diff options
author | Changbin Du <changbin.du@intel.com> | 2018-02-17 13:39:38 +0800 |
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committer | Jonathan Corbet <corbet@lwn.net> | 2018-03-07 10:23:10 -0700 |
commit | 1f198e22bc3a0af747a7cf7b444de49ff76b6869 (patch) | |
tree | 4bd4e057bfd0c1df535f680cf8cf1afc5ec519d2 | |
parent | 8fa4e720e8d919271cdf0da3c0856333246398a4 (diff) |
trace doc: convert trace/ftrace.txt to rst format
This converts the plain text documentation to reStructuredText format and
add it into Sphinx TOC tree. No essential content change.
Cc: Steven Rostedt <rostedt@goodmis.org>
Signed-off-by: Changbin Du <changbin.du@intel.com>
Signed-off-by: Jonathan Corbet <corbet@lwn.net>
-rw-r--r-- | Documentation/trace/ftrace.rst | 3332 | ||||
-rw-r--r-- | Documentation/trace/ftrace.txt | 3220 | ||||
-rw-r--r-- | Documentation/trace/index.rst | 1 |
3 files changed, 3333 insertions, 3220 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/trace/ftrace.rst b/Documentation/trace/ftrace.rst new file mode 100644 index 000000000000..636aa9bf5674 --- /dev/null +++ b/Documentation/trace/ftrace.rst @@ -0,0 +1,3332 @@ +======================== +ftrace - Function Tracer +======================== + +Copyright 2008 Red Hat Inc. + +:Author: Steven Rostedt <srostedt@redhat.com> +:License: The GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 + (dual licensed under the GPL v2) +:Original Reviewers: Elias Oltmanns, Randy Dunlap, Andrew Morton, + John Kacur, and David Teigland. + +- Written for: 2.6.28-rc2 +- Updated for: 3.10 +- Updated for: 4.13 - Copyright 2017 VMware Inc. Steven Rostedt +- Converted to rst format - Changbin Du <changbin.du@intel.com> + +Introduction +------------ + +Ftrace is an internal tracer designed to help out developers and +designers of systems to find what is going on inside the kernel. +It can be used for debugging or analyzing latencies and +performance issues that take place outside of user-space. + +Although ftrace is typically considered the function tracer, it +is really a frame work of several assorted tracing utilities. +There's latency tracing to examine what occurs between interrupts +disabled and enabled, as well as for preemption and from a time +a task is woken to the task is actually scheduled in. + +One of the most common uses of ftrace is the event tracing. +Through out the kernel is hundreds of static event points that +can be enabled via the tracefs file system to see what is +going on in certain parts of the kernel. + +See events.txt for more information. + + +Implementation Details +---------------------- + +See :doc:`ftrace-design` for details for arch porters and such. + + +The File System +--------------- + +Ftrace uses the tracefs file system to hold the control files as +well as the files to display output. + +When tracefs is configured into the kernel (which selecting any ftrace +option will do) the directory /sys/kernel/tracing will be created. To mount +this directory, you can add to your /etc/fstab file:: + + tracefs /sys/kernel/tracing tracefs defaults 0 0 + +Or you can mount it at run time with:: + + mount -t tracefs nodev /sys/kernel/tracing + +For quicker access to that directory you may want to make a soft link to +it:: + + ln -s /sys/kernel/tracing /tracing + +.. attention:: + + Before 4.1, all ftrace tracing control files were within the debugfs + file system, which is typically located at /sys/kernel/debug/tracing. + For backward compatibility, when mounting the debugfs file system, + the tracefs file system will be automatically mounted at: + + /sys/kernel/debug/tracing + + All files located in the tracefs file system will be located in that + debugfs file system directory as well. + +.. attention:: + + Any selected ftrace option will also create the tracefs file system. + The rest of the document will assume that you are in the ftrace directory + (cd /sys/kernel/tracing) and will only concentrate on the files within that + directory and not distract from the content with the extended + "/sys/kernel/tracing" path name. + +That's it! (assuming that you have ftrace configured into your kernel) + +After mounting tracefs you will have access to the control and output files +of ftrace. Here is a list of some of the key files: + + + Note: all time values are in microseconds. + + current_tracer: + + This is used to set or display the current tracer + that is configured. + + available_tracers: + + This holds the different types of tracers that + have been compiled into the kernel. The + tracers listed here can be configured by + echoing their name into current_tracer. + + tracing_on: + + This sets or displays whether writing to the trace + ring buffer is enabled. Echo 0 into this file to disable + the tracer or 1 to enable it. Note, this only disables + writing to the ring buffer, the tracing overhead may + still be occurring. + + The kernel function tracing_off() can be used within the + kernel to disable writing to the ring buffer, which will + set this file to "0". User space can re-enable tracing by + echoing "1" into the file. + + Note, the function and event trigger "traceoff" will also + set this file to zero and stop tracing. Which can also + be re-enabled by user space using this file. + + trace: + + This file holds the output of the trace in a human + readable format (described below). Note, tracing is temporarily + disabled while this file is being read (opened). + + trace_pipe: + + The output is the same as the "trace" file but this + file is meant to be streamed with live tracing. + Reads from this file will block until new data is + retrieved. Unlike the "trace" file, this file is a + consumer. This means reading from this file causes + sequential reads to display more current data. Once + data is read from this file, it is consumed, and + will not be read again with a sequential read. The + "trace" file is static, and if the tracer is not + adding more data, it will display the same + information every time it is read. This file will not + disable tracing while being read. + + trace_options: + + This file lets the user control the amount of data + that is displayed in one of the above output + files. Options also exist to modify how a tracer + or events work (stack traces, timestamps, etc). + + options: + + This is a directory that has a file for every available + trace option (also in trace_options). Options may also be set + or cleared by writing a "1" or "0" respectively into the + corresponding file with the option name. + + tracing_max_latency: + + Some of the tracers record the max latency. + For example, the maximum time that interrupts are disabled. + The maximum time is saved in this file. The max trace will also be + stored, and displayed by "trace". A new max trace will only be + recorded if the latency is greater than the value in this file + (in microseconds). + + By echoing in a time into this file, no latency will be recorded + unless it is greater than the time in this file. + + tracing_thresh: + + Some latency tracers will record a trace whenever the + latency is greater than the number in this file. + Only active when the file contains a number greater than 0. + (in microseconds) + + buffer_size_kb: + + This sets or displays the number of kilobytes each CPU + buffer holds. By default, the trace buffers are the same size + for each CPU. The displayed number is the size of the + CPU buffer and not total size of all buffers. The + trace buffers are allocated in pages (blocks of memory + that the kernel uses for allocation, usually 4 KB in size). + If the last page allocated has room for more bytes + than requested, the rest of the page will be used, + making the actual allocation bigger than requested or shown. + ( Note, the size may not be a multiple of the page size + due to buffer management meta-data. ) + + Buffer sizes for individual CPUs may vary + (see "per_cpu/cpu0/buffer_size_kb" below), and if they do + this file will show "X". + + buffer_total_size_kb: + + This displays the total combined size of all the trace buffers. + + free_buffer: + + If a process is performing tracing, and the ring buffer should be + shrunk "freed" when the process is finished, even if it were to be + killed by a signal, this file can be used for that purpose. On close + of this file, the ring buffer will be resized to its minimum size. + Having a process that is tracing also open this file, when the process + exits its file descriptor for this file will be closed, and in doing so, + the ring buffer will be "freed". + + It may also stop tracing if disable_on_free option is set. + + tracing_cpumask: + + This is a mask that lets the user only trace on specified CPUs. + The format is a hex string representing the CPUs. + + set_ftrace_filter: + + When dynamic ftrace is configured in (see the + section below "dynamic ftrace"), the code is dynamically + modified (code text rewrite) to disable calling of the + function profiler (mcount). This lets tracing be configured + in with practically no overhead in performance. This also + has a side effect of enabling or disabling specific functions + to be traced. Echoing names of functions into this file + will limit the trace to only those functions. + + The functions listed in "available_filter_functions" are what + can be written into this file. + + This interface also allows for commands to be used. See the + "Filter commands" section for more details. + + set_ftrace_notrace: + + This has an effect opposite to that of + set_ftrace_filter. Any function that is added here will not + be traced. If a function exists in both set_ftrace_filter + and set_ftrace_notrace, the function will _not_ be traced. + + set_ftrace_pid: + + Have the function tracer only trace the threads whose PID are + listed in this file. + + If the "function-fork" option is set, then when a task whose + PID is listed in this file forks, the child's PID will + automatically be added to this file, and the child will be + traced by the function tracer as well. This option will also + cause PIDs of tasks that exit to be removed from the file. + + set_event_pid: + + Have the events only trace a task with a PID listed in this file. + Note, sched_switch and sched_wake_up will also trace events + listed in this file. + + To have the PIDs of children of tasks with their PID in this file + added on fork, enable the "event-fork" option. That option will also + cause the PIDs of tasks to be removed from this file when the task + exits. + + set_graph_function: + + Functions listed in this file will cause the function graph + tracer to only trace these functions and the functions that + they call. (See the section "dynamic ftrace" for more details). + + set_graph_notrace: + + Similar to set_graph_function, but will disable function graph + tracing when the function is hit until it exits the function. + This makes it possible to ignore tracing functions that are called + by a specific function. + + available_filter_functions: + + This lists the functions that ftrace has processed and can trace. + These are the function names that you can pass to + "set_ftrace_filter" or "set_ftrace_notrace". + (See the section "dynamic ftrace" below for more details.) + + dyn_ftrace_total_info: + + This file is for debugging purposes. The number of functions that + have been converted to nops and are available to be traced. + + enabled_functions: + + This file is more for debugging ftrace, but can also be useful + in seeing if any function has a callback attached to it. + Not only does the trace infrastructure use ftrace function + trace utility, but other subsystems might too. This file + displays all functions that have a callback attached to them + as well as the number of callbacks that have been attached. + Note, a callback may also call multiple functions which will + not be listed in this count. + + If the callback registered to be traced by a function with + the "save regs" attribute (thus even more overhead), a 'R' + will be displayed on the same line as the function that + is returning registers. + + If the callback registered to be traced by a function with + the "ip modify" attribute (thus the regs->ip can be changed), + an 'I' will be displayed on the same line as the function that + can be overridden. + + If the architecture supports it, it will also show what callback + is being directly called by the function. If the count is greater + than 1 it most likely will be ftrace_ops_list_func(). + + If the callback of the function jumps to a trampoline that is + specific to a the callback and not the standard trampoline, + its address will be printed as well as the function that the + trampoline calls. + + function_profile_enabled: + + When set it will enable all functions with either the function + tracer, or if configured, the function graph tracer. It will + keep a histogram of the number of functions that were called + and if the function graph tracer was configured, it will also keep + track of the time spent in those functions. The histogram + content can be displayed in the files: + + trace_stats/function<cpu> ( function0, function1, etc). + + trace_stats: + + A directory that holds different tracing stats. + + kprobe_events: + + Enable dynamic trace points. See kprobetrace.txt. + + kprobe_profile: + + Dynamic trace points stats. See kprobetrace.txt. + + max_graph_depth: + + Used with the function graph tracer. This is the max depth + it will trace into a function. Setting this to a value of + one will show only the first kernel function that is called + from user space. + + printk_formats: + + This is for tools that read the raw format files. If an event in + the ring buffer references a string, only a pointer to the string + is recorded into the buffer and not the string itself. This prevents + tools from knowing what that string was. This file displays the string + and address for the string allowing tools to map the pointers to what + the strings were. + + saved_cmdlines: + + Only the pid of the task is recorded in a trace event unless + the event specifically saves the task comm as well. Ftrace + makes a cache of pid mappings to comms to try to display + comms for events. If a pid for a comm is not listed, then + "<...>" is displayed in the output. + + If the option "record-cmd" is set to "0", then comms of tasks + will not be saved during recording. By default, it is enabled. + + saved_cmdlines_size: + + By default, 128 comms are saved (see "saved_cmdlines" above). To + increase or decrease the amount of comms that are cached, echo + in a the number of comms to cache, into this file. + + saved_tgids: + + If the option "record-tgid" is set, on each scheduling context switch + the Task Group ID of a task is saved in a table mapping the PID of + the thread to its TGID. By default, the "record-tgid" option is + disabled. + + snapshot: + + This displays the "snapshot" buffer and also lets the user + take a snapshot of the current running trace. + See the "Snapshot" section below for more details. + + stack_max_size: + + When the stack tracer is activated, this will display the + maximum stack size it has encountered. + See the "Stack Trace" section below. + + stack_trace: + + This displays the stack back trace of the largest stack + that was encountered when the stack tracer is activated. + See the "Stack Trace" section below. + + stack_trace_filter: + + This is similar to "set_ftrace_filter" but it limits what + functions the stack tracer will check. + + trace_clock: + + Whenever an event is recorded into the ring buffer, a + "timestamp" is added. This stamp comes from a specified + clock. By default, ftrace uses the "local" clock. This + clock is very fast and strictly per cpu, but on some + systems it may not be monotonic with respect to other + CPUs. In other words, the local clocks may not be in sync + with local clocks on other CPUs. + + Usual clocks for tracing:: + + # cat trace_clock + [local] global counter x86-tsc + + The clock with the square brackets around it is the one in effect. + + local: + Default clock, but may not be in sync across CPUs + + global: + This clock is in sync with all CPUs but may + be a bit slower than the local clock. + + counter: + This is not a clock at all, but literally an atomic + counter. It counts up one by one, but is in sync + with all CPUs. This is useful when you need to + know exactly the order events occurred with respect to + each other on different CPUs. + + uptime: + This uses the jiffies counter and the time stamp + is relative to the time since boot up. + + perf: + This makes ftrace use the same clock that perf uses. + Eventually perf will be able to read ftrace buffers + and this will help out in interleaving the data. + + x86-tsc: + Architectures may define their own clocks. For + example, x86 uses its own TSC cycle clock here. + + ppc-tb: + This uses the powerpc timebase register value. + This is in sync across CPUs and can also be used + to correlate events across hypervisor/guest if + tb_offset is known. + + mono: + This uses the fast monotonic clock (CLOCK_MONOTONIC) + which is monotonic and is subject to NTP rate adjustments. + + mono_raw: + This is the raw monotonic clock (CLOCK_MONOTONIC_RAW) + which is montonic but is not subject to any rate adjustments + and ticks at the same rate as the hardware clocksource. + + boot: + This is the boot clock (CLOCK_BOOTTIME) and is based on the + fast monotonic clock, but also accounts for time spent in + suspend. Since the clock access is designed for use in + tracing in the suspend path, some side effects are possible + if clock is accessed after the suspend time is accounted before + the fast mono clock is updated. In this case, the clock update + appears to happen slightly sooner than it normally would have. + Also on 32-bit systems, it's possible that the 64-bit boot offset + sees a partial update. These effects are rare and post + processing should be able to handle them. See comments in the + ktime_get_boot_fast_ns() function for more information. + + To set a clock, simply echo the clock name into this file:: + + echo global > trace_clock + + trace_marker: + + This is a very useful file for synchronizing user space + with events happening in the kernel. Writing strings into + this file will be written into the ftrace buffer. + + It is useful in applications to open this file at the start + of the application and just reference the file descriptor + for the file:: + + void trace_write(const char *fmt, ...) + { + va_list ap; + char buf[256]; + int n; + + if (trace_fd < 0) + return; + + va_start(ap, fmt); + n = vsnprintf(buf, 256, fmt, ap); + va_end(ap); + + write(trace_fd, buf, n); + } + + start:: + + trace_fd = open("trace_marker", WR_ONLY); + + trace_marker_raw: + + This is similar to trace_marker above, but is meant for for binary data + to be written to it, where a tool can be used to parse the data + from trace_pipe_raw. + + uprobe_events: + + Add dynamic tracepoints in programs. + See uprobetracer.txt + + uprobe_profile: + + Uprobe statistics. See uprobetrace.txt + + instances: + + This is a way to make multiple trace buffers where different + events can be recorded in different buffers. + See "Instances" section below. + + events: + + This is the trace event directory. It holds event tracepoints + (also known as static tracepoints) that have been compiled + into the kernel. It shows what event tracepoints exist + and how they are grouped by system. There are "enable" + files at various levels that can enable the tracepoints + when a "1" is written to them. + + See events.txt for more information. + + set_event: + + By echoing in the event into this file, will enable that event. + + See events.txt for more information. + + available_events: + + A list of events that can be enabled in tracing. + + See events.txt for more information. + + hwlat_detector: + + Directory for the Hardware Latency Detector. + See "Hardware Latency Detector" section below. + + per_cpu: + + This is a directory that contains the trace per_cpu information. + + per_cpu/cpu0/buffer_size_kb: + + The ftrace buffer is defined per_cpu. That is, there's a separate + buffer for each CPU to allow writes to be done atomically, + and free from cache bouncing. These buffers may have different + size buffers. This file is similar to the buffer_size_kb + file, but it only displays or sets the buffer size for the + specific CPU. (here cpu0). + + per_cpu/cpu0/trace: + + This is similar to the "trace" file, but it will only display + the data specific for the CPU. If written to, it only clears + the specific CPU buffer. + + per_cpu/cpu0/trace_pipe + + This is similar to the "trace_pipe" file, and is a consuming + read, but it will only display (and consume) the data specific + for the CPU. + + per_cpu/cpu0/trace_pipe_raw + + For tools that can parse the ftrace ring buffer binary format, + the trace_pipe_raw file can be used to extract the data + from the ring buffer directly. With the use of the splice() + system call, the buffer data can be quickly transferred to + a file or to the network where a server is collecting the + data. + + Like trace_pipe, this is a consuming reader, where multiple + reads will always produce different data. + + per_cpu/cpu0/snapshot: + + This is similar to the main "snapshot" file, but will only + snapshot the current CPU (if supported). It only displays + the content of the snapshot for a given CPU, and if + written to, only clears this CPU buffer. + + per_cpu/cpu0/snapshot_raw: + + Similar to the trace_pipe_raw, but will read the binary format + from the snapshot buffer for the given CPU. + + per_cpu/cpu0/stats: + + This displays certain stats about the ring buffer: + + entries: + The number of events that are still in the buffer. + + overrun: + The number of lost events due to overwriting when + the buffer was full. + + commit overrun: + Should always be zero. + This gets set if so many events happened within a nested + event (ring buffer is re-entrant), that it fills the + buffer and starts dropping events. + + bytes: + Bytes actually read (not overwritten). + + oldest event ts: + The oldest timestamp in the buffer + + now ts: + The current timestamp + + dropped events: + Events lost due to overwrite option being off. + + read events: + The number of events read. + +The Tracers +----------- + +Here is the list of current tracers that may be configured. + + "function" + + Function call tracer to trace all kernel functions. + + "function_graph" + + Similar to the function tracer except that the + function tracer probes the functions on their entry + whereas the function graph tracer traces on both entry + and exit of the functions. It then provides the ability + to draw a graph of function calls similar to C code + source. + + "blk" + + The block tracer. The tracer used by the blktrace user + application. + + "hwlat" + + The Hardware Latency tracer is used to detect if the hardware + produces any latency. See "Hardware Latency Detector" section + below. + + "irqsoff" + + Traces the areas that disable interrupts and saves + the trace with the longest max latency. + See tracing_max_latency. When a new max is recorded, + it replaces the old trace. It is best to view this + trace with the latency-format option enabled, which + happens automatically when the tracer is selected. + + "preemptoff" + + Similar to irqsoff but traces and records the amount of + time for which preemption is disabled. + + "preemptirqsoff" + + Similar to irqsoff and preemptoff, but traces and + records the largest time for which irqs and/or preemption + is disabled. + + "wakeup" + + Traces and records the max latency that it takes for + the highest priority task to get scheduled after + it has been woken up. + Traces all tasks as an average developer would expect. + + "wakeup_rt" + + Traces and records the max latency that it takes for just + RT tasks (as the current "wakeup" does). This is useful + for those interested in wake up timings of RT tasks. + + "wakeup_dl" + + Traces and records the max latency that it takes for + a SCHED_DEADLINE task to be woken (as the "wakeup" and + "wakeup_rt" does). + + "mmiotrace" + + A special tracer that is used to trace binary module. + It will trace all the calls that a module makes to the + hardware. Everything it writes and reads from the I/O + as well. + + "branch" + + This tracer can be configured when tracing likely/unlikely + calls within the kernel. It will trace when a likely and + unlikely branch is hit and if it was correct in its prediction + of being correct. + + "nop" + + This is the "trace nothing" tracer. To remove all + tracers from tracing simply echo "nop" into + current_tracer. + + +Examples of using the tracer +---------------------------- + +Here are typical examples of using the tracers when controlling +them only with the tracefs interface (without using any +user-land utilities). + +Output format: +-------------- + +Here is an example of the output format of the file "trace":: + + # tracer: function + # + # entries-in-buffer/entries-written: 140080/250280 #P:4 + # + # _-----=> irqs-off + # / _----=> need-resched + # | / _---=> hardirq/softirq + # || / _--=> preempt-depth + # ||| / delay + # TASK-PID CPU# |||| TIMESTAMP FUNCTION + # | | | |||| | | + bash-1977 [000] .... 17284.993652: sys_close <-system_call_fastpath + bash-1977 [000] .... 17284.993653: __close_fd <-sys_close + bash-1977 [000] .... 17284.993653: _raw_spin_lock <-__close_fd + sshd-1974 [003] .... 17284.993653: __srcu_read_unlock <-fsnotify + bash-1977 [000] .... 17284.993654: add_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_lock + bash-1977 [000] ...1 17284.993655: _raw_spin_unlock <-__close_fd + bash-1977 [000] ...1 17284.993656: sub_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_unlock + bash-1977 [000] .... 17284.993657: filp_close <-__close_fd + bash-1977 [000] .... 17284.993657: dnotify_flush <-filp_close + sshd-1974 [003] .... 17284.993658: sys_select <-system_call_fastpath + .... + +A header is printed with the tracer name that is represented by +the trace. In this case the tracer is "function". Then it shows the +number of events in the buffer as well as the total number of entries +that were written. The difference is the number of entries that were +lost due to the buffer filling up (250280 - 140080 = 110200 events +lost). + +The header explains the content of the events. Task name "bash", the task +PID "1977", the CPU that it was running on "000", the latency format +(explained below), the timestamp in <secs>.<usecs> format, the +function name that was traced "sys_close" and the parent function that +called this function "system_call_fastpath". The timestamp is the time +at which the function was entered. + +Latency trace format +-------------------- + +When the latency-format option is enabled or when one of the latency +tracers is set, the trace file gives somewhat more information to see +why a latency happened. Here is a typical trace:: + + # tracer: irqsoff + # + # irqsoff latency trace v1.1.5 on 3.8.0-test+ + # -------------------------------------------------------------------- + # latency: 259 us, #4/4, CPU#2 | (M:preempt VP:0, KP:0, SP:0 HP:0 #P:4) + # ----------------- + # | task: ps-6143 (uid:0 nice:0 policy:0 rt_prio:0) + # ----------------- + # => started at: __lock_task_sighand + # => ended at: _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore + # + # + # _------=> CPU# + # / _-----=> irqs-off + # | / _----=> need-resched + # || / _---=> hardirq/softirq + # ||| / _--=> preempt-depth + # |||| / delay + # cmd pid ||||| time | caller + # \ / ||||| \ | / + ps-6143 2d... 0us!: trace_hardirqs_off <-__lock_task_sighand + ps-6143 2d..1 259us+: trace_hardirqs_on <-_raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore + ps-6143 2d..1 263us+: time_hardirqs_on <-_raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore + ps-6143 2d..1 306us : <stack trace> + => trace_hardirqs_on_caller + => trace_hardirqs_on + => _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore + => do_task_stat + => proc_tgid_stat + => proc_single_show + => seq_read + => vfs_read + => sys_read + => system_call_fastpath + + +This shows that the current tracer is "irqsoff" tracing the time +for which interrupts were disabled. It gives the trace version (which +never changes) and the version of the kernel upon which this was executed on +(3.8). Then it displays the max latency in microseconds (259 us). The number +of trace entries displayed and the total number (both are four: #4/4). +VP, KP, SP, and HP are always zero and are reserved for later use. +#P is the number of online CPUs (#P:4). + +The task is the process that was running when the latency +occurred. (ps pid: 6143). + +The start and stop (the functions in which the interrupts were +disabled and enabled respectively) that caused the latencies: + + - __lock_task_sighand is where the interrupts were disabled. + - _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore is where they were enabled again. + +The next lines after the header are the trace itself. The header +explains which is which. + + cmd: The name of the process in the trace. + + pid: The PID of that process. + + CPU#: The CPU which the process was running on. + + irqs-off: 'd' interrupts are disabled. '.' otherwise. + .. caution:: If the architecture does not support a way to + read the irq flags variable, an 'X' will always + be printed here. + + need-resched: + - 'N' both TIF_NEED_RESCHED and PREEMPT_NEED_RESCHED is set, + - 'n' only TIF_NEED_RESCHED is set, + - 'p' only PREEMPT_NEED_RESCHED is set, + - '.' otherwise. + + hardirq/softirq: + - 'Z' - NMI occurred inside a hardirq + - 'z' - NMI is running + - 'H' - hard irq occurred inside a softirq. + - 'h' - hard irq is running + - 's' - soft irq is running + - '.' - normal context. + + preempt-depth: The level of preempt_disabled + +The above is mostly meaningful for kernel developers. + + time: + When the latency-format option is enabled, the trace file + output includes a timestamp relative to the start of the + trace. This differs from the output when latency-format + is disabled, which includes an absolute timestamp. + + delay: + This is just to help catch your eye a bit better. And + needs to be fixed to be only relative to the same CPU. + The marks are determined by the difference between this + current trace and the next trace. + + - '$' - greater than 1 second + - '@' - greater than 100 milisecond + - '*' - greater than 10 milisecond + - '#' - greater than 1000 microsecond + - '!' - greater than 100 microsecond + - '+' - greater than 10 microsecond + - ' ' - less than or equal to 10 microsecond. + + The rest is the same as the 'trace' file. + + Note, the latency tracers will usually end with a back trace + to easily find where the latency occurred. + +trace_options +------------- + +The trace_options file (or the options directory) is used to control +what gets printed in the trace output, or manipulate the tracers. +To see what is available, simply cat the file:: + + cat trace_options + print-parent + nosym-offset + nosym-addr + noverbose + noraw + nohex + nobin + noblock + trace_printk + annotate + nouserstacktrace + nosym-userobj + noprintk-msg-only + context-info + nolatency-format + record-cmd + norecord-tgid + overwrite + nodisable_on_free + irq-info + markers + noevent-fork + function-trace + nofunction-fork + nodisplay-graph + nostacktrace + nobranch + +To disable one of the options, echo in the option prepended with +"no":: + + echo noprint-parent > trace_options + +To enable an option, leave off the "no":: + + echo sym-offset > trace_options + +Here are the available options: + + print-parent + On function traces, display the calling (parent) + function as well as the function being traced. + :: + + print-parent: + bash-4000 [01] 1477.606694: simple_strtoul <-kstrtoul + + noprint-parent: + bash-4000 [01] 1477.606694: simple_strtoul + + + sym-offset + Display not only the function name, but also the + offset in the function. For example, instead of + seeing just "ktime_get", you will see + "ktime_get+0xb/0x20". + :: + + sym-offset: + bash-4000 [01] 1477.606694: simple_strtoul+0x6/0xa0 + + sym-addr + This will also display the function address as well + as the function name. + :: + + sym-addr: + bash-4000 [01] 1477.606694: simple_strtoul <c0339346> + + verbose + This deals with the trace file when the + latency-format option is enabled. + :: + + bash 4000 1 0 00000000 00010a95 [58127d26] 1720.415ms \ + (+0.000ms): simple_strtoul (kstrtoul) + + raw + This will display raw numbers. This option is best for + use with user applications that can translate the raw + numbers better than having it done in the kernel. + + hex + Similar to raw, but the numbers will be in a hexadecimal format. + + bin + This will print out the formats in raw binary. + + block + When set, reading trace_pipe will not block when polled. + + trace_printk + Can disable trace_printk() from writing into the buffer. + + annotate + It is sometimes confusing when the CPU buffers are full + and one CPU buffer had a lot of events recently, thus + a shorter time frame, were another CPU may have only had + a few events, which lets it have older events. When + the trace is reported, it shows the oldest events first, + and it may look like only one CPU ran (the one with the + oldest events). When the annotate option is set, it will + display when a new CPU buffer started:: + + <idle>-0 [001] dNs4 21169.031481: wake_up_idle_cpu <-add_timer_on + <idle>-0 [001] dNs4 21169.031482: _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore <-add_timer_on + <idle>-0 [001] .Ns4 21169.031484: sub_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore + ##### CPU 2 buffer started #### + <idle>-0 [002] .N.1 21169.031484: rcu_idle_exit <-cpu_idle + <idle>-0 [001] .Ns3 21169.031484: _raw_spin_unlock <-clocksource_watchdog + <idle>-0 [001] .Ns3 21169.031485: sub_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_unlock + + userstacktrace + This option changes the trace. It records a + stacktrace of the current user space thread after + each trace event. + + sym-userobj + when user stacktrace are enabled, look up which + object the address belongs to, and print a + relative address. This is especially useful when + ASLR is on, otherwise you don't get a chance to + resolve the address to object/file/line after + the app is no longer running + + The lookup is performed when you read + trace,trace_pipe. Example:: + + a.out-1623 [000] 40874.465068: /root/a.out[+0x480] <-/root/a.out[+0 + x494] <- /root/a.out[+0x4a8] <- /lib/libc-2.7.so[+0x1e1a6] + + + printk-msg-only + When set, trace_printk()s will only show the format + and not their parameters (if trace_bprintk() or + trace_bputs() was used to save the trace_printk()). + + context-info + Show only the event data. Hides the comm, PID, + timestamp, CPU, and other useful data. + + latency-format + This option changes the trace output. When it is enabled, + the trace displays additional information about the + latency, as described in "Latency trace format". + + record-cmd + When any event or tracer is enabled, a hook is enabled + in the sched_switch trace point to fill comm cache + with mapped pids and comms. But this may cause some + overhead, and if you only care about pids, and not the + name of the task, disabling this option can lower the + impact of tracing. See "saved_cmdlines". + + record-tgid + When any event or tracer is enabled, a hook is enabled + in the sched_switch trace point to fill the cache of + mapped Thread Group IDs (TGID) mapping to pids. See + "saved_tgids". + + overwrite + This controls what happens when the trace buffer is + full. If "1" (default), the oldest events are + discarded and overwritten. If "0", then the newest + events are discarded. + (see per_cpu/cpu0/stats for overrun and dropped) + + disable_on_free + When the free_buffer is closed, tracing will + stop (tracing_on set to 0). + + irq-info + Shows the interrupt, preempt count, need resched data. + When disabled, the trace looks like:: + + # tracer: function + # + # entries-in-buffer/entries-written: 144405/9452052 #P:4 + # + # TASK-PID CPU# TIMESTAMP FUNCTION + # | | | | | + <idle>-0 [002] 23636.756054: ttwu_do_activate.constprop.89 <-try_to_wake_up + <idle>-0 [002] 23636.756054: activate_task <-ttwu_do_activate.constprop.89 + <idle>-0 [002] 23636.756055: enqueue_task <-activate_task + + + markers + When set, the trace_marker is writable (only by root). + When disabled, the trace_marker will error with EINVAL + on write. + + event-fork + When set, tasks with PIDs listed in set_event_pid will have + the PIDs of their children added to set_event_pid when those + tasks fork. Also, when tasks with PIDs in set_event_pid exit, + their PIDs will be removed from the file. + + function-trace + The latency tracers will enable function tracing + if this option is enabled (default it is). When + it is disabled, the latency tracers do not trace + functions. This keeps the overhead of the tracer down + when performing latency tests. + + function-fork + When set, tasks with PIDs listed in set_ftrace_pid will + have the PIDs of their children added to set_ftrace_pid + when those tasks fork. Also, when tasks with PIDs in + set_ftrace_pid exit, their PIDs will be removed from the + file. + + display-graph + When set, the latency tracers (irqsoff, wakeup, etc) will + use function graph tracing instead of function tracing. + + stacktrace + When set, a stack trace is recorded after any trace event + is recorded. + + branch + Enable branch tracing with the tracer. This enables branch + tracer along with the currently set tracer. Enabling this + with the "nop" tracer is the same as just enabling the + "branch" tracer. + +.. tip:: Some tracers have their own options. They only appear in this + file when the tracer is active. They always appear in the + options directory. + + +Here are the per tracer options: + +Options for function tracer: + + func_stack_trace + When set, a stack trace is recorded after every + function that is recorded. NOTE! Limit the functions + that are recorded before enabling this, with + "set_ftrace_filter" otherwise the system performance + will be critically degraded. Remember to disable + this option before clearing the function filter. + +Options for function_graph tracer: + + Since the function_graph tracer has a slightly different output + it has its own options to control what is displayed. + + funcgraph-overrun + When set, the "overrun" of the graph stack is + displayed after each function traced. The + overrun, is when the stack depth of the calls + is greater than what is reserved for each task. + Each task has a fixed array of functions to + trace in the call graph. If the depth of the + calls exceeds that, the function is not traced. + The overrun is the number of functions missed + due to exceeding this array. + + funcgraph-cpu + When set, the CPU number of the CPU where the trace + occurred is displayed. + + funcgraph-overhead + When set, if the function takes longer than + A certain amount, then a delay marker is + displayed. See "delay" above, under the + header description. + + funcgraph-proc + Unlike other tracers, the process' command line + is not displayed by default, but instead only + when a task is traced in and out during a context + switch. Enabling this options has the command + of each process displayed at every line. + + funcgraph-duration + At the end of each function (the return) + the duration of the amount of time in the + function is displayed in microseconds. + + funcgraph-abstime + When set, the timestamp is displayed at each line. + + funcgraph-irqs + When disabled, functions that happen inside an + interrupt will not be traced. + + funcgraph-tail + When set, the return event will include the function + that it represents. By default this is off, and + only a closing curly bracket "}" is displayed for + the return of a function. + + sleep-time + When running function graph tracer, to include + the time a task schedules out in its function. + When enabled, it will account time the task has been + scheduled out as part of the function call. + + graph-time + When running function profiler with function graph tracer, + to include the time to call nested functions. When this is + not set, the time reported for the function will only + include the time the function itself executed for, not the + time for functions that it called. + +Options for blk tracer: + + blk_classic + Shows a more minimalistic output. + + +irqsoff +------- + +When interrupts are disabled, the CPU can not react to any other +external event (besides NMIs and SMIs). This prevents the timer +interrupt from triggering or the mouse interrupt from letting +the kernel know of a new mouse event. The result is a latency +with the reaction time. + +The irqsoff tracer tracks the time for which interrupts are +disabled. When a new maximum latency is hit, the tracer saves +the trace leading up to that latency point so that every time a +new maximum is reached, the old saved trace is discarded and the +new trace is saved. + +To reset the maximum, echo 0 into tracing_max_latency. Here is +an example:: + + # echo 0 > options/function-trace + # echo irqsoff > current_tracer + # echo 1 > tracing_on + # echo 0 > tracing_max_latency + # ls -ltr + [...] + # echo 0 > tracing_on + # cat trace + # tracer: irqsoff + # + # irqsoff latency trace v1.1.5 on 3.8.0-test+ + # -------------------------------------------------------------------- + # latency: 16 us, #4/4, CPU#0 | (M:preempt VP:0, KP:0, SP:0 HP:0 #P:4) + # ----------------- + # | task: swapper/0-0 (uid:0 nice:0 policy:0 rt_prio:0) + # ----------------- + # => started at: run_timer_softirq + # => ended at: run_timer_softirq + # + # + # _------=> CPU# + # / _-----=> irqs-off + # | / _----=> need-resched + # || / _---=> hardirq/softirq + # ||| / _--=> preempt-depth + # |||| / delay + # cmd pid ||||| time | caller + # \ / ||||| \ | / + <idle>-0 0d.s2 0us+: _raw_spin_lock_irq <-run_timer_softirq + <idle>-0 0dNs3 17us : _raw_spin_unlock_irq <-run_timer_softirq + <idle>-0 0dNs3 17us+: trace_hardirqs_on <-run_timer_softirq + <idle>-0 0dNs3 25us : <stack trace> + => _raw_spin_unlock_irq + => run_timer_softirq + => __do_softirq + => call_softirq + => do_softirq + => irq_exit + => smp_apic_timer_interrupt + => apic_timer_interrupt + => rcu_idle_exit + => cpu_idle + => rest_init + => start_kernel + => x86_64_start_reservations + => x86_64_start_kernel + +Here we see that that we had a latency of 16 microseconds (which is +very good). The _raw_spin_lock_irq in run_timer_softirq disabled +interrupts. The difference between the 16 and the displayed +timestamp 25us occurred because the clock was incremented +between the time of recording the max latency and the time of +recording the function that had that latency. + +Note the above example had function-trace not set. If we set +function-trace, we get a much larger output:: + + with echo 1 > options/function-trace + + # tracer: irqsoff + # + # irqsoff latency trace v1.1.5 on 3.8.0-test+ + # -------------------------------------------------------------------- + # latency: 71 us, #168/168, CPU#3 | (M:preempt VP:0, KP:0, SP:0 HP:0 #P:4) + # ----------------- + # | task: bash-2042 (uid:0 nice:0 policy:0 rt_prio:0) + # ----------------- + # => started at: ata_scsi_queuecmd + # => ended at: ata_scsi_queuecmd + # + # + # _------=> CPU# + # / _-----=> irqs-off + # | / _----=> need-resched + # || / _---=> hardirq/softirq + # ||| / _--=> preempt-depth + # |||| / delay + # cmd pid ||||| time | caller + # \ / ||||| \ | / + bash-2042 3d... 0us : _raw_spin_lock_irqsave <-ata_scsi_queuecmd + bash-2042 3d... 0us : add_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_lock_irqsave + bash-2042 3d..1 1us : ata_scsi_find_dev <-ata_scsi_queuecmd + bash-2042 3d..1 1us : __ata_scsi_find_dev <-ata_scsi_find_dev + bash-2042 3d..1 2us : ata_find_dev.part.14 <-__ata_scsi_find_dev + bash-2042 3d..1 2us : ata_qc_new_init <-__ata_scsi_queuecmd + bash-2042 3d..1 3us : ata_sg_init <-__ata_scsi_queuecmd + bash-2042 3d..1 4us : ata_scsi_rw_xlat <-__ata_scsi_queuecmd + bash-2042 3d..1 4us : ata_build_rw_tf <-ata_scsi_rw_xlat + [...] + bash-2042 3d..1 67us : delay_tsc <-__delay + bash-2042 3d..1 67us : add_preempt_count <-delay_tsc + bash-2042 3d..2 67us : sub_preempt_count <-delay_tsc + bash-2042 3d..1 67us : add_preempt_count <-delay_tsc + bash-2042 3d..2 68us : sub_preempt_count <-delay_tsc + bash-2042 3d..1 68us+: ata_bmdma_start <-ata_bmdma_qc_issue + bash-2042 3d..1 71us : _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore <-ata_scsi_queuecmd + bash-2042 3d..1 71us : _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore <-ata_scsi_queuecmd + bash-2042 3d..1 72us+: trace_hardirqs_on <-ata_scsi_queuecmd + bash-2042 3d..1 120us : <stack trace> + => _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore + => ata_scsi_queuecmd + => scsi_dispatch_cmd + => scsi_request_fn + => __blk_run_queue_uncond + => __blk_run_queue + => blk_queue_bio + => generic_make_request + => submit_bio + => submit_bh + => __ext3_get_inode_loc + => ext3_iget + => ext3_lookup + => lookup_real + => __lookup_hash + => walk_component + => lookup_last + => path_lookupat + => filename_lookup + => user_path_at_empty + => user_path_at + => vfs_fstatat + => vfs_stat + => sys_newstat + => system_call_fastpath + + +Here we traced a 71 microsecond latency. But we also see all the +functions that were called during that time. Note that by +enabling function tracing, we incur an added overhead. This +overhead may extend the latency times. But nevertheless, this +trace has provided some very helpful debugging information. + + +preemptoff +---------- + +When preemption is disabled, we may be able to receive +interrupts but the task cannot be preempted and a higher +priority task must wait for preemption to be enabled again +before it can preempt a lower priority task. + +The preemptoff tracer traces the places that disable preemption. +Like the irqsoff tracer, it records the maximum latency for +which preemption was disabled. The control of preemptoff tracer +is much like the irqsoff tracer. +:: + + # echo 0 > options/function-trace + # echo preemptoff > current_tracer + # echo 1 > tracing_on + # echo 0 > tracing_max_latency + # ls -ltr + [...] + # echo 0 > tracing_on + # cat trace + # tracer: preemptoff + # + # preemptoff latency trace v1.1.5 on 3.8.0-test+ + # -------------------------------------------------------------------- + # latency: 46 us, #4/4, CPU#1 | (M:preempt VP:0, KP:0, SP:0 HP:0 #P:4) + # ----------------- + # | task: sshd-1991 (uid:0 nice:0 policy:0 rt_prio:0) + # ----------------- + # => started at: do_IRQ + # => ended at: do_IRQ + # + # + # _------=> CPU# + # / _-----=> irqs-off + # | / _----=> need-resched + # || / _---=> hardirq/softirq + # ||| / _--=> preempt-depth + # |||| / delay + # cmd pid ||||| time | caller + # \ / ||||| \ | / + sshd-1991 1d.h. 0us+: irq_enter <-do_IRQ + sshd-1991 1d..1 46us : irq_exit <-do_IRQ + sshd-1991 1d..1 47us+: trace_preempt_on <-do_IRQ + sshd-1991 1d..1 52us : <stack trace> + => sub_preempt_count + => irq_exit + => do_IRQ + => ret_from_intr + + +This has some more changes. Preemption was disabled when an +interrupt came in (notice the 'h'), and was enabled on exit. +But we also see that interrupts have been disabled when entering +the preempt off section and leaving it (the 'd'). We do not know if +interrupts were enabled in the mean time or shortly after this +was over. +:: + + # tracer: preemptoff + # + # preemptoff latency trace v1.1.5 on 3.8.0-test+ + # -------------------------------------------------------------------- + # latency: 83 us, #241/241, CPU#1 | (M:preempt VP:0, KP:0, SP:0 HP:0 #P:4) + # ----------------- + # | task: bash-1994 (uid:0 nice:0 policy:0 rt_prio:0) + # ----------------- + # => started at: wake_up_new_task + # => ended at: task_rq_unlock + # + # + # _------=> CPU# + # / _-----=> irqs-off + # | / _----=> need-resched + # || / _---=> hardirq/softirq + # ||| / _--=> preempt-depth + # |||| / delay + # cmd pid ||||| time | caller + # \ / ||||| \ | / + bash-1994 1d..1 0us : _raw_spin_lock_irqsave <-wake_up_new_task + bash-1994 1d..1 0us : select_task_rq_fair <-select_task_rq + bash-1994 1d..1 1us : __rcu_read_lock <-select_task_rq_fair + bash-1994 1d..1 1us : source_load <-select_task_rq_fair + bash-1994 1d..1 1us : source_load <-select_task_rq_fair + [...] + bash-1994 1d..1 12us : irq_enter <-smp_apic_timer_interrupt + bash-1994 1d..1 12us : rcu_irq_enter <-irq_enter + bash-1994 1d..1 13us : add_preempt_count <-irq_enter + bash-1994 1d.h1 13us : exit_idle <-smp_apic_timer_interrupt + bash-1994 1d.h1 13us : hrtimer_interrupt <-smp_apic_timer_interrupt + bash-1994 1d.h1 13us : _raw_spin_lock <-hrtimer_interrupt + bash-1994 1d.h1 14us : add_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_lock + bash-1994 1d.h2 14us : ktime_get_update_offsets <-hrtimer_interrupt + [...] + bash-1994 1d.h1 35us : lapic_next_event <-clockevents_program_event + bash-1994 1d.h1 35us : irq_exit <-smp_apic_timer_interrupt + bash-1994 1d.h1 36us : sub_preempt_count <-irq_exit + bash-1994 1d..2 36us : do_softirq <-irq_exit + bash-1994 1d..2 36us : __do_softirq <-call_softirq + bash-1994 1d..2 36us : __local_bh_disable <-__do_softirq + bash-1994 1d.s2 37us : add_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_lock_irq + bash-1994 1d.s3 38us : _raw_spin_unlock <-run_timer_softirq + bash-1994 1d.s3 39us : sub_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_unlock + bash-1994 1d.s2 39us : call_timer_fn <-run_timer_softirq + [...] + bash-1994 1dNs2 81us : cpu_needs_another_gp <-rcu_process_callbacks + bash-1994 1dNs2 82us : __local_bh_enable <-__do_softirq + bash-1994 1dNs2 82us : sub_preempt_count <-__local_bh_enable + bash-1994 1dN.2 82us : idle_cpu <-irq_exit + bash-1994 1dN.2 83us : rcu_irq_exit <-irq_exit + bash-1994 1dN.2 83us : sub_preempt_count <-irq_exit + bash-1994 1.N.1 84us : _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore <-task_rq_unlock + bash-1994 1.N.1 84us+: trace_preempt_on <-task_rq_unlock + bash-1994 1.N.1 104us : <stack trace> + => sub_preempt_count + => _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore + => task_rq_unlock + => wake_up_new_task + => do_fork + => sys_clone + => stub_clone + + +The above is an example of the preemptoff trace with +function-trace set. Here we see that interrupts were not disabled +the entire time. The irq_enter code lets us know that we entered +an interrupt 'h'. Before that, the functions being traced still +show that it is not in an interrupt, but we can see from the +functions themselves that this is not the case. + +preemptirqsoff +-------------- + +Knowing the locations that have interrupts disabled or +preemption disabled for the longest times is helpful. But +sometimes we would like to know when either preemption and/or +interrupts are disabled. + +Consider the following code:: + + local_irq_disable(); + call_function_with_irqs_off(); + preempt_disable(); + call_function_with_irqs_and_preemption_off(); + local_irq_enable(); + call_function_with_preemption_off(); + preempt_enable(); + +The irqsoff tracer will record the total length of +call_function_with_irqs_off() and +call_function_with_irqs_and_preemption_off(). + +The preemptoff tracer will record the total length of +call_function_with_irqs_and_preemption_off() and +call_function_with_preemption_off(). + +But neither will trace the time that interrupts and/or +preemption is disabled. This total time is the time that we can +not schedule. To record this time, use the preemptirqsoff +tracer. + +Again, using this trace is much like the irqsoff and preemptoff +tracers. +:: + + # echo 0 > options/function-trace + # echo preemptirqsoff > current_tracer + # echo 1 > tracing_on + # echo 0 > tracing_max_latency + # ls -ltr + [...] + # echo 0 > tracing_on + # cat trace + # tracer: preemptirqsoff + # + # preemptirqsoff latency trace v1.1.5 on 3.8.0-test+ + # -------------------------------------------------------------------- + # latency: 100 us, #4/4, CPU#3 | (M:preempt VP:0, KP:0, SP:0 HP:0 #P:4) + # ----------------- + # | task: ls-2230 (uid:0 nice:0 policy:0 rt_prio:0) + # ----------------- + # => started at: ata_scsi_queuecmd + # => ended at: ata_scsi_queuecmd + # + # + # _------=> CPU# + # / _-----=> irqs-off + # | / _----=> need-resched + # || / _---=> hardirq/softirq + # ||| / _--=> preempt-depth + # |||| / delay + # cmd pid ||||| time | caller + # \ / ||||| \ | / + ls-2230 3d... 0us+: _raw_spin_lock_irqsave <-ata_scsi_queuecmd + ls-2230 3...1 100us : _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore <-ata_scsi_queuecmd + ls-2230 3...1 101us+: trace_preempt_on <-ata_scsi_queuecmd + ls-2230 3...1 111us : <stack trace> + => sub_preempt_count + => _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore + => ata_scsi_queuecmd + => scsi_dispatch_cmd + => scsi_request_fn + => __blk_run_queue_uncond + => __blk_run_queue + => blk_queue_bio + => generic_make_request + => submit_bio + => submit_bh + => ext3_bread + => ext3_dir_bread + => htree_dirblock_to_tree + => ext3_htree_fill_tree + => ext3_readdir + => vfs_readdir + => sys_getdents + => system_call_fastpath + + +The trace_hardirqs_off_thunk is called from assembly on x86 when +interrupts are disabled in the assembly code. Without the +function tracing, we do not know if interrupts were enabled +within the preemption points. We do see that it started with +preemption enabled. + +Here is a trace with function-trace set:: + + # tracer: preemptirqsoff + # + # preemptirqsoff latency trace v1.1.5 on 3.8.0-test+ + # -------------------------------------------------------------------- + # latency: 161 us, #339/339, CPU#3 | (M:preempt VP:0, KP:0, SP:0 HP:0 #P:4) + # ----------------- + # | task: ls-2269 (uid:0 nice:0 policy:0 rt_prio:0) + # ----------------- + # => started at: schedule + # => ended at: mutex_unlock + # + # + # _------=> CPU# + # / _-----=> irqs-off + # | / _----=> need-resched + # || / _---=> hardirq/softirq + # ||| / _--=> preempt-depth + # |||| / delay + # cmd pid ||||| time | caller + # \ / ||||| \ | / + kworker/-59 3...1 0us : __schedule <-schedule + kworker/-59 3d..1 0us : rcu_preempt_qs <-rcu_note_context_switch + kworker/-59 3d..1 1us : add_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_lock_irq + kworker/-59 3d..2 1us : deactivate_task <-__schedule + kworker/-59 3d..2 1us : dequeue_task <-deactivate_task + kworker/-59 3d..2 2us : update_rq_clock <-dequeue_task + kworker/-59 3d..2 2us : dequeue_task_fair <-dequeue_task + kworker/-59 3d..2 2us : update_curr <-dequeue_task_fair + kworker/-59 3d..2 2us : update_min_vruntime <-update_curr + kworker/-59 3d..2 3us : cpuacct_charge <-update_curr + kworker/-59 3d..2 3us : __rcu_read_lock <-cpuacct_charge + kworker/-59 3d..2 3us : __rcu_read_unlock <-cpuacct_charge + kworker/-59 3d..2 3us : update_cfs_rq_blocked_load <-dequeue_task_fair + kworker/-59 3d..2 4us : clear_buddies <-dequeue_task_fair + kworker/-59 3d..2 4us : account_entity_dequeue <-dequeue_task_fair + kworker/-59 3d..2 4us : update_min_vruntime <-dequeue_task_fair + kworker/-59 3d..2 4us : update_cfs_shares <-dequeue_task_fair + kworker/-59 3d..2 5us : hrtick_update <-dequeue_task_fair + kworker/-59 3d..2 5us : wq_worker_sleeping <-__schedule + kworker/-59 3d..2 5us : kthread_data <-wq_worker_sleeping + kworker/-59 3d..2 5us : put_prev_task_fair <-__schedule + kworker/-59 3d..2 6us : pick_next_task_fair <-pick_next_task + kworker/-59 3d..2 6us : clear_buddies <-pick_next_task_fair + kworker/-59 3d..2 6us : set_next_entity <-pick_next_task_fair + kworker/-59 3d..2 6us : update_stats_wait_end <-set_next_entity + ls-2269 3d..2 7us : finish_task_switch <-__schedule + ls-2269 3d..2 7us : _raw_spin_unlock_irq <-finish_task_switch + ls-2269 3d..2 8us : do_IRQ <-ret_from_intr + ls-2269 3d..2 8us : irq_enter <-do_IRQ + ls-2269 3d..2 8us : rcu_irq_enter <-irq_enter + ls-2269 3d..2 9us : add_preempt_count <-irq_enter + ls-2269 3d.h2 9us : exit_idle <-do_IRQ + [...] + ls-2269 3d.h3 20us : sub_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_unlock + ls-2269 3d.h2 20us : irq_exit <-do_IRQ + ls-2269 3d.h2 21us : sub_preempt_count <-irq_exit + ls-2269 3d..3 21us : do_softirq <-irq_exit + ls-2269 3d..3 21us : __do_softirq <-call_softirq + ls-2269 3d..3 21us+: __local_bh_disable <-__do_softirq + ls-2269 3d.s4 29us : sub_preempt_count <-_local_bh_enable_ip + ls-2269 3d.s5 29us : sub_preempt_count <-_local_bh_enable_ip + ls-2269 3d.s5 31us : do_IRQ <-ret_from_intr + ls-2269 3d.s5 31us : irq_enter <-do_IRQ + ls-2269 3d.s5 31us : rcu_irq_enter <-irq_enter + [...] + ls-2269 3d.s5 31us : rcu_irq_enter <-irq_enter + ls-2269 3d.s5 32us : add_preempt_count <-irq_enter + ls-2269 3d.H5 32us : exit_idle <-do_IRQ + ls-2269 3d.H5 32us : handle_irq <-do_IRQ + ls-2269 3d.H5 32us : irq_to_desc <-handle_irq + ls-2269 3d.H5 33us : handle_fasteoi_irq <-handle_irq + [...] + ls-2269 3d.s5 158us : _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore <-rtl8139_poll + ls-2269 3d.s3 158us : net_rps_action_and_irq_enable.isra.65 <-net_rx_action + ls-2269 3d.s3 159us : __local_bh_enable <-__do_softirq + ls-2269 3d.s3 159us : sub_preempt_count <-__local_bh_enable + ls-2269 3d..3 159us : idle_cpu <-irq_exit + ls-2269 3d..3 159us : rcu_irq_exit <-irq_exit + ls-2269 3d..3 160us : sub_preempt_count <-irq_exit + ls-2269 3d... 161us : __mutex_unlock_slowpath <-mutex_unlock + ls-2269 3d... 162us+: trace_hardirqs_on <-mutex_unlock + ls-2269 3d... 186us : <stack trace> + => __mutex_unlock_slowpath + => mutex_unlock + => process_output + => n_tty_write + => tty_write + => vfs_write + => sys_write + => system_call_fastpath + +This is an interesting trace. It started with kworker running and +scheduling out and ls taking over. But as soon as ls released the +rq lock and enabled interrupts (but not preemption) an interrupt +triggered. When the interrupt finished, it started running softirqs. +But while the softirq was running, another interrupt triggered. +When an interrupt is running inside a softirq, the annotation is 'H'. + + +wakeup +------ + +One common case that people are interested in tracing is the +time it takes for a task that is woken to actually wake up. +Now for non Real-Time tasks, this can be arbitrary. But tracing +it none the less can be interesting. + +Without function tracing:: + + # echo 0 > options/function-trace + # echo wakeup > current_tracer + # echo 1 > tracing_on + # echo 0 > tracing_max_latency + # chrt -f 5 sleep 1 + # echo 0 > tracing_on + # cat trace + # tracer: wakeup + # + # wakeup latency trace v1.1.5 on 3.8.0-test+ + # -------------------------------------------------------------------- + # latency: 15 us, #4/4, CPU#3 | (M:preempt VP:0, KP:0, SP:0 HP:0 #P:4) + # ----------------- + # | task: kworker/3:1H-312 (uid:0 nice:-20 policy:0 rt_prio:0) + # ----------------- + # + # _------=> CPU# + # / _-----=> irqs-off + # | / _----=> need-resched + # || / _---=> hardirq/softirq + # ||| / _--=> preempt-depth + # |||| / delay + # cmd pid ||||| time | caller + # \ / ||||| \ | / + <idle>-0 3dNs7 0us : 0:120:R + [003] 312:100:R kworker/3:1H + <idle>-0 3dNs7 1us+: ttwu_do_activate.constprop.87 <-try_to_wake_up + <idle>-0 3d..3 15us : __schedule <-schedule + <idle>-0 3d..3 15us : 0:120:R ==> [003] 312:100:R kworker/3:1H + +The tracer only traces the highest priority task in the system +to avoid tracing the normal circumstances. Here we see that +the kworker with a nice priority of -20 (not very nice), took +just 15 microseconds from the time it woke up, to the time it +ran. + +Non Real-Time tasks are not that interesting. A more interesting +trace is to concentrate only on Real-Time tasks. + +wakeup_rt +--------- + +In a Real-Time environment it is very important to know the +wakeup time it takes for the highest priority task that is woken +up to the time that it executes. This is also known as "schedule +latency". I stress the point that this is about RT tasks. It is +also important to know the scheduling latency of non-RT tasks, +but the average schedule latency is better for non-RT tasks. +Tools like LatencyTop are more appropriate for such +measurements. + +Real-Time environments are interested in the worst case latency. +That is the longest latency it takes for something to happen, +and not the average. We can have a very fast scheduler that may +only have a large latency once in a while, but that would not +work well with Real-Time tasks. The wakeup_rt tracer was designed +to record the worst case wakeups of RT tasks. Non-RT tasks are +not recorded because the tracer only records one worst case and +tracing non-RT tasks that are unpredictable will overwrite the +worst case latency of RT tasks (just run the normal wakeup +tracer for a while to see that effect). + +Since this tracer only deals with RT tasks, we will run this +slightly differently than we did with the previous tracers. +Instead of performing an 'ls', we will run 'sleep 1' under +'chrt' which changes the priority of the task. +:: + + # echo 0 > options/function-trace + # echo wakeup_rt > current_tracer + # echo 1 > tracing_on + # echo 0 > tracing_max_latency + # chrt -f 5 sleep 1 + # echo 0 > tracing_on + # cat trace + # tracer: wakeup + # + # tracer: wakeup_rt + # + # wakeup_rt latency trace v1.1.5 on 3.8.0-test+ + # -------------------------------------------------------------------- + # latency: 5 us, #4/4, CPU#3 | (M:preempt VP:0, KP:0, SP:0 HP:0 #P:4) + # ----------------- + # | task: sleep-2389 (uid:0 nice:0 policy:1 rt_prio:5) + # ----------------- + # + # _------=> CPU# + # / _-----=> irqs-off + # | / _----=> need-resched + # || / _---=> hardirq/softirq + # ||| / _--=> preempt-depth + # |||| / delay + # cmd pid ||||| time | caller + # \ / ||||| \ | / + <idle>-0 3d.h4 0us : 0:120:R + [003] 2389: 94:R sleep + <idle>-0 3d.h4 1us+: ttwu_do_activate.constprop.87 <-try_to_wake_up + <idle>-0 3d..3 5us : __schedule <-schedule + <idle>-0 3d..3 5us : 0:120:R ==> [003] 2389: 94:R sleep + + +Running this on an idle system, we see that it only took 5 microseconds +to perform the task switch. Note, since the trace point in the schedule +is before the actual "switch", we stop the tracing when the recorded task +is about to schedule in. This may change if we add a new marker at the +end of the scheduler. + +Notice that the recorded task is 'sleep' with the PID of 2389 +and it has an rt_prio of 5. This priority is user-space priority +and not the internal kernel priority. The policy is 1 for +SCHED_FIFO and 2 for SCHED_RR. + +Note, that the trace data shows the internal priority (99 - rtprio). +:: + + <idle>-0 3d..3 5us : 0:120:R ==> [003] 2389: 94:R sleep + +The 0:120:R means idle was running with a nice priority of 0 (120 - 120) +and in the running state 'R'. The sleep task was scheduled in with +2389: 94:R. That is the priority is the kernel rtprio (99 - 5 = 94) +and it too is in the running state. + +Doing the same with chrt -r 5 and function-trace set. +:: + + echo 1 > options/function-trace + + # tracer: wakeup_rt + # + # wakeup_rt latency trace v1.1.5 on 3.8.0-test+ + # -------------------------------------------------------------------- + # latency: 29 us, #85/85, CPU#3 | (M:preempt VP:0, KP:0, SP:0 HP:0 #P:4) + # ----------------- + # | task: sleep-2448 (uid:0 nice:0 policy:1 rt_prio:5) + # ----------------- + # + # _------=> CPU# + # / _-----=> irqs-off + # | / _----=> need-resched + # || / _---=> hardirq/softirq + # ||| / _--=> preempt-depth + # |||| / delay + # cmd pid ||||| time | caller + # \ / ||||| \ | / + <idle>-0 3d.h4 1us+: 0:120:R + [003] 2448: 94:R sleep + <idle>-0 3d.h4 2us : ttwu_do_activate.constprop.87 <-try_to_wake_up + <idle>-0 3d.h3 3us : check_preempt_curr <-ttwu_do_wakeup + <idle>-0 3d.h3 3us : resched_curr <-check_preempt_curr + <idle>-0 3dNh3 4us : task_woken_rt <-ttwu_do_wakeup + <idle>-0 3dNh3 4us : _raw_spin_unlock <-try_to_wake_up + <idle>-0 3dNh3 4us : sub_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_unlock + <idle>-0 3dNh2 5us : ttwu_stat <-try_to_wake_up + <idle>-0 3dNh2 5us : _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore <-try_to_wake_up + <idle>-0 3dNh2 6us : sub_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore + <idle>-0 3dNh1 6us : _raw_spin_lock <-__run_hrtimer + <idle>-0 3dNh1 6us : add_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_lock + <idle>-0 3dNh2 7us : _raw_spin_unlock <-hrtimer_interrupt + <idle>-0 3dNh2 7us : sub_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_unlock + <idle>-0 3dNh1 7us : tick_program_event <-hrtimer_interrupt + <idle>-0 3dNh1 7us : clockevents_program_event <-tick_program_event + <idle>-0 3dNh1 8us : ktime_get <-clockevents_program_event + <idle>-0 3dNh1 8us : lapic_next_event <-clockevents_program_event + <idle>-0 3dNh1 8us : irq_exit <-smp_apic_timer_interrupt + <idle>-0 3dNh1 9us : sub_preempt_count <-irq_exit + <idle>-0 3dN.2 9us : idle_cpu <-irq_exit + <idle>-0 3dN.2 9us : rcu_irq_exit <-irq_exit + <idle>-0 3dN.2 10us : rcu_eqs_enter_common.isra.45 <-rcu_irq_exit + <idle>-0 3dN.2 10us : sub_preempt_count <-irq_exit + <idle>-0 3.N.1 11us : rcu_idle_exit <-cpu_idle + <idle>-0 3dN.1 11us : rcu_eqs_exit_common.isra.43 <-rcu_idle_exit + <idle>-0 3.N.1 11us : tick_nohz_idle_exit <-cpu_idle + <idle>-0 3dN.1 12us : menu_hrtimer_cancel <-tick_nohz_idle_exit + <idle>-0 3dN.1 12us : ktime_get <-tick_nohz_idle_exit + <idle>-0 3dN.1 12us : tick_do_update_jiffies64 <-tick_nohz_idle_exit + <idle>-0 3dN.1 13us : cpu_load_update_nohz <-tick_nohz_idle_exit + <idle>-0 3dN.1 13us : _raw_spin_lock <-cpu_load_update_nohz + <idle>-0 3dN.1 13us : add_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_lock + <idle>-0 3dN.2 13us : __cpu_load_update <-cpu_load_update_nohz + <idle>-0 3dN.2 14us : sched_avg_update <-__cpu_load_update + <idle>-0 3dN.2 14us : _raw_spin_unlock <-cpu_load_update_nohz + <idle>-0 3dN.2 14us : sub_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_unlock + <idle>-0 3dN.1 15us : calc_load_nohz_stop <-tick_nohz_idle_exit + <idle>-0 3dN.1 15us : touch_softlockup_watchdog <-tick_nohz_idle_exit + <idle>-0 3dN.1 15us : hrtimer_cancel <-tick_nohz_idle_exit + <idle>-0 3dN.1 15us : hrtimer_try_to_cancel <-hrtimer_cancel + <idle>-0 3dN.1 16us : lock_hrtimer_base.isra.18 <-hrtimer_try_to_cancel + <idle>-0 3dN.1 16us : _raw_spin_lock_irqsave <-lock_hrtimer_base.isra.18 + <idle>-0 3dN.1 16us : add_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_lock_irqsave + <idle>-0 3dN.2 17us : __remove_hrtimer <-remove_hrtimer.part.16 + <idle>-0 3dN.2 17us : hrtimer_force_reprogram <-__remove_hrtimer + <idle>-0 3dN.2 17us : tick_program_event <-hrtimer_force_reprogram + <idle>-0 3dN.2 18us : clockevents_program_event <-tick_program_event + <idle>-0 3dN.2 18us : ktime_get <-clockevents_program_event + <idle>-0 3dN.2 18us : lapic_next_event <-clockevents_program_event + <idle>-0 3dN.2 19us : _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore <-hrtimer_try_to_cancel + <idle>-0 3dN.2 19us : sub_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore + <idle>-0 3dN.1 19us : hrtimer_forward <-tick_nohz_idle_exit + <idle>-0 3dN.1 20us : ktime_add_safe <-hrtimer_forward + <idle>-0 3dN.1 20us : ktime_add_safe <-hrtimer_forward + <idle>-0 3dN.1 20us : hrtimer_start_range_ns <-hrtimer_start_expires.constprop.11 + <idle>-0 3dN.1 20us : __hrtimer_start_range_ns <-hrtimer_start_range_ns + <idle>-0 3dN.1 21us : lock_hrtimer_base.isra.18 <-__hrtimer_start_range_ns + <idle>-0 3dN.1 21us : _raw_spin_lock_irqsave <-lock_hrtimer_base.isra.18 + <idle>-0 3dN.1 21us : add_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_lock_irqsave + <idle>-0 3dN.2 22us : ktime_add_safe <-__hrtimer_start_range_ns + <idle>-0 3dN.2 22us : enqueue_hrtimer <-__hrtimer_start_range_ns + <idle>-0 3dN.2 22us : tick_program_event <-__hrtimer_start_range_ns + <idle>-0 3dN.2 23us : clockevents_program_event <-tick_program_event + <idle>-0 3dN.2 23us : ktime_get <-clockevents_program_event + <idle>-0 3dN.2 23us : lapic_next_event <-clockevents_program_event + <idle>-0 3dN.2 24us : _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore <-__hrtimer_start_range_ns + <idle>-0 3dN.2 24us : sub_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore + <idle>-0 3dN.1 24us : account_idle_ticks <-tick_nohz_idle_exit + <idle>-0 3dN.1 24us : account_idle_time <-account_idle_ticks + <idle>-0 3.N.1 25us : sub_preempt_count <-cpu_idle + <idle>-0 3.N.. 25us : schedule <-cpu_idle + <idle>-0 3.N.. 25us : __schedule <-preempt_schedule + <idle>-0 3.N.. 26us : add_preempt_count <-__schedule + <idle>-0 3.N.1 26us : rcu_note_context_switch <-__schedule + <idle>-0 3.N.1 26us : rcu_sched_qs <-rcu_note_context_switch + <idle>-0 3dN.1 27us : rcu_preempt_qs <-rcu_note_context_switch + <idle>-0 3.N.1 27us : _raw_spin_lock_irq <-__schedule + <idle>-0 3dN.1 27us : add_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_lock_irq + <idle>-0 3dN.2 28us : put_prev_task_idle <-__schedule + <idle>-0 3dN.2 28us : pick_next_task_stop <-pick_next_task + <idle>-0 3dN.2 28us : pick_next_task_rt <-pick_next_task + <idle>-0 3dN.2 29us : dequeue_pushable_task <-pick_next_task_rt + <idle>-0 3d..3 29us : __schedule <-preempt_schedule + <idle>-0 3d..3 30us : 0:120:R ==> [003] 2448: 94:R sleep + +This isn't that big of a trace, even with function tracing enabled, +so I included the entire trace. + +The interrupt went off while when the system was idle. Somewhere +before task_woken_rt() was called, the NEED_RESCHED flag was set, +this is indicated by the first occurrence of the 'N' flag. + +Latency tracing and events +-------------------------- +As function tracing can induce a much larger latency, but without +seeing what happens within the latency it is hard to know what +caused it. There is a middle ground, and that is with enabling +events. +:: + + # echo 0 > options/function-trace + # echo wakeup_rt > current_tracer + # echo 1 > events/enable + # echo 1 > tracing_on + # echo 0 > tracing_max_latency + # chrt -f 5 sleep 1 + # echo 0 > tracing_on + # cat trace + # tracer: wakeup_rt + # + # wakeup_rt latency trace v1.1.5 on 3.8.0-test+ + # -------------------------------------------------------------------- + # latency: 6 us, #12/12, CPU#2 | (M:preempt VP:0, KP:0, SP:0 HP:0 #P:4) + # ----------------- + # | task: sleep-5882 (uid:0 nice:0 policy:1 rt_prio:5) + # ----------------- + # + # _------=> CPU# + # / _-----=> irqs-off + # | / _----=> need-resched + # || / _---=> hardirq/softirq + # ||| / _--=> preempt-depth + # |||| / delay + # cmd pid ||||| time | caller + # \ / ||||| \ | / + <idle>-0 2d.h4 0us : 0:120:R + [002] 5882: 94:R sleep + <idle>-0 2d.h4 0us : ttwu_do_activate.constprop.87 <-try_to_wake_up + <idle>-0 2d.h4 1us : sched_wakeup: comm=sleep pid=5882 prio=94 success=1 target_cpu=002 + <idle>-0 2dNh2 1us : hrtimer_expire_exit: hrtimer=ffff88007796feb8 + <idle>-0 2.N.2 2us : power_end: cpu_id=2 + <idle>-0 2.N.2 3us : cpu_idle: state=4294967295 cpu_id=2 + <idle>-0 2dN.3 4us : hrtimer_cancel: hrtimer=ffff88007d50d5e0 + <idle>-0 2dN.3 4us : hrtimer_start: hrtimer=ffff88007d50d5e0 function=tick_sched_timer expires=34311211000000 softexpires=34311211000000 + <idle>-0 2.N.2 5us : rcu_utilization: Start context switch + <idle>-0 2.N.2 5us : rcu_utilization: End context switch + <idle>-0 2d..3 6us : __schedule <-schedule + <idle>-0 2d..3 6us : 0:120:R ==> [002] 5882: 94:R sleep + + +Hardware Latency Detector +------------------------- + +The hardware latency detector is executed by enabling the "hwlat" tracer. + +NOTE, this tracer will affect the performance of the system as it will +periodically make a CPU constantly busy with interrupts disabled. +:: + + # echo hwlat > current_tracer + # sleep 100 + # cat trace + # tracer: hwlat + # + # _-----=> irqs-off + # / _----=> need-resched + # | / _---=> hardirq/softirq + # || / _--=> preempt-depth + # ||| / delay + # TASK-PID CPU# |||| TIMESTAMP FUNCTION + # | | | |||| | | + <...>-3638 [001] d... 19452.055471: #1 inner/outer(us): 12/14 ts:1499801089.066141940 + <...>-3638 [003] d... 19454.071354: #2 inner/outer(us): 11/9 ts:1499801091.082164365 + <...>-3638 [002] dn.. 19461.126852: #3 inner/outer(us): 12/9 ts:1499801098.138150062 + <...>-3638 [001] d... 19488.340960: #4 inner/outer(us): 8/12 ts:1499801125.354139633 + <...>-3638 [003] d... 19494.388553: #5 inner/outer(us): 8/12 ts:1499801131.402150961 + <...>-3638 [003] d... 19501.283419: #6 inner/outer(us): 0/12 ts:1499801138.297435289 nmi-total:4 nmi-count:1 + + +The above output is somewhat the same in the header. All events will have +interrupts disabled 'd'. Under the FUNCTION title there is: + + #1 + This is the count of events recorded that were greater than the + tracing_threshold (See below). + + inner/outer(us): 12/14 + + This shows two numbers as "inner latency" and "outer latency". The test + runs in a loop checking a timestamp twice. The latency detected within + the two timestamps is the "inner latency" and the latency detected + after the previous timestamp and the next timestamp in the loop is + the "outer latency". + + ts:1499801089.066141940 + + The absolute timestamp that the event happened. + + nmi-total:4 nmi-count:1 + + On architectures that support it, if an NMI comes in during the + test, the time spent in NMI is reported in "nmi-total" (in + microseconds). + + All architectures that have NMIs will show the "nmi-count" if an + NMI comes in during the test. + +hwlat files: + + tracing_threshold + This gets automatically set to "10" to represent 10 + microseconds. This is the threshold of latency that + needs to be detected before the trace will be recorded. + + Note, when hwlat tracer is finished (another tracer is + written into "current_tracer"), the original value for + tracing_threshold is placed back into this file. + + hwlat_detector/width + The length of time the test runs with interrupts disabled. + + hwlat_detector/window + The length of time of the window which the test + runs. That is, the test will run for "width" + microseconds per "window" microseconds + + tracing_cpumask + When the test is started. A kernel thread is created that + runs the test. This thread will alternate between CPUs + listed in the tracing_cpumask between each period + (one "window"). To limit the test to specific CPUs + set the mask in this file to only the CPUs that the test + should run on. + +function +-------- + +This tracer is the function tracer. Enabling the function tracer +can be done from the debug file system. Make sure the +ftrace_enabled is set; otherwise this tracer is a nop. +See the "ftrace_enabled" section below. +:: + + # sysctl kernel.ftrace_enabled=1 + # echo function > current_tracer + # echo 1 > tracing_on + # usleep 1 + # echo 0 > tracing_on + # cat trace + # tracer: function + # + # entries-in-buffer/entries-written: 24799/24799 #P:4 + # + # _-----=> irqs-off + # / _----=> need-resched + # | / _---=> hardirq/softirq + # || / _--=> preempt-depth + # ||| / delay + # TASK-PID CPU# |||| TIMESTAMP FUNCTION + # | | | |||| | | + bash-1994 [002] .... 3082.063030: mutex_unlock <-rb_simple_write + bash-1994 [002] .... 3082.063031: __mutex_unlock_slowpath <-mutex_unlock + bash-1994 [002] .... 3082.063031: __fsnotify_parent <-fsnotify_modify + bash-1994 [002] .... 3082.063032: fsnotify <-fsnotify_modify + bash-1994 [002] .... 3082.063032: __srcu_read_lock <-fsnotify + bash-1994 [002] .... 3082.063032: add_preempt_count <-__srcu_read_lock + bash-1994 [002] ...1 3082.063032: sub_preempt_count <-__srcu_read_lock + bash-1994 [002] .... 3082.063033: __srcu_read_unlock <-fsnotify + [...] + + +Note: function tracer uses ring buffers to store the above +entries. The newest data may overwrite the oldest data. +Sometimes using echo to stop the trace is not sufficient because +the tracing could have overwritten the data that you wanted to +record. For this reason, it is sometimes better to disable +tracing directly from a program. This allows you to stop the +tracing at the point that you hit the part that you are +interested in. To disable the tracing directly from a C program, +something like following code snippet can be used:: + + int trace_fd; + [...] + int main(int argc, char *argv[]) { + [...] + trace_fd = open(tracing_file("tracing_on"), O_WRONLY); + [...] + if (condition_hit()) { + write(trace_fd, "0", 1); + } + [...] + } + + +Single thread tracing +--------------------- + +By writing into set_ftrace_pid you can trace a +single thread. For example:: + + # cat set_ftrace_pid + no pid + # echo 3111 > set_ftrace_pid + # cat set_ftrace_pid + 3111 + # echo function > current_tracer + # cat trace | head + # tracer: function + # + # TASK-PID CPU# TIMESTAMP FUNCTION + # | | | | | + yum-updatesd-3111 [003] 1637.254676: finish_task_switch <-thread_return + yum-updatesd-3111 [003] 1637.254681: hrtimer_cancel <-schedule_hrtimeout_range + yum-updatesd-3111 [003] 1637.254682: hrtimer_try_to_cancel <-hrtimer_cancel + yum-updatesd-3111 [003] 1637.254683: lock_hrtimer_base <-hrtimer_try_to_cancel + yum-updatesd-3111 [003] 1637.254685: fget_light <-do_sys_poll + yum-updatesd-3111 [003] 1637.254686: pipe_poll <-do_sys_poll + # echo > set_ftrace_pid + # cat trace |head + # tracer: function + # + # TASK-PID CPU# TIMESTAMP FUNCTION + # | | | | | + ##### CPU 3 buffer started #### + yum-updatesd-3111 [003] 1701.957688: free_poll_entry <-poll_freewait + yum-updatesd-3111 [003] 1701.957689: remove_wait_queue <-free_poll_entry + yum-updatesd-3111 [003] 1701.957691: fput <-free_poll_entry + yum-updatesd-3111 [003] 1701.957692: audit_syscall_exit <-sysret_audit + yum-updatesd-3111 [003] 1701.957693: path_put <-audit_syscall_exit + +If you want to trace a function when executing, you could use +something like this simple program. +:: + + #include <stdio.h> + #include <stdlib.h> + #include <sys/types.h> + #include <sys/stat.h> + #include <fcntl.h> + #include <unistd.h> + #include <string.h> + + #define _STR(x) #x + #define STR(x) _STR(x) + #define MAX_PATH 256 + + const char *find_tracefs(void) + { + static char tracefs[MAX_PATH+1]; + static int tracefs_found; + char type[100]; + FILE *fp; + + if (tracefs_found) + return tracefs; + + if ((fp = fopen("/proc/mounts","r")) == NULL) { + perror("/proc/mounts"); + return NULL; + } + + while (fscanf(fp, "%*s %" + STR(MAX_PATH) + "s %99s %*s %*d %*d\n", + tracefs, type) == 2) { + if (strcmp(type, "tracefs") == 0) + break; + } + fclose(fp); + + if (strcmp(type, "tracefs") != 0) { + fprintf(stderr, "tracefs not mounted"); + return NULL; + } + + strcat(tracefs, "/tracing/"); + tracefs_found = 1; + + return tracefs; + } + + const char *tracing_file(const char *file_name) + { + static char trace_file[MAX_PATH+1]; + snprintf(trace_file, MAX_PATH, "%s/%s", find_tracefs(), file_name); + return trace_file; + } + + int main (int argc, char **argv) + { + if (argc < 1) + exit(-1); + + if (fork() > 0) { + int fd, ffd; + char line[64]; + int s; + + ffd = open(tracing_file("current_tracer"), O_WRONLY); + if (ffd < 0) + exit(-1); + write(ffd, "nop", 3); + + fd = open(tracing_file("set_ftrace_pid"), O_WRONLY); + s = sprintf(line, "%d\n", getpid()); + write(fd, line, s); + + write(ffd, "function", 8); + + close(fd); + close(ffd); + + execvp(argv[1], argv+1); + } + + return 0; + } + +Or this simple script! +:: + + #!/bin/bash + + tracefs=`sed -ne 's/^tracefs \(.*\) tracefs.*/\1/p' /proc/mounts` + echo nop > $tracefs/tracing/current_tracer + echo 0 > $tracefs/tracing/tracing_on + echo $$ > $tracefs/tracing/set_ftrace_pid + echo function > $tracefs/tracing/current_tracer + echo 1 > $tracefs/tracing/tracing_on + exec "$@" + + +function graph tracer +--------------------------- + +This tracer is similar to the function tracer except that it +probes a function on its entry and its exit. This is done by +using a dynamically allocated stack of return addresses in each +task_struct. On function entry the tracer overwrites the return +address of each function traced to set a custom probe. Thus the +original return address is stored on the stack of return address +in the task_struct. + +Probing on both ends of a function leads to special features +such as: + +- measure of a function's time execution +- having a reliable call stack to draw function calls graph + +This tracer is useful in several situations: + +- you want to find the reason of a strange kernel behavior and + need to see what happens in detail on any areas (or specific + ones). + +- you are experiencing weird latencies but it's difficult to + find its origin. + +- you want to find quickly which path is taken by a specific + function + +- you just want to peek inside a working kernel and want to see + what happens there. + +:: + + # tracer: function_graph + # + # CPU DURATION FUNCTION CALLS + # | | | | | | | + + 0) | sys_open() { + 0) | do_sys_open() { + 0) | getname() { + 0) | kmem_cache_alloc() { + 0) 1.382 us | __might_sleep(); + 0) 2.478 us | } + 0) | strncpy_from_user() { + 0) | might_fault() { + 0) 1.389 us | __might_sleep(); + 0) 2.553 us | } + 0) 3.807 us | } + 0) 7.876 us | } + 0) | alloc_fd() { + 0) 0.668 us | _spin_lock(); + 0) 0.570 us | expand_files(); + 0) 0.586 us | _spin_unlock(); + + +There are several columns that can be dynamically +enabled/disabled. You can use every combination of options you +want, depending on your needs. + +- The cpu number on which the function executed is default + enabled. It is sometimes better to only trace one cpu (see + tracing_cpu_mask file) or you might sometimes see unordered + function calls while cpu tracing switch. + + - hide: echo nofuncgraph-cpu > trace_options + - show: echo funcgraph-cpu > trace_options + +- The duration (function's time of execution) is displayed on + the closing bracket line of a function or on the same line + than the current function in case of a leaf one. It is default + enabled. + + - hide: echo nofuncgraph-duration > trace_options + - show: echo funcgraph-duration > trace_options + +- The overhead field precedes the duration field in case of + reached duration thresholds. + + - hide: echo nofuncgraph-overhead > trace_options + - show: echo funcgraph-overhead > trace_options + - depends on: funcgraph-duration + + ie:: + + 3) # 1837.709 us | } /* __switch_to */ + 3) | finish_task_switch() { + 3) 0.313 us | _raw_spin_unlock_irq(); + 3) 3.177 us | } + 3) # 1889.063 us | } /* __schedule */ + 3) ! 140.417 us | } /* __schedule */ + 3) # 2034.948 us | } /* schedule */ + 3) * 33998.59 us | } /* schedule_preempt_disabled */ + + [...] + + 1) 0.260 us | msecs_to_jiffies(); + 1) 0.313 us | __rcu_read_unlock(); + 1) + 61.770 us | } + 1) + 64.479 us | } + 1) 0.313 us | rcu_bh_qs(); + 1) 0.313 us | __local_bh_enable(); + 1) ! 217.240 us | } + 1) 0.365 us | idle_cpu(); + 1) | rcu_irq_exit() { + 1) 0.417 us | rcu_eqs_enter_common.isra.47(); + 1) 3.125 us | } + 1) ! 227.812 us | } + 1) ! 457.395 us | } + 1) @ 119760.2 us | } + + [...] + + 2) | handle_IPI() { + 1) 6.979 us | } + 2) 0.417 us | scheduler_ipi(); + 1) 9.791 us | } + 1) + 12.917 us | } + 2) 3.490 us | } + 1) + 15.729 us | } + 1) + 18.542 us | } + 2) $ 3594274 us | } + +Flags:: + + + means that the function exceeded 10 usecs. + ! means that the function exceeded 100 usecs. + # means that the function exceeded 1000 usecs. + * means that the function exceeded 10 msecs. + @ means that the function exceeded 100 msecs. + $ means that the function exceeded 1 sec. + + +- The task/pid field displays the thread cmdline and pid which + executed the function. It is default disabled. + + - hide: echo nofuncgraph-proc > trace_options + - show: echo funcgraph-proc > trace_options + + ie:: + + # tracer: function_graph + # + # CPU TASK/PID DURATION FUNCTION CALLS + # | | | | | | | | | + 0) sh-4802 | | d_free() { + 0) sh-4802 | | call_rcu() { + 0) sh-4802 | | __call_rcu() { + 0) sh-4802 | 0.616 us | rcu_process_gp_end(); + 0) sh-4802 | 0.586 us | check_for_new_grace_period(); + 0) sh-4802 | 2.899 us | } + 0) sh-4802 | 4.040 us | } + 0) sh-4802 | 5.151 us | } + 0) sh-4802 | + 49.370 us | } + + +- The absolute time field is an absolute timestamp given by the + system clock since it started. A snapshot of this time is + given on each entry/exit of functions + + - hide: echo nofuncgraph-abstime > trace_options + - show: echo funcgraph-abstime > trace_options + + ie:: + + # + # TIME CPU DURATION FUNCTION CALLS + # | | | | | | | | + 360.774522 | 1) 0.541 us | } + 360.774522 | 1) 4.663 us | } + 360.774523 | 1) 0.541 us | __wake_up_bit(); + 360.774524 | 1) 6.796 us | } + 360.774524 | 1) 7.952 us | } + 360.774525 | 1) 9.063 us | } + 360.774525 | 1) 0.615 us | journal_mark_dirty(); + 360.774527 | 1) 0.578 us | __brelse(); + 360.774528 | 1) | reiserfs_prepare_for_journal() { + 360.774528 | 1) | unlock_buffer() { + 360.774529 | 1) | wake_up_bit() { + 360.774529 | 1) | bit_waitqueue() { + 360.774530 | 1) 0.594 us | __phys_addr(); + + +The function name is always displayed after the closing bracket +for a function if the start of that function is not in the +trace buffer. + +Display of the function name after the closing bracket may be +enabled for functions whose start is in the trace buffer, +allowing easier searching with grep for function durations. +It is default disabled. + + - hide: echo nofuncgraph-tail > trace_options + - show: echo funcgraph-tail > trace_options + + Example with nofuncgraph-tail (default):: + + 0) | putname() { + 0) | kmem_cache_free() { + 0) 0.518 us | __phys_addr(); + 0) 1.757 us | } + 0) 2.861 us | } + + Example with funcgraph-tail:: + + 0) | putname() { + 0) | kmem_cache_free() { + 0) 0.518 us | __phys_addr(); + 0) 1.757 us | } /* kmem_cache_free() */ + 0) 2.861 us | } /* putname() */ + +You can put some comments on specific functions by using +trace_printk() For example, if you want to put a comment inside +the __might_sleep() function, you just have to include +<linux/ftrace.h> and call trace_printk() inside __might_sleep():: + + trace_printk("I'm a comment!\n") + +will produce:: + + 1) | __might_sleep() { + 1) | /* I'm a comment! */ + 1) 1.449 us | } + + +You might find other useful features for this tracer in the +following "dynamic ftrace" section such as tracing only specific +functions or tasks. + +dynamic ftrace +-------------- + +If CONFIG_DYNAMIC_FTRACE is set, the system will run with +virtually no overhead when function tracing is disabled. The way +this works is the mcount function call (placed at the start of +every kernel function, produced by the -pg switch in gcc), +starts of pointing to a simple return. (Enabling FTRACE will +include the -pg switch in the compiling of the kernel.) + +At compile time every C file object is run through the +recordmcount program (located in the scripts directory). This +program will parse the ELF headers in the C object to find all +the locations in the .text section that call mcount. Starting +with gcc verson 4.6, the -mfentry has been added for x86, which +calls "__fentry__" instead of "mcount". Which is called before +the creation of the stack frame. + +Note, not all sections are traced. They may be prevented by either +a notrace, or blocked another way and all inline functions are not +traced. Check the "available_filter_functions" file to see what functions +can be traced. + +A section called "__mcount_loc" is created that holds +references to all the mcount/fentry call sites in the .text section. +The recordmcount program re-links this section back into the +original object. The final linking stage of the kernel will add all these +references into a single table. + +On boot up, before SMP is initialized, the dynamic ftrace code +scans this table and updates all the locations into nops. It +also records the locations, which are added to the +available_filter_functions list. Modules are processed as they +are loaded and before they are executed. When a module is +unloaded, it also removes its functions from the ftrace function +list. This is automatic in the module unload code, and the +module author does not need to worry about it. + +When tracing is enabled, the process of modifying the function +tracepoints is dependent on architecture. The old method is to use +kstop_machine to prevent races with the CPUs executing code being +modified (which can cause the CPU to do undesirable things, especially +if the modified code crosses cache (or page) boundaries), and the nops are +patched back to calls. But this time, they do not call mcount +(which is just a function stub). They now call into the ftrace +infrastructure. + +The new method of modifying the function tracepoints is to place +a breakpoint at the location to be modified, sync all CPUs, modify +the rest of the instruction not covered by the breakpoint. Sync +all CPUs again, and then remove the breakpoint with the finished +version to the ftrace call site. + +Some archs do not even need to monkey around with the synchronization, +and can just slap the new code on top of the old without any +problems with other CPUs executing it at the same time. + +One special side-effect to the recording of the functions being +traced is that we can now selectively choose which functions we +wish to trace and which ones we want the mcount calls to remain +as nops. + +Two files are used, one for enabling and one for disabling the +tracing of specified functions. They are: + + set_ftrace_filter + +and + + set_ftrace_notrace + +A list of available functions that you can add to these files is +listed in: + + available_filter_functions + +:: + + # cat available_filter_functions + put_prev_task_idle + kmem_cache_create + pick_next_task_rt + get_online_cpus + pick_next_task_fair + mutex_lock + [...] + +If I am only interested in sys_nanosleep and hrtimer_interrupt:: + + # echo sys_nanosleep hrtimer_interrupt > set_ftrace_filter + # echo function > current_tracer + # echo 1 > tracing_on + # usleep 1 + # echo 0 > tracing_on + # cat trace + # tracer: function + # + # entries-in-buffer/entries-written: 5/5 #P:4 + # + # _-----=> irqs-off + # / _----=> need-resched + # | / _---=> hardirq/softirq + # || / _--=> preempt-depth + # ||| / delay + # TASK-PID CPU# |||| TIMESTAMP FUNCTION + # | | | |||| | | + usleep-2665 [001] .... 4186.475355: sys_nanosleep <-system_call_fastpath + <idle>-0 [001] d.h1 4186.475409: hrtimer_interrupt <-smp_apic_timer_interrupt + usleep-2665 [001] d.h1 4186.475426: hrtimer_interrupt <-smp_apic_timer_interrupt + <idle>-0 [003] d.h1 4186.475426: hrtimer_interrupt <-smp_apic_timer_interrupt + <idle>-0 [002] d.h1 4186.475427: hrtimer_interrupt <-smp_apic_timer_interrupt + +To see which functions are being traced, you can cat the file: +:: + + # cat set_ftrace_filter + hrtimer_interrupt + sys_nanosleep + + +Perhaps this is not enough. The filters also allow glob(7) matching. + + <match>* + will match functions that begin with <match> + *<match> + will match functions that end with <match> + *<match>* + will match functions that have <match> in it + <match1>*<match2> + will match functions that begin with <match1> and end with <match2> + +.. note:: + It is better to use quotes to enclose the wild cards, + otherwise the shell may expand the parameters into names + of files in the local directory. + +:: + + # echo 'hrtimer_*' > set_ftrace_filter + +Produces:: + + # tracer: function + # + # entries-in-buffer/entries-written: 897/897 #P:4 + # + # _-----=> irqs-off + # / _----=> need-resched + # | / _---=> hardirq/softirq + # || / _--=> preempt-depth + # ||| / delay + # TASK-PID CPU# |||| TIMESTAMP FUNCTION + # | | | |||| | | + <idle>-0 [003] dN.1 4228.547803: hrtimer_cancel <-tick_nohz_idle_exit + <idle>-0 [003] dN.1 4228.547804: hrtimer_try_to_cancel <-hrtimer_cancel + <idle>-0 [003] dN.2 4228.547805: hrtimer_force_reprogram <-__remove_hrtimer + <idle>-0 [003] dN.1 4228.547805: hrtimer_forward <-tick_nohz_idle_exit + <idle>-0 [003] dN.1 4228.547805: hrtimer_start_range_ns <-hrtimer_start_expires.constprop.11 + <idle>-0 [003] d..1 4228.547858: hrtimer_get_next_event <-get_next_timer_interrupt + <idle>-0 [003] d..1 4228.547859: hrtimer_start <-__tick_nohz_idle_enter + <idle>-0 [003] d..2 4228.547860: hrtimer_force_reprogram <-__rem + +Notice that we lost the sys_nanosleep. +:: + + # cat set_ftrace_filter + hrtimer_run_queues + hrtimer_run_pending + hrtimer_init + hrtimer_cancel + hrtimer_try_to_cancel + hrtimer_forward + hrtimer_start + hrtimer_reprogram + hrtimer_force_reprogram + hrtimer_get_next_event + hrtimer_interrupt + hrtimer_nanosleep + hrtimer_wakeup + hrtimer_get_remaining + hrtimer_get_res + hrtimer_init_sleeper + + +This is because the '>' and '>>' act just like they do in bash. +To rewrite the filters, use '>' +To append to the filters, use '>>' + +To clear out a filter so that all functions will be recorded +again:: + + # echo > set_ftrace_filter + # cat set_ftrace_filter + # + +Again, now we want to append. + +:: + + # echo sys_nanosleep > set_ftrace_filter + # cat set_ftrace_filter + sys_nanosleep + # echo 'hrtimer_*' >> set_ftrace_filter + # cat set_ftrace_filter + hrtimer_run_queues + hrtimer_run_pending + hrtimer_init + hrtimer_cancel + hrtimer_try_to_cancel + hrtimer_forward + hrtimer_start + hrtimer_reprogram + hrtimer_force_reprogram + hrtimer_get_next_event + hrtimer_interrupt + sys_nanosleep + hrtimer_nanosleep + hrtimer_wakeup + hrtimer_get_remaining + hrtimer_get_res + hrtimer_init_sleeper + + +The set_ftrace_notrace prevents those functions from being +traced. +:: + + # echo '*preempt*' '*lock*' > set_ftrace_notrace + +Produces:: + + # tracer: function + # + # entries-in-buffer/entries-written: 39608/39608 #P:4 + # + # _-----=> irqs-off + # / _----=> need-resched + # | / _---=> hardirq/softirq + # || / _--=> preempt-depth + # ||| / delay + # TASK-PID CPU# |||| TIMESTAMP FUNCTION + # | | | |||| | | + bash-1994 [000] .... 4342.324896: file_ra_state_init <-do_dentry_open + bash-1994 [000] .... 4342.324897: open_check_o_direct <-do_last + bash-1994 [000] .... 4342.324897: ima_file_check <-do_last + bash-1994 [000] .... 4342.324898: process_measurement <-ima_file_check + bash-1994 [000] .... 4342.324898: ima_get_action <-process_measurement + bash-1994 [000] .... 4342.324898: ima_match_policy <-ima_get_action + bash-1994 [000] .... 4342.324899: do_truncate <-do_last + bash-1994 [000] .... 4342.324899: should_remove_suid <-do_truncate + bash-1994 [000] .... 4342.324899: notify_change <-do_truncate + bash-1994 [000] .... 4342.324900: current_fs_time <-notify_change + bash-1994 [000] .... 4342.324900: current_kernel_time <-current_fs_time + bash-1994 [000] .... 4342.324900: timespec_trunc <-current_fs_time + +We can see that there's no more lock or preempt tracing. + + +Dynamic ftrace with the function graph tracer +--------------------------------------------- + +Although what has been explained above concerns both the +function tracer and the function-graph-tracer, there are some +special features only available in the function-graph tracer. + +If you want to trace only one function and all of its children, +you just have to echo its name into set_graph_function:: + + echo __do_fault > set_graph_function + +will produce the following "expanded" trace of the __do_fault() +function:: + + 0) | __do_fault() { + 0) | filemap_fault() { + 0) | find_lock_page() { + 0) 0.804 us | find_get_page(); + 0) | __might_sleep() { + 0) 1.329 us | } + 0) 3.904 us | } + 0) 4.979 us | } + 0) 0.653 us | _spin_lock(); + 0) 0.578 us | page_add_file_rmap(); + 0) 0.525 us | native_set_pte_at(); + 0) 0.585 us | _spin_unlock(); + 0) | unlock_page() { + 0) 0.541 us | page_waitqueue(); + 0) 0.639 us | __wake_up_bit(); + 0) 2.786 us | } + 0) + 14.237 us | } + 0) | __do_fault() { + 0) | filemap_fault() { + 0) | find_lock_page() { + 0) 0.698 us | find_get_page(); + 0) | __might_sleep() { + 0) 1.412 us | } + 0) 3.950 us | } + 0) 5.098 us | } + 0) 0.631 us | _spin_lock(); + 0) 0.571 us | page_add_file_rmap(); + 0) 0.526 us | native_set_pte_at(); + 0) 0.586 us | _spin_unlock(); + 0) | unlock_page() { + 0) 0.533 us | page_waitqueue(); + 0) 0.638 us | __wake_up_bit(); + 0) 2.793 us | } + 0) + 14.012 us | } + +You can also expand several functions at once:: + + echo sys_open > set_graph_function + echo sys_close >> set_graph_function + +Now if you want to go back to trace all functions you can clear +this special filter via:: + + echo > set_graph_function + + +ftrace_enabled +-------------- + +Note, the proc sysctl ftrace_enable is a big on/off switch for the +function tracer. By default it is enabled (when function tracing is +enabled in the kernel). If it is disabled, all function tracing is +disabled. This includes not only the function tracers for ftrace, but +also for any other uses (perf, kprobes, stack tracing, profiling, etc). + +Please disable this with care. + +This can be disable (and enabled) with:: + + sysctl kernel.ftrace_enabled=0 + sysctl kernel.ftrace_enabled=1 + + or + + echo 0 > /proc/sys/kernel/ftrace_enabled + echo 1 > /proc/sys/kernel/ftrace_enabled + + +Filter commands +--------------- + +A few commands are supported by the set_ftrace_filter interface. +Trace commands have the following format:: + + <function>:<command>:<parameter> + +The following commands are supported: + +- mod: + This command enables function filtering per module. The + parameter defines the module. For example, if only the write* + functions in the ext3 module are desired, run: + + echo 'write*:mod:ext3' > set_ftrace_filter + + This command interacts with the filter in the same way as + filtering based on function names. Thus, adding more functions + in a different module is accomplished by appending (>>) to the + filter file. Remove specific module functions by prepending + '!':: + + echo '!writeback*:mod:ext3' >> set_ftrace_filter + + Mod command supports module globbing. Disable tracing for all + functions except a specific module:: + + echo '!*:mod:!ext3' >> set_ftrace_filter + + Disable tracing for all modules, but still trace kernel:: + + echo '!*:mod:*' >> set_ftrace_filter + + Enable filter only for kernel:: + + echo '*write*:mod:!*' >> set_ftrace_filter + + Enable filter for module globbing:: + + echo '*write*:mod:*snd*' >> set_ftrace_filter + +- traceon/traceoff: + These commands turn tracing on and off when the specified + functions are hit. The parameter determines how many times the + tracing system is turned on and off. If unspecified, there is + no limit. For example, to disable tracing when a schedule bug + is hit the first 5 times, run:: + + echo '__schedule_bug:traceoff:5' > set_ftrace_filter + + To always disable tracing when __schedule_bug is hit:: + + echo '__schedule_bug:traceoff' > set_ftrace_filter + + These commands are cumulative whether or not they are appended + to set_ftrace_filter. To remove a command, prepend it by '!' + and drop the parameter:: + + echo '!__schedule_bug:traceoff:0' > set_ftrace_filter + + The above removes the traceoff command for __schedule_bug + that have a counter. To remove commands without counters:: + + echo '!__schedule_bug:traceoff' > set_ftrace_filter + +- snapshot: + Will cause a snapshot to be triggered when the function is hit. + :: + + echo 'native_flush_tlb_others:snapshot' > set_ftrace_filter + + To only snapshot once: + :: + + echo 'native_flush_tlb_others:snapshot:1' > set_ftrace_filter + + To remove the above commands:: + + echo '!native_flush_tlb_others:snapshot' > set_ftrace_filter + echo '!native_flush_tlb_others:snapshot:0' > set_ftrace_filter + +- enable_event/disable_event: + These commands can enable or disable a trace event. Note, because + function tracing callbacks are very sensitive, when these commands + are registered, the trace point is activated, but disabled in + a "soft" mode. That is, the tracepoint will be called, but + just will not be traced. The event tracepoint stays in this mode + as long as there's a command that triggers it. + :: + + echo 'try_to_wake_up:enable_event:sched:sched_switch:2' > \ + set_ftrace_filter + + The format is:: + + <function>:enable_event:<system>:<event>[:count] + <function>:disable_event:<system>:<event>[:count] + + To remove the events commands:: + + echo '!try_to_wake_up:enable_event:sched:sched_switch:0' > \ + set_ftrace_filter + echo '!schedule:disable_event:sched:sched_switch' > \ + set_ftrace_filter + +- dump: + When the function is hit, it will dump the contents of the ftrace + ring buffer to the console. This is useful if you need to debug + something, and want to dump the trace when a certain function + is hit. Perhaps its a function that is called before a tripple + fault happens and does not allow you to get a regular dump. + +- cpudump: + When the function is hit, it will dump the contents of the ftrace + ring buffer for the current CPU to the console. Unlike the "dump" + command, it only prints out the contents of the ring buffer for the + CPU that executed the function that triggered the dump. + +trace_pipe +---------- + +The trace_pipe outputs the same content as the trace file, but +the effect on the tracing is different. Every read from +trace_pipe is consumed. This means that subsequent reads will be +different. The trace is live. +:: + + # echo function > current_tracer + # cat trace_pipe > /tmp/trace.out & + [1] 4153 + # echo 1 > tracing_on + # usleep 1 + # echo 0 > tracing_on + # cat trace + # tracer: function + # + # entries-in-buffer/entries-written: 0/0 #P:4 + # + # _-----=> irqs-off + # / _----=> need-resched + # | / _---=> hardirq/softirq + # || / _--=> preempt-depth + # ||| / delay + # TASK-PID CPU# |||| TIMESTAMP FUNCTION + # | | | |||| | | + + # + # cat /tmp/trace.out + bash-1994 [000] .... 5281.568961: mutex_unlock <-rb_simple_write + bash-1994 [000] .... 5281.568963: __mutex_unlock_slowpath <-mutex_unlock + bash-1994 [000] .... 5281.568963: __fsnotify_parent <-fsnotify_modify + bash-1994 [000] .... 5281.568964: fsnotify <-fsnotify_modify + bash-1994 [000] .... 5281.568964: __srcu_read_lock <-fsnotify + bash-1994 [000] .... 5281.568964: add_preempt_count <-__srcu_read_lock + bash-1994 [000] ...1 5281.568965: sub_preempt_count <-__srcu_read_lock + bash-1994 [000] .... 5281.568965: __srcu_read_unlock <-fsnotify + bash-1994 [000] .... 5281.568967: sys_dup2 <-system_call_fastpath + + +Note, reading the trace_pipe file will block until more input is +added. + +trace entries +------------- + +Having too much or not enough data can be troublesome in +diagnosing an issue in the kernel. The file buffer_size_kb is +used to modify the size of the internal trace buffers. The +number listed is the number of entries that can be recorded per +CPU. To know the full size, multiply the number of possible CPUs +with the number of entries. +:: + + # cat buffer_size_kb + 1408 (units kilobytes) + +Or simply read buffer_total_size_kb +:: + + # cat buffer_total_size_kb + 5632 + +To modify the buffer, simple echo in a number (in 1024 byte segments). +:: + + # echo 10000 > buffer_size_kb + # cat buffer_size_kb + 10000 (units kilobytes) + +It will try to allocate as much as possible. If you allocate too +much, it can cause Out-Of-Memory to trigger. +:: + + # echo 1000000000000 > buffer_size_kb + -bash: echo: write error: Cannot allocate memory + # cat buffer_size_kb + 85 + +The per_cpu buffers can be changed individually as well: +:: + + # echo 10000 > per_cpu/cpu0/buffer_size_kb + # echo 100 > per_cpu/cpu1/buffer_size_kb + +When the per_cpu buffers are not the same, the buffer_size_kb +at the top level will just show an X +:: + + # cat buffer_size_kb + X + +This is where the buffer_total_size_kb is useful: +:: + + # cat buffer_total_size_kb + 12916 + +Writing to the top level buffer_size_kb will reset all the buffers +to be the same again. + +Snapshot +-------- +CONFIG_TRACER_SNAPSHOT makes a generic snapshot feature +available to all non latency tracers. (Latency tracers which +record max latency, such as "irqsoff" or "wakeup", can't use +this feature, since those are already using the snapshot +mechanism internally.) + +Snapshot preserves a current trace buffer at a particular point +in time without stopping tracing. Ftrace swaps the current +buffer with a spare buffer, and tracing continues in the new +current (=previous spare) buffer. + +The following tracefs files in "tracing" are related to this +feature: + + snapshot: + + This is used to take a snapshot and to read the output + of the snapshot. Echo 1 into this file to allocate a + spare buffer and to take a snapshot (swap), then read + the snapshot from this file in the same format as + "trace" (described above in the section "The File + System"). Both reads snapshot and tracing are executable + in parallel. When the spare buffer is allocated, echoing + 0 frees it, and echoing else (positive) values clear the + snapshot contents. + More details are shown in the table below. + + +--------------+------------+------------+------------+ + |status\\input | 0 | 1 | else | + +==============+============+============+============+ + |not allocated |(do nothing)| alloc+swap |(do nothing)| + +--------------+------------+------------+------------+ + |allocated | free | swap | clear | + +--------------+------------+------------+------------+ + +Here is an example of using the snapshot feature. +:: + + # echo 1 > events/sched/enable + # echo 1 > snapshot + # cat snapshot + # tracer: nop + # + # entries-in-buffer/entries-written: 71/71 #P:8 + # + # _-----=> irqs-off + # / _----=> need-resched + # | / _---=> hardirq/softirq + # || / _--=> preempt-depth + # ||| / delay + # TASK-PID CPU# |||| TIMESTAMP FUNCTION + # | | | |||| | | + <idle>-0 [005] d... 2440.603828: sched_switch: prev_comm=swapper/5 prev_pid=0 prev_prio=120 prev_state=R ==> next_comm=snapshot-test-2 next_pid=2242 next_prio=120 + sleep-2242 [005] d... 2440.603846: sched_switch: prev_comm=snapshot-test-2 prev_pid=2242 prev_prio=120 prev_state=R ==> next_comm=kworker/5:1 next_pid=60 next_prio=120 + [...] + <idle>-0 [002] d... 2440.707230: sched_switch: prev_comm=swapper/2 prev_pid=0 prev_prio=120 prev_state=R ==> next_comm=snapshot-test-2 next_pid=2229 next_prio=120 + + # cat trace + # tracer: nop + # + # entries-in-buffer/entries-written: 77/77 #P:8 + # + # _-----=> irqs-off + # / _----=> need-resched + # | / _---=> hardirq/softirq + # || / _--=> preempt-depth + # ||| / delay + # TASK-PID CPU# |||| TIMESTAMP FUNCTION + # | | | |||| | | + <idle>-0 [007] d... 2440.707395: sched_switch: prev_comm=swapper/7 prev_pid=0 prev_prio=120 prev_state=R ==> next_comm=snapshot-test-2 next_pid=2243 next_prio=120 + snapshot-test-2-2229 [002] d... 2440.707438: sched_switch: prev_comm=snapshot-test-2 prev_pid=2229 prev_prio=120 prev_state=S ==> next_comm=swapper/2 next_pid=0 next_prio=120 + [...] + + +If you try to use this snapshot feature when current tracer is +one of the latency tracers, you will get the following results. +:: + + # echo wakeup > current_tracer + # echo 1 > snapshot + bash: echo: write error: Device or resource busy + # cat snapshot + cat: snapshot: Device or resource busy + + +Instances +--------- +In the tracefs tracing directory is a directory called "instances". +This directory can have new directories created inside of it using +mkdir, and removing directories with rmdir. The directory created +with mkdir in this directory will already contain files and other +directories after it is created. +:: + + # mkdir instances/foo + # ls instances/foo + buffer_size_kb buffer_total_size_kb events free_buffer per_cpu + set_event snapshot trace trace_clock trace_marker trace_options + trace_pipe tracing_on + +As you can see, the new directory looks similar to the tracing directory +itself. In fact, it is very similar, except that the buffer and +events are agnostic from the main director, or from any other +instances that are created. + +The files in the new directory work just like the files with the +same name in the tracing directory except the buffer that is used +is a separate and new buffer. The files affect that buffer but do not +affect the main buffer with the exception of trace_options. Currently, +the trace_options affect all instances and the top level buffer +the same, but this may change in future releases. That is, options +may become specific to the instance they reside in. + +Notice that none of the function tracer files are there, nor is +current_tracer and available_tracers. This is because the buffers +can currently only have events enabled for them. +:: + + # mkdir instances/foo + # mkdir instances/bar + # mkdir instances/zoot + # echo 100000 > buffer_size_kb + # echo 1000 > instances/foo/buffer_size_kb + # echo 5000 > instances/bar/per_cpu/cpu1/buffer_size_kb + # echo function > current_trace + # echo 1 > instances/foo/events/sched/sched_wakeup/enable + # echo 1 > instances/foo/events/sched/sched_wakeup_new/enable + # echo 1 > instances/foo/events/sched/sched_switch/enable + # echo 1 > instances/bar/events/irq/enable + # echo 1 > instances/zoot/events/syscalls/enable + # cat trace_pipe + CPU:2 [LOST 11745 EVENTS] + bash-2044 [002] .... 10594.481032: _raw_spin_lock_irqsave <-get_page_from_freelist + bash-2044 [002] d... 10594.481032: add_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_lock_irqsave + bash-2044 [002] d..1 10594.481032: __rmqueue <-get_page_from_freelist + bash-2044 [002] d..1 10594.481033: _raw_spin_unlock <-get_page_from_freelist + bash-2044 [002] d..1 10594.481033: sub_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_unlock + bash-2044 [002] d... 10594.481033: get_pageblock_flags_group <-get_pageblock_migratetype + bash-2044 [002] d... 10594.481034: __mod_zone_page_state <-get_page_from_freelist + bash-2044 [002] d... 10594.481034: zone_statistics <-get_page_from_freelist + bash-2044 [002] d... 10594.481034: __inc_zone_state <-zone_statistics + bash-2044 [002] d... 10594.481034: __inc_zone_state <-zone_statistics + bash-2044 [002] .... 10594.481035: arch_dup_task_struct <-copy_process + [...] + + # cat instances/foo/trace_pipe + bash-1998 [000] d..4 136.676759: sched_wakeup: comm=kworker/0:1 pid=59 prio=120 success=1 target_cpu=000 + bash-1998 [000] dN.4 136.676760: sched_wakeup: comm=bash pid=1998 prio=120 success=1 target_cpu=000 + <idle>-0 [003] d.h3 136.676906: sched_wakeup: comm=rcu_preempt pid=9 prio=120 success=1 target_cpu=003 + <idle>-0 [003] d..3 136.676909: sched_switch: prev_comm=swapper/3 prev_pid=0 prev_prio=120 prev_state=R ==> next_comm=rcu_preempt next_pid=9 next_prio=120 + rcu_preempt-9 [003] d..3 136.676916: sched_switch: prev_comm=rcu_preempt prev_pid=9 prev_prio=120 prev_state=S ==> next_comm=swapper/3 next_pid=0 next_prio=120 + bash-1998 [000] d..4 136.677014: sched_wakeup: comm=kworker/0:1 pid=59 prio=120 success=1 target_cpu=000 + bash-1998 [000] dN.4 136.677016: sched_wakeup: comm=bash pid=1998 prio=120 success=1 target_cpu=000 + bash-1998 [000] d..3 136.677018: sched_switch: prev_comm=bash prev_pid=1998 prev_prio=120 prev_state=R+ ==> next_comm=kworker/0:1 next_pid=59 next_prio=120 + kworker/0:1-59 [000] d..4 136.677022: sched_wakeup: comm=sshd pid=1995 prio=120 success=1 target_cpu=001 + kworker/0:1-59 [000] d..3 136.677025: sched_switch: prev_comm=kworker/0:1 prev_pid=59 prev_prio=120 prev_state=S ==> next_comm=bash next_pid=1998 next_prio=120 + [...] + + # cat instances/bar/trace_pipe + migration/1-14 [001] d.h3 138.732674: softirq_raise: vec=3 [action=NET_RX] + <idle>-0 [001] dNh3 138.732725: softirq_raise: vec=3 [action=NET_RX] + bash-1998 [000] d.h1 138.733101: softirq_raise: vec=1 [action=TIMER] + bash-1998 [000] d.h1 138.733102: softirq_raise: vec=9 [action=RCU] + bash-1998 [000] ..s2 138.733105: softirq_entry: vec=1 [action=TIMER] + bash-1998 [000] ..s2 138.733106: softirq_exit: vec=1 [action=TIMER] + bash-1998 [000] ..s2 138.733106: softirq_entry: vec=9 [action=RCU] + bash-1998 [000] ..s2 138.733109: softirq_exit: vec=9 [action=RCU] + sshd-1995 [001] d.h1 138.733278: irq_handler_entry: irq=21 name=uhci_hcd:usb4 + sshd-1995 [001] d.h1 138.733280: irq_handler_exit: irq=21 ret=unhandled + sshd-1995 [001] d.h1 138.733281: irq_handler_entry: irq=21 name=eth0 + sshd-1995 [001] d.h1 138.733283: irq_handler_exit: irq=21 ret=handled + [...] + + # cat instances/zoot/trace + # tracer: nop + # + # entries-in-buffer/entries-written: 18996/18996 #P:4 + # + # _-----=> irqs-off + # / _----=> need-resched + # | / _---=> hardirq/softirq + # || / _--=> preempt-depth + # ||| / delay + # TASK-PID CPU# |||| TIMESTAMP FUNCTION + # | | | |||| | | + bash-1998 [000] d... 140.733501: sys_write -> 0x2 + bash-1998 [000] d... 140.733504: sys_dup2(oldfd: a, newfd: 1) + bash-1998 [000] d... 140.733506: sys_dup2 -> 0x1 + bash-1998 [000] d... 140.733508: sys_fcntl(fd: a, cmd: 1, arg: 0) + bash-1998 [000] d... 140.733509: sys_fcntl -> 0x1 + bash-1998 [000] d... 140.733510: sys_close(fd: a) + bash-1998 [000] d... 140.733510: sys_close -> 0x0 + bash-1998 [000] d... 140.733514: sys_rt_sigprocmask(how: 0, nset: 0, oset: 6e2768, sigsetsize: 8) + bash-1998 [000] d... 140.733515: sys_rt_sigprocmask -> 0x0 + bash-1998 [000] d... 140.733516: sys_rt_sigaction(sig: 2, act: 7fff718846f0, oact: 7fff71884650, sigsetsize: 8) + bash-1998 [000] d... 140.733516: sys_rt_sigaction -> 0x0 + +You can see that the trace of the top most trace buffer shows only +the function tracing. The foo instance displays wakeups and task +switches. + +To remove the instances, simply delete their directories: +:: + + # rmdir instances/foo + # rmdir instances/bar + # rmdir instances/zoot + +Note, if a process has a trace file open in one of the instance +directories, the rmdir will fail with EBUSY. + + +Stack trace +----------- +Since the kernel has a fixed sized stack, it is important not to +waste it in functions. A kernel developer must be conscience of +what they allocate on the stack. If they add too much, the system +can be in danger of a stack overflow, and corruption will occur, +usually leading to a system panic. + +There are some tools that check this, usually with interrupts +periodically checking usage. But if you can perform a check +at every function call that will become very useful. As ftrace provides +a function tracer, it makes it convenient to check the stack size +at every function call. This is enabled via the stack tracer. + +CONFIG_STACK_TRACER enables the ftrace stack tracing functionality. +To enable it, write a '1' into /proc/sys/kernel/stack_tracer_enabled. +:: + + # echo 1 > /proc/sys/kernel/stack_tracer_enabled + +You can also enable it from the kernel command line to trace +the stack size of the kernel during boot up, by adding "stacktrace" +to the kernel command line parameter. + +After running it for a few minutes, the output looks like: +:: + + # cat stack_max_size + 2928 + + # cat stack_trace + Depth Size Location (18 entries) + ----- ---- -------- + 0) 2928 224 update_sd_lb_stats+0xbc/0x4ac + 1) 2704 160 find_busiest_group+0x31/0x1f1 + 2) 2544 256 load_balance+0xd9/0x662 + 3) 2288 80 idle_balance+0xbb/0x130 + 4) 2208 128 __schedule+0x26e/0x5b9 + 5) 2080 16 schedule+0x64/0x66 + 6) 2064 128 schedule_timeout+0x34/0xe0 + 7) 1936 112 wait_for_common+0x97/0xf1 + 8) 1824 16 wait_for_completion+0x1d/0x1f + 9) 1808 128 flush_work+0xfe/0x119 + 10) 1680 16 tty_flush_to_ldisc+0x1e/0x20 + 11) 1664 48 input_available_p+0x1d/0x5c + 12) 1616 48 n_tty_poll+0x6d/0x134 + 13) 1568 64 tty_poll+0x64/0x7f + 14) 1504 880 do_select+0x31e/0x511 + 15) 624 400 core_sys_select+0x177/0x216 + 16) 224 96 sys_select+0x91/0xb9 + 17) 128 128 system_call_fastpath+0x16/0x1b + +Note, if -mfentry is being used by gcc, functions get traced before +they set up the stack frame. This means that leaf level functions +are not tested by the stack tracer when -mfentry is used. + +Currently, -mfentry is used by gcc 4.6.0 and above on x86 only. + +More +---- +More details can be found in the source code, in the `kernel/trace/*.c` files. diff --git a/Documentation/trace/ftrace.txt b/Documentation/trace/ftrace.txt deleted file mode 100644 index d4601df6e72e..000000000000 --- a/Documentation/trace/ftrace.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3220 +0,0 @@ - ftrace - Function Tracer - ======================== - -Copyright 2008 Red Hat Inc. - Author: Steven Rostedt <srostedt@redhat.com> - License: The GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 - (dual licensed under the GPL v2) -Original Reviewers: Elias Oltmanns, Randy Dunlap, Andrew Morton, - John Kacur, and David Teigland. -Written for: 2.6.28-rc2 -Updated for: 3.10 -Updated for: 4.13 - Copyright 2017 VMware Inc. Steven Rostedt - -Introduction ------------- - -Ftrace is an internal tracer designed to help out developers and -designers of systems to find what is going on inside the kernel. -It can be used for debugging or analyzing latencies and -performance issues that take place outside of user-space. - -Although ftrace is typically considered the function tracer, it -is really a frame work of several assorted tracing utilities. -There's latency tracing to examine what occurs between interrupts -disabled and enabled, as well as for preemption and from a time -a task is woken to the task is actually scheduled in. - -One of the most common uses of ftrace is the event tracing. -Through out the kernel is hundreds of static event points that -can be enabled via the tracefs file system to see what is -going on in certain parts of the kernel. - -See events.txt for more information. - - -Implementation Details ----------------------- - -See ftrace-design.txt for details for arch porters and such. - - -The File System ---------------- - -Ftrace uses the tracefs file system to hold the control files as -well as the files to display output. - -When tracefs is configured into the kernel (which selecting any ftrace -option will do) the directory /sys/kernel/tracing will be created. To mount -this directory, you can add to your /etc/fstab file: - - tracefs /sys/kernel/tracing tracefs defaults 0 0 - -Or you can mount it at run time with: - - mount -t tracefs nodev /sys/kernel/tracing - -For quicker access to that directory you may want to make a soft link to -it: - - ln -s /sys/kernel/tracing /tracing - - *** NOTICE *** - -Before 4.1, all ftrace tracing control files were within the debugfs -file system, which is typically located at /sys/kernel/debug/tracing. -For backward compatibility, when mounting the debugfs file system, -the tracefs file system will be automatically mounted at: - - /sys/kernel/debug/tracing - -All files located in the tracefs file system will be located in that -debugfs file system directory as well. - - *** NOTICE *** - -Any selected ftrace option will also create the tracefs file system. -The rest of the document will assume that you are in the ftrace directory -(cd /sys/kernel/tracing) and will only concentrate on the files within that -directory and not distract from the content with the extended -"/sys/kernel/tracing" path name. - -That's it! (assuming that you have ftrace configured into your kernel) - -After mounting tracefs you will have access to the control and output files -of ftrace. Here is a list of some of the key files: - - - Note: all time values are in microseconds. - - current_tracer: - - This is used to set or display the current tracer - that is configured. - - available_tracers: - - This holds the different types of tracers that - have been compiled into the kernel. The - tracers listed here can be configured by - echoing their name into current_tracer. - - tracing_on: - - This sets or displays whether writing to the trace - ring buffer is enabled. Echo 0 into this file to disable - the tracer or 1 to enable it. Note, this only disables - writing to the ring buffer, the tracing overhead may - still be occurring. - - The kernel function tracing_off() can be used within the - kernel to disable writing to the ring buffer, which will - set this file to "0". User space can re-enable tracing by - echoing "1" into the file. - - Note, the function and event trigger "traceoff" will also - set this file to zero and stop tracing. Which can also - be re-enabled by user space using this file. - - trace: - - This file holds the output of the trace in a human - readable format (described below). Note, tracing is temporarily - disabled while this file is being read (opened). - - trace_pipe: - - The output is the same as the "trace" file but this - file is meant to be streamed with live tracing. - Reads from this file will block until new data is - retrieved. Unlike the "trace" file, this file is a - consumer. This means reading from this file causes - sequential reads to display more current data. Once - data is read from this file, it is consumed, and - will not be read again with a sequential read. The - "trace" file is static, and if the tracer is not - adding more data, it will display the same - information every time it is read. This file will not - disable tracing while being read. - - trace_options: - - This file lets the user control the amount of data - that is displayed in one of the above output - files. Options also exist to modify how a tracer - or events work (stack traces, timestamps, etc). - - options: - - This is a directory that has a file for every available - trace option (also in trace_options). Options may also be set - or cleared by writing a "1" or "0" respectively into the - corresponding file with the option name. - - tracing_max_latency: - - Some of the tracers record the max latency. - For example, the maximum time that interrupts are disabled. - The maximum time is saved in this file. The max trace will also be - stored, and displayed by "trace". A new max trace will only be - recorded if the latency is greater than the value in this file - (in microseconds). - - By echoing in a time into this file, no latency will be recorded - unless it is greater than the time in this file. - - tracing_thresh: - - Some latency tracers will record a trace whenever the - latency is greater than the number in this file. - Only active when the file contains a number greater than 0. - (in microseconds) - - buffer_size_kb: - - This sets or displays the number of kilobytes each CPU - buffer holds. By default, the trace buffers are the same size - for each CPU. The displayed number is the size of the - CPU buffer and not total size of all buffers. The - trace buffers are allocated in pages (blocks of memory - that the kernel uses for allocation, usually 4 KB in size). - If the last page allocated has room for more bytes - than requested, the rest of the page will be used, - making the actual allocation bigger than requested or shown. - ( Note, the size may not be a multiple of the page size - due to buffer management meta-data. ) - - Buffer sizes for individual CPUs may vary - (see "per_cpu/cpu0/buffer_size_kb" below), and if they do - this file will show "X". - - buffer_total_size_kb: - - This displays the total combined size of all the trace buffers. - - free_buffer: - - If a process is performing tracing, and the ring buffer should be - shrunk "freed" when the process is finished, even if it were to be - killed by a signal, this file can be used for that purpose. On close - of this file, the ring buffer will be resized to its minimum size. - Having a process that is tracing also open this file, when the process - exits its file descriptor for this file will be closed, and in doing so, - the ring buffer will be "freed". - - It may also stop tracing if disable_on_free option is set. - - tracing_cpumask: - - This is a mask that lets the user only trace on specified CPUs. - The format is a hex string representing the CPUs. - - set_ftrace_filter: - - When dynamic ftrace is configured in (see the - section below "dynamic ftrace"), the code is dynamically - modified (code text rewrite) to disable calling of the - function profiler (mcount). This lets tracing be configured - in with practically no overhead in performance. This also - has a side effect of enabling or disabling specific functions - to be traced. Echoing names of functions into this file - will limit the trace to only those functions. - - The functions listed in "available_filter_functions" are what - can be written into this file. - - This interface also allows for commands to be used. See the - "Filter commands" section for more details. - - set_ftrace_notrace: - - This has an effect opposite to that of - set_ftrace_filter. Any function that is added here will not - be traced. If a function exists in both set_ftrace_filter - and set_ftrace_notrace, the function will _not_ be traced. - - set_ftrace_pid: - - Have the function tracer only trace the threads whose PID are - listed in this file. - - If the "function-fork" option is set, then when a task whose - PID is listed in this file forks, the child's PID will - automatically be added to this file, and the child will be - traced by the function tracer as well. This option will also - cause PIDs of tasks that exit to be removed from the file. - - set_event_pid: - - Have the events only trace a task with a PID listed in this file. - Note, sched_switch and sched_wake_up will also trace events - listed in this file. - - To have the PIDs of children of tasks with their PID in this file - added on fork, enable the "event-fork" option. That option will also - cause the PIDs of tasks to be removed from this file when the task - exits. - - set_graph_function: - - Functions listed in this file will cause the function graph - tracer to only trace these functions and the functions that - they call. (See the section "dynamic ftrace" for more details). - - set_graph_notrace: - - Similar to set_graph_function, but will disable function graph - tracing when the function is hit until it exits the function. - This makes it possible to ignore tracing functions that are called - by a specific function. - - available_filter_functions: - - This lists the functions that ftrace has processed and can trace. - These are the function names that you can pass to - "set_ftrace_filter" or "set_ftrace_notrace". - (See the section "dynamic ftrace" below for more details.) - - dyn_ftrace_total_info: - - This file is for debugging purposes. The number of functions that - have been converted to nops and are available to be traced. - - enabled_functions: - - This file is more for debugging ftrace, but can also be useful - in seeing if any function has a callback attached to it. - Not only does the trace infrastructure use ftrace function - trace utility, but other subsystems might too. This file - displays all functions that have a callback attached to them - as well as the number of callbacks that have been attached. - Note, a callback may also call multiple functions which will - not be listed in this count. - - If the callback registered to be traced by a function with - the "save regs" attribute (thus even more overhead), a 'R' - will be displayed on the same line as the function that - is returning registers. - - If the callback registered to be traced by a function with - the "ip modify" attribute (thus the regs->ip can be changed), - an 'I' will be displayed on the same line as the function that - can be overridden. - - If the architecture supports it, it will also show what callback - is being directly called by the function. If the count is greater - than 1 it most likely will be ftrace_ops_list_func(). - - If the callback of the function jumps to a trampoline that is - specific to a the callback and not the standard trampoline, - its address will be printed as well as the function that the - trampoline calls. - - function_profile_enabled: - - When set it will enable all functions with either the function - tracer, or if configured, the function graph tracer. It will - keep a histogram of the number of functions that were called - and if the function graph tracer was configured, it will also keep - track of the time spent in those functions. The histogram - content can be displayed in the files: - - trace_stats/function<cpu> ( function0, function1, etc). - - trace_stats: - - A directory that holds different tracing stats. - - kprobe_events: - - Enable dynamic trace points. See kprobetrace.txt. - - kprobe_profile: - - Dynamic trace points stats. See kprobetrace.txt. - - max_graph_depth: - - Used with the function graph tracer. This is the max depth - it will trace into a function. Setting this to a value of - one will show only the first kernel function that is called - from user space. - - printk_formats: - - This is for tools that read the raw format files. If an event in - the ring buffer references a string, only a pointer to the string - is recorded into the buffer and not the string itself. This prevents - tools from knowing what that string was. This file displays the string - and address for the string allowing tools to map the pointers to what - the strings were. - - saved_cmdlines: - - Only the pid of the task is recorded in a trace event unless - the event specifically saves the task comm as well. Ftrace - makes a cache of pid mappings to comms to try to display - comms for events. If a pid for a comm is not listed, then - "<...>" is displayed in the output. - - If the option "record-cmd" is set to "0", then comms of tasks - will not be saved during recording. By default, it is enabled. - - saved_cmdlines_size: - - By default, 128 comms are saved (see "saved_cmdlines" above). To - increase or decrease the amount of comms that are cached, echo - in a the number of comms to cache, into this file. - - saved_tgids: - - If the option "record-tgid" is set, on each scheduling context switch - the Task Group ID of a task is saved in a table mapping the PID of - the thread to its TGID. By default, the "record-tgid" option is - disabled. - - snapshot: - - This displays the "snapshot" buffer and also lets the user - take a snapshot of the current running trace. - See the "Snapshot" section below for more details. - - stack_max_size: - - When the stack tracer is activated, this will display the - maximum stack size it has encountered. - See the "Stack Trace" section below. - - stack_trace: - - This displays the stack back trace of the largest stack - that was encountered when the stack tracer is activated. - See the "Stack Trace" section below. - - stack_trace_filter: - - This is similar to "set_ftrace_filter" but it limits what - functions the stack tracer will check. - - trace_clock: - - Whenever an event is recorded into the ring buffer, a - "timestamp" is added. This stamp comes from a specified - clock. By default, ftrace uses the "local" clock. This - clock is very fast and strictly per cpu, but on some - systems it may not be monotonic with respect to other - CPUs. In other words, the local clocks may not be in sync - with local clocks on other CPUs. - - Usual clocks for tracing: - - # cat trace_clock - [local] global counter x86-tsc - - The clock with the square brackets around it is the one - in effect. - - local: Default clock, but may not be in sync across CPUs - - global: This clock is in sync with all CPUs but may - be a bit slower than the local clock. - - counter: This is not a clock at all, but literally an atomic - counter. It counts up one by one, but is in sync - with all CPUs. This is useful when you need to - know exactly the order events occurred with respect to - each other on different CPUs. - - uptime: This uses the jiffies counter and the time stamp - is relative to the time since boot up. - - perf: This makes ftrace use the same clock that perf uses. - Eventually perf will be able to read ftrace buffers - and this will help out in interleaving the data. - - x86-tsc: Architectures may define their own clocks. For - example, x86 uses its own TSC cycle clock here. - - ppc-tb: This uses the powerpc timebase register value. - This is in sync across CPUs and can also be used - to correlate events across hypervisor/guest if - tb_offset is known. - - mono: This uses the fast monotonic clock (CLOCK_MONOTONIC) - which is monotonic and is subject to NTP rate adjustments. - - mono_raw: - This is the raw monotonic clock (CLOCK_MONOTONIC_RAW) - which is montonic but is not subject to any rate adjustments - and ticks at the same rate as the hardware clocksource. - - boot: This is the boot clock (CLOCK_BOOTTIME) and is based on the - fast monotonic clock, but also accounts for time spent in - suspend. Since the clock access is designed for use in - tracing in the suspend path, some side effects are possible - if clock is accessed after the suspend time is accounted before - the fast mono clock is updated. In this case, the clock update - appears to happen slightly sooner than it normally would have. - Also on 32-bit systems, it's possible that the 64-bit boot offset - sees a partial update. These effects are rare and post - processing should be able to handle them. See comments in the - ktime_get_boot_fast_ns() function for more information. - - To set a clock, simply echo the clock name into this file. - - echo global > trace_clock - - trace_marker: - - This is a very useful file for synchronizing user space - with events happening in the kernel. Writing strings into - this file will be written into the ftrace buffer. - - It is useful in applications to open this file at the start - of the application and just reference the file descriptor - for the file. - - void trace_write(const char *fmt, ...) - { - va_list ap; - char buf[256]; - int n; - - if (trace_fd < 0) - return; - - va_start(ap, fmt); - n = vsnprintf(buf, 256, fmt, ap); - va_end(ap); - - write(trace_fd, buf, n); - } - - start: - - trace_fd = open("trace_marker", WR_ONLY); - - trace_marker_raw: - - This is similar to trace_marker above, but is meant for for binary data - to be written to it, where a tool can be used to parse the data - from trace_pipe_raw. - - uprobe_events: - - Add dynamic tracepoints in programs. - See uprobetracer.txt - - uprobe_profile: - - Uprobe statistics. See uprobetrace.txt - - instances: - - This is a way to make multiple trace buffers where different - events can be recorded in different buffers. - See "Instances" section below. - - events: - - This is the trace event directory. It holds event tracepoints - (also known as static tracepoints) that have been compiled - into the kernel. It shows what event tracepoints exist - and how they are grouped by system. There are "enable" - files at various levels that can enable the tracepoints - when a "1" is written to them. - - See events.txt for more information. - - set_event: - - By echoing in the event into this file, will enable that event. - - See events.txt for more information. - - available_events: - - A list of events that can be enabled in tracing. - - See events.txt for more information. - - hwlat_detector: - - Directory for the Hardware Latency Detector. - See "Hardware Latency Detector" section below. - - per_cpu: - - This is a directory that contains the trace per_cpu information. - - per_cpu/cpu0/buffer_size_kb: - - The ftrace buffer is defined per_cpu. That is, there's a separate - buffer for each CPU to allow writes to be done atomically, - and free from cache bouncing. These buffers may have different - size buffers. This file is similar to the buffer_size_kb - file, but it only displays or sets the buffer size for the - specific CPU. (here cpu0). - - per_cpu/cpu0/trace: - - This is similar to the "trace" file, but it will only display - the data specific for the CPU. If written to, it only clears - the specific CPU buffer. - - per_cpu/cpu0/trace_pipe - - This is similar to the "trace_pipe" file, and is a consuming - read, but it will only display (and consume) the data specific - for the CPU. - - per_cpu/cpu0/trace_pipe_raw - - For tools that can parse the ftrace ring buffer binary format, - the trace_pipe_raw file can be used to extract the data - from the ring buffer directly. With the use of the splice() - system call, the buffer data can be quickly transferred to - a file or to the network where a server is collecting the - data. - - Like trace_pipe, this is a consuming reader, where multiple - reads will always produce different data. - - per_cpu/cpu0/snapshot: - - This is similar to the main "snapshot" file, but will only - snapshot the current CPU (if supported). It only displays - the content of the snapshot for a given CPU, and if - written to, only clears this CPU buffer. - - per_cpu/cpu0/snapshot_raw: - - Similar to the trace_pipe_raw, but will read the binary format - from the snapshot buffer for the given CPU. - - per_cpu/cpu0/stats: - - This displays certain stats about the ring buffer: - - entries: The number of events that are still in the buffer. - - overrun: The number of lost events due to overwriting when - the buffer was full. - - commit overrun: Should always be zero. - This gets set if so many events happened within a nested - event (ring buffer is re-entrant), that it fills the - buffer and starts dropping events. - - bytes: Bytes actually read (not overwritten). - - oldest event ts: The oldest timestamp in the buffer - - now ts: The current timestamp - - dropped events: Events lost due to overwrite option being off. - - read events: The number of events read. - -The Tracers ------------ - -Here is the list of current tracers that may be configured. - - "function" - - Function call tracer to trace all kernel functions. - - "function_graph" - - Similar to the function tracer except that the - function tracer probes the functions on their entry - whereas the function graph tracer traces on both entry - and exit of the functions. It then provides the ability - to draw a graph of function calls similar to C code - source. - - "blk" - - The block tracer. The tracer used by the blktrace user - application. - - "hwlat" - - The Hardware Latency tracer is used to detect if the hardware - produces any latency. See "Hardware Latency Detector" section - below. - - "irqsoff" - - Traces the areas that disable interrupts and saves - the trace with the longest max latency. - See tracing_max_latency. When a new max is recorded, - it replaces the old trace. It is best to view this - trace with the latency-format option enabled, which - happens automatically when the tracer is selected. - - "preemptoff" - - Similar to irqsoff but traces and records the amount of - time for which preemption is disabled. - - "preemptirqsoff" - - Similar to irqsoff and preemptoff, but traces and - records the largest time for which irqs and/or preemption - is disabled. - - "wakeup" - - Traces and records the max latency that it takes for - the highest priority task to get scheduled after - it has been woken up. - Traces all tasks as an average developer would expect. - - "wakeup_rt" - - Traces and records the max latency that it takes for just - RT tasks (as the current "wakeup" does). This is useful - for those interested in wake up timings of RT tasks. - - "wakeup_dl" - - Traces and records the max latency that it takes for - a SCHED_DEADLINE task to be woken (as the "wakeup" and - "wakeup_rt" does). - - "mmiotrace" - - A special tracer that is used to trace binary module. - It will trace all the calls that a module makes to the - hardware. Everything it writes and reads from the I/O - as well. - - "branch" - - This tracer can be configured when tracing likely/unlikely - calls within the kernel. It will trace when a likely and - unlikely branch is hit and if it was correct in its prediction - of being correct. - - "nop" - - This is the "trace nothing" tracer. To remove all - tracers from tracing simply echo "nop" into - current_tracer. - - -Examples of using the tracer ----------------------------- - -Here are typical examples of using the tracers when controlling -them only with the tracefs interface (without using any -user-land utilities). - -Output format: --------------- - -Here is an example of the output format of the file "trace" - - -------- -# tracer: function -# -# entries-in-buffer/entries-written: 140080/250280 #P:4 -# -# _-----=> irqs-off -# / _----=> need-resched -# | / _---=> hardirq/softirq -# || / _--=> preempt-depth -# ||| / delay -# TASK-PID CPU# |||| TIMESTAMP FUNCTION -# | | | |||| | | - bash-1977 [000] .... 17284.993652: sys_close <-system_call_fastpath - bash-1977 [000] .... 17284.993653: __close_fd <-sys_close - bash-1977 [000] .... 17284.993653: _raw_spin_lock <-__close_fd - sshd-1974 [003] .... 17284.993653: __srcu_read_unlock <-fsnotify - bash-1977 [000] .... 17284.993654: add_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_lock - bash-1977 [000] ...1 17284.993655: _raw_spin_unlock <-__close_fd - bash-1977 [000] ...1 17284.993656: sub_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_unlock - bash-1977 [000] .... 17284.993657: filp_close <-__close_fd - bash-1977 [000] .... 17284.993657: dnotify_flush <-filp_close - sshd-1974 [003] .... 17284.993658: sys_select <-system_call_fastpath - -------- - -A header is printed with the tracer name that is represented by -the trace. In this case the tracer is "function". Then it shows the -number of events in the buffer as well as the total number of entries -that were written. The difference is the number of entries that were -lost due to the buffer filling up (250280 - 140080 = 110200 events -lost). - -The header explains the content of the events. Task name "bash", the task -PID "1977", the CPU that it was running on "000", the latency format -(explained below), the timestamp in <secs>.<usecs> format, the -function name that was traced "sys_close" and the parent function that -called this function "system_call_fastpath". The timestamp is the time -at which the function was entered. - -Latency trace format --------------------- - -When the latency-format option is enabled or when one of the latency -tracers is set, the trace file gives somewhat more information to see -why a latency happened. Here is a typical trace. - -# tracer: irqsoff -# -# irqsoff latency trace v1.1.5 on 3.8.0-test+ -# -------------------------------------------------------------------- -# latency: 259 us, #4/4, CPU#2 | (M:preempt VP:0, KP:0, SP:0 HP:0 #P:4) -# ----------------- -# | task: ps-6143 (uid:0 nice:0 policy:0 rt_prio:0) -# ----------------- -# => started at: __lock_task_sighand -# => ended at: _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore -# -# -# _------=> CPU# -# / _-----=> irqs-off -# | / _----=> need-resched -# || / _---=> hardirq/softirq -# ||| / _--=> preempt-depth -# |||| / delay -# cmd pid ||||| time | caller -# \ / ||||| \ | / - ps-6143 2d... 0us!: trace_hardirqs_off <-__lock_task_sighand - ps-6143 2d..1 259us+: trace_hardirqs_on <-_raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore - ps-6143 2d..1 263us+: time_hardirqs_on <-_raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore - ps-6143 2d..1 306us : <stack trace> - => trace_hardirqs_on_caller - => trace_hardirqs_on - => _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore - => do_task_stat - => proc_tgid_stat - => proc_single_show - => seq_read - => vfs_read - => sys_read - => system_call_fastpath - - -This shows that the current tracer is "irqsoff" tracing the time -for which interrupts were disabled. It gives the trace version (which -never changes) and the version of the kernel upon which this was executed on -(3.8). Then it displays the max latency in microseconds (259 us). The number -of trace entries displayed and the total number (both are four: #4/4). -VP, KP, SP, and HP are always zero and are reserved for later use. -#P is the number of online CPUs (#P:4). - -The task is the process that was running when the latency -occurred. (ps pid: 6143). - -The start and stop (the functions in which the interrupts were -disabled and enabled respectively) that caused the latencies: - - __lock_task_sighand is where the interrupts were disabled. - _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore is where they were enabled again. - -The next lines after the header are the trace itself. The header -explains which is which. - - cmd: The name of the process in the trace. - - pid: The PID of that process. - - CPU#: The CPU which the process was running on. - - irqs-off: 'd' interrupts are disabled. '.' otherwise. - Note: If the architecture does not support a way to - read the irq flags variable, an 'X' will always - be printed here. - - need-resched: - 'N' both TIF_NEED_RESCHED and PREEMPT_NEED_RESCHED is set, - 'n' only TIF_NEED_RESCHED is set, - 'p' only PREEMPT_NEED_RESCHED is set, - '.' otherwise. - - hardirq/softirq: - 'Z' - NMI occurred inside a hardirq - 'z' - NMI is running - 'H' - hard irq occurred inside a softirq. - 'h' - hard irq is running - 's' - soft irq is running - '.' - normal context. - - preempt-depth: The level of preempt_disabled - -The above is mostly meaningful for kernel developers. - - time: When the latency-format option is enabled, the trace file - output includes a timestamp relative to the start of the - trace. This differs from the output when latency-format - is disabled, which includes an absolute timestamp. - - delay: This is just to help catch your eye a bit better. And - needs to be fixed to be only relative to the same CPU. - The marks are determined by the difference between this - current trace and the next trace. - '$' - greater than 1 second - '@' - greater than 100 milisecond - '*' - greater than 10 milisecond - '#' - greater than 1000 microsecond - '!' - greater than 100 microsecond - '+' - greater than 10 microsecond - ' ' - less than or equal to 10 microsecond. - - The rest is the same as the 'trace' file. - - Note, the latency tracers will usually end with a back trace - to easily find where the latency occurred. - -trace_options -------------- - -The trace_options file (or the options directory) is used to control -what gets printed in the trace output, or manipulate the tracers. -To see what is available, simply cat the file: - - cat trace_options -print-parent -nosym-offset -nosym-addr -noverbose -noraw -nohex -nobin -noblock -trace_printk -annotate -nouserstacktrace -nosym-userobj -noprintk-msg-only -context-info -nolatency-format -record-cmd -norecord-tgid -overwrite -nodisable_on_free -irq-info -markers -noevent-fork -function-trace -nofunction-fork -nodisplay-graph -nostacktrace -nobranch - -To disable one of the options, echo in the option prepended with -"no". - - echo noprint-parent > trace_options - -To enable an option, leave off the "no". - - echo sym-offset > trace_options - -Here are the available options: - - print-parent - On function traces, display the calling (parent) - function as well as the function being traced. - - print-parent: - bash-4000 [01] 1477.606694: simple_strtoul <-kstrtoul - - noprint-parent: - bash-4000 [01] 1477.606694: simple_strtoul - - - sym-offset - Display not only the function name, but also the - offset in the function. For example, instead of - seeing just "ktime_get", you will see - "ktime_get+0xb/0x20". - - sym-offset: - bash-4000 [01] 1477.606694: simple_strtoul+0x6/0xa0 - - sym-addr - this will also display the function address as well - as the function name. - - sym-addr: - bash-4000 [01] 1477.606694: simple_strtoul <c0339346> - - verbose - This deals with the trace file when the - latency-format option is enabled. - - bash 4000 1 0 00000000 00010a95 [58127d26] 1720.415ms \ - (+0.000ms): simple_strtoul (kstrtoul) - - raw - This will display raw numbers. This option is best for - use with user applications that can translate the raw - numbers better than having it done in the kernel. - - hex - Similar to raw, but the numbers will be in a hexadecimal - format. - - bin - This will print out the formats in raw binary. - - block - When set, reading trace_pipe will not block when polled. - - trace_printk - Can disable trace_printk() from writing into the buffer. - - annotate - It is sometimes confusing when the CPU buffers are full - and one CPU buffer had a lot of events recently, thus - a shorter time frame, were another CPU may have only had - a few events, which lets it have older events. When - the trace is reported, it shows the oldest events first, - and it may look like only one CPU ran (the one with the - oldest events). When the annotate option is set, it will - display when a new CPU buffer started: - - <idle>-0 [001] dNs4 21169.031481: wake_up_idle_cpu <-add_timer_on - <idle>-0 [001] dNs4 21169.031482: _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore <-add_timer_on - <idle>-0 [001] .Ns4 21169.031484: sub_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore -##### CPU 2 buffer started #### - <idle>-0 [002] .N.1 21169.031484: rcu_idle_exit <-cpu_idle - <idle>-0 [001] .Ns3 21169.031484: _raw_spin_unlock <-clocksource_watchdog - <idle>-0 [001] .Ns3 21169.031485: sub_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_unlock - - userstacktrace - This option changes the trace. It records a - stacktrace of the current user space thread after - each trace event. - - sym-userobj - when user stacktrace are enabled, look up which - object the address belongs to, and print a - relative address. This is especially useful when - ASLR is on, otherwise you don't get a chance to - resolve the address to object/file/line after - the app is no longer running - - The lookup is performed when you read - trace,trace_pipe. Example: - - a.out-1623 [000] 40874.465068: /root/a.out[+0x480] <-/root/a.out[+0 -x494] <- /root/a.out[+0x4a8] <- /lib/libc-2.7.so[+0x1e1a6] - - - printk-msg-only - When set, trace_printk()s will only show the format - and not their parameters (if trace_bprintk() or - trace_bputs() was used to save the trace_printk()). - - context-info - Show only the event data. Hides the comm, PID, - timestamp, CPU, and other useful data. - - latency-format - This option changes the trace output. When it is enabled, - the trace displays additional information about the - latency, as described in "Latency trace format". - - record-cmd - When any event or tracer is enabled, a hook is enabled - in the sched_switch trace point to fill comm cache - with mapped pids and comms. But this may cause some - overhead, and if you only care about pids, and not the - name of the task, disabling this option can lower the - impact of tracing. See "saved_cmdlines". - - record-tgid - When any event or tracer is enabled, a hook is enabled - in the sched_switch trace point to fill the cache of - mapped Thread Group IDs (TGID) mapping to pids. See - "saved_tgids". - - overwrite - This controls what happens when the trace buffer is - full. If "1" (default), the oldest events are - discarded and overwritten. If "0", then the newest - events are discarded. - (see per_cpu/cpu0/stats for overrun and dropped) - - disable_on_free - When the free_buffer is closed, tracing will - stop (tracing_on set to 0). - - irq-info - Shows the interrupt, preempt count, need resched data. - When disabled, the trace looks like: - -# tracer: function -# -# entries-in-buffer/entries-written: 144405/9452052 #P:4 -# -# TASK-PID CPU# TIMESTAMP FUNCTION -# | | | | | - <idle>-0 [002] 23636.756054: ttwu_do_activate.constprop.89 <-try_to_wake_up - <idle>-0 [002] 23636.756054: activate_task <-ttwu_do_activate.constprop.89 - <idle>-0 [002] 23636.756055: enqueue_task <-activate_task - - - markers - When set, the trace_marker is writable (only by root). - When disabled, the trace_marker will error with EINVAL - on write. - - event-fork - When set, tasks with PIDs listed in set_event_pid will have - the PIDs of their children added to set_event_pid when those - tasks fork. Also, when tasks with PIDs in set_event_pid exit, - their PIDs will be removed from the file. - - function-trace - The latency tracers will enable function tracing - if this option is enabled (default it is). When - it is disabled, the latency tracers do not trace - functions. This keeps the overhead of the tracer down - when performing latency tests. - - function-fork - When set, tasks with PIDs listed in set_ftrace_pid will - have the PIDs of their children added to set_ftrace_pid - when those tasks fork. Also, when tasks with PIDs in - set_ftrace_pid exit, their PIDs will be removed from the - file. - - display-graph - When set, the latency tracers (irqsoff, wakeup, etc) will - use function graph tracing instead of function tracing. - - stacktrace - When set, a stack trace is recorded after any trace event - is recorded. - - branch - Enable branch tracing with the tracer. This enables branch - tracer along with the currently set tracer. Enabling this - with the "nop" tracer is the same as just enabling the - "branch" tracer. - - Note: Some tracers have their own options. They only appear in this - file when the tracer is active. They always appear in the - options directory. - - -Here are the per tracer options: - -Options for function tracer: - - func_stack_trace - When set, a stack trace is recorded after every - function that is recorded. NOTE! Limit the functions - that are recorded before enabling this, with - "set_ftrace_filter" otherwise the system performance - will be critically degraded. Remember to disable - this option before clearing the function filter. - -Options for function_graph tracer: - - Since the function_graph tracer has a slightly different output - it has its own options to control what is displayed. - - funcgraph-overrun - When set, the "overrun" of the graph stack is - displayed after each function traced. The - overrun, is when the stack depth of the calls - is greater than what is reserved for each task. - Each task has a fixed array of functions to - trace in the call graph. If the depth of the - calls exceeds that, the function is not traced. - The overrun is the number of functions missed - due to exceeding this array. - - funcgraph-cpu - When set, the CPU number of the CPU where the trace - occurred is displayed. - - funcgraph-overhead - When set, if the function takes longer than - A certain amount, then a delay marker is - displayed. See "delay" above, under the - header description. - - funcgraph-proc - Unlike other tracers, the process' command line - is not displayed by default, but instead only - when a task is traced in and out during a context - switch. Enabling this options has the command - of each process displayed at every line. - - funcgraph-duration - At the end of each function (the return) - the duration of the amount of time in the - function is displayed in microseconds. - - funcgraph-abstime - When set, the timestamp is displayed at each - line. - - funcgraph-irqs - When disabled, functions that happen inside an - interrupt will not be traced. - - funcgraph-tail - When set, the return event will include the function - that it represents. By default this is off, and - only a closing curly bracket "}" is displayed for - the return of a function. - - sleep-time - When running function graph tracer, to include - the time a task schedules out in its function. - When enabled, it will account time the task has been - scheduled out as part of the function call. - - graph-time - When running function profiler with function graph tracer, - to include the time to call nested functions. When this is - not set, the time reported for the function will only - include the time the function itself executed for, not the - time for functions that it called. - -Options for blk tracer: - - blk_classic - Shows a more minimalistic output. - - -irqsoff -------- - -When interrupts are disabled, the CPU can not react to any other -external event (besides NMIs and SMIs). This prevents the timer -interrupt from triggering or the mouse interrupt from letting -the kernel know of a new mouse event. The result is a latency -with the reaction time. - -The irqsoff tracer tracks the time for which interrupts are -disabled. When a new maximum latency is hit, the tracer saves -the trace leading up to that latency point so that every time a -new maximum is reached, the old saved trace is discarded and the -new trace is saved. - -To reset the maximum, echo 0 into tracing_max_latency. Here is -an example: - - # echo 0 > options/function-trace - # echo irqsoff > current_tracer - # echo 1 > tracing_on - # echo 0 > tracing_max_latency - # ls -ltr - [...] - # echo 0 > tracing_on - # cat trace -# tracer: irqsoff -# -# irqsoff latency trace v1.1.5 on 3.8.0-test+ -# -------------------------------------------------------------------- -# latency: 16 us, #4/4, CPU#0 | (M:preempt VP:0, KP:0, SP:0 HP:0 #P:4) -# ----------------- -# | task: swapper/0-0 (uid:0 nice:0 policy:0 rt_prio:0) -# ----------------- -# => started at: run_timer_softirq -# => ended at: run_timer_softirq -# -# -# _------=> CPU# -# / _-----=> irqs-off -# | / _----=> need-resched -# || / _---=> hardirq/softirq -# ||| / _--=> preempt-depth -# |||| / delay -# cmd pid ||||| time | caller -# \ / ||||| \ | / - <idle>-0 0d.s2 0us+: _raw_spin_lock_irq <-run_timer_softirq - <idle>-0 0dNs3 17us : _raw_spin_unlock_irq <-run_timer_softirq - <idle>-0 0dNs3 17us+: trace_hardirqs_on <-run_timer_softirq - <idle>-0 0dNs3 25us : <stack trace> - => _raw_spin_unlock_irq - => run_timer_softirq - => __do_softirq - => call_softirq - => do_softirq - => irq_exit - => smp_apic_timer_interrupt - => apic_timer_interrupt - => rcu_idle_exit - => cpu_idle - => rest_init - => start_kernel - => x86_64_start_reservations - => x86_64_start_kernel - -Here we see that that we had a latency of 16 microseconds (which is -very good). The _raw_spin_lock_irq in run_timer_softirq disabled -interrupts. The difference between the 16 and the displayed -timestamp 25us occurred because the clock was incremented -between the time of recording the max latency and the time of -recording the function that had that latency. - -Note the above example had function-trace not set. If we set -function-trace, we get a much larger output: - - with echo 1 > options/function-trace - -# tracer: irqsoff -# -# irqsoff latency trace v1.1.5 on 3.8.0-test+ -# -------------------------------------------------------------------- -# latency: 71 us, #168/168, CPU#3 | (M:preempt VP:0, KP:0, SP:0 HP:0 #P:4) -# ----------------- -# | task: bash-2042 (uid:0 nice:0 policy:0 rt_prio:0) -# ----------------- -# => started at: ata_scsi_queuecmd -# => ended at: ata_scsi_queuecmd -# -# -# _------=> CPU# -# / _-----=> irqs-off -# | / _----=> need-resched -# || / _---=> hardirq/softirq -# ||| / _--=> preempt-depth -# |||| / delay -# cmd pid ||||| time | caller -# \ / ||||| \ | / - bash-2042 3d... 0us : _raw_spin_lock_irqsave <-ata_scsi_queuecmd - bash-2042 3d... 0us : add_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_lock_irqsave - bash-2042 3d..1 1us : ata_scsi_find_dev <-ata_scsi_queuecmd - bash-2042 3d..1 1us : __ata_scsi_find_dev <-ata_scsi_find_dev - bash-2042 3d..1 2us : ata_find_dev.part.14 <-__ata_scsi_find_dev - bash-2042 3d..1 2us : ata_qc_new_init <-__ata_scsi_queuecmd - bash-2042 3d..1 3us : ata_sg_init <-__ata_scsi_queuecmd - bash-2042 3d..1 4us : ata_scsi_rw_xlat <-__ata_scsi_queuecmd - bash-2042 3d..1 4us : ata_build_rw_tf <-ata_scsi_rw_xlat -[...] - bash-2042 3d..1 67us : delay_tsc <-__delay - bash-2042 3d..1 67us : add_preempt_count <-delay_tsc - bash-2042 3d..2 67us : sub_preempt_count <-delay_tsc - bash-2042 3d..1 67us : add_preempt_count <-delay_tsc - bash-2042 3d..2 68us : sub_preempt_count <-delay_tsc - bash-2042 3d..1 68us+: ata_bmdma_start <-ata_bmdma_qc_issue - bash-2042 3d..1 71us : _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore <-ata_scsi_queuecmd - bash-2042 3d..1 71us : _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore <-ata_scsi_queuecmd - bash-2042 3d..1 72us+: trace_hardirqs_on <-ata_scsi_queuecmd - bash-2042 3d..1 120us : <stack trace> - => _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore - => ata_scsi_queuecmd - => scsi_dispatch_cmd - => scsi_request_fn - => __blk_run_queue_uncond - => __blk_run_queue - => blk_queue_bio - => generic_make_request - => submit_bio - => submit_bh - => __ext3_get_inode_loc - => ext3_iget - => ext3_lookup - => lookup_real - => __lookup_hash - => walk_component - => lookup_last - => path_lookupat - => filename_lookup - => user_path_at_empty - => user_path_at - => vfs_fstatat - => vfs_stat - => sys_newstat - => system_call_fastpath - - -Here we traced a 71 microsecond latency. But we also see all the -functions that were called during that time. Note that by -enabling function tracing, we incur an added overhead. This -overhead may extend the latency times. But nevertheless, this -trace has provided some very helpful debugging information. - - -preemptoff ----------- - -When preemption is disabled, we may be able to receive -interrupts but the task cannot be preempted and a higher -priority task must wait for preemption to be enabled again -before it can preempt a lower priority task. - -The preemptoff tracer traces the places that disable preemption. -Like the irqsoff tracer, it records the maximum latency for -which preemption was disabled. The control of preemptoff tracer -is much like the irqsoff tracer. - - # echo 0 > options/function-trace - # echo preemptoff > current_tracer - # echo 1 > tracing_on - # echo 0 > tracing_max_latency - # ls -ltr - [...] - # echo 0 > tracing_on - # cat trace -# tracer: preemptoff -# -# preemptoff latency trace v1.1.5 on 3.8.0-test+ -# -------------------------------------------------------------------- -# latency: 46 us, #4/4, CPU#1 | (M:preempt VP:0, KP:0, SP:0 HP:0 #P:4) -# ----------------- -# | task: sshd-1991 (uid:0 nice:0 policy:0 rt_prio:0) -# ----------------- -# => started at: do_IRQ -# => ended at: do_IRQ -# -# -# _------=> CPU# -# / _-----=> irqs-off -# | / _----=> need-resched -# || / _---=> hardirq/softirq -# ||| / _--=> preempt-depth -# |||| / delay -# cmd pid ||||| time | caller -# \ / ||||| \ | / - sshd-1991 1d.h. 0us+: irq_enter <-do_IRQ - sshd-1991 1d..1 46us : irq_exit <-do_IRQ - sshd-1991 1d..1 47us+: trace_preempt_on <-do_IRQ - sshd-1991 1d..1 52us : <stack trace> - => sub_preempt_count - => irq_exit - => do_IRQ - => ret_from_intr - - -This has some more changes. Preemption was disabled when an -interrupt came in (notice the 'h'), and was enabled on exit. -But we also see that interrupts have been disabled when entering -the preempt off section and leaving it (the 'd'). We do not know if -interrupts were enabled in the mean time or shortly after this -was over. - -# tracer: preemptoff -# -# preemptoff latency trace v1.1.5 on 3.8.0-test+ -# -------------------------------------------------------------------- -# latency: 83 us, #241/241, CPU#1 | (M:preempt VP:0, KP:0, SP:0 HP:0 #P:4) -# ----------------- -# | task: bash-1994 (uid:0 nice:0 policy:0 rt_prio:0) -# ----------------- -# => started at: wake_up_new_task -# => ended at: task_rq_unlock -# -# -# _------=> CPU# -# / _-----=> irqs-off -# | / _----=> need-resched -# || / _---=> hardirq/softirq -# ||| / _--=> preempt-depth -# |||| / delay -# cmd pid ||||| time | caller -# \ / ||||| \ | / - bash-1994 1d..1 0us : _raw_spin_lock_irqsave <-wake_up_new_task - bash-1994 1d..1 0us : select_task_rq_fair <-select_task_rq - bash-1994 1d..1 1us : __rcu_read_lock <-select_task_rq_fair - bash-1994 1d..1 1us : source_load <-select_task_rq_fair - bash-1994 1d..1 1us : source_load <-select_task_rq_fair -[...] - bash-1994 1d..1 12us : irq_enter <-smp_apic_timer_interrupt - bash-1994 1d..1 12us : rcu_irq_enter <-irq_enter - bash-1994 1d..1 13us : add_preempt_count <-irq_enter - bash-1994 1d.h1 13us : exit_idle <-smp_apic_timer_interrupt - bash-1994 1d.h1 13us : hrtimer_interrupt <-smp_apic_timer_interrupt - bash-1994 1d.h1 13us : _raw_spin_lock <-hrtimer_interrupt - bash-1994 1d.h1 14us : add_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_lock - bash-1994 1d.h2 14us : ktime_get_update_offsets <-hrtimer_interrupt -[...] - bash-1994 1d.h1 35us : lapic_next_event <-clockevents_program_event - bash-1994 1d.h1 35us : irq_exit <-smp_apic_timer_interrupt - bash-1994 1d.h1 36us : sub_preempt_count <-irq_exit - bash-1994 1d..2 36us : do_softirq <-irq_exit - bash-1994 1d..2 36us : __do_softirq <-call_softirq - bash-1994 1d..2 36us : __local_bh_disable <-__do_softirq - bash-1994 1d.s2 37us : add_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_lock_irq - bash-1994 1d.s3 38us : _raw_spin_unlock <-run_timer_softirq - bash-1994 1d.s3 39us : sub_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_unlock - bash-1994 1d.s2 39us : call_timer_fn <-run_timer_softirq -[...] - bash-1994 1dNs2 81us : cpu_needs_another_gp <-rcu_process_callbacks - bash-1994 1dNs2 82us : __local_bh_enable <-__do_softirq - bash-1994 1dNs2 82us : sub_preempt_count <-__local_bh_enable - bash-1994 1dN.2 82us : idle_cpu <-irq_exit - bash-1994 1dN.2 83us : rcu_irq_exit <-irq_exit - bash-1994 1dN.2 83us : sub_preempt_count <-irq_exit - bash-1994 1.N.1 84us : _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore <-task_rq_unlock - bash-1994 1.N.1 84us+: trace_preempt_on <-task_rq_unlock - bash-1994 1.N.1 104us : <stack trace> - => sub_preempt_count - => _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore - => task_rq_unlock - => wake_up_new_task - => do_fork - => sys_clone - => stub_clone - - -The above is an example of the preemptoff trace with -function-trace set. Here we see that interrupts were not disabled -the entire time. The irq_enter code lets us know that we entered -an interrupt 'h'. Before that, the functions being traced still -show that it is not in an interrupt, but we can see from the -functions themselves that this is not the case. - -preemptirqsoff --------------- - -Knowing the locations that have interrupts disabled or -preemption disabled for the longest times is helpful. But -sometimes we would like to know when either preemption and/or -interrupts are disabled. - -Consider the following code: - - local_irq_disable(); - call_function_with_irqs_off(); - preempt_disable(); - call_function_with_irqs_and_preemption_off(); - local_irq_enable(); - call_function_with_preemption_off(); - preempt_enable(); - -The irqsoff tracer will record the total length of -call_function_with_irqs_off() and -call_function_with_irqs_and_preemption_off(). - -The preemptoff tracer will record the total length of -call_function_with_irqs_and_preemption_off() and -call_function_with_preemption_off(). - -But neither will trace the time that interrupts and/or -preemption is disabled. This total time is the time that we can -not schedule. To record this time, use the preemptirqsoff -tracer. - -Again, using this trace is much like the irqsoff and preemptoff -tracers. - - # echo 0 > options/function-trace - # echo preemptirqsoff > current_tracer - # echo 1 > tracing_on - # echo 0 > tracing_max_latency - # ls -ltr - [...] - # echo 0 > tracing_on - # cat trace -# tracer: preemptirqsoff -# -# preemptirqsoff latency trace v1.1.5 on 3.8.0-test+ -# -------------------------------------------------------------------- -# latency: 100 us, #4/4, CPU#3 | (M:preempt VP:0, KP:0, SP:0 HP:0 #P:4) -# ----------------- -# | task: ls-2230 (uid:0 nice:0 policy:0 rt_prio:0) -# ----------------- -# => started at: ata_scsi_queuecmd -# => ended at: ata_scsi_queuecmd -# -# -# _------=> CPU# -# / _-----=> irqs-off -# | / _----=> need-resched -# || / _---=> hardirq/softirq -# ||| / _--=> preempt-depth -# |||| / delay -# cmd pid ||||| time | caller -# \ / ||||| \ | / - ls-2230 3d... 0us+: _raw_spin_lock_irqsave <-ata_scsi_queuecmd - ls-2230 3...1 100us : _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore <-ata_scsi_queuecmd - ls-2230 3...1 101us+: trace_preempt_on <-ata_scsi_queuecmd - ls-2230 3...1 111us : <stack trace> - => sub_preempt_count - => _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore - => ata_scsi_queuecmd - => scsi_dispatch_cmd - => scsi_request_fn - => __blk_run_queue_uncond - => __blk_run_queue - => blk_queue_bio - => generic_make_request - => submit_bio - => submit_bh - => ext3_bread - => ext3_dir_bread - => htree_dirblock_to_tree - => ext3_htree_fill_tree - => ext3_readdir - => vfs_readdir - => sys_getdents - => system_call_fastpath - - -The trace_hardirqs_off_thunk is called from assembly on x86 when -interrupts are disabled in the assembly code. Without the -function tracing, we do not know if interrupts were enabled -within the preemption points. We do see that it started with -preemption enabled. - -Here is a trace with function-trace set: - -# tracer: preemptirqsoff -# -# preemptirqsoff latency trace v1.1.5 on 3.8.0-test+ -# -------------------------------------------------------------------- -# latency: 161 us, #339/339, CPU#3 | (M:preempt VP:0, KP:0, SP:0 HP:0 #P:4) -# ----------------- -# | task: ls-2269 (uid:0 nice:0 policy:0 rt_prio:0) -# ----------------- -# => started at: schedule -# => ended at: mutex_unlock -# -# -# _------=> CPU# -# / _-----=> irqs-off -# | / _----=> need-resched -# || / _---=> hardirq/softirq -# ||| / _--=> preempt-depth -# |||| / delay -# cmd pid ||||| time | caller -# \ / ||||| \ | / -kworker/-59 3...1 0us : __schedule <-schedule -kworker/-59 3d..1 0us : rcu_preempt_qs <-rcu_note_context_switch -kworker/-59 3d..1 1us : add_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_lock_irq -kworker/-59 3d..2 1us : deactivate_task <-__schedule -kworker/-59 3d..2 1us : dequeue_task <-deactivate_task -kworker/-59 3d..2 2us : update_rq_clock <-dequeue_task -kworker/-59 3d..2 2us : dequeue_task_fair <-dequeue_task -kworker/-59 3d..2 2us : update_curr <-dequeue_task_fair -kworker/-59 3d..2 2us : update_min_vruntime <-update_curr -kworker/-59 3d..2 3us : cpuacct_charge <-update_curr -kworker/-59 3d..2 3us : __rcu_read_lock <-cpuacct_charge -kworker/-59 3d..2 3us : __rcu_read_unlock <-cpuacct_charge -kworker/-59 3d..2 3us : update_cfs_rq_blocked_load <-dequeue_task_fair -kworker/-59 3d..2 4us : clear_buddies <-dequeue_task_fair -kworker/-59 3d..2 4us : account_entity_dequeue <-dequeue_task_fair -kworker/-59 3d..2 4us : update_min_vruntime <-dequeue_task_fair -kworker/-59 3d..2 4us : update_cfs_shares <-dequeue_task_fair -kworker/-59 3d..2 5us : hrtick_update <-dequeue_task_fair -kworker/-59 3d..2 5us : wq_worker_sleeping <-__schedule -kworker/-59 3d..2 5us : kthread_data <-wq_worker_sleeping -kworker/-59 3d..2 5us : put_prev_task_fair <-__schedule -kworker/-59 3d..2 6us : pick_next_task_fair <-pick_next_task -kworker/-59 3d..2 6us : clear_buddies <-pick_next_task_fair -kworker/-59 3d..2 6us : set_next_entity <-pick_next_task_fair -kworker/-59 3d..2 6us : update_stats_wait_end <-set_next_entity - ls-2269 3d..2 7us : finish_task_switch <-__schedule - ls-2269 3d..2 7us : _raw_spin_unlock_irq <-finish_task_switch - ls-2269 3d..2 8us : do_IRQ <-ret_from_intr - ls-2269 3d..2 8us : irq_enter <-do_IRQ - ls-2269 3d..2 8us : rcu_irq_enter <-irq_enter - ls-2269 3d..2 9us : add_preempt_count <-irq_enter - ls-2269 3d.h2 9us : exit_idle <-do_IRQ -[...] - ls-2269 3d.h3 20us : sub_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_unlock - ls-2269 3d.h2 20us : irq_exit <-do_IRQ - ls-2269 3d.h2 21us : sub_preempt_count <-irq_exit - ls-2269 3d..3 21us : do_softirq <-irq_exit - ls-2269 3d..3 21us : __do_softirq <-call_softirq - ls-2269 3d..3 21us+: __local_bh_disable <-__do_softirq - ls-2269 3d.s4 29us : sub_preempt_count <-_local_bh_enable_ip - ls-2269 3d.s5 29us : sub_preempt_count <-_local_bh_enable_ip - ls-2269 3d.s5 31us : do_IRQ <-ret_from_intr - ls-2269 3d.s5 31us : irq_enter <-do_IRQ - ls-2269 3d.s5 31us : rcu_irq_enter <-irq_enter -[...] - ls-2269 3d.s5 31us : rcu_irq_enter <-irq_enter - ls-2269 3d.s5 32us : add_preempt_count <-irq_enter - ls-2269 3d.H5 32us : exit_idle <-do_IRQ - ls-2269 3d.H5 32us : handle_irq <-do_IRQ - ls-2269 3d.H5 32us : irq_to_desc <-handle_irq - ls-2269 3d.H5 33us : handle_fasteoi_irq <-handle_irq -[...] - ls-2269 3d.s5 158us : _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore <-rtl8139_poll - ls-2269 3d.s3 158us : net_rps_action_and_irq_enable.isra.65 <-net_rx_action - ls-2269 3d.s3 159us : __local_bh_enable <-__do_softirq - ls-2269 3d.s3 159us : sub_preempt_count <-__local_bh_enable - ls-2269 3d..3 159us : idle_cpu <-irq_exit - ls-2269 3d..3 159us : rcu_irq_exit <-irq_exit - ls-2269 3d..3 160us : sub_preempt_count <-irq_exit - ls-2269 3d... 161us : __mutex_unlock_slowpath <-mutex_unlock - ls-2269 3d... 162us+: trace_hardirqs_on <-mutex_unlock - ls-2269 3d... 186us : <stack trace> - => __mutex_unlock_slowpath - => mutex_unlock - => process_output - => n_tty_write - => tty_write - => vfs_write - => sys_write - => system_call_fastpath - -This is an interesting trace. It started with kworker running and -scheduling out and ls taking over. But as soon as ls released the -rq lock and enabled interrupts (but not preemption) an interrupt -triggered. When the interrupt finished, it started running softirqs. -But while the softirq was running, another interrupt triggered. -When an interrupt is running inside a softirq, the annotation is 'H'. - - -wakeup ------- - -One common case that people are interested in tracing is the -time it takes for a task that is woken to actually wake up. -Now for non Real-Time tasks, this can be arbitrary. But tracing -it none the less can be interesting. - -Without function tracing: - - # echo 0 > options/function-trace - # echo wakeup > current_tracer - # echo 1 > tracing_on - # echo 0 > tracing_max_latency - # chrt -f 5 sleep 1 - # echo 0 > tracing_on - # cat trace -# tracer: wakeup -# -# wakeup latency trace v1.1.5 on 3.8.0-test+ -# -------------------------------------------------------------------- -# latency: 15 us, #4/4, CPU#3 | (M:preempt VP:0, KP:0, SP:0 HP:0 #P:4) -# ----------------- -# | task: kworker/3:1H-312 (uid:0 nice:-20 policy:0 rt_prio:0) -# ----------------- -# -# _------=> CPU# -# / _-----=> irqs-off -# | / _----=> need-resched -# || / _---=> hardirq/softirq -# ||| / _--=> preempt-depth -# |||| / delay -# cmd pid ||||| time | caller -# \ / ||||| \ | / - <idle>-0 3dNs7 0us : 0:120:R + [003] 312:100:R kworker/3:1H - <idle>-0 3dNs7 1us+: ttwu_do_activate.constprop.87 <-try_to_wake_up - <idle>-0 3d..3 15us : __schedule <-schedule - <idle>-0 3d..3 15us : 0:120:R ==> [003] 312:100:R kworker/3:1H - -The tracer only traces the highest priority task in the system -to avoid tracing the normal circumstances. Here we see that -the kworker with a nice priority of -20 (not very nice), took -just 15 microseconds from the time it woke up, to the time it -ran. - -Non Real-Time tasks are not that interesting. A more interesting -trace is to concentrate only on Real-Time tasks. - -wakeup_rt ---------- - -In a Real-Time environment it is very important to know the -wakeup time it takes for the highest priority task that is woken -up to the time that it executes. This is also known as "schedule -latency". I stress the point that this is about RT tasks. It is -also important to know the scheduling latency of non-RT tasks, -but the average schedule latency is better for non-RT tasks. -Tools like LatencyTop are more appropriate for such -measurements. - -Real-Time environments are interested in the worst case latency. -That is the longest latency it takes for something to happen, -and not the average. We can have a very fast scheduler that may -only have a large latency once in a while, but that would not -work well with Real-Time tasks. The wakeup_rt tracer was designed -to record the worst case wakeups of RT tasks. Non-RT tasks are -not recorded because the tracer only records one worst case and -tracing non-RT tasks that are unpredictable will overwrite the -worst case latency of RT tasks (just run the normal wakeup -tracer for a while to see that effect). - -Since this tracer only deals with RT tasks, we will run this -slightly differently than we did with the previous tracers. -Instead of performing an 'ls', we will run 'sleep 1' under -'chrt' which changes the priority of the task. - - # echo 0 > options/function-trace - # echo wakeup_rt > current_tracer - # echo 1 > tracing_on - # echo 0 > tracing_max_latency - # chrt -f 5 sleep 1 - # echo 0 > tracing_on - # cat trace -# tracer: wakeup -# -# tracer: wakeup_rt -# -# wakeup_rt latency trace v1.1.5 on 3.8.0-test+ -# -------------------------------------------------------------------- -# latency: 5 us, #4/4, CPU#3 | (M:preempt VP:0, KP:0, SP:0 HP:0 #P:4) -# ----------------- -# | task: sleep-2389 (uid:0 nice:0 policy:1 rt_prio:5) -# ----------------- -# -# _------=> CPU# -# / _-----=> irqs-off -# | / _----=> need-resched -# || / _---=> hardirq/softirq -# ||| / _--=> preempt-depth -# |||| / delay -# cmd pid ||||| time | caller -# \ / ||||| \ | / - <idle>-0 3d.h4 0us : 0:120:R + [003] 2389: 94:R sleep - <idle>-0 3d.h4 1us+: ttwu_do_activate.constprop.87 <-try_to_wake_up - <idle>-0 3d..3 5us : __schedule <-schedule - <idle>-0 3d..3 5us : 0:120:R ==> [003] 2389: 94:R sleep - - -Running this on an idle system, we see that it only took 5 microseconds -to perform the task switch. Note, since the trace point in the schedule -is before the actual "switch", we stop the tracing when the recorded task -is about to schedule in. This may change if we add a new marker at the -end of the scheduler. - -Notice that the recorded task is 'sleep' with the PID of 2389 -and it has an rt_prio of 5. This priority is user-space priority -and not the internal kernel priority. The policy is 1 for -SCHED_FIFO and 2 for SCHED_RR. - -Note, that the trace data shows the internal priority (99 - rtprio). - - <idle>-0 3d..3 5us : 0:120:R ==> [003] 2389: 94:R sleep - -The 0:120:R means idle was running with a nice priority of 0 (120 - 120) -and in the running state 'R'. The sleep task was scheduled in with -2389: 94:R. That is the priority is the kernel rtprio (99 - 5 = 94) -and it too is in the running state. - -Doing the same with chrt -r 5 and function-trace set. - - echo 1 > options/function-trace - -# tracer: wakeup_rt -# -# wakeup_rt latency trace v1.1.5 on 3.8.0-test+ -# -------------------------------------------------------------------- -# latency: 29 us, #85/85, CPU#3 | (M:preempt VP:0, KP:0, SP:0 HP:0 #P:4) -# ----------------- -# | task: sleep-2448 (uid:0 nice:0 policy:1 rt_prio:5) -# ----------------- -# -# _------=> CPU# -# / _-----=> irqs-off -# | / _----=> need-resched -# || / _---=> hardirq/softirq -# ||| / _--=> preempt-depth -# |||| / delay -# cmd pid ||||| time | caller -# \ / ||||| \ | / - <idle>-0 3d.h4 1us+: 0:120:R + [003] 2448: 94:R sleep - <idle>-0 3d.h4 2us : ttwu_do_activate.constprop.87 <-try_to_wake_up - <idle>-0 3d.h3 3us : check_preempt_curr <-ttwu_do_wakeup - <idle>-0 3d.h3 3us : resched_curr <-check_preempt_curr - <idle>-0 3dNh3 4us : task_woken_rt <-ttwu_do_wakeup - <idle>-0 3dNh3 4us : _raw_spin_unlock <-try_to_wake_up - <idle>-0 3dNh3 4us : sub_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_unlock - <idle>-0 3dNh2 5us : ttwu_stat <-try_to_wake_up - <idle>-0 3dNh2 5us : _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore <-try_to_wake_up - <idle>-0 3dNh2 6us : sub_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore - <idle>-0 3dNh1 6us : _raw_spin_lock <-__run_hrtimer - <idle>-0 3dNh1 6us : add_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_lock - <idle>-0 3dNh2 7us : _raw_spin_unlock <-hrtimer_interrupt - <idle>-0 3dNh2 7us : sub_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_unlock - <idle>-0 3dNh1 7us : tick_program_event <-hrtimer_interrupt - <idle>-0 3dNh1 7us : clockevents_program_event <-tick_program_event - <idle>-0 3dNh1 8us : ktime_get <-clockevents_program_event - <idle>-0 3dNh1 8us : lapic_next_event <-clockevents_program_event - <idle>-0 3dNh1 8us : irq_exit <-smp_apic_timer_interrupt - <idle>-0 3dNh1 9us : sub_preempt_count <-irq_exit - <idle>-0 3dN.2 9us : idle_cpu <-irq_exit - <idle>-0 3dN.2 9us : rcu_irq_exit <-irq_exit - <idle>-0 3dN.2 10us : rcu_eqs_enter_common.isra.45 <-rcu_irq_exit - <idle>-0 3dN.2 10us : sub_preempt_count <-irq_exit - <idle>-0 3.N.1 11us : rcu_idle_exit <-cpu_idle - <idle>-0 3dN.1 11us : rcu_eqs_exit_common.isra.43 <-rcu_idle_exit - <idle>-0 3.N.1 11us : tick_nohz_idle_exit <-cpu_idle - <idle>-0 3dN.1 12us : menu_hrtimer_cancel <-tick_nohz_idle_exit - <idle>-0 3dN.1 12us : ktime_get <-tick_nohz_idle_exit - <idle>-0 3dN.1 12us : tick_do_update_jiffies64 <-tick_nohz_idle_exit - <idle>-0 3dN.1 13us : cpu_load_update_nohz <-tick_nohz_idle_exit - <idle>-0 3dN.1 13us : _raw_spin_lock <-cpu_load_update_nohz - <idle>-0 3dN.1 13us : add_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_lock - <idle>-0 3dN.2 13us : __cpu_load_update <-cpu_load_update_nohz - <idle>-0 3dN.2 14us : sched_avg_update <-__cpu_load_update - <idle>-0 3dN.2 14us : _raw_spin_unlock <-cpu_load_update_nohz - <idle>-0 3dN.2 14us : sub_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_unlock - <idle>-0 3dN.1 15us : calc_load_nohz_stop <-tick_nohz_idle_exit - <idle>-0 3dN.1 15us : touch_softlockup_watchdog <-tick_nohz_idle_exit - <idle>-0 3dN.1 15us : hrtimer_cancel <-tick_nohz_idle_exit - <idle>-0 3dN.1 15us : hrtimer_try_to_cancel <-hrtimer_cancel - <idle>-0 3dN.1 16us : lock_hrtimer_base.isra.18 <-hrtimer_try_to_cancel - <idle>-0 3dN.1 16us : _raw_spin_lock_irqsave <-lock_hrtimer_base.isra.18 - <idle>-0 3dN.1 16us : add_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_lock_irqsave - <idle>-0 3dN.2 17us : __remove_hrtimer <-remove_hrtimer.part.16 - <idle>-0 3dN.2 17us : hrtimer_force_reprogram <-__remove_hrtimer - <idle>-0 3dN.2 17us : tick_program_event <-hrtimer_force_reprogram - <idle>-0 3dN.2 18us : clockevents_program_event <-tick_program_event - <idle>-0 3dN.2 18us : ktime_get <-clockevents_program_event - <idle>-0 3dN.2 18us : lapic_next_event <-clockevents_program_event - <idle>-0 3dN.2 19us : _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore <-hrtimer_try_to_cancel - <idle>-0 3dN.2 19us : sub_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore - <idle>-0 3dN.1 19us : hrtimer_forward <-tick_nohz_idle_exit - <idle>-0 3dN.1 20us : ktime_add_safe <-hrtimer_forward - <idle>-0 3dN.1 20us : ktime_add_safe <-hrtimer_forward - <idle>-0 3dN.1 20us : hrtimer_start_range_ns <-hrtimer_start_expires.constprop.11 - <idle>-0 3dN.1 20us : __hrtimer_start_range_ns <-hrtimer_start_range_ns - <idle>-0 3dN.1 21us : lock_hrtimer_base.isra.18 <-__hrtimer_start_range_ns - <idle>-0 3dN.1 21us : _raw_spin_lock_irqsave <-lock_hrtimer_base.isra.18 - <idle>-0 3dN.1 21us : add_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_lock_irqsave - <idle>-0 3dN.2 22us : ktime_add_safe <-__hrtimer_start_range_ns - <idle>-0 3dN.2 22us : enqueue_hrtimer <-__hrtimer_start_range_ns - <idle>-0 3dN.2 22us : tick_program_event <-__hrtimer_start_range_ns - <idle>-0 3dN.2 23us : clockevents_program_event <-tick_program_event - <idle>-0 3dN.2 23us : ktime_get <-clockevents_program_event - <idle>-0 3dN.2 23us : lapic_next_event <-clockevents_program_event - <idle>-0 3dN.2 24us : _raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore <-__hrtimer_start_range_ns - <idle>-0 3dN.2 24us : sub_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore - <idle>-0 3dN.1 24us : account_idle_ticks <-tick_nohz_idle_exit - <idle>-0 3dN.1 24us : account_idle_time <-account_idle_ticks - <idle>-0 3.N.1 25us : sub_preempt_count <-cpu_idle - <idle>-0 3.N.. 25us : schedule <-cpu_idle - <idle>-0 3.N.. 25us : __schedule <-preempt_schedule - <idle>-0 3.N.. 26us : add_preempt_count <-__schedule - <idle>-0 3.N.1 26us : rcu_note_context_switch <-__schedule - <idle>-0 3.N.1 26us : rcu_sched_qs <-rcu_note_context_switch - <idle>-0 3dN.1 27us : rcu_preempt_qs <-rcu_note_context_switch - <idle>-0 3.N.1 27us : _raw_spin_lock_irq <-__schedule - <idle>-0 3dN.1 27us : add_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_lock_irq - <idle>-0 3dN.2 28us : put_prev_task_idle <-__schedule - <idle>-0 3dN.2 28us : pick_next_task_stop <-pick_next_task - <idle>-0 3dN.2 28us : pick_next_task_rt <-pick_next_task - <idle>-0 3dN.2 29us : dequeue_pushable_task <-pick_next_task_rt - <idle>-0 3d..3 29us : __schedule <-preempt_schedule - <idle>-0 3d..3 30us : 0:120:R ==> [003] 2448: 94:R sleep - -This isn't that big of a trace, even with function tracing enabled, -so I included the entire trace. - -The interrupt went off while when the system was idle. Somewhere -before task_woken_rt() was called, the NEED_RESCHED flag was set, -this is indicated by the first occurrence of the 'N' flag. - -Latency tracing and events --------------------------- -As function tracing can induce a much larger latency, but without -seeing what happens within the latency it is hard to know what -caused it. There is a middle ground, and that is with enabling -events. - - # echo 0 > options/function-trace - # echo wakeup_rt > current_tracer - # echo 1 > events/enable - # echo 1 > tracing_on - # echo 0 > tracing_max_latency - # chrt -f 5 sleep 1 - # echo 0 > tracing_on - # cat trace -# tracer: wakeup_rt -# -# wakeup_rt latency trace v1.1.5 on 3.8.0-test+ -# -------------------------------------------------------------------- -# latency: 6 us, #12/12, CPU#2 | (M:preempt VP:0, KP:0, SP:0 HP:0 #P:4) -# ----------------- -# | task: sleep-5882 (uid:0 nice:0 policy:1 rt_prio:5) -# ----------------- -# -# _------=> CPU# -# / _-----=> irqs-off -# | / _----=> need-resched -# || / _---=> hardirq/softirq -# ||| / _--=> preempt-depth -# |||| / delay -# cmd pid ||||| time | caller -# \ / ||||| \ | / - <idle>-0 2d.h4 0us : 0:120:R + [002] 5882: 94:R sleep - <idle>-0 2d.h4 0us : ttwu_do_activate.constprop.87 <-try_to_wake_up - <idle>-0 2d.h4 1us : sched_wakeup: comm=sleep pid=5882 prio=94 success=1 target_cpu=002 - <idle>-0 2dNh2 1us : hrtimer_expire_exit: hrtimer=ffff88007796feb8 - <idle>-0 2.N.2 2us : power_end: cpu_id=2 - <idle>-0 2.N.2 3us : cpu_idle: state=4294967295 cpu_id=2 - <idle>-0 2dN.3 4us : hrtimer_cancel: hrtimer=ffff88007d50d5e0 - <idle>-0 2dN.3 4us : hrtimer_start: hrtimer=ffff88007d50d5e0 function=tick_sched_timer expires=34311211000000 softexpires=34311211000000 - <idle>-0 2.N.2 5us : rcu_utilization: Start context switch - <idle>-0 2.N.2 5us : rcu_utilization: End context switch - <idle>-0 2d..3 6us : __schedule <-schedule - <idle>-0 2d..3 6us : 0:120:R ==> [002] 5882: 94:R sleep - - -Hardware Latency Detector -------------------------- - -The hardware latency detector is executed by enabling the "hwlat" tracer. - -NOTE, this tracer will affect the performance of the system as it will -periodically make a CPU constantly busy with interrupts disabled. - - # echo hwlat > current_tracer - # sleep 100 - # cat trace -# tracer: hwlat -# -# _-----=> irqs-off -# / _----=> need-resched -# | / _---=> hardirq/softirq -# || / _--=> preempt-depth -# ||| / delay -# TASK-PID CPU# |||| TIMESTAMP FUNCTION -# | | | |||| | | - <...>-3638 [001] d... 19452.055471: #1 inner/outer(us): 12/14 ts:1499801089.066141940 - <...>-3638 [003] d... 19454.071354: #2 inner/outer(us): 11/9 ts:1499801091.082164365 - <...>-3638 [002] dn.. 19461.126852: #3 inner/outer(us): 12/9 ts:1499801098.138150062 - <...>-3638 [001] d... 19488.340960: #4 inner/outer(us): 8/12 ts:1499801125.354139633 - <...>-3638 [003] d... 19494.388553: #5 inner/outer(us): 8/12 ts:1499801131.402150961 - <...>-3638 [003] d... 19501.283419: #6 inner/outer(us): 0/12 ts:1499801138.297435289 nmi-total:4 nmi-count:1 - - -The above output is somewhat the same in the header. All events will have -interrupts disabled 'd'. Under the FUNCTION title there is: - - #1 - This is the count of events recorded that were greater than the - tracing_threshold (See below). - - inner/outer(us): 12/14 - - This shows two numbers as "inner latency" and "outer latency". The test - runs in a loop checking a timestamp twice. The latency detected within - the two timestamps is the "inner latency" and the latency detected - after the previous timestamp and the next timestamp in the loop is - the "outer latency". - - ts:1499801089.066141940 - - The absolute timestamp that the event happened. - - nmi-total:4 nmi-count:1 - - On architectures that support it, if an NMI comes in during the - test, the time spent in NMI is reported in "nmi-total" (in - microseconds). - - All architectures that have NMIs will show the "nmi-count" if an - NMI comes in during the test. - -hwlat files: - - tracing_threshold - This gets automatically set to "10" to represent 10 - microseconds. This is the threshold of latency that - needs to be detected before the trace will be recorded. - - Note, when hwlat tracer is finished (another tracer is - written into "current_tracer"), the original value for - tracing_threshold is placed back into this file. - - hwlat_detector/width - The length of time the test runs with interrupts - disabled. - - hwlat_detector/window - The length of time of the window which the test - runs. That is, the test will run for "width" - microseconds per "window" microseconds - - tracing_cpumask - When the test is started. A kernel thread is created that - runs the test. This thread will alternate between CPUs - listed in the tracing_cpumask between each period - (one "window"). To limit the test to specific CPUs - set the mask in this file to only the CPUs that the test - should run on. - -function --------- - -This tracer is the function tracer. Enabling the function tracer -can be done from the debug file system. Make sure the -ftrace_enabled is set; otherwise this tracer is a nop. -See the "ftrace_enabled" section below. - - # sysctl kernel.ftrace_enabled=1 - # echo function > current_tracer - # echo 1 > tracing_on - # usleep 1 - # echo 0 > tracing_on - # cat trace -# tracer: function -# -# entries-in-buffer/entries-written: 24799/24799 #P:4 -# -# _-----=> irqs-off -# / _----=> need-resched -# | / _---=> hardirq/softirq -# || / _--=> preempt-depth -# ||| / delay -# TASK-PID CPU# |||| TIMESTAMP FUNCTION -# | | | |||| | | - bash-1994 [002] .... 3082.063030: mutex_unlock <-rb_simple_write - bash-1994 [002] .... 3082.063031: __mutex_unlock_slowpath <-mutex_unlock - bash-1994 [002] .... 3082.063031: __fsnotify_parent <-fsnotify_modify - bash-1994 [002] .... 3082.063032: fsnotify <-fsnotify_modify - bash-1994 [002] .... 3082.063032: __srcu_read_lock <-fsnotify - bash-1994 [002] .... 3082.063032: add_preempt_count <-__srcu_read_lock - bash-1994 [002] ...1 3082.063032: sub_preempt_count <-__srcu_read_lock - bash-1994 [002] .... 3082.063033: __srcu_read_unlock <-fsnotify -[...] - - -Note: function tracer uses ring buffers to store the above -entries. The newest data may overwrite the oldest data. -Sometimes using echo to stop the trace is not sufficient because -the tracing could have overwritten the data that you wanted to -record. For this reason, it is sometimes better to disable -tracing directly from a program. This allows you to stop the -tracing at the point that you hit the part that you are -interested in. To disable the tracing directly from a C program, -something like following code snippet can be used: - -int trace_fd; -[...] -int main(int argc, char *argv[]) { - [...] - trace_fd = open(tracing_file("tracing_on"), O_WRONLY); - [...] - if (condition_hit()) { - write(trace_fd, "0", 1); - } - [...] -} - - -Single thread tracing ---------------------- - -By writing into set_ftrace_pid you can trace a -single thread. For example: - -# cat set_ftrace_pid -no pid -# echo 3111 > set_ftrace_pid -# cat set_ftrace_pid -3111 -# echo function > current_tracer -# cat trace | head - # tracer: function - # - # TASK-PID CPU# TIMESTAMP FUNCTION - # | | | | | - yum-updatesd-3111 [003] 1637.254676: finish_task_switch <-thread_return - yum-updatesd-3111 [003] 1637.254681: hrtimer_cancel <-schedule_hrtimeout_range - yum-updatesd-3111 [003] 1637.254682: hrtimer_try_to_cancel <-hrtimer_cancel - yum-updatesd-3111 [003] 1637.254683: lock_hrtimer_base <-hrtimer_try_to_cancel - yum-updatesd-3111 [003] 1637.254685: fget_light <-do_sys_poll - yum-updatesd-3111 [003] 1637.254686: pipe_poll <-do_sys_poll -# echo > set_ftrace_pid -# cat trace |head - # tracer: function - # - # TASK-PID CPU# TIMESTAMP FUNCTION - # | | | | | - ##### CPU 3 buffer started #### - yum-updatesd-3111 [003] 1701.957688: free_poll_entry <-poll_freewait - yum-updatesd-3111 [003] 1701.957689: remove_wait_queue <-free_poll_entry - yum-updatesd-3111 [003] 1701.957691: fput <-free_poll_entry - yum-updatesd-3111 [003] 1701.957692: audit_syscall_exit <-sysret_audit - yum-updatesd-3111 [003] 1701.957693: path_put <-audit_syscall_exit - -If you want to trace a function when executing, you could use -something like this simple program: - -#include <stdio.h> -#include <stdlib.h> -#include <sys/types.h> -#include <sys/stat.h> -#include <fcntl.h> -#include <unistd.h> -#include <string.h> - -#define _STR(x) #x -#define STR(x) _STR(x) -#define MAX_PATH 256 - -const char *find_tracefs(void) -{ - static char tracefs[MAX_PATH+1]; - static int tracefs_found; - char type[100]; - FILE *fp; - - if (tracefs_found) - return tracefs; - - if ((fp = fopen("/proc/mounts","r")) == NULL) { - perror("/proc/mounts"); - return NULL; - } - - while (fscanf(fp, "%*s %" - STR(MAX_PATH) - "s %99s %*s %*d %*d\n", - tracefs, type) == 2) { - if (strcmp(type, "tracefs") == 0) - break; - } - fclose(fp); - - if (strcmp(type, "tracefs") != 0) { - fprintf(stderr, "tracefs not mounted"); - return NULL; - } - - strcat(tracefs, "/tracing/"); - tracefs_found = 1; - - return tracefs; -} - -const char *tracing_file(const char *file_name) -{ - static char trace_file[MAX_PATH+1]; - snprintf(trace_file, MAX_PATH, "%s/%s", find_tracefs(), file_name); - return trace_file; -} - -int main (int argc, char **argv) -{ - if (argc < 1) - exit(-1); - - if (fork() > 0) { - int fd, ffd; - char line[64]; - int s; - - ffd = open(tracing_file("current_tracer"), O_WRONLY); - if (ffd < 0) - exit(-1); - write(ffd, "nop", 3); - - fd = open(tracing_file("set_ftrace_pid"), O_WRONLY); - s = sprintf(line, "%d\n", getpid()); - write(fd, line, s); - - write(ffd, "function", 8); - - close(fd); - close(ffd); - - execvp(argv[1], argv+1); - } - - return 0; -} - -Or this simple script! - ------- -#!/bin/bash - -tracefs=`sed -ne 's/^tracefs \(.*\) tracefs.*/\1/p' /proc/mounts` -echo nop > $tracefs/tracing/current_tracer -echo 0 > $tracefs/tracing/tracing_on -echo $$ > $tracefs/tracing/set_ftrace_pid -echo function > $tracefs/tracing/current_tracer -echo 1 > $tracefs/tracing/tracing_on -exec "$@" ------- - - -function graph tracer ---------------------------- - -This tracer is similar to the function tracer except that it -probes a function on its entry and its exit. This is done by -using a dynamically allocated stack of return addresses in each -task_struct. On function entry the tracer overwrites the return -address of each function traced to set a custom probe. Thus the -original return address is stored on the stack of return address -in the task_struct. - -Probing on both ends of a function leads to special features -such as: - -- measure of a function's time execution -- having a reliable call stack to draw function calls graph - -This tracer is useful in several situations: - -- you want to find the reason of a strange kernel behavior and - need to see what happens in detail on any areas (or specific - ones). - -- you are experiencing weird latencies but it's difficult to - find its origin. - -- you want to find quickly which path is taken by a specific - function - -- you just want to peek inside a working kernel and want to see - what happens there. - -# tracer: function_graph -# -# CPU DURATION FUNCTION CALLS -# | | | | | | | - - 0) | sys_open() { - 0) | do_sys_open() { - 0) | getname() { - 0) | kmem_cache_alloc() { - 0) 1.382 us | __might_sleep(); - 0) 2.478 us | } - 0) | strncpy_from_user() { - 0) | might_fault() { - 0) 1.389 us | __might_sleep(); - 0) 2.553 us | } - 0) 3.807 us | } - 0) 7.876 us | } - 0) | alloc_fd() { - 0) 0.668 us | _spin_lock(); - 0) 0.570 us | expand_files(); - 0) 0.586 us | _spin_unlock(); - - -There are several columns that can be dynamically -enabled/disabled. You can use every combination of options you -want, depending on your needs. - -- The cpu number on which the function executed is default - enabled. It is sometimes better to only trace one cpu (see - tracing_cpu_mask file) or you might sometimes see unordered - function calls while cpu tracing switch. - - hide: echo nofuncgraph-cpu > trace_options - show: echo funcgraph-cpu > trace_options - -- The duration (function's time of execution) is displayed on - the closing bracket line of a function or on the same line - than the current function in case of a leaf one. It is default - enabled. - - hide: echo nofuncgraph-duration > trace_options - show: echo funcgraph-duration > trace_options - -- The overhead field precedes the duration field in case of - reached duration thresholds. - - hide: echo nofuncgraph-overhead > trace_options - show: echo funcgraph-overhead > trace_options - depends on: funcgraph-duration - - ie: - - 3) # 1837.709 us | } /* __switch_to */ - 3) | finish_task_switch() { - 3) 0.313 us | _raw_spin_unlock_irq(); - 3) 3.177 us | } - 3) # 1889.063 us | } /* __schedule */ - 3) ! 140.417 us | } /* __schedule */ - 3) # 2034.948 us | } /* schedule */ - 3) * 33998.59 us | } /* schedule_preempt_disabled */ - - [...] - - 1) 0.260 us | msecs_to_jiffies(); - 1) 0.313 us | __rcu_read_unlock(); - 1) + 61.770 us | } - 1) + 64.479 us | } - 1) 0.313 us | rcu_bh_qs(); - 1) 0.313 us | __local_bh_enable(); - 1) ! 217.240 us | } - 1) 0.365 us | idle_cpu(); - 1) | rcu_irq_exit() { - 1) 0.417 us | rcu_eqs_enter_common.isra.47(); - 1) 3.125 us | } - 1) ! 227.812 us | } - 1) ! 457.395 us | } - 1) @ 119760.2 us | } - - [...] - - 2) | handle_IPI() { - 1) 6.979 us | } - 2) 0.417 us | scheduler_ipi(); - 1) 9.791 us | } - 1) + 12.917 us | } - 2) 3.490 us | } - 1) + 15.729 us | } - 1) + 18.542 us | } - 2) $ 3594274 us | } - - + means that the function exceeded 10 usecs. - ! means that the function exceeded 100 usecs. - # means that the function exceeded 1000 usecs. - * means that the function exceeded 10 msecs. - @ means that the function exceeded 100 msecs. - $ means that the function exceeded 1 sec. - - -- The task/pid field displays the thread cmdline and pid which - executed the function. It is default disabled. - - hide: echo nofuncgraph-proc > trace_options - show: echo funcgraph-proc > trace_options - - ie: - - # tracer: function_graph - # - # CPU TASK/PID DURATION FUNCTION CALLS - # | | | | | | | | | - 0) sh-4802 | | d_free() { - 0) sh-4802 | | call_rcu() { - 0) sh-4802 | | __call_rcu() { - 0) sh-4802 | 0.616 us | rcu_process_gp_end(); - 0) sh-4802 | 0.586 us | check_for_new_grace_period(); - 0) sh-4802 | 2.899 us | } - 0) sh-4802 | 4.040 us | } - 0) sh-4802 | 5.151 us | } - 0) sh-4802 | + 49.370 us | } - - -- The absolute time field is an absolute timestamp given by the - system clock since it started. A snapshot of this time is - given on each entry/exit of functions - - hide: echo nofuncgraph-abstime > trace_options - show: echo funcgraph-abstime > trace_options - - ie: - - # - # TIME CPU DURATION FUNCTION CALLS - # | | | | | | | | - 360.774522 | 1) 0.541 us | } - 360.774522 | 1) 4.663 us | } - 360.774523 | 1) 0.541 us | __wake_up_bit(); - 360.774524 | 1) 6.796 us | } - 360.774524 | 1) 7.952 us | } - 360.774525 | 1) 9.063 us | } - 360.774525 | 1) 0.615 us | journal_mark_dirty(); - 360.774527 | 1) 0.578 us | __brelse(); - 360.774528 | 1) | reiserfs_prepare_for_journal() { - 360.774528 | 1) | unlock_buffer() { - 360.774529 | 1) | wake_up_bit() { - 360.774529 | 1) | bit_waitqueue() { - 360.774530 | 1) 0.594 us | __phys_addr(); - - -The function name is always displayed after the closing bracket -for a function if the start of that function is not in the -trace buffer. - -Display of the function name after the closing bracket may be -enabled for functions whose start is in the trace buffer, -allowing easier searching with grep for function durations. -It is default disabled. - - hide: echo nofuncgraph-tail > trace_options - show: echo funcgraph-tail > trace_options - - Example with nofuncgraph-tail (default): - 0) | putname() { - 0) | kmem_cache_free() { - 0) 0.518 us | __phys_addr(); - 0) 1.757 us | } - 0) 2.861 us | } - - Example with funcgraph-tail: - 0) | putname() { - 0) | kmem_cache_free() { - 0) 0.518 us | __phys_addr(); - 0) 1.757 us | } /* kmem_cache_free() */ - 0) 2.861 us | } /* putname() */ - -You can put some comments on specific functions by using -trace_printk() For example, if you want to put a comment inside -the __might_sleep() function, you just have to include -<linux/ftrace.h> and call trace_printk() inside __might_sleep() - -trace_printk("I'm a comment!\n") - -will produce: - - 1) | __might_sleep() { - 1) | /* I'm a comment! */ - 1) 1.449 us | } - - -You might find other useful features for this tracer in the -following "dynamic ftrace" section such as tracing only specific -functions or tasks. - -dynamic ftrace --------------- - -If CONFIG_DYNAMIC_FTRACE is set, the system will run with -virtually no overhead when function tracing is disabled. The way -this works is the mcount function call (placed at the start of -every kernel function, produced by the -pg switch in gcc), -starts of pointing to a simple return. (Enabling FTRACE will -include the -pg switch in the compiling of the kernel.) - -At compile time every C file object is run through the -recordmcount program (located in the scripts directory). This -program will parse the ELF headers in the C object to find all -the locations in the .text section that call mcount. Starting -with gcc verson 4.6, the -mfentry has been added for x86, which -calls "__fentry__" instead of "mcount". Which is called before -the creation of the stack frame. - -Note, not all sections are traced. They may be prevented by either -a notrace, or blocked another way and all inline functions are not -traced. Check the "available_filter_functions" file to see what functions -can be traced. - -A section called "__mcount_loc" is created that holds -references to all the mcount/fentry call sites in the .text section. -The recordmcount program re-links this section back into the -original object. The final linking stage of the kernel will add all these -references into a single table. - -On boot up, before SMP is initialized, the dynamic ftrace code -scans this table and updates all the locations into nops. It -also records the locations, which are added to the -available_filter_functions list. Modules are processed as they -are loaded and before they are executed. When a module is -unloaded, it also removes its functions from the ftrace function -list. This is automatic in the module unload code, and the -module author does not need to worry about it. - -When tracing is enabled, the process of modifying the function -tracepoints is dependent on architecture. The old method is to use -kstop_machine to prevent races with the CPUs executing code being -modified (which can cause the CPU to do undesirable things, especially -if the modified code crosses cache (or page) boundaries), and the nops are -patched back to calls. But this time, they do not call mcount -(which is just a function stub). They now call into the ftrace -infrastructure. - -The new method of modifying the function tracepoints is to place -a breakpoint at the location to be modified, sync all CPUs, modify -the rest of the instruction not covered by the breakpoint. Sync -all CPUs again, and then remove the breakpoint with the finished -version to the ftrace call site. - -Some archs do not even need to monkey around with the synchronization, -and can just slap the new code on top of the old without any -problems with other CPUs executing it at the same time. - -One special side-effect to the recording of the functions being -traced is that we can now selectively choose which functions we -wish to trace and which ones we want the mcount calls to remain -as nops. - -Two files are used, one for enabling and one for disabling the -tracing of specified functions. They are: - - set_ftrace_filter - -and - - set_ftrace_notrace - -A list of available functions that you can add to these files is -listed in: - - available_filter_functions - - # cat available_filter_functions -put_prev_task_idle -kmem_cache_create -pick_next_task_rt -get_online_cpus -pick_next_task_fair -mutex_lock -[...] - -If I am only interested in sys_nanosleep and hrtimer_interrupt: - - # echo sys_nanosleep hrtimer_interrupt > set_ftrace_filter - # echo function > current_tracer - # echo 1 > tracing_on - # usleep 1 - # echo 0 > tracing_on - # cat trace -# tracer: function -# -# entries-in-buffer/entries-written: 5/5 #P:4 -# -# _-----=> irqs-off -# / _----=> need-resched -# | / _---=> hardirq/softirq -# || / _--=> preempt-depth -# ||| / delay -# TASK-PID CPU# |||| TIMESTAMP FUNCTION -# | | | |||| | | - usleep-2665 [001] .... 4186.475355: sys_nanosleep <-system_call_fastpath - <idle>-0 [001] d.h1 4186.475409: hrtimer_interrupt <-smp_apic_timer_interrupt - usleep-2665 [001] d.h1 4186.475426: hrtimer_interrupt <-smp_apic_timer_interrupt - <idle>-0 [003] d.h1 4186.475426: hrtimer_interrupt <-smp_apic_timer_interrupt - <idle>-0 [002] d.h1 4186.475427: hrtimer_interrupt <-smp_apic_timer_interrupt - -To see which functions are being traced, you can cat the file: - - # cat set_ftrace_filter -hrtimer_interrupt -sys_nanosleep - - -Perhaps this is not enough. The filters also allow glob(7) matching. - - <match>* - will match functions that begin with <match> - *<match> - will match functions that end with <match> - *<match>* - will match functions that have <match> in it - <match1>*<match2> - will match functions that begin with - <match1> and end with <match2> - -Note: It is better to use quotes to enclose the wild cards, - otherwise the shell may expand the parameters into names - of files in the local directory. - - # echo 'hrtimer_*' > set_ftrace_filter - -Produces: - -# tracer: function -# -# entries-in-buffer/entries-written: 897/897 #P:4 -# -# _-----=> irqs-off -# / _----=> need-resched -# | / _---=> hardirq/softirq -# || / _--=> preempt-depth -# ||| / delay -# TASK-PID CPU# |||| TIMESTAMP FUNCTION -# | | | |||| | | - <idle>-0 [003] dN.1 4228.547803: hrtimer_cancel <-tick_nohz_idle_exit - <idle>-0 [003] dN.1 4228.547804: hrtimer_try_to_cancel <-hrtimer_cancel - <idle>-0 [003] dN.2 4228.547805: hrtimer_force_reprogram <-__remove_hrtimer - <idle>-0 [003] dN.1 4228.547805: hrtimer_forward <-tick_nohz_idle_exit - <idle>-0 [003] dN.1 4228.547805: hrtimer_start_range_ns <-hrtimer_start_expires.constprop.11 - <idle>-0 [003] d..1 4228.547858: hrtimer_get_next_event <-get_next_timer_interrupt - <idle>-0 [003] d..1 4228.547859: hrtimer_start <-__tick_nohz_idle_enter - <idle>-0 [003] d..2 4228.547860: hrtimer_force_reprogram <-__rem - -Notice that we lost the sys_nanosleep. - - # cat set_ftrace_filter -hrtimer_run_queues -hrtimer_run_pending -hrtimer_init -hrtimer_cancel -hrtimer_try_to_cancel -hrtimer_forward -hrtimer_start -hrtimer_reprogram -hrtimer_force_reprogram -hrtimer_get_next_event -hrtimer_interrupt -hrtimer_nanosleep -hrtimer_wakeup -hrtimer_get_remaining -hrtimer_get_res -hrtimer_init_sleeper - - -This is because the '>' and '>>' act just like they do in bash. -To rewrite the filters, use '>' -To append to the filters, use '>>' - -To clear out a filter so that all functions will be recorded -again: - - # echo > set_ftrace_filter - # cat set_ftrace_filter - # - -Again, now we want to append. - - # echo sys_nanosleep > set_ftrace_filter - # cat set_ftrace_filter -sys_nanosleep - # echo 'hrtimer_*' >> set_ftrace_filter - # cat set_ftrace_filter -hrtimer_run_queues -hrtimer_run_pending -hrtimer_init -hrtimer_cancel -hrtimer_try_to_cancel -hrtimer_forward -hrtimer_start -hrtimer_reprogram -hrtimer_force_reprogram -hrtimer_get_next_event -hrtimer_interrupt -sys_nanosleep -hrtimer_nanosleep -hrtimer_wakeup -hrtimer_get_remaining -hrtimer_get_res -hrtimer_init_sleeper - - -The set_ftrace_notrace prevents those functions from being -traced. - - # echo '*preempt*' '*lock*' > set_ftrace_notrace - -Produces: - -# tracer: function -# -# entries-in-buffer/entries-written: 39608/39608 #P:4 -# -# _-----=> irqs-off -# / _----=> need-resched -# | / _---=> hardirq/softirq -# || / _--=> preempt-depth -# ||| / delay -# TASK-PID CPU# |||| TIMESTAMP FUNCTION -# | | | |||| | | - bash-1994 [000] .... 4342.324896: file_ra_state_init <-do_dentry_open - bash-1994 [000] .... 4342.324897: open_check_o_direct <-do_last - bash-1994 [000] .... 4342.324897: ima_file_check <-do_last - bash-1994 [000] .... 4342.324898: process_measurement <-ima_file_check - bash-1994 [000] .... 4342.324898: ima_get_action <-process_measurement - bash-1994 [000] .... 4342.324898: ima_match_policy <-ima_get_action - bash-1994 [000] .... 4342.324899: do_truncate <-do_last - bash-1994 [000] .... 4342.324899: should_remove_suid <-do_truncate - bash-1994 [000] .... 4342.324899: notify_change <-do_truncate - bash-1994 [000] .... 4342.324900: current_fs_time <-notify_change - bash-1994 [000] .... 4342.324900: current_kernel_time <-current_fs_time - bash-1994 [000] .... 4342.324900: timespec_trunc <-current_fs_time - -We can see that there's no more lock or preempt tracing. - - -Dynamic ftrace with the function graph tracer ---------------------------------------------- - -Although what has been explained above concerns both the -function tracer and the function-graph-tracer, there are some -special features only available in the function-graph tracer. - -If you want to trace only one function and all of its children, -you just have to echo its name into set_graph_function: - - echo __do_fault > set_graph_function - -will produce the following "expanded" trace of the __do_fault() -function: - - 0) | __do_fault() { - 0) | filemap_fault() { - 0) | find_lock_page() { - 0) 0.804 us | find_get_page(); - 0) | __might_sleep() { - 0) 1.329 us | } - 0) 3.904 us | } - 0) 4.979 us | } - 0) 0.653 us | _spin_lock(); - 0) 0.578 us | page_add_file_rmap(); - 0) 0.525 us | native_set_pte_at(); - 0) 0.585 us | _spin_unlock(); - 0) | unlock_page() { - 0) 0.541 us | page_waitqueue(); - 0) 0.639 us | __wake_up_bit(); - 0) 2.786 us | } - 0) + 14.237 us | } - 0) | __do_fault() { - 0) | filemap_fault() { - 0) | find_lock_page() { - 0) 0.698 us | find_get_page(); - 0) | __might_sleep() { - 0) 1.412 us | } - 0) 3.950 us | } - 0) 5.098 us | } - 0) 0.631 us | _spin_lock(); - 0) 0.571 us | page_add_file_rmap(); - 0) 0.526 us | native_set_pte_at(); - 0) 0.586 us | _spin_unlock(); - 0) | unlock_page() { - 0) 0.533 us | page_waitqueue(); - 0) 0.638 us | __wake_up_bit(); - 0) 2.793 us | } - 0) + 14.012 us | } - -You can also expand several functions at once: - - echo sys_open > set_graph_function - echo sys_close >> set_graph_function - -Now if you want to go back to trace all functions you can clear -this special filter via: - - echo > set_graph_function - - -ftrace_enabled --------------- - -Note, the proc sysctl ftrace_enable is a big on/off switch for the -function tracer. By default it is enabled (when function tracing is -enabled in the kernel). If it is disabled, all function tracing is -disabled. This includes not only the function tracers for ftrace, but -also for any other uses (perf, kprobes, stack tracing, profiling, etc). - -Please disable this with care. - -This can be disable (and enabled) with: - - sysctl kernel.ftrace_enabled=0 - sysctl kernel.ftrace_enabled=1 - - or - - echo 0 > /proc/sys/kernel/ftrace_enabled - echo 1 > /proc/sys/kernel/ftrace_enabled - - -Filter commands ---------------- - -A few commands are supported by the set_ftrace_filter interface. -Trace commands have the following format: - -<function>:<command>:<parameter> - -The following commands are supported: - -- mod - This command enables function filtering per module. The - parameter defines the module. For example, if only the write* - functions in the ext3 module are desired, run: - - echo 'write*:mod:ext3' > set_ftrace_filter - - This command interacts with the filter in the same way as - filtering based on function names. Thus, adding more functions - in a different module is accomplished by appending (>>) to the - filter file. Remove specific module functions by prepending - '!': - - echo '!writeback*:mod:ext3' >> set_ftrace_filter - - Mod command supports module globbing. Disable tracing for all - functions except a specific module: - - echo '!*:mod:!ext3' >> set_ftrace_filter - - Disable tracing for all modules, but still trace kernel: - - echo '!*:mod:*' >> set_ftrace_filter - - Enable filter only for kernel: - - echo '*write*:mod:!*' >> set_ftrace_filter - - Enable filter for module globbing: - - echo '*write*:mod:*snd*' >> set_ftrace_filter - -- traceon/traceoff - These commands turn tracing on and off when the specified - functions are hit. The parameter determines how many times the - tracing system is turned on and off. If unspecified, there is - no limit. For example, to disable tracing when a schedule bug - is hit the first 5 times, run: - - echo '__schedule_bug:traceoff:5' > set_ftrace_filter - - To always disable tracing when __schedule_bug is hit: - - echo '__schedule_bug:traceoff' > set_ftrace_filter - - These commands are cumulative whether or not they are appended - to set_ftrace_filter. To remove a command, prepend it by '!' - and drop the parameter: - - echo '!__schedule_bug:traceoff:0' > set_ftrace_filter - - The above removes the traceoff command for __schedule_bug - that have a counter. To remove commands without counters: - - echo '!__schedule_bug:traceoff' > set_ftrace_filter - -- snapshot - Will cause a snapshot to be triggered when the function is hit. - - echo 'native_flush_tlb_others:snapshot' > set_ftrace_filter - - To only snapshot once: - - echo 'native_flush_tlb_others:snapshot:1' > set_ftrace_filter - - To remove the above commands: - - echo '!native_flush_tlb_others:snapshot' > set_ftrace_filter - echo '!native_flush_tlb_others:snapshot:0' > set_ftrace_filter - -- enable_event/disable_event - These commands can enable or disable a trace event. Note, because - function tracing callbacks are very sensitive, when these commands - are registered, the trace point is activated, but disabled in - a "soft" mode. That is, the tracepoint will be called, but - just will not be traced. The event tracepoint stays in this mode - as long as there's a command that triggers it. - - echo 'try_to_wake_up:enable_event:sched:sched_switch:2' > \ - set_ftrace_filter - - The format is: - - <function>:enable_event:<system>:<event>[:count] - <function>:disable_event:<system>:<event>[:count] - - To remove the events commands: - - - echo '!try_to_wake_up:enable_event:sched:sched_switch:0' > \ - set_ftrace_filter - echo '!schedule:disable_event:sched:sched_switch' > \ - set_ftrace_filter - -- dump - When the function is hit, it will dump the contents of the ftrace - ring buffer to the console. This is useful if you need to debug - something, and want to dump the trace when a certain function - is hit. Perhaps its a function that is called before a tripple - fault happens and does not allow you to get a regular dump. - -- cpudump - When the function is hit, it will dump the contents of the ftrace - ring buffer for the current CPU to the console. Unlike the "dump" - command, it only prints out the contents of the ring buffer for the - CPU that executed the function that triggered the dump. - -trace_pipe ----------- - -The trace_pipe outputs the same content as the trace file, but -the effect on the tracing is different. Every read from -trace_pipe is consumed. This means that subsequent reads will be -different. The trace is live. - - # echo function > current_tracer - # cat trace_pipe > /tmp/trace.out & -[1] 4153 - # echo 1 > tracing_on - # usleep 1 - # echo 0 > tracing_on - # cat trace -# tracer: function -# -# entries-in-buffer/entries-written: 0/0 #P:4 -# -# _-----=> irqs-off -# / _----=> need-resched -# | / _---=> hardirq/softirq -# || / _--=> preempt-depth -# ||| / delay -# TASK-PID CPU# |||| TIMESTAMP FUNCTION -# | | | |||| | | - - # - # cat /tmp/trace.out - bash-1994 [000] .... 5281.568961: mutex_unlock <-rb_simple_write - bash-1994 [000] .... 5281.568963: __mutex_unlock_slowpath <-mutex_unlock - bash-1994 [000] .... 5281.568963: __fsnotify_parent <-fsnotify_modify - bash-1994 [000] .... 5281.568964: fsnotify <-fsnotify_modify - bash-1994 [000] .... 5281.568964: __srcu_read_lock <-fsnotify - bash-1994 [000] .... 5281.568964: add_preempt_count <-__srcu_read_lock - bash-1994 [000] ...1 5281.568965: sub_preempt_count <-__srcu_read_lock - bash-1994 [000] .... 5281.568965: __srcu_read_unlock <-fsnotify - bash-1994 [000] .... 5281.568967: sys_dup2 <-system_call_fastpath - - -Note, reading the trace_pipe file will block until more input is -added. - -trace entries -------------- - -Having too much or not enough data can be troublesome in -diagnosing an issue in the kernel. The file buffer_size_kb is -used to modify the size of the internal trace buffers. The -number listed is the number of entries that can be recorded per -CPU. To know the full size, multiply the number of possible CPUs -with the number of entries. - - # cat buffer_size_kb -1408 (units kilobytes) - -Or simply read buffer_total_size_kb - - # cat buffer_total_size_kb -5632 - -To modify the buffer, simple echo in a number (in 1024 byte segments). - - # echo 10000 > buffer_size_kb - # cat buffer_size_kb -10000 (units kilobytes) - -It will try to allocate as much as possible. If you allocate too -much, it can cause Out-Of-Memory to trigger. - - # echo 1000000000000 > buffer_size_kb --bash: echo: write error: Cannot allocate memory - # cat buffer_size_kb -85 - -The per_cpu buffers can be changed individually as well: - - # echo 10000 > per_cpu/cpu0/buffer_size_kb - # echo 100 > per_cpu/cpu1/buffer_size_kb - -When the per_cpu buffers are not the same, the buffer_size_kb -at the top level will just show an X - - # cat buffer_size_kb -X - -This is where the buffer_total_size_kb is useful: - - # cat buffer_total_size_kb -12916 - -Writing to the top level buffer_size_kb will reset all the buffers -to be the same again. - -Snapshot --------- -CONFIG_TRACER_SNAPSHOT makes a generic snapshot feature -available to all non latency tracers. (Latency tracers which -record max latency, such as "irqsoff" or "wakeup", can't use -this feature, since those are already using the snapshot -mechanism internally.) - -Snapshot preserves a current trace buffer at a particular point -in time without stopping tracing. Ftrace swaps the current -buffer with a spare buffer, and tracing continues in the new -current (=previous spare) buffer. - -The following tracefs files in "tracing" are related to this -feature: - - snapshot: - - This is used to take a snapshot and to read the output - of the snapshot. Echo 1 into this file to allocate a - spare buffer and to take a snapshot (swap), then read - the snapshot from this file in the same format as - "trace" (described above in the section "The File - System"). Both reads snapshot and tracing are executable - in parallel. When the spare buffer is allocated, echoing - 0 frees it, and echoing else (positive) values clear the - snapshot contents. - More details are shown in the table below. - - status\input | 0 | 1 | else | - --------------+------------+------------+------------+ - not allocated |(do nothing)| alloc+swap |(do nothing)| - --------------+------------+------------+------------+ - allocated | free | swap | clear | - --------------+------------+------------+------------+ - -Here is an example of using the snapshot feature. - - # echo 1 > events/sched/enable - # echo 1 > snapshot - # cat snapshot -# tracer: nop -# -# entries-in-buffer/entries-written: 71/71 #P:8 -# -# _-----=> irqs-off -# / _----=> need-resched -# | / _---=> hardirq/softirq -# || / _--=> preempt-depth -# ||| / delay -# TASK-PID CPU# |||| TIMESTAMP FUNCTION -# | | | |||| | | - <idle>-0 [005] d... 2440.603828: sched_switch: prev_comm=swapper/5 prev_pid=0 prev_prio=120 prev_state=R ==> next_comm=snapshot-test-2 next_pid=2242 next_prio=120 - sleep-2242 [005] d... 2440.603846: sched_switch: prev_comm=snapshot-test-2 prev_pid=2242 prev_prio=120 prev_state=R ==> next_comm=kworker/5:1 next_pid=60 next_prio=120 -[...] - <idle>-0 [002] d... 2440.707230: sched_switch: prev_comm=swapper/2 prev_pid=0 prev_prio=120 prev_state=R ==> next_comm=snapshot-test-2 next_pid=2229 next_prio=120 - - # cat trace -# tracer: nop -# -# entries-in-buffer/entries-written: 77/77 #P:8 -# -# _-----=> irqs-off -# / _----=> need-resched -# | / _---=> hardirq/softirq -# || / _--=> preempt-depth -# ||| / delay -# TASK-PID CPU# |||| TIMESTAMP FUNCTION -# | | | |||| | | - <idle>-0 [007] d... 2440.707395: sched_switch: prev_comm=swapper/7 prev_pid=0 prev_prio=120 prev_state=R ==> next_comm=snapshot-test-2 next_pid=2243 next_prio=120 - snapshot-test-2-2229 [002] d... 2440.707438: sched_switch: prev_comm=snapshot-test-2 prev_pid=2229 prev_prio=120 prev_state=S ==> next_comm=swapper/2 next_pid=0 next_prio=120 -[...] - - -If you try to use this snapshot feature when current tracer is -one of the latency tracers, you will get the following results. - - # echo wakeup > current_tracer - # echo 1 > snapshot -bash: echo: write error: Device or resource busy - # cat snapshot -cat: snapshot: Device or resource busy - - -Instances ---------- -In the tracefs tracing directory is a directory called "instances". -This directory can have new directories created inside of it using -mkdir, and removing directories with rmdir. The directory created -with mkdir in this directory will already contain files and other -directories after it is created. - - # mkdir instances/foo - # ls instances/foo -buffer_size_kb buffer_total_size_kb events free_buffer per_cpu -set_event snapshot trace trace_clock trace_marker trace_options -trace_pipe tracing_on - -As you can see, the new directory looks similar to the tracing directory -itself. In fact, it is very similar, except that the buffer and -events are agnostic from the main director, or from any other -instances that are created. - -The files in the new directory work just like the files with the -same name in the tracing directory except the buffer that is used -is a separate and new buffer. The files affect that buffer but do not -affect the main buffer with the exception of trace_options. Currently, -the trace_options affect all instances and the top level buffer -the same, but this may change in future releases. That is, options -may become specific to the instance they reside in. - -Notice that none of the function tracer files are there, nor is -current_tracer and available_tracers. This is because the buffers -can currently only have events enabled for them. - - # mkdir instances/foo - # mkdir instances/bar - # mkdir instances/zoot - # echo 100000 > buffer_size_kb - # echo 1000 > instances/foo/buffer_size_kb - # echo 5000 > instances/bar/per_cpu/cpu1/buffer_size_kb - # echo function > current_trace - # echo 1 > instances/foo/events/sched/sched_wakeup/enable - # echo 1 > instances/foo/events/sched/sched_wakeup_new/enable - # echo 1 > instances/foo/events/sched/sched_switch/enable - # echo 1 > instances/bar/events/irq/enable - # echo 1 > instances/zoot/events/syscalls/enable - # cat trace_pipe -CPU:2 [LOST 11745 EVENTS] - bash-2044 [002] .... 10594.481032: _raw_spin_lock_irqsave <-get_page_from_freelist - bash-2044 [002] d... 10594.481032: add_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_lock_irqsave - bash-2044 [002] d..1 10594.481032: __rmqueue <-get_page_from_freelist - bash-2044 [002] d..1 10594.481033: _raw_spin_unlock <-get_page_from_freelist - bash-2044 [002] d..1 10594.481033: sub_preempt_count <-_raw_spin_unlock - bash-2044 [002] d... 10594.481033: get_pageblock_flags_group <-get_pageblock_migratetype - bash-2044 [002] d... 10594.481034: __mod_zone_page_state <-get_page_from_freelist - bash-2044 [002] d... 10594.481034: zone_statistics <-get_page_from_freelist - bash-2044 [002] d... 10594.481034: __inc_zone_state <-zone_statistics - bash-2044 [002] d... 10594.481034: __inc_zone_state <-zone_statistics - bash-2044 [002] .... 10594.481035: arch_dup_task_struct <-copy_process -[...] - - # cat instances/foo/trace_pipe - bash-1998 [000] d..4 136.676759: sched_wakeup: comm=kworker/0:1 pid=59 prio=120 success=1 target_cpu=000 - bash-1998 [000] dN.4 136.676760: sched_wakeup: comm=bash pid=1998 prio=120 success=1 target_cpu=000 - <idle>-0 [003] d.h3 136.676906: sched_wakeup: comm=rcu_preempt pid=9 prio=120 success=1 target_cpu=003 - <idle>-0 [003] d..3 136.676909: sched_switch: prev_comm=swapper/3 prev_pid=0 prev_prio=120 prev_state=R ==> next_comm=rcu_preempt next_pid=9 next_prio=120 - rcu_preempt-9 [003] d..3 136.676916: sched_switch: prev_comm=rcu_preempt prev_pid=9 prev_prio=120 prev_state=S ==> next_comm=swapper/3 next_pid=0 next_prio=120 - bash-1998 [000] d..4 136.677014: sched_wakeup: comm=kworker/0:1 pid=59 prio=120 success=1 target_cpu=000 - bash-1998 [000] dN.4 136.677016: sched_wakeup: comm=bash pid=1998 prio=120 success=1 target_cpu=000 - bash-1998 [000] d..3 136.677018: sched_switch: prev_comm=bash prev_pid=1998 prev_prio=120 prev_state=R+ ==> next_comm=kworker/0:1 next_pid=59 next_prio=120 - kworker/0:1-59 [000] d..4 136.677022: sched_wakeup: comm=sshd pid=1995 prio=120 success=1 target_cpu=001 - kworker/0:1-59 [000] d..3 136.677025: sched_switch: prev_comm=kworker/0:1 prev_pid=59 prev_prio=120 prev_state=S ==> next_comm=bash next_pid=1998 next_prio=120 -[...] - - # cat instances/bar/trace_pipe - migration/1-14 [001] d.h3 138.732674: softirq_raise: vec=3 [action=NET_RX] - <idle>-0 [001] dNh3 138.732725: softirq_raise: vec=3 [action=NET_RX] - bash-1998 [000] d.h1 138.733101: softirq_raise: vec=1 [action=TIMER] - bash-1998 [000] d.h1 138.733102: softirq_raise: vec=9 [action=RCU] - bash-1998 [000] ..s2 138.733105: softirq_entry: vec=1 [action=TIMER] - bash-1998 [000] ..s2 138.733106: softirq_exit: vec=1 [action=TIMER] - bash-1998 [000] ..s2 138.733106: softirq_entry: vec=9 [action=RCU] - bash-1998 [000] ..s2 138.733109: softirq_exit: vec=9 [action=RCU] - sshd-1995 [001] d.h1 138.733278: irq_handler_entry: irq=21 name=uhci_hcd:usb4 - sshd-1995 [001] d.h1 138.733280: irq_handler_exit: irq=21 ret=unhandled - sshd-1995 [001] d.h1 138.733281: irq_handler_entry: irq=21 name=eth0 - sshd-1995 [001] d.h1 138.733283: irq_handler_exit: irq=21 ret=handled -[...] - - # cat instances/zoot/trace -# tracer: nop -# -# entries-in-buffer/entries-written: 18996/18996 #P:4 -# -# _-----=> irqs-off -# / _----=> need-resched -# | / _---=> hardirq/softirq -# || / _--=> preempt-depth -# ||| / delay -# TASK-PID CPU# |||| TIMESTAMP FUNCTION -# | | | |||| | | - bash-1998 [000] d... 140.733501: sys_write -> 0x2 - bash-1998 [000] d... 140.733504: sys_dup2(oldfd: a, newfd: 1) - bash-1998 [000] d... 140.733506: sys_dup2 -> 0x1 - bash-1998 [000] d... 140.733508: sys_fcntl(fd: a, cmd: 1, arg: 0) - bash-1998 [000] d... 140.733509: sys_fcntl -> 0x1 - bash-1998 [000] d... 140.733510: sys_close(fd: a) - bash-1998 [000] d... 140.733510: sys_close -> 0x0 - bash-1998 [000] d... 140.733514: sys_rt_sigprocmask(how: 0, nset: 0, oset: 6e2768, sigsetsize: 8) - bash-1998 [000] d... 140.733515: sys_rt_sigprocmask -> 0x0 - bash-1998 [000] d... 140.733516: sys_rt_sigaction(sig: 2, act: 7fff718846f0, oact: 7fff71884650, sigsetsize: 8) - bash-1998 [000] d... 140.733516: sys_rt_sigaction -> 0x0 - -You can see that the trace of the top most trace buffer shows only -the function tracing. The foo instance displays wakeups and task -switches. - -To remove the instances, simply delete their directories: - - # rmdir instances/foo - # rmdir instances/bar - # rmdir instances/zoot - -Note, if a process has a trace file open in one of the instance -directories, the rmdir will fail with EBUSY. - - -Stack trace ------------ -Since the kernel has a fixed sized stack, it is important not to -waste it in functions. A kernel developer must be conscience of -what they allocate on the stack. If they add too much, the system -can be in danger of a stack overflow, and corruption will occur, -usually leading to a system panic. - -There are some tools that check this, usually with interrupts -periodically checking usage. But if you can perform a check -at every function call that will become very useful. As ftrace provides -a function tracer, it makes it convenient to check the stack size -at every function call. This is enabled via the stack tracer. - -CONFIG_STACK_TRACER enables the ftrace stack tracing functionality. -To enable it, write a '1' into /proc/sys/kernel/stack_tracer_enabled. - - # echo 1 > /proc/sys/kernel/stack_tracer_enabled - -You can also enable it from the kernel command line to trace -the stack size of the kernel during boot up, by adding "stacktrace" -to the kernel command line parameter. - -After running it for a few minutes, the output looks like: - - # cat stack_max_size -2928 - - # cat stack_trace - Depth Size Location (18 entries) - ----- ---- -------- - 0) 2928 224 update_sd_lb_stats+0xbc/0x4ac - 1) 2704 160 find_busiest_group+0x31/0x1f1 - 2) 2544 256 load_balance+0xd9/0x662 - 3) 2288 80 idle_balance+0xbb/0x130 - 4) 2208 128 __schedule+0x26e/0x5b9 - 5) 2080 16 schedule+0x64/0x66 - 6) 2064 128 schedule_timeout+0x34/0xe0 - 7) 1936 112 wait_for_common+0x97/0xf1 - 8) 1824 16 wait_for_completion+0x1d/0x1f - 9) 1808 128 flush_work+0xfe/0x119 - 10) 1680 16 tty_flush_to_ldisc+0x1e/0x20 - 11) 1664 48 input_available_p+0x1d/0x5c - 12) 1616 48 n_tty_poll+0x6d/0x134 - 13) 1568 64 tty_poll+0x64/0x7f - 14) 1504 880 do_select+0x31e/0x511 - 15) 624 400 core_sys_select+0x177/0x216 - 16) 224 96 sys_select+0x91/0xb9 - 17) 128 128 system_call_fastpath+0x16/0x1b - -Note, if -mfentry is being used by gcc, functions get traced before -they set up the stack frame. This means that leaf level functions -are not tested by the stack tracer when -mfentry is used. - -Currently, -mfentry is used by gcc 4.6.0 and above on x86 only. - ---------- - -More details can be found in the source code, in the -kernel/trace/*.c files. diff --git a/Documentation/trace/index.rst b/Documentation/trace/index.rst index 61b555192160..947c6db021a9 100644 --- a/Documentation/trace/index.rst +++ b/Documentation/trace/index.rst @@ -7,4 +7,5 @@ Linux Tracing Technologies ftrace-design tracepoint-analysis + ftrace ftrace-uses |