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diff --git a/docs/content/methodology/per_thread_resources.md b/docs/content/methodology/per_thread_resources.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..a1d65a873f --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/content/methodology/per_thread_resources.md @@ -0,0 +1,103 @@ +--- +bookToc: false +title: "Per Thread Resources" +weight: 2 +--- + +# Per Thread Resources + +CSIT test framework is managing mapping of the following resources per +thread: + +1. Cores, physical cores (pcores) allocated as pairs of sibling logical cores + (lcores) if server in HyperThreading/SMT mode, or as single lcores + if server not in HyperThreading/SMT mode. Note that if server's + processors are running in HyperThreading/SMT mode sibling lcores are + always used. +2. Receive Queues (RxQ), packet receive queues allocated on each + physical and logical interface tested. +3. Transmit Queues(TxQ), packet transmit queues allocated on each + physical and logical interface tested. + +Approach to mapping per thread resources depends on the application/DUT +tested (VPP or DPDK apps) and associated thread types, as follows: + +1. Data-plane workers, used for data-plane packet processing, when no + feature workers present. + + - Cores: data-plane workers are typically tested in 1, 2 and 4 pcore + configurations, running on single lcore per pcore or on sibling + lcores per pcore. Result is a set of {T}t{C}c thread-core + configurations, where{T} stands for a total number of threads + (lcores), and {C} for a total number of pcores. Tested + configurations are encoded in CSIT test case names, + e.g. "1c", "2c", "4c", and test tags "2T1C"(or "1T1C"), "4T2C" + (or "2T2C"), "8T4C" (or "4T4C"). + - Interface Receive Queues (RxQ): as of CSIT-2106 release, number of + RxQs used on each physical or virtual interface is equal to the + number of data-plane workers. In other words each worker has a + dedicated RxQ on each interface tested. This ensures packet + processing load to be equal for each worker, subject to RSS flow + load balancing efficacy. Note: Before CSIT-2106 total number of + RxQs across all interfaces of specific type was equal to the + number of data-plane workers. + - Interface Transmit Queues (TxQ): number of TxQs used on each + physical or virtual interface is equal to the number of data-plane + workers. In other words each worker has a dedicated TxQ on each + interface tested. + - Applies to VPP and DPDK Testpmd and L3Fwd. + +2. Data-plane and feature workers (e.g. IPsec async crypto workers), the + latter dedicated to specific feature processing. + + - Cores: data-plane and feature workers are tested in 2, 3 and 4 + pcore configurations, running on single lcore per pcore or on + sibling lcores per pcore. This results in a two sets of + thread-core combinations separated by "-", {T}t{C}c-{T}t{C}c, with + the leading set denoting total number of threads (lcores) and + pcores used for data-plane workers, and the trailing set denoting + total number of lcores and pcores used for feature workers. + Accordingly, tested configurations are encoded in CSIT test case + names, e.g. "1c-1c", "1c-2c", "1c-3c", and test tags "2T1C_2T1C" + (or "1T1C_1T1C"), "2T1C_4T2C"(or "1T1C_2T2C"), "2T1C_6T3C" + (or "1T1C_3T3C"). + - RxQ and TxQ: no RxQs and no TxQs are used by feature workers. + - Applies to VPP only. + +3. Management/main worker, control plane and management. + + - Cores: single lcore. + - RxQ: not used (VPP default behaviour). + - TxQ: single TxQ per interface, allocated but not used + (VPP default behaviour). + - Applies to VPP only. + +## VPP Thread Configuration + +Mapping of cores and RxQs to VPP data-plane worker threads is done in +the VPP startup.conf during test suite setup: + +1. `corelist-workers <list_of_cores>`: List of logical cores to run VPP + data-plane workers and feature workers. The actual lcores' + allocations depends on HyperThreading/SMT server configuration and + per test core configuration. + + - For tests without feature workers, by default, all CPU cores + configured in startup.conf are used for data-plane workers. + - For tests with feature workers, CSIT code distributes lcores across + data-plane and feature workers. + +2. `num-rx-queues <value>`: Number of Rx queues used per interface. + +Mapping of TxQs to VPP data-plane worker threads uses the default VPP +setting of one TxQ per interface per data-plane worker. + +## DPDK Thread Configuration + +Mapping of cores and RxQs to DPDK Testpmd/L3Fwd data-plane worker +threads is done in the startup CLI: + +1. `-l <list_of_cores>` - List of logical cores to run DPDK + application. +2. `nb-cores=<N>` - Number of forwarding cores. +3. `rxq=<N>` - Number of Rx queues used per interface. |