Metaslab max_size should be persisted while unloaded

When we unload metaslabs today in ZFS, the cached max_size value is
discarded. We instead use the histogram to determine whether or not we
think we can satisfy an allocation from the metaslab. This can result in
situations where, if we're doing I/Os of a size not aligned to a
histogram bucket, a metaslab is loaded even though it cannot satisfy the
allocation we think it can. For example, a metaslab with 16 entries in
the 16k-32k bucket may have entirely 16kB entries. If we try to allocate
a 24kB buffer, we will load that metaslab because we think it should be
able to handle the allocation. Doing so is expensive in CPU time, disk
reads, and average IO latency. This is exacerbated if the write being
attempted is a sync write.

This change makes ZFS cache the max_size after the metaslab is
unloaded. If we ever get a free (or a coalesced group of frees) larger
than the max_size, we will update it. Otherwise, we leave it as is. When
attempting to allocate, we use the max_size as a lower bound, and
respect it unless we are in try_hard. However, we do age the max_size
out at some point, since we expect the actual max_size to increase as we
do more frees. A more sophisticated algorithm here might be helpful, but
this works reasonably well.

Reviewed-by: Brian Behlendorf <[email protected]>
Reviewed-by: Matt Ahrens <[email protected]>
Signed-off-by: Paul Dagnelie <[email protected]>
Closes #9055

1 files changed, 16 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/man/man5/zfs-module-parameters.5 b/man/man5/zfs-module-parameters.5
index 3b88d9748..6c15f11b7 100644
--- a/man/man5/zfs-module-parameters.5
+++ b/man/man5/zfs-module-parameters.5
@@ -373,6 +373,22 @@ Use \fB1\fR for yes and \fB0\fR for no (default).
 .sp
 .ne 2
 .na
+\fBzfs_metaslab_max_size_cache_sec\fR (ulong)
+.ad
+.RS 12n
+When we unload a metaslab, we cache the size of the largest free chunk. We use
+that cached size to determine whether or not to load a metaslab for a given
+allocation. As more frees accumulate in that metaslab while it's unloaded, the
+cached max size becomes less and less accurate. After a number of seconds
+controlled by this tunable, we stop considering the cached max size and start
+considering only the histogram instead.
+.sp
+Default value: \fB3600 seconds\fR (one hour)
+.RE
+
+.sp
+.ne 2
+.na
 \fBzfs_vdev_default_ms_count\fR (int)
 .ad
 .RS 12n