Create checker for `resctrl` support in a system

[yonch]

We would like to write a program that checks whether a system has Operating System and hardware support for memory bandwidth and cache allocation.

goresctrl is a go library that works with the Resource Control network subsystem. It has helper methods for finding and querying resctrl. For example, getRdtInfo() appears to check for support for different features (CAT, MON, MBA).

The result of this ticket is either:

• a golang binary using goresctrl that exists with 0 if resctrl exists and is operational, 1 otherwise (and can print useful information about the state of the system), or
• a golang test or set of tests, that if all of the tests pass, resctrl exists and is operational

We can put the code in pkg/checker.

Note that getRdtInfo() does not mount the resctrl filesystem. Rather, it assumes it was previously mounted and finds its location, so we need to check how goresctrl mounts the filesystem.

[omokpo]

Note that getRdtInfo() does not mount the resctrl filesystem. Rather, it assumes it was previously mounted and finds its location, so we need to check how goresctrl mounts the filesystem.

Can we use?
Should the checker also check for kernel config for resctrl

[yonch]

I see the mount command in the link you sent; code would need to handle failure to mount, preparing the mount path, unmounting, etc. If goresctrl has existing functionality we should use it.

Yes we can check the kernel config, but if there isn't existing functionality let's get something working and then add it later.

[darshan-dedhia]

I can work on this in this week if no one else is working on this.

[yonch]

You got it! I'll tackle some other topics.

I'd be very interested to read what you find as you go through this (to learn about goresctrl), so if there are any interesting tidbits you care to share please consider posting them on the issue.

[darshan-dedhia]

sure I will.

[darshan-dedhia]

This repository has code for mounting and unmounting goresctrl. Since this repository is archived, I will copy required code in try mounting resctrl inside pkb/checker.

[yonch]

Doing some cleaning on issues.

@darshan-dedhia contributed code to do this in pkg/checker and a GitHub action in .github/workflows/aws-resctrl-checker.yaml. Thank you!

Closing this issue as complete.