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mirror of https://github.com/edk2-porting/linux-next.git synced 2024-12-25 05:34:00 +08:00
linux-next/Documentation/ABI
Linus Torvalds eb254f323b Merge branch 'x86-cache-for-linus' of git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/tip/tip
Pull x86 cache allocation interface from Thomas Gleixner:
 "This provides support for Intel's Cache Allocation Technology, a cache
  partitioning mechanism.

  The interface is odd, but the hardware interface of that CAT stuff is
  odd as well.

  We tried hard to come up with an abstraction, but that only allows
  rather simple partitioning, but no way of sharing and dealing with the
  per package nature of this mechanism.

  In the end we decided to expose the allocation bitmaps directly so all
  combinations of the hardware can be utilized.

  There are two ways of associating a cache partition:

   - Task

     A task can be added to a resource group. It uses the cache
     partition associated to the group.

   - CPU

     All tasks which are not member of a resource group use the group to
     which the CPU they are running on is associated with.

     That allows for simple CPU based partitioning schemes.

  The main expected user sare:

   - Virtualization so a VM can only trash only the associated part of
     the cash w/o disturbing others

   - Real-Time systems to seperate RT and general workloads.

   - Latency sensitive enterprise workloads

   - In theory this also can be used to protect against cache side
     channel attacks"

[ Intel RDT is "Resource Director Technology". The interface really is
  rather odd and very specific, which delayed this pull request while I
  was thinking about it. The pull request itself came in early during
  the merge window, I just delayed it until things had calmed down and I
  had more time.

  But people tell me they'll use this, and the good news is that it is
  _so_ specific that it's rather independent of anything else, and no
  user is going to depend on the interface since it's pretty rare. So if
  push comes to shove, we can just remove the interface and nothing will
  break ]

* 'x86-cache-for-linus' of git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/tip/tip: (31 commits)
  x86/intel_rdt: Implement show_options() for resctrlfs
  x86/intel_rdt: Call intel_rdt_sched_in() with preemption disabled
  x86/intel_rdt: Update task closid immediately on CPU in rmdir and unmount
  x86/intel_rdt: Fix setting of closid when adding CPUs to a group
  x86/intel_rdt: Update percpu closid immeditately on CPUs affected by changee
  x86/intel_rdt: Reset per cpu closids on unmount
  x86/intel_rdt: Select KERNFS when enabling INTEL_RDT_A
  x86/intel_rdt: Prevent deadlock against hotplug lock
  x86/intel_rdt: Protect info directory from removal
  x86/intel_rdt: Add info files to Documentation
  x86/intel_rdt: Export the minimum number of set mask bits in sysfs
  x86/intel_rdt: Propagate error in rdt_mount() properly
  x86/intel_rdt: Add a missing #include
  MAINTAINERS: Add maintainer for Intel RDT resource allocation
  x86/intel_rdt: Add scheduler hook
  x86/intel_rdt: Add schemata file
  x86/intel_rdt: Add tasks files
  x86/intel_rdt: Add cpus file
  x86/intel_rdt: Add mkdir to resctrl file system
  x86/intel_rdt: Add "info" files to resctrl file system
  ...
2016-12-22 09:25:45 -08:00
..
obsolete Documentation: fix common spelling mistakes 2016-04-28 07:51:59 -06:00
removed rfkill: Remove obsolete "claim" sysfs interface 2016-02-24 09:04:24 +01:00
stable Documentation/ABI: Added ABI information for devspec and obppath. 2016-10-27 16:59:59 +02:00
testing Merge branch 'x86-cache-for-linus' of git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/tip/tip 2016-12-22 09:25:45 -08:00
README docs: fix locations of several documents that got moved 2016-10-24 08:12:35 -02:00

This directory attempts to document the ABI between the Linux kernel and
userspace, and the relative stability of these interfaces.  Due to the
everchanging nature of Linux, and the differing maturity levels, these
interfaces should be used by userspace programs in different ways.

We have four different levels of ABI stability, as shown by the four
different subdirectories in this location.  Interfaces may change levels
of stability according to the rules described below.

The different levels of stability are:

  stable/
	This directory documents the interfaces that the developer has
	defined to be stable.  Userspace programs are free to use these
	interfaces with no restrictions, and backward compatibility for
	them will be guaranteed for at least 2 years.  Most interfaces
	(like syscalls) are expected to never change and always be
	available.

  testing/
	This directory documents interfaces that are felt to be stable,
	as the main development of this interface has been completed.
	The interface can be changed to add new features, but the
	current interface will not break by doing this, unless grave
	errors or security problems are found in them.  Userspace
	programs can start to rely on these interfaces, but they must be
	aware of changes that can occur before these interfaces move to
	be marked stable.  Programs that use these interfaces are
	strongly encouraged to add their name to the description of
	these interfaces, so that the kernel developers can easily
	notify them if any changes occur (see the description of the
	layout of the files below for details on how to do this.)

  obsolete/
  	This directory documents interfaces that are still remaining in
	the kernel, but are marked to be removed at some later point in
	time.  The description of the interface will document the reason
	why it is obsolete and when it can be expected to be removed.

  removed/
	This directory contains a list of the old interfaces that have
	been removed from the kernel.

Every file in these directories will contain the following information:

What:		Short description of the interface
Date:		Date created
KernelVersion:	Kernel version this feature first showed up in.
Contact:	Primary contact for this interface (may be a mailing list)
Description:	Long description of the interface and how to use it.
Users:		All users of this interface who wish to be notified when
		it changes.  This is very important for interfaces in
		the "testing" stage, so that kernel developers can work
		with userspace developers to ensure that things do not
		break in ways that are unacceptable.  It is also
		important to get feedback for these interfaces to make
		sure they are working in a proper way and do not need to
		be changed further.


How things move between levels:

Interfaces in stable may move to obsolete, as long as the proper
notification is given.

Interfaces may be removed from obsolete and the kernel as long as the
documented amount of time has gone by.

Interfaces in the testing state can move to the stable state when the
developers feel they are finished.  They cannot be removed from the
kernel tree without going through the obsolete state first.

It's up to the developer to place their interfaces in the category they
wish for it to start out in.


Notable bits of non-ABI, which should not under any circumstances be considered
stable:

- Kconfig.  Userspace should not rely on the presence or absence of any
  particular Kconfig symbol, in /proc/config.gz, in the copy of .config
  commonly installed to /boot, or in any invocation of the kernel build
  process.

- Kernel-internal symbols.  Do not rely on the presence, absence, location, or
  type of any kernel symbol, either in System.map files or the kernel binary
  itself.  See Documentation/process/stable-api-nonsense.rst.