NAME
kmem_cache_create, kmem_cache_alloc, kmem_cache_free,
kmem_cache_destroy - kernel memory cache allocator opera-
tions
SYNOPSIS
#include <sys/types.h>
#include <sys/kmem.h>
kmem_cache_t *kmem_cache_create(char *name, size_t bufsize,
size_t align, int (*constructor)(void *, void *, int),
void (*destructor)(void *, void *), void (*reclaim)(void *),
void *private, void *vmp, int cflags);
void kmem_cache_destroy(kmem_cache_t *cp);
void *kmem_cache_alloc(kmem_cache_t *cp, intkmflag);
void kmem_cache_free(kmem_cache_t *cp, void *obj);
[Synopsis for callback functions:]
int (*constructor)(void *buf, void *un, int kmflags);
void (*destructor)(void *buf, void *un);
INTERFACE LEVEL
Solaris DDI specific (Solaris DDI)
PARAMETERS
The parameters for the kmem_cache_* functions are as fol-
lows:
name Descriptive name of a kstat(9S) structure of
class kmem_cache. Only alphanumeric charac-
ters can be used in name.
bufsize Size of the objects it manages.
align Required object alignment.
constructor Pointer to an object constructor function.
Parameters are defined below.
destructor Pointer to an object destructor function.
Parameters are defined below.
reclaim Drivers should pass NULL.
private Pass-through argument for
constructor/destructor.
vmp Drivers should pass NULL.
cflags Drivers must pass 0.
kmflag Possible flags are:
KM_SLEEP Allow sleeping (blocking)
until memory is available.
KM_NOSLEEP Return NULL immediately if
memory is not available.
KM_PUSHPAGE Allow the allocation to use
reserved memory.
*obj Pointer to the object allocated by
kmem_cache_alloc().
The parameters for the callback constructor function are as
follows:
void *buf Pointer to the object to be constructed.
void *un The private parameter from the call to
kmem_cache_create(); it is typically a
pointer to the soft-state structure.
int kmflags Propagated kmflag values.
The parameters for the callback destructor function are as
follows:
void *buf Pointer to the object to be deconstructed.
void *un The private parameter from the call to
kmem_cache_create(); it is typically a pointer
to the soft-state structure.
DESCRIPTION
In many cases, the cost of initializing and destroying an
object exceeds the cost of allocating and freeing memory for
it. The functions described here address this condition.
Object caching is a technique for dealing with objects that
are:
o frequently allocated and freed, and
o have setup and initialization costs.
The idea is to allow the allocator and its clients to
cooperate to preserve the invariant portion of an object's
initial state, or constructed state, between uses, so it
does not have to be destroyed and re-created every time the
object is used. For example, an object containing a mutex
only needs to have mutex_init() applied once, the first time
the object is allocated. The object can then be freed and
reallocated many times without incurring the expense of
mutex_destroy() and mutex_init() each time. An object's
embedded locks, condition variables, reference counts, lists
of other objects, and read-only data all generally qualify
as constructed state. The essential requirement is that the
client must free the object (using kmem_cache_free()) in its
constructed state. The allocator cannot enforce this, so
programming errors will lead to hard-to-find bugs.
A driver should call kmem_cache_create() at the time of
_init(9E) or attach(9E), and call the corresponding
kmem_cache_destroy() at the time of _fini(9E) or detach(9E).
kmem_cache_create() creates a cache of objects, each of size
size bytes, aligned on an align boundary. Drivers not
requiring a specific alignment can pass 0. name identifies
the cache for statistics and debugging. constructor and des-
tructor convert plain memory into objects and back again;
constructor can fail if it needs to allocate memory but can-
not. private is a parameter passed to the constructor and
destructor callbacks to support parameterized caches (for
example, a pointer to an instance of the driver's soft-state
structure). To facilitate debugging, kmem_cache_create()
creates a kstat(9S) structure of class kmem_cache and name
name. It returns an opaque pointer to the object cache.
kmem_cache_alloc() gets an object from the cache. The object
will be in its constructed state. kmflag has either KM_SLEEP
or KM_NOSLEEP set, indicating whether it is acceptable to
wait for memory if none is currently available.
A small pool of reserved memory is available to allow the
system to progress toward the goal of freeing additional
memory while in a low memory situation. The KM_PUSHPAGE flag
enables use of this reserved memory pool on an allocation.
This flag can be used by drivers that implement strategy(9E)
on memory allocations associated with a single I/O opera-
tion. The driver guarantees that the I/O operation will com-
plete (or timeout) and, on completion, that the memory will
be returned. The KM_PUSHPAGE flag should be used only in
kmem_cache_alloc() calls. All allocations from a given cache
should be consistent in their use of the flag. A driver that
adheres to these restrictions can guarantee progress in a
low memory situation without resorting to complex private
allocation and queuing schemes. If KM_PUSHPAGE is specified,
KM_SLEEP can also be used without causing deadlock.
kmem_cache_free() returns an object to the cache. The object
must be in its constructed state.
kmem_cache_destroy() destroys the cache and releases all
associated resources. All allocated objects must have been
previously freed.
CONTEXT
Constructors can be invoked during any call to
kmem_cache_alloc(), and will run in that context. Similarly,
destructors can be invoked during any call to
kmem_cache_free(), and can also be invoked during
kmem_cache_destroy(). Therefore, the functions that a con-
structor or destructor invokes must be appropriate in that
context.
kmem_cache_create() and kmem_cache_destroy() must not be
called from interrupt context.
kmem_cache_alloc() can be called from interrupt context only
if the KM_NOSLEEP flag is set. It can be called from user or
kernel context with any valid flag.
kmem_cache_free() can be called from user, kernel, or inter-
rupt context.
EXAMPLES
Example 1 Object Caching
Consider the following data structure:
struct foo {
kmutex_t foo_lock;
kcondvar_t foo_cv;
struct bar *foo_barlist;
int foo_refcnt;
};
Assume that a foo structure cannot be freed until there are
no outstanding references to it (foo_refcnt == 0) and all of
its pending bar events (whatever they are) have completed
(foo_barlist == NULL). The life cycle of a dynamically allo-
cated foo would be something like this:
foo = kmem_alloc(sizeof (struct foo), KM_SLEEP);
mutex_init(&foo->foo_lock, ...);
cv_init(&foo->foo_cv, ...);
foo->foo_refcnt = 0;
foo->foo_barlist = NULL;
use foo;
ASSERT(foo->foo_barlist == NULL);
ASSERT(foo->foo_refcnt == 0);
cv_destroy(&foo->foo_cv);
mutex_destroy(&foo->foo_lock);
kmem_free(foo);
Notice that between each use of a foo object we perform a
sequence of operations that constitutes nothing but expen-
sive overhead. All of this overhead (that is, everything
other than use foo above) can be eliminated by object cach-
ing.
int
foo_constructor(void *buf, void *arg, int tags)
{
struct foo *foo = buf;
mutex_init(&foo->foo_lock, ...);
cv_init(&foo->foo_cv, ...);
foo->foo_refcnt = 0;
foo->foo_barlist = NULL;
return (0);
}
void
foo_destructor(void *buf, void *arg)
{
struct foo *foo = buf;
ASSERT(foo->foo_barlist == NULL);
ASSERT(foo->foo_refcnt == 0);
cv_destroy(&foo->foo_cv);
mutex_destroy(&foo->foo_lock);
}
un = ddi_get_soft_state(foo_softc, instance);
(void) snprintf(buf, KSTAT_STRLEN, "foo%d_cache",
ddi_get_instance(dip));
foo_cache = kmem_cache_create(buf,
sizeof (struct foo), 0,
foo_constructor, foo_destructor,
NULL, un, 0);
To allocate, use, and free a foo object:
foo = kmem_cache_alloc(foo_cache, KM_SLEEP);
use foo;
kmem_cache_free(foo_cache, foo);
This makes foo allocation fast, because the allocator will
usually do nothing more than fetch an already-constructed
foo from the cache. foo_constructor and foo_destructor will
be invoked only to populate and drain the cache, respec-
tively.
RETURN VALUES
If successful, the constructor function must return 0. If
KM_NOSLEEP is set and memory cannot be allocated without
sleeping, the constructor must return -1.
kmem_cache_create() returns a pointer to the allocated
cache. If the name parameter contains non-alphanumeric char-
acters, kmem_cache_create() returns NULL.
If successful, kmem_cache_alloc() returns a pointer to the
allocated object. If KM_NOSLEEP is set and memory cannot be
allocated without sleeping, kmem_cache_alloc() returns NULL.
ATTRIBUTES
See attributes(5) for descriptions of the following attri-
butes:
____________________________________________________________
| ATTRIBUTE TYPE | ATTRIBUTE VALUE |
|_____________________________|_____________________________|
| Interface Stability | Evolving |
|_____________________________|_____________________________|
SEE ALSO
condvar(9F), kmem_alloc(9F), mutex(9F), kstat(9S)
The Slab Allocator: An Object-Caching Kernel Memory Alloca-
tor, Bonwick, J.; USENIX Summer 1994 Technical Conference
(1994).