linux

/dev/dax, pmem: direct access to persistent memory Device DAX is the device-centric analogue of Filesystem DAX (CONFIG_FS_DAX). It allows memory ranges to be allocated and mapped without need of an intervening file system. Device DAX is strict, precise and predictable. Specifically this interface: 1/ Guarantees fault granularity with respect to a given page size (pte, pmd, or pud) set at configuration time. 2/ Enforces deterministic behavior by being strict about what fault scenarios are supported. For example, by forcing MADV_DONTFORK semantics and omitting MAP_PRIVATE support device-dax guarantees that a mapping always behaves/performs the same once established. It is the "what you see is what you get" access mechanism to differentiated memory vs filesystem DAX which has filesystem specific implementation semantics. Persistent memory is the first target, but the mechanism is also targeted for exclusive allocations of performance differentiated memory ranges. This commit is limited to the base device driver infrastructure to associate a dax device with pmem range. Cc: Jeff Moyer <jmoyer@redhat.com> Cc: Christoph Hellwig <hch@lst.de> Cc: Andrew Morton <akpm@linux-foundation.org> Cc: Dave Hansen <dave.hansen@linux.intel.com> Cc: Ross Zwisler <ross.zwisler@linux.intel.com> Reviewed-by: Johannes Thumshirn <jthumshirn@suse.de> Signed-off-by: Dan Williams <dan.j.williams@intel.com> 2016-05-18 09:15:08 -07:00