The Linux Kernel Tracepoint API¶
| Author: | Jason Baron |
|---|---|
| Author: | William Cohen |
Introduction¶
Tracepoints are static probe points that are located in strategic points throughout the kernel. ‘Probes’ register/unregister with tracepoints via a callback mechanism. The ‘probes’ are strictly typed functions that are passed a unique set of parameters defined by each tracepoint.
From this simple callback mechanism, ‘probes’ can be used to profile, debug, and understand kernel behavior. There are a number of tools that provide a framework for using ‘probes’. These tools include Systemtap, ftrace, and LTTng.
Tracepoints are defined in a number of header files via various macros. Thus, the purpose of this document is to provide a clear accounting of the available tracepoints. The intention is to understand not only what tracepoints are available but also to understand where future tracepoints might be added.
The API presented has functions of the form:
trace_tracepointname(function parameters). These are the tracepoints
callbacks that are found throughout the code. Registering and
unregistering probes with these callback sites is covered in the
Documentation/trace/* directory.
IRQ¶
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void
trace_irq_handler_entry(int irq, struct irqaction * action)¶ called immediately before the irq action handler
Parameters
int irq- irq number
struct irqaction * action- pointer to struct irqaction
Description
The struct irqaction pointed to by action contains various information about the handler, including the device name, action->name, and the device id, action->dev_id. When used in conjunction with the irq_handler_exit tracepoint, we can figure out irq handler latencies.
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void
trace_irq_handler_exit(int irq, struct irqaction * action, int ret)¶ called immediately after the irq action handler returns
Parameters
int irq- irq number
struct irqaction * action- pointer to struct irqaction
int ret- return value
Description
If the ret value is set to IRQ_HANDLED, then we know that the corresponding action->handler successfully handled this irq. Otherwise, the irq might be a shared irq line, or the irq was not handled successfully. Can be used in conjunction with the irq_handler_entry to understand irq handler latencies.
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void
trace_softirq_entry(unsigned int vec_nr)¶ called immediately before the softirq handler
Parameters
unsigned int vec_nr- softirq vector number
Description
When used in combination with the softirq_exit tracepoint we can determine the softirq handler routine.
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void
trace_softirq_exit(unsigned int vec_nr)¶ called immediately after the softirq handler returns
Parameters
unsigned int vec_nr- softirq vector number
Description
When used in combination with the softirq_entry tracepoint we can determine the softirq handler routine.
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void
trace_softirq_raise(unsigned int vec_nr)¶ called immediately when a softirq is raised
Parameters
unsigned int vec_nr- softirq vector number
Description
When used in combination with the softirq_entry tracepoint we can determine the softirq raise to run latency.
SIGNAL¶
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void
trace_signal_generate(int sig, struct siginfo * info, struct task_struct * task, int group, int result)¶ called when a signal is generated
Parameters
int sig- signal number
struct siginfo * info- pointer to struct siginfo
struct task_struct * task- pointer to struct task_struct
int group- shared or private
int result- TRACE_SIGNAL_*
Description
Current process sends a ‘sig’ signal to ‘task’ process with ‘info’ siginfo. If ‘info’ is SEND_SIG_NOINFO or SEND_SIG_PRIV, ‘info’ is not a pointer and you can’t access its field. Instead, SEND_SIG_NOINFO means that si_code is SI_USER, and SEND_SIG_PRIV means that si_code is SI_KERNEL.
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void
trace_signal_deliver(int sig, struct siginfo * info, struct k_sigaction * ka)¶ called when a signal is delivered
Parameters
int sig- signal number
struct siginfo * info- pointer to struct siginfo
struct k_sigaction * ka- pointer to struct k_sigaction
Description
A ‘sig’ signal is delivered to current process with ‘info’ siginfo, and it will be handled by ‘ka’. ka->sa.sa_handler can be SIG_IGN or SIG_DFL. Note that some signals reported by signal_generate tracepoint can be lost, ignored or modified (by debugger) before hitting this tracepoint. This means, this can show which signals are actually delivered, but matching generated signals and delivered signals may not be correct.
Block IO¶
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void
trace_block_touch_buffer(struct buffer_head * bh)¶ mark a buffer accessed
Parameters
struct buffer_head * bh- buffer_head being touched
Description
Called from touch_buffer().
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void
trace_block_dirty_buffer(struct buffer_head * bh)¶ mark a buffer dirty
Parameters
struct buffer_head * bh- buffer_head being dirtied
Description
Called from mark_buffer_dirty().
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void
trace_block_rq_requeue(struct request_queue * q, struct request * rq)¶ place block IO request back on a queue
Parameters
struct request_queue * q- queue holding operation
struct request * rq- block IO operation request
Description
The block operation request rq is being placed back into queue q. For some reason the request was not completed and needs to be put back in the queue.
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void
trace_block_rq_complete(struct request * rq, int error, unsigned int nr_bytes)¶ block IO operation completed by device driver
Parameters
struct request * rq- block operations request
int error- status code
unsigned int nr_bytes- number of completed bytes
Description
The block_rq_complete tracepoint event indicates that some portion
of operation request has been completed by the device driver. If
the rq->bio is NULL, then there is absolutely no additional work to
do for the request. If rq->bio is non-NULL then there is
additional work required to complete the request.
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void
trace_block_rq_insert(struct request_queue * q, struct request * rq)¶ insert block operation request into queue
Parameters
struct request_queue * q- target queue
struct request * rq- block IO operation request
Description
Called immediately before block operation request rq is inserted into queue q. The fields in the operation request rq struct can be examined to determine which device and sectors the pending operation would access.
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void
trace_block_rq_issue(struct request_queue * q, struct request * rq)¶ issue pending block IO request operation to device driver
Parameters
struct request_queue * q- queue holding operation
struct request * rq- block IO operation operation request
Description
Called when block operation request rq from queue q is sent to a device driver for processing.
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void
trace_block_bio_bounce(struct request_queue * q, struct bio * bio)¶ used bounce buffer when processing block operation
Parameters
struct request_queue * q- queue holding the block operation
struct bio * bio- block operation
Description
A bounce buffer was used to handle the block operation bio in q. This occurs when hardware limitations prevent a direct transfer of data between the bio data memory area and the IO device. Use of a bounce buffer requires extra copying of data and decreases performance.
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void
trace_block_bio_complete(struct request_queue * q, struct bio * bio, int error)¶ completed all work on the block operation
Parameters
struct request_queue * q- queue holding the block operation
struct bio * bio- block operation completed
int error- io error value
Description
This tracepoint indicates there is no further work to do on this block IO operation bio.
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void
trace_block_bio_backmerge(struct request_queue * q, struct request * rq, struct bio * bio)¶ merging block operation to the end of an existing operation
Parameters
struct request_queue * q- queue holding operation
struct request * rq- request bio is being merged into
struct bio * bio- new block operation to merge
Description
Merging block request bio to the end of an existing block request in queue q.
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void
trace_block_bio_frontmerge(struct request_queue * q, struct request * rq, struct bio * bio)¶ merging block operation to the beginning of an existing operation
Parameters
struct request_queue * q- queue holding operation
struct request * rq- request bio is being merged into
struct bio * bio- new block operation to merge
Description
Merging block IO operation bio to the beginning of an existing block operation in queue q.
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void
trace_block_bio_queue(struct request_queue * q, struct bio * bio)¶ putting new block IO operation in queue
Parameters
struct request_queue * q- queue holding operation
struct bio * bio- new block operation
Description
About to place the block IO operation bio into queue q.
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void
trace_block_getrq(struct request_queue * q, struct bio * bio, int rw)¶ get a free request entry in queue for block IO operations
Parameters
struct request_queue * q- queue for operations
struct bio * bio- pending block IO operation
int rw- low bit indicates a read (
0) or a write (1)
Description
A request struct for queue q has been allocated to handle the block IO operation bio.
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void
trace_block_sleeprq(struct request_queue * q, struct bio * bio, int rw)¶ waiting to get a free request entry in queue for block IO operation
Parameters
struct request_queue * q- queue for operation
struct bio * bio- pending block IO operation
int rw- low bit indicates a read (
0) or a write (1)
Description
In the case where a request struct cannot be provided for queue q the process needs to wait for an request struct to become available. This tracepoint event is generated each time the process goes to sleep waiting for request struct become available.
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void
trace_block_plug(struct request_queue * q)¶ keep operations requests in request queue
Parameters
struct request_queue * q- request queue to plug
Description
Plug the request queue q. Do not allow block operation requests to be sent to the device driver. Instead, accumulate requests in the queue to improve throughput performance of the block device.
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void
trace_block_unplug(struct request_queue * q, unsigned int depth, bool explicit)¶ release of operations requests in request queue
Parameters
struct request_queue * q- request queue to unplug
unsigned int depth- number of requests just added to the queue
bool explicit- whether this was an explicit unplug, or one from
schedule()
Description
Unplug request queue q because device driver is scheduled to work on elements in the request queue.
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void
trace_block_split(struct request_queue * q, struct bio * bio, unsigned int new_sector)¶ split a single bio struct into two bio structs
Parameters
struct request_queue * q- queue containing the bio
struct bio * bio- block operation being split
unsigned int new_sector- The starting sector for the new bio
Description
The bio request bio in request queue q needs to be split into two bio requests. The newly created bio request starts at new_sector. This split may be required due to hardware limitation such as operation crossing device boundaries in a RAID system.
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void
trace_block_bio_remap(struct request_queue * q, struct bio * bio, dev_t dev, sector_t from)¶ map request for a logical device to the raw device
Parameters
struct request_queue * q- queue holding the operation
struct bio * bio- revised operation
dev_t dev- device for the operation
sector_t from- original sector for the operation
Description
An operation for a logical device has been mapped to the raw block device.
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void
trace_block_rq_remap(struct request_queue * q, struct request * rq, dev_t dev, sector_t from)¶ map request for a block operation request
Parameters
struct request_queue * q- queue holding the operation
struct request * rq- block IO operation request
dev_t dev- device for the operation
sector_t from- original sector for the operation
Description
The block operation request rq in q has been remapped. The block operation request rq holds the current information and from hold the original sector.
Workqueue¶
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void
trace_workqueue_queue_work(unsigned int req_cpu, struct pool_workqueue * pwq, struct work_struct * work)¶ called when a work gets queued
Parameters
unsigned int req_cpu- the requested cpu
struct pool_workqueue * pwq- pointer to struct pool_workqueue
struct work_struct * work- pointer to struct work_struct
Description
This event occurs when a work is queued immediately or once a delayed work is actually queued on a workqueue (ie: once the delay has been reached).
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void
trace_workqueue_activate_work(struct work_struct * work)¶ called when a work gets activated
Parameters
struct work_struct * work- pointer to struct work_struct
Description
This event occurs when a queued work is put on the active queue, which happens immediately after queueing unless max_active limit is reached.
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void
trace_workqueue_execute_start(struct work_struct * work)¶ called immediately before the workqueue callback
Parameters
struct work_struct * work- pointer to struct work_struct
Description
Allows to track workqueue execution.
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void
trace_workqueue_execute_end(struct work_struct * work)¶ called immediately after the workqueue callback
Parameters
struct work_struct * work- pointer to struct work_struct
Description
Allows to track workqueue execution.