>> analyze performance issues of multiple containers at once.
>>
>> This patch-set overcomes this limitation by using cgroup identifier as
>> container unique identifier. A new PERF_RECORD_NAMESPACES event that
>> records namespaces related info is introduced, from which the cgroup
>> namespace's inode number is used as cgroup identifier.  This is based
>> on the assumption that each container is created with it's own cgroup
>> namespace allowing assessment/analysis of multiple containers using
>> cgroup identifier.
>>
>> The first patch introduces PERF_RECORD_NAMESPACES in kernel while the
>> second patch makes the corresponding changes in perf tool to read this
>> PERF_RECORD_NAMESPACES events. The third patch adds a cgroup identifier
>> column in perf report, which is nothing but the cgroup namespace's
>> inode number. This approach is based on the suggestion from Peter
>> Zijlstra here: https://patchwork.kernel.org/patch/9305655/
> Where is the check that ensures that only the someone with
> capable(CAP_SYS_ADMIN) can use this interface.  This interface is not
> namespace clean in multiple dimensions so it can not be used generally?

Right. Will add the check..

> You are not allowed to move struct mount_namespace into
> include/linux/mnt_namespace.h.  Al Viro will crucify you with cause.
> Those are implementation details the rest of the kernel should not be
> digging into.

Ouch! How about adding an accessor function(s) in fs/namespace.c ..?

> Where are the device numbers that go with those inode numbers you are
> exporting?  For now all of those inodes live on the filesystem but I am
> not giving guarantees to userspace that do not work for ordinary
> filesystems.

Sorry! I didn't get this..
Want to use these numbers as identity for namespace (like pid for process..)

Thanks
Hari