On Mon, May 18, 2026 at 9:20 AM Christian König
<[email protected]> wrote:
>
> On 5/15/26 19:06, T.J. Mercier wrote:
> > On Fri, May 15, 2026 at 6:53 AM Christian Brauner <[email protected]>
> > wrote:
> >>
> >> On Tue, May 12, 2026 at 11:10:44AM +0200, Albert Esteve wrote:
> >>> On embedded platforms a central process often allocates dma-buf
> >>> memory on behalf of client applications. Without a way to
> >>> attribute the charge to the requesting client's cgroup, the
> >>> cost lands on the allocator, making per-cgroup memory limits
> >>> ineffective for the actual consumers.
> >>>
> >>> Add charge_pid_fd to struct dma_heap_allocation_data. When set to
> >>
> >> Please be aware that pidfds come in two flavors:
> >>
> >> thread-group pidfds and thread-specific pidfds. Make sure that your API
> >> doesn't implicitly depend on this distinction not existing.
> >
> > Hi Christian,
> >
> > Memcg is not a controller that supports "thread mode" so all threads
> > in a group should belong to the same memcg.
>
> BTW: Exactly that is the requirement automotive has with their native context
> use case.
>
> The use case is that you have a deamon which has multiple threads were each
> one is acting on behalve of some other process.
>
> At the moment we basically say they are simply not using cgroups for that use
> case, but it would be really nice if we could handle that as well.
>
> Summarizing the requirement of that use case: You need a different cgroup for
> each thread of a process.
Hi Christian,
Thanks for sharing this atuomotive usecase. If I understand correctly,
the actual requirement is attributing dma-buf charges to the right
client, not putting each daemon thread in a different cgroup? If so,
the `charge_pid_fd` approach achieves this directly by passing the
client's `pid_fd`, without needing to add per-thread cgroup
infrastructure.
>
> Regards,
> Christian.
>
> >
> > Checking the flags from pidfd_get_pid would be the best way for an
> > explicit check of the pidfd type?
> >
> >>> a valid pidfd, DMA_HEAP_IOCTL_ALLOC resolves the target task's
> >>> memcg and charges the buffer there via mem_cgroup_charge_dmabuf()
> >>> inside dma_heap_buffer_alloc(). Without charge_pid_fd, and with
> >>> the mem_accounting module parameter enabled, the buffer is charged
> >>> to the allocator's own cgroup.
> >>>
> >>> Additionally, commit 3c227be90659 ("dma-buf: system_heap: account for
> >>> system heap allocation in memcg") adds __GFP_ACCOUNT to system-heap
> >>> page allocations. Keeping __GFP_ACCOUNT would charge the same pages
> >>> twice (once to kmem, once to MEMCG_DMABUF), thus remove it and route
> >>> all accounting through a single MEMCG_DMABUF path.
> >>>
> >>> Usage examples:
> >>>
> >>> 1. Central allocator charging to a client at allocation time.
> >>> The allocator knows the client's PID (e.g., from binder's
> >>> sender_pid) and uses pidfd to attribute the charge:
> >>>
> >>> pid_t client_pid = txn->sender_pid;
> >>> int pidfd = pidfd_open(client_pid, 0);
> >>>
> >>> struct dma_heap_allocation_data alloc = {
> >>> .len = buffer_size,
> >>> .fd_flags = O_RDWR | O_CLOEXEC,
> >>> .charge_pid_fd = pidfd,
> >>> };
> >>> ioctl(heap_fd, DMA_HEAP_IOCTL_ALLOC, &alloc);
> >>> close(pidfd);
> >>> /* alloc.fd is now charged to client's cgroup */
> >>>
> >>> 2. Default allocation (no pidfd, mem_accounting=1).
> >>> When charge_pid_fd is not set and the mem_accounting module
> >>> parameter is enabled, the buffer is charged to the allocator's
> >>> own cgroup:
> >>>
> >>> struct dma_heap_allocation_data alloc = {
> >>> .len = buffer_size,
> >>> .fd_flags = O_RDWR | O_CLOEXEC,
> >>> };
> >>> ioctl(heap_fd, DMA_HEAP_IOCTL_ALLOC, &alloc);
> >>> /* charged to current process's cgroup */
> >>>
> >>> Current limitations:
> >>>
> >>> - Single-owner model: a dma-buf carries one memcg charge regardless of
> >>> how many processes share it. Means only the first owner (and exporter)
> >>> of the shared buffer bears the charge.
> >>> - Only memcg accounting supported. While this makes sense for system
> >>> heap buffers, other heaps (e.g., CMA heaps) will require selectively
> >>> charging also for the dmem controller.
> >>>
> >>> Signed-off-by: Albert Esteve <[email protected]>
> >>> ---
> >>> Documentation/admin-guide/cgroup-v2.rst | 5 ++--
> >>> drivers/dma-buf/dma-buf.c | 16 ++++---------
> >>> drivers/dma-buf/dma-heap.c | 42
> >>> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++---
> >>> drivers/dma-buf/heaps/system_heap.c | 2 --
> >>> include/uapi/linux/dma-heap.h | 6 +++++
> >>> 5 files changed, 53 insertions(+), 18 deletions(-)
> >>>
> >>> diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/cgroup-v2.rst
> >>> b/Documentation/admin-guide/cgroup-v2.rst
> >>> index 8bdbc2e866430..824d269531eb1 100644
> >>> --- a/Documentation/admin-guide/cgroup-v2.rst
> >>> +++ b/Documentation/admin-guide/cgroup-v2.rst
> >>> @@ -1636,8 +1636,9 @@ The following nested keys are defined.
> >>> structures.
> >>>
> >>> dmabuf (npn)
> >>> - Amount of memory used for exported DMA buffers allocated by
> >>> the cgroup.
> >>> - Stays with the allocating cgroup regardless of how the
> >>> buffer is shared.
> >>> + Amount of memory used for exported DMA buffers allocated by
> >>> or on
> >>> + behalf of the cgroup. Stays with the allocating cgroup
> >>> regardless
> >>> + of how the buffer is shared.
> >>>
> >>> workingset_refault_anon
> >>> Number of refaults of previously evicted anonymous pages.
> >>> diff --git a/drivers/dma-buf/dma-buf.c b/drivers/dma-buf/dma-buf.c
> >>> index ce02377f48908..23fb758b78297 100644
> >>> --- a/drivers/dma-buf/dma-buf.c
> >>> +++ b/drivers/dma-buf/dma-buf.c
> >>> @@ -181,8 +181,11 @@ static void dma_buf_release(struct dentry *dentry)
> >>> */
> >>> BUG_ON(dmabuf->cb_in.active || dmabuf->cb_out.active);
> >>>
> >>> - mem_cgroup_uncharge_dmabuf(dmabuf->memcg, PAGE_ALIGN(dmabuf->size)
> >>> / PAGE_SIZE);
> >>> - mem_cgroup_put(dmabuf->memcg);
> >>> + if (dmabuf->memcg) {
> >>> + mem_cgroup_uncharge_dmabuf(dmabuf->memcg,
> >>> + PAGE_ALIGN(dmabuf->size) /
> >>> PAGE_SIZE);
> >>> + mem_cgroup_put(dmabuf->memcg);
> >>> + }
> >>>
> >>> dmabuf->ops->release(dmabuf);
> >>>
> >>> @@ -764,13 +767,6 @@ struct dma_buf *dma_buf_export(const struct
> >>> dma_buf_export_info *exp_info)
> >>> dmabuf->resv = resv;
> >>> }
> >>>
> >>> - dmabuf->memcg = get_mem_cgroup_from_mm(current->mm);
> >>> - if (!mem_cgroup_charge_dmabuf(dmabuf->memcg,
> >>> PAGE_ALIGN(dmabuf->size) / PAGE_SIZE,
> >>> - GFP_KERNEL)) {
> >>> - ret = -ENOMEM;
> >>> - goto err_memcg;
> >>> - }
> >>> -
> >>> file->private_data = dmabuf;
> >>> file->f_path.dentry->d_fsdata = dmabuf;
> >>> dmabuf->file = file;
> >>> @@ -781,8 +777,6 @@ struct dma_buf *dma_buf_export(const struct
> >>> dma_buf_export_info *exp_info)
> >>>
> >>> return dmabuf;
> >>>
> >>> -err_memcg:
> >>> - mem_cgroup_put(dmabuf->memcg);
> >>> err_file:
> >>> fput(file);
> >>> err_module:
> >>> diff --git a/drivers/dma-buf/dma-heap.c b/drivers/dma-buf/dma-heap.c
> >>> index ac5f8685a6494..ff6e259afcdc0 100644
> >>> --- a/drivers/dma-buf/dma-heap.c
> >>> +++ b/drivers/dma-buf/dma-heap.c
> >>> @@ -7,13 +7,17 @@
> >>> */
> >>>
> >>> #include <linux/cdev.h>
> >>> +#include <linux/cgroup.h>
> >>> #include <linux/device.h>
> >>> #include <linux/dma-buf.h>
> >>> #include <linux/dma-heap.h>
> >>> +#include <linux/memcontrol.h>
> >>> +#include <linux/sched/mm.h>
> >>> #include <linux/err.h>
> >>> #include <linux/export.h>
> >>> #include <linux/list.h>
> >>> #include <linux/nospec.h>
> >>> +#include <linux/pidfd.h>
> >>> #include <linux/syscalls.h>
> >>> #include <linux/uaccess.h>
> >>> #include <linux/xarray.h>
> >>> @@ -55,10 +59,12 @@ MODULE_PARM_DESC(mem_accounting,
> >>> "Enable cgroup-based memory accounting for dma-buf heap
> >>> allocations (default=false).");
> >>>
> >>> static int dma_heap_buffer_alloc(struct dma_heap *heap, size_t len,
> >>> - u32 fd_flags,
> >>> - u64 heap_flags)
> >>> + u32 fd_flags, u64 heap_flags,
> >>> + struct mem_cgroup *charge_to)
> >>> {
> >>> struct dma_buf *dmabuf;
> >>> + unsigned int nr_pages;
> >>> + struct mem_cgroup *memcg = charge_to;
> >>> int fd;
> >>>
> >>> /*
> >>> @@ -73,6 +79,22 @@ static int dma_heap_buffer_alloc(struct dma_heap
> >>> *heap, size_t len,
> >>> if (IS_ERR(dmabuf))
> >>> return PTR_ERR(dmabuf);
> >>>
> >>> + nr_pages = len / PAGE_SIZE;
> >>> +
> >>> + if (memcg)
> >>> + css_get(&memcg->css);
> >>> + else if (mem_accounting)
> >>> + memcg = get_mem_cgroup_from_mm(current->mm);
> >>> +
> >>> + if (memcg) {
> >>> + if (!mem_cgroup_charge_dmabuf(memcg, nr_pages, GFP_KERNEL))
> >>> {
> >>> + mem_cgroup_put(memcg);
> >>> + dma_buf_put(dmabuf);
> >>> + return -ENOMEM;
> >>> + }
> >>> + dmabuf->memcg = memcg;
> >>> + }
> >>> +
> >>> fd = dma_buf_fd(dmabuf, fd_flags);
> >>> if (fd < 0) {
> >>> dma_buf_put(dmabuf);
> >>> @@ -102,6 +124,9 @@ static long dma_heap_ioctl_allocate(struct file
> >>> *file, void *data)
> >>> {
> >>> struct dma_heap_allocation_data *heap_allocation = data;
> >>> struct dma_heap *heap = file->private_data;
> >>> + struct mem_cgroup *memcg = NULL;
> >>> + struct task_struct *task;
> >>> + unsigned int pidfd_flags;
> >>> int fd;
> >>>
> >>> if (heap_allocation->fd)
> >>> @@ -113,9 +138,20 @@ static long dma_heap_ioctl_allocate(struct file
> >>> *file, void *data)
> >>> if (heap_allocation->heap_flags & ~DMA_HEAP_VALID_HEAP_FLAGS)
> >>> return -EINVAL;
> >>>
> >>> + if (heap_allocation->charge_pid_fd) {
> >>> + task = pidfd_get_task(heap_allocation->charge_pid_fd,
> >>> &pidfd_flags);
> >>
> >> Will always get a thread-group leader pidfd and will fail if this is a
> >> thread-specific pidfd. pidfd_open(1234, PIDFD_THREAD) can be used to
> >> open a thread-specific pidfd.
> >>
> >>> + if (IS_ERR(task))
> >>> + return PTR_ERR(task);
> >>> +
> >>> + memcg = get_mem_cgroup_from_mm(task->mm);
> >>> + put_task_struct(task);
> >>> + }
> >>> +
> >>> fd = dma_heap_buffer_alloc(heap, heap_allocation->len,
> >>> heap_allocation->fd_flags,
> >>> - heap_allocation->heap_flags);
> >>> + heap_allocation->heap_flags,
> >>> + memcg);
> >>> + mem_cgroup_put(memcg);
> >>> if (fd < 0)
> >>> return fd;
> >>>
> >>> diff --git a/drivers/dma-buf/heaps/system_heap.c
> >>> b/drivers/dma-buf/heaps/system_heap.c
> >>> index 03c2b87cb1112..95d7688167b93 100644
> >>> --- a/drivers/dma-buf/heaps/system_heap.c
> >>> +++ b/drivers/dma-buf/heaps/system_heap.c
> >>> @@ -385,8 +385,6 @@ static struct page *alloc_largest_available(unsigned
> >>> long size,
> >>> if (max_order < orders[i])
> >>> continue;
> >>> flags = order_flags[i];
> >>> - if (mem_accounting)
> >>> - flags |= __GFP_ACCOUNT;
> >>> page = alloc_pages(flags, orders[i]);
> >>> if (!page)
> >>> continue;
> >>> diff --git a/include/uapi/linux/dma-heap.h b/include/uapi/linux/dma-heap.h
> >>> index a4cf716a49fa6..e02b0f8cbc6a1 100644
> >>> --- a/include/uapi/linux/dma-heap.h
> >>> +++ b/include/uapi/linux/dma-heap.h
> >>> @@ -29,6 +29,10 @@
> >>> * handle to the allocated dma-buf
> >>> * @fd_flags: file descriptor flags used when allocating
> >>> * @heap_flags: flags passed to heap
> >>> + * @charge_pid_fd: optional pidfd of the process whose cgroup should be
> >>> + * charged for this allocation; 0 means charge the
> >>> calling
> >>> + * process's cgroup
> >>> + * @__padding: reserved, must be zero
> >>> *
> >>> * Provided by userspace as an argument to the ioctl
> >>> */
> >>> @@ -37,6 +41,8 @@ struct dma_heap_allocation_data {
> >>> __u32 fd;
> >>> __u32 fd_flags;
> >>> __u64 heap_flags;
> >>> + __u32 charge_pid_fd;
> >>> + __u32 __padding;
> >>> };
> >>>
> >>> #define DMA_HEAP_IOC_MAGIC 'H'
> >>>
> >>> --
> >>> 2.53.0
> >>>
>
