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README for Intel(R) RDT Software Package

September 2016

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Contents
========

- Overview
- Package Content
- Hardware Support
- Software Compatibility
- Legal Disclaimer


Overview
========

This software package provides basic support for
Intel(R) Resource Director Technology (Intel(R) RDT) including:
Cache Monitoring Technology (CMT), Memory Bandwidth Monitoring (MBM),
Cache Allocation Technology (CAT) and Code and Data Prioritization (CDP).

In principle, the software programs the technologies via
Model Specific Registers (MSR) on a hardware thread basis.
MSR access is arranged via a standard operating system driver:
msr on Linux and cpuctl on FreeBSD. In the most common architectural
implementations, presence of the technologies is detected via the
CPUID instruction.

In a limited number of special cases where CAT is not architecturally
supported on a particular SKU (but instead a non-architectural
(model-specific) implementation exists) it can be detected via brand
string. This brand string is read from CPUID and compared to a table
of known-supported SKUs. If needed, a final check is to probe the
specific MSR’s to discover hardware capabilities, however it is
recommended that CPUID enumeration should be used wherever possible.

If compiled with PID API the software detects presence of Linux perf extensions for
the monitoring technologies. In such case it enables library API's for
monitoring processes. PID API is not complied by default.

This software package is maintained, updated and developed on
https://github.com/01org/intel-cmt-cat

https://github.com/01org/intel-cmt-cat/wiki provides FAQ, usage examples and
useful links.

Please refer to INSTALL file for package installation instructions.


Package Content
===============

"lib" directory:
    Includes software library files providing API's for
    technology detection, monitoring and allocation.
    Please refer to the library README for more details (lib/README).
“lib/perl” directory:
    Includes PQoS library Perl wrapper.
    Please refer to the interface README for more details (lib/perl/README).
"pqos" directory:
    Includes utility files providing command line access to
    Intel(R) RDT. The utility links against the library and programs
    the technologies via its API's.
    Please refer to the utility README for more details "pqos/README".
    Manual page of "pqos" utility also provides information about tool usage:
    $ man pqos
"rdtset" directory:
    Includes files of utility that provides "taskset"-like functionality and
    CAT configuration.
    The utility links against the library and programs the technologies
    via its API's.
    Please refer to the utility README for more details "rdtset/README".
    Manual page of "rdtset" utility also provides information about tool usage:
    $ man rdtset
"examples" directory:
    Includes C and Perl examples of Intel(R) RDT usage via the library API's.
    Please refer to README file for more details "examples/README".
"snmp" directory:
    Includes Net-SNMP AgentX subagent written in Perl to demonstrate the use of
    the PQoS library Perl wrapper API.
    Please refer to README file for more details "snmp/README".
"srpm" directory:
    Includes *.src.rpm and *.spec files for the software package.
"ChangeLog" file:
    Brief description of changes between releases.
"INSTALL" file:
    Installation instructions.
"LICENSE" file:
    License of the package.


Hardware Support
================

Table 1. Intel(R) RDT hardware support
+-----------------------------------------------------------+
|                                 | CMT | MBM |  CAT  | CDP |
|---------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----|
|Intel(R) Xeon(R) processor E5 v3 | Yes | No  |Yes (1)| No  |
|---------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----|
|Intel(R) Xeon(R) processor D     | Yes | Yes |Yes (2)| No  |
|---------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----|
|Intel(R) Xeon(R) processor E3 v4 | No  | No  |Yes (3)| No  |
|---------------------------------+-----+-----+-------+-----|
|Intel(R) Xeon(R) processor E5 v4 | Yes | Yes |Yes (2)| Yes |
+-----------------------------------------------------------+

References:
(1) Selected SKU's only:
        Intel(R) Xeon(R) processor E5-2658 v3
        Intel(R) Xeon(R) processor E5-2648L v3
        Intel(R) Xeon(R) processor E5-2628L v3
        Intel(R) Xeon(R) processor E5-2618L v3
        Intel(R) Xeon(R) processor E5-2608L v3
        Intel(R) Xeon(R) processor E5-2658A v3
    Four CAT classes of service (CLOS) and a set of pre-defined classes that
    should not be changed at run time.
    CAT CLOS to hardware thread association can be changed at run time.

(2) Sixteen CAT classes of service (CLOS). There are no pre-defined
    classes of service and they can be changed at run time.
    CAT CLOS to hardware thread association can be changed at run time.

(3) Selected SKU's only:
        Intel(R) Xeon(R) processor E3-1258L v4
        Intel(R) Xeon(R) processor E3-1278L v4
    Four CAT classes of service (CLOS) and a set of pre-defined classes that
    should not be changed at run time.
    CAT CLOS to hardware thread association can be changed at run time.

For additional Intel(R) RDT details please refer to the Intel(R)
Architecture Software Development Manuals available at:
http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/processors/architectures-software-developer-manuals.html
Specific information can be found in volume 3, Chapters 17.16 and 17.17 (revision 059).


Software Compatibility
======================

In short, use intel-cmt-cat or Intel(R) PCM software together with
Linux perf and cgroup frameworks is not allowed at the moment.

As disappointing as it is, use of Linux perf for CMT & MBM and
intel-cmt-cat for CAT & CDP is not allowed. This is because
Linux perf overrides existing CAT configuration during its operations.

There are only two options to choose from in order to make use of CAT:
- intel-cmt-cat software for CMT/MBM/CAT and CDP (core granularity only)
- patch kernel with an out of tree cgroup patch (CAT) and
  only use perf for monitoring (CMT kernels 4.1+, MBM kernels 4.6+)

Table 2. Software interoperability matrix
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|              | intel-cmt-cat | Intel(R) PCM |  Linux perf  | Linux cgroup |
|--------------+---------------+--------------+--------------+--------------|
|intel-cmt-cat | Yes(1)        | Yes(2)       | No           | No           |
|--------------+---------------+--------------+--------------+--------------|
|Intel(R) PCM  | Yes(2)        | Yes          | No           | No           |
|--------------+---------------+--------------+--------------+--------------|
|Linux perf    | No            | No           | Yes          | Yes(3)       |
|--------------+---------------+--------------+--------------+--------------|
|Linux cgroup  | No            | No           | Yes          | Yes(3)       |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+

References:
(1) pqos monitoring from intel-cmt-cat can detect other
    pqos monitoring processes in the system.
    rdtset from intel-cmt-cat detects other processes started with rdtset and
    it will not use their CAT/CDP resources.

(2) pqos from intel-cmt-cat can detect that Intel(R) PCM monitors cores and
    it will not attempt to hijack the cores unless forced.
    However, if pqos monitoring is started first and then
    Intel(R) PCM is started then the latter one will hijack monitoring
    infrastructure from pqos for its use.

(3) Linux cgroup is an out of tree patch
    https://github.com/vshiva1/linux/tree/catv15

Intel(R) PCM is available at
https://software.intel.com/en-us/articles/intel-performance-counter-monitor


Table 3. Intel(R) RDT software enabling status.
+--------------------------------------------------------------+
|              | Core  | Task  |  CMT  |  MBM  |  CAT  |  CDP  |
|--------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------|
|intel-cmt-cat | Yes   | No    | Yes   | Yes   | Yes   | Yes   |
|--------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------|
|Intel(R) PCM  | Yes   | No    | Yes   | Yes   | No    | No    |
|--------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------|
|Linux perf    | Yes   | Yes   | Yes(1)| Yes(2)| No(3) | No(3) |
|--------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------|
|Linux cgroup  | No    | Yes   | No    | No    | Yes(4)| No    |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+

Legend:
Core  - use of technology with core granularity
Task  - use of technology per task or group of tasks

References:
(1) Linux kernel version 4.1 and newer
(2) Linux kernel version 4.6 and newer
(3) Linux perf corrupts CAT and CDP configuration even though
    it doesn't enable it
(4) This is out of tree patch and relies on Linux perf enabling


Legal Disclaimer
================

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY INTEL"AS IS". NO LICENSE, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, BY ESTOPPEL OR OTHERWISE, TO ANY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
ARE GRANTED THROUGH USE. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN INTEL'S TERMS AND
CONDITIONS OF SALE, INTEL ASSUMES NO LIABILITY WHATSOEVER AND INTEL
DISCLAIMS ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY, RELATING TO SALE AND/OR
USE OF INTEL PRODUCTS INCLUDING LIABILITY OR WARRANTIES RELATING TO
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, MERCHANTABILITY, OR INFRINGEMENT
OF ANY PATENT, COPYRIGHT OR OTHER INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHT.