runtime: remove unnecessary wakeups of worker threads

Currently we wake up new worker threads whenever we pass
through the scheduler with nmspinning==0. This leads to
lots of unnecessary thread wake ups.
Instead let only spinning threads wake up new spinning threads.

For the following program:

package main
import "runtime"
func main() {
	for i := 0; i < 1e7; i++ {
		runtime.Gosched()
	}
}

Before:
$ time ./test
real	0m4.278s
user	0m7.634s
sys	0m1.423s

$ strace -c ./test
% time     seconds  usecs/call     calls    errors syscall
 99.93    9.314936           3   2685009     17536 futex

After:
$ time ./test
real	0m1.200s
user	0m1.181s
sys	0m0.024s

$ strace -c ./test
% time     seconds  usecs/call     calls    errors syscall
  3.11    0.000049          25         2           futex

Fixes #13527

Change-Id: Ia1f5bf8a896dcc25d8b04beb1f4317aa9ff16f74
Reviewed-on: https://go-review.googlesource.com/17540
Reviewed-by: Austin Clements <austin@google.com>
Run-TryBot: Dmitry Vyukov <dvyukov@google.com>
TryBot-Result: Gobot Gobot <gobot@golang.org>

src/runtime/proc.go

@@ -22,6 +22,57 @@ import (
 //
 // Design doc at https://golang.org/s/go11sched.
 
+// Worker thread parking/unparking.
+// We need to balance between keeping enough running worker threads to utilize
+// available hardware parallelism and parking excessive running worker threads
+// to conserve CPU resources and power. This is not simple for two reasons:
+// (1) scheduler state is intentionally distributed (in particular, per-P work
+// queues), so it is not possible to compute global predicates on fast paths;
+// (2) for optimal thread management we would need to know the future (don't park
+// a worker thread when a new goroutine will be readied in near future).
+//
+// Three rejected approaches that would work badly:
+// 1. Centralize all scheduler state (would inhibit scalability).
+// 2. Direct goroutine handoff. That is, when we ready a new goroutine and there
+//    is a spare P, unpark a thread and handoff it the thread and the goroutine.
+//    This would lead to thread state thrashing, as the thread that readied the
+//    goroutine can be out of work the very next moment, we will need to park it.
+//    Also, it would destroy locality of computation as we want to preserve
+//    dependent goroutines on the same thread; and introduce additional latency.
+// 3. Unpark an additional thread whenever we ready a goroutine and there is an
+//    idle P, but don't do handoff. This would lead to excessive thread parking/
+//    unparking as the additional threads will instantly park without discovering
+//    any work to do.
+//
+// The current approach:
+// We unpark an additional thread when we ready a goroutine if (1) there is an
+// idle P and there are no "spinning" worker threads. A worker thread is considered
+// spinning if it is out of local work and did not find work in global run queue/
+// netpoller; the spinning state is denoted in m.spinning and in sched.nmspinning.
+// Threads unparked this way are also considered spinning; we don't do goroutine
+// handoff so such threads are out of work initially. Spinning threads do some
+// spinning looking for work in per-P run queues before parking. If a spinning
+// thread finds work it takes itself out of the spinning state and proceeds to
+// execution. If it does not find work it takes itself out of the spinning state
+// and then parks.
+// If there is at least one spinning thread (sched.nmspinning>1), we don't unpark
+// new threads when readying goroutines. To compensate for that, if the last spinning
+// thread finds work and stops spinning, it must unpark a new spinning thread.
+// This approach smooths out unjustified spikes of thread unparking,
+// but at the same time guarantees eventual maximal CPU parallelism utilization.
+//
+// The main implementation complication is that we need to be very careful during
+// spinning->non-spinning thread transition. This transition can race with submission
+// of a new goroutine, and either one part or another needs to unpark another worker
+// thread. If they both fail to do that, we can end up with semi-persistent CPU
+// underutilization. The general pattern for goroutine readying is: submit a goroutine
+// to local work queue, #StoreLoad-style memory barrier, check sched.nmspinning.
+// The general pattern for spinning->non-spinning transition is: decrement nmspinning,
+// #StoreLoad-style memory barrier, check all per-P work queues for new work.
+// Note that all this complexity does not apply to global run queue as we are not
+// sloppy about thread unparking when submitting to global queue. Also see comments
+// for nmspinning manipulation.
+
 var (
 	m0 m
 	g0 g
@@ -1454,8 +1505,7 @@ func stopm() {
 		throw("stopm holding p")
 	}
 	if _g_.m.spinning {
-		_g_.m.spinning = false
+		throw("stopm spinning")
-		atomic.Xadd(&sched.nmspinning, -1)
 	}
 
 retry:
@@ -1476,22 +1526,15 @@ retry:
 }
 
 func mspinning() {
-	gp := getg()
+	// startm's caller incremented nmspinning. Set the new M's spinning.
-	if !runqempty(gp.m.nextp.ptr()) {
+	getg().m.spinning = true
-		// Something (presumably the GC) was readied while the
-		// runtime was starting up this M, so the M is no
-		// longer spinning.
-		if int32(atomic.Xadd(&sched.nmspinning, -1)) < 0 {
-			throw("mspinning: nmspinning underflowed")
-		}
-	} else {
-		gp.m.spinning = true
-	}
 }
 
 // Schedules some M to run the p (creates an M if necessary).
 // If p==nil, tries to get an idle P, if no idle P's does nothing.
 // May run with m.p==nil, so write barriers are not allowed.
+// If spinning is set, the caller has incremented nmspinning and startm will
+// either decrement nmspinning or set m.spinning in the newly started M.
 //go:nowritebarrier
 func startm(_p_ *p, spinning bool) {
 	lock(&sched.lock)
@@ -1500,7 +1543,11 @@ func startm(_p_ *p, spinning bool) {
 		if _p_ == nil {
 			unlock(&sched.lock)
 			if spinning {
-				atomic.Xadd(&sched.nmspinning, -1)
+				// The caller incremented nmspinning, but there are no idle Ps,
+				// so it's okay to just undo the increment and give up.
+				if int32(atomic.Xadd(&sched.nmspinning, -1)) < 0 {
+					throw("startm: negative nmspinning")
+				}
 			}
 			return
 		}
@@ -1510,6 +1557,7 @@ func startm(_p_ *p, spinning bool) {
 	if mp == nil {
 		var fn func()
 		if spinning {
+			// The caller incremented nmspinning, so set m.spinning in the new M.
 			fn = mspinning
 		}
 		newm(fn, _p_)
@@ -1524,6 +1572,7 @@ func startm(_p_ *p, spinning bool) {
 	if spinning && !runqempty(_p_) {
 		throw("startm: p has runnable gs")
 	}
+	// The caller incremented nmspinning, so set m.spinning in the new M.
 	mp.spinning = spinning
 	mp.nextp.set(_p_)
 	notewakeup(&mp.park)
@@ -1645,7 +1694,11 @@ func gcstopm() {
 	}
 	if _g_.m.spinning {
 		_g_.m.spinning = false
-		atomic.Xadd(&sched.nmspinning, -1)
+		// OK to just drop nmspinning here,
+		// startTheWorld will unpark threads as necessary.
+		if int32(atomic.Xadd(&sched.nmspinning, -1)) < 0 {
+			throw("gcstopm: negative nmspinning")
+		}
 	}
 	_p_ := releasep()
 	lock(&sched.lock)
@@ -1818,9 +1871,26 @@ stop:
 	_p_ := releasep()
 	pidleput(_p_)
 	unlock(&sched.lock)
+
+	// Delicate dance: thread transitions from spinning to non-spinning state,
+	// potentially concurrently with submission of new goroutines. We must
+	// drop nmspinning first and then check all per-P queues again (with
+	// #StoreLoad memory barrier in between). If we do it the other way around,
+	// another thread can submit a goroutine after we've checked all run queues
+	// but before we drop nmspinning; as the result nobody will unpark a thread
+	// to run the goroutine.
+	// If we discover new work below, we need to restore m.spinning as a signal
+	// for resetspinning to unpark a new worker thread (because there can be more
+	// than one starving goroutine). However, if after discovering new work
+	// we also observe no idle Ps, it is OK to just park the current thread:
+	// the system is fully loaded so no spinning threads are required.
+	// Also see "Worker thread parking/unparking" comment at the top of the file.
+	wasSpinning := _g_.m.spinning
 	if _g_.m.spinning {
 		_g_.m.spinning = false
-		atomic.Xadd(&sched.nmspinning, -1)
+		if int32(atomic.Xadd(&sched.nmspinning, -1)) < 0 {
+			throw("findrunnable: negative nmspinning")
+		}
 	}
 
 	// check all runqueues once again
@@ -1832,6 +1902,10 @@ stop:
 			unlock(&sched.lock)
 			if _p_ != nil {
 				acquirep(_p_)
+				if wasSpinning {
+					_g_.m.spinning = true
+					atomic.Xadd(&sched.nmspinning, 1)
+				}
 				goto top
 			}
 			break
@@ -1870,20 +1944,17 @@ stop:
 
 func resetspinning() {
 	_g_ := getg()
-
+	if !_g_.m.spinning {
-	var nmspinning uint32
+		throw("resetspinning: not a spinning m")
-	if _g_.m.spinning {
+	}
 	_g_.m.spinning = false
-		nmspinning = atomic.Xadd(&sched.nmspinning, -1)
+	nmspinning := atomic.Xadd(&sched.nmspinning, -1)
 	if int32(nmspinning) < 0 {
 		throw("findrunnable: negative nmspinning")
 	}
-	} else {
+	// M wakeup policy is deliberately somewhat conservative, so check if we
-		nmspinning = atomic.Load(&sched.nmspinning)
+	// need to wakeup another P here. See "Worker thread parking/unparking"
-	}
+	// comment at the top of the file for details.
-
-	// M wakeup policy is deliberately somewhat conservative (see nmspinning handling),
-	// so see if we need to wakeup another P here.
 	if nmspinning == 0 && atomic.Load(&sched.npidle) > 0 {
 		wakep()
 	}
@@ -1944,14 +2015,10 @@ top:
 		if gp != nil {
 			casgstatus(gp, _Gwaiting, _Grunnable)
 			traceGoUnpark(gp, 0)
-			resetspinning()
 		}
 	}
 	if gp == nil && gcBlackenEnabled != 0 {
 		gp = gcController.findRunnableGCWorker(_g_.m.p.ptr())
-		if gp != nil {
-			resetspinning()
-		}
 	}
 	if gp == nil {
 		// Check the global runnable queue once in a while to ensure fairness.
@@ -1961,9 +2028,6 @@ top:
 			lock(&sched.lock)
 			gp = globrunqget(_g_.m.p.ptr(), 1)
 			unlock(&sched.lock)
-			if gp != nil {
-				resetspinning()
-			}
 		}
 	}
 	if gp == nil {
@@ -1974,6 +2038,12 @@ top:
 	}
 	if gp == nil {
 		gp, inheritTime = findrunnable() // blocks until work is available
+	}
+
+	// This thread is going to run a goroutine and is not spinning anymore,
+	// so if it was marked as spinning we need to reset it now and potentially
+	// start a new spinning M.
+	if _g_.m.spinning {
 		resetspinning()
 	}
 

src/runtime/proc_test.go

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ package runtime_test
 
 import (
 	"math"
+	"net"
 	"runtime"
 	"runtime/debug"
 	"sync"
@@ -132,6 +133,79 @@ func TestGoroutineParallelism(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// Test that all runnable goroutines are scheduled at the same time.
+func TestGoroutineParallelism2(t *testing.T) {
+	//testGoroutineParallelism2(t, false, false)
+	testGoroutineParallelism2(t, true, false)
+	testGoroutineParallelism2(t, false, true)
+	testGoroutineParallelism2(t, true, true)
+}
+
+func testGoroutineParallelism2(t *testing.T, load, netpoll bool) {
+	if runtime.NumCPU() == 1 {
+		// Takes too long, too easy to deadlock, etc.
+		t.Skip("skipping on uniprocessor")
+	}
+	P := 4
+	N := 10
+	if testing.Short() {
+		N = 3
+	}
+	defer runtime.GOMAXPROCS(runtime.GOMAXPROCS(P))
+	// If runtime triggers a forced GC during this test then it will deadlock,
+	// since the goroutines can't be stopped/preempted.
+	// Disable GC for this test (see issue #10958).
+	defer debug.SetGCPercent(debug.SetGCPercent(-1))
+	for try := 0; try < N; try++ {
+		if load {
+			// Create P goroutines and wait until they all run.
+			// When we run the actual test below, worker threads
+			// running the goroutines will start parking.
+			done := make(chan bool)
+			x := uint32(0)
+			for p := 0; p < P; p++ {
+				go func() {
+					if atomic.AddUint32(&x, 1) == uint32(P) {
+						done <- true
+						return
+					}
+					for atomic.LoadUint32(&x) != uint32(P) {
+					}
+				}()
+			}
+			<-done
+		}
+		if netpoll {
+			// Enable netpoller, affects schedler behavior.
+			ln, err := net.Listen("tcp", "localhost:0")
+			if err != nil {
+				defer ln.Close() // yup, defer in a loop
+			}
+		}
+		done := make(chan bool)
+		x := uint32(0)
+		// Spawn P goroutines in a nested fashion just to differ from TestGoroutineParallelism.
+		for p := 0; p < P/2; p++ {
+			go func(p int) {
+				for p2 := 0; p2 < 2; p2++ {
+					go func(p2 int) {
+						for i := 0; i < 3; i++ {
+							expected := uint32(P*i + p*2 + p2)
+							for atomic.LoadUint32(&x) != expected {
+							}
+							atomic.StoreUint32(&x, expected+1)
+						}
+						done <- true
+					}(p2)
+				}
+			}(p)
+		}
+		for p := 0; p < P; p++ {
+			<-done
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func TestBlockLocked(t *testing.T) {
 	const N = 10
 	c := make(chan bool)

src/runtime/runtime2.go

@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@ type schedt struct {
 
 	pidle      puintptr // idle p's
 	npidle     uint32
-	nmspinning uint32 // limited to [0, 2^31-1]
+	nmspinning uint32 // See "Worker thread parking/unparking" comment in proc.go.
 
 	// Global runnable queue.
 	runqhead guintptr