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bpf, docs: BPF Iterator Document
Document that describes how BPF iterators work, how to use iterators, and how to pass parameters in BPF iterators. Acked-by: David Vernet <void@manifault.com> Signed-off-by: Sreevani Sreejith <psreep@gmail.com> Acked-by: Yonghong Song <yhs@fb.com> Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/20221202221710.320810-2-ssreevani@meta.com Signed-off-by: Alexei Starovoitov <ast@kernel.org>
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Alexei Starovoitov
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Documentation/bpf/bpf_iterators.rst
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Documentation/bpf/bpf_iterators.rst
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=============
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BPF Iterators
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=============
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----------
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Motivation
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----------
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There are a few existing ways to dump kernel data into user space. The most
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popular one is the ``/proc`` system. For example, ``cat /proc/net/tcp6`` dumps
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all tcp6 sockets in the system, and ``cat /proc/net/netlink`` dumps all netlink
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sockets in the system. However, their output format tends to be fixed, and if
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users want more information about these sockets, they have to patch the kernel,
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which often takes time to publish upstream and release. The same is true for popular
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tools like `ss <https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man8/ss.8.html>`_ where any
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additional information needs a kernel patch.
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To solve this problem, the `drgn
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<https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/bpf/drgn.html>`_ tool is often used to
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dig out the kernel data with no kernel change. However, the main drawback for
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drgn is performance, as it cannot do pointer tracing inside the kernel. In
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addition, drgn cannot validate a pointer value and may read invalid data if the
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pointer becomes invalid inside the kernel.
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The BPF iterator solves the above problem by providing flexibility on what data
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(e.g., tasks, bpf_maps, etc.) to collect by calling BPF programs for each kernel
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data object.
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----------------------
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How BPF Iterators Work
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----------------------
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A BPF iterator is a type of BPF program that allows users to iterate over
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specific types of kernel objects. Unlike traditional BPF tracing programs that
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allow users to define callbacks that are invoked at particular points of
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execution in the kernel, BPF iterators allow users to define callbacks that
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should be executed for every entry in a variety of kernel data structures.
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For example, users can define a BPF iterator that iterates over every task on
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the system and dumps the total amount of CPU runtime currently used by each of
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them. Another BPF task iterator may instead dump the cgroup information for each
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task. Such flexibility is the core value of BPF iterators.
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A BPF program is always loaded into the kernel at the behest of a user space
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process. A user space process loads a BPF program by opening and initializing
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the program skeleton as required and then invoking a syscall to have the BPF
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program verified and loaded by the kernel.
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In traditional tracing programs, a program is activated by having user space
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obtain a ``bpf_link`` to the program with ``bpf_program__attach()``. Once
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activated, the program callback will be invoked whenever the tracepoint is
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triggered in the main kernel. For BPF iterator programs, a ``bpf_link`` to the
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program is obtained using ``bpf_link_create()``, and the program callback is
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invoked by issuing system calls from user space.
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Next, let us see how you can use the iterators to iterate on kernel objects and
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read data.
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------------------------
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How to Use BPF iterators
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------------------------
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BPF selftests are a great resource to illustrate how to use the iterators. In
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this section, we’ll walk through a BPF selftest which shows how to load and use
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a BPF iterator program. To begin, we’ll look at `bpf_iter.c
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<https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/bpf/bpf-next.git/tree/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/bpf_iter.c>`_,
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which illustrates how to load and trigger BPF iterators on the user space side.
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Later, we’ll look at a BPF program that runs in kernel space.
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Loading a BPF iterator in the kernel from user space typically involves the
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following steps:
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* The BPF program is loaded into the kernel through ``libbpf``. Once the kernel
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has verified and loaded the program, it returns a file descriptor (fd) to user
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space.
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* Obtain a ``link_fd`` to the BPF program by calling the ``bpf_link_create()``
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specified with the BPF program file descriptor received from the kernel.
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* Next, obtain a BPF iterator file descriptor (``bpf_iter_fd``) by calling the
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``bpf_iter_create()`` specified with the ``bpf_link`` received from Step 2.
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* Trigger the iteration by calling ``read(bpf_iter_fd)`` until no data is
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available.
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* Close the iterator fd using ``close(bpf_iter_fd)``.
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* If needed to reread the data, get a new ``bpf_iter_fd`` and do the read again.
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The following are a few examples of selftest BPF iterator programs:
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* `bpf_iter_tcp4.c <https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/bpf/bpf-next.git/tree/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/bpf_iter_tcp4.c>`_
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* `bpf_iter_task_vma.c <https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/bpf/bpf-next.git/tree/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/bpf_iter_task_vma.c>`_
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* `bpf_iter_task_file.c <https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/bpf/bpf-next.git/tree/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/bpf_iter_task_file.c>`_
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Let us look at ``bpf_iter_task_file.c``, which runs in kernel space:
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Here is the definition of ``bpf_iter__task_file`` in `vmlinux.h
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<https://facebookmicrosites.github.io/bpf/blog/2020/02/19/bpf-portability-and-co-re.html#btf>`_.
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Any struct name in ``vmlinux.h`` in the format ``bpf_iter__<iter_name>``
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represents a BPF iterator. The suffix ``<iter_name>`` represents the type of
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iterator.
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::
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struct bpf_iter__task_file {
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union {
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struct bpf_iter_meta *meta;
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};
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union {
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struct task_struct *task;
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};
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u32 fd;
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union {
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struct file *file;
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};
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};
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In the above code, the field 'meta' contains the metadata, which is the same for
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all BPF iterator programs. The rest of the fields are specific to different
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iterators. For example, for task_file iterators, the kernel layer provides the
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'task', 'fd' and 'file' field values. The 'task' and 'file' are `reference
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counted
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<https://facebookmicrosites.github.io/bpf/blog/2018/08/31/object-lifetime.html#file-descriptors-and-reference-counters>`_,
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so they won't go away when the BPF program runs.
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Here is a snippet from the ``bpf_iter_task_file.c`` file:
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::
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SEC("iter/task_file")
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int dump_task_file(struct bpf_iter__task_file *ctx)
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{
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struct seq_file *seq = ctx->meta->seq;
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struct task_struct *task = ctx->task;
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struct file *file = ctx->file;
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__u32 fd = ctx->fd;
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if (task == NULL || file == NULL)
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return 0;
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if (ctx->meta->seq_num == 0) {
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count = 0;
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BPF_SEQ_PRINTF(seq, " tgid gid fd file\n");
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}
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if (tgid == task->tgid && task->tgid != task->pid)
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count++;
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if (last_tgid != task->tgid) {
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last_tgid = task->tgid;
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unique_tgid_count++;
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}
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BPF_SEQ_PRINTF(seq, "%8d %8d %8d %lx\n", task->tgid, task->pid, fd,
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(long)file->f_op);
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return 0;
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}
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In the above example, the section name ``SEC(iter/task_file)``, indicates that
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the program is a BPF iterator program to iterate all files from all tasks. The
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context of the program is ``bpf_iter__task_file`` struct.
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The user space program invokes the BPF iterator program running in the kernel
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by issuing a ``read()`` syscall. Once invoked, the BPF
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program can export data to user space using a variety of BPF helper functions.
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You can use either ``bpf_seq_printf()`` (and BPF_SEQ_PRINTF helper macro) or
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``bpf_seq_write()`` function based on whether you need formatted output or just
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binary data, respectively. For binary-encoded data, the user space applications
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can process the data from ``bpf_seq_write()`` as needed. For the formatted data,
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you can use ``cat <path>`` to print the results similar to ``cat
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/proc/net/netlink`` after pinning the BPF iterator to the bpffs mount. Later,
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use ``rm -f <path>`` to remove the pinned iterator.
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For example, you can use the following command to create a BPF iterator from the
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``bpf_iter_ipv6_route.o`` object file and pin it to the ``/sys/fs/bpf/my_route``
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path:
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::
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$ bpftool iter pin ./bpf_iter_ipv6_route.o /sys/fs/bpf/my_route
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And then print out the results using the following command:
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::
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$ cat /sys/fs/bpf/my_route
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-------------------------------------------------------
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Implement Kernel Support for BPF Iterator Program Types
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-------------------------------------------------------
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To implement a BPF iterator in the kernel, the developer must make a one-time
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change to the following key data structure defined in the `bpf.h
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<https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/bpf/bpf-next.git/tree/include/linux/bpf.h>`_
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file.
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::
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struct bpf_iter_reg {
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const char *target;
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bpf_iter_attach_target_t attach_target;
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bpf_iter_detach_target_t detach_target;
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bpf_iter_show_fdinfo_t show_fdinfo;
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bpf_iter_fill_link_info_t fill_link_info;
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bpf_iter_get_func_proto_t get_func_proto;
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u32 ctx_arg_info_size;
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u32 feature;
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struct bpf_ctx_arg_aux ctx_arg_info[BPF_ITER_CTX_ARG_MAX];
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const struct bpf_iter_seq_info *seq_info;
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};
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After filling the data structure fields, call ``bpf_iter_reg_target()`` to
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register the iterator to the main BPF iterator subsystem.
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The following is the breakdown for each field in struct ``bpf_iter_reg``.
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.. list-table::
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:widths: 25 50
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:header-rows: 1
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* - Fields
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- Description
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* - target
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- Specifies the name of the BPF iterator. For example: ``bpf_map``,
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``bpf_map_elem``. The name should be different from other ``bpf_iter`` target names in the kernel.
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* - attach_target and detach_target
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- Allows for target specific ``link_create`` action since some targets
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may need special processing. Called during the user space link_create stage.
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* - show_fdinfo and fill_link_info
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- Called to fill target specific information when user tries to get link
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info associated with the iterator.
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* - get_func_proto
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- Permits a BPF iterator to access BPF helpers specific to the iterator.
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* - ctx_arg_info_size and ctx_arg_info
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- Specifies the verifier states for BPF program arguments associated with
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the bpf iterator.
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* - feature
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- Specifies certain action requests in the kernel BPF iterator
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infrastructure. Currently, only BPF_ITER_RESCHED is supported. This means
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that the kernel function cond_resched() is called to avoid other kernel
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subsystem (e.g., rcu) misbehaving.
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* - seq_info
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- Specifies certain action requests in the kernel BPF iterator
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infrastructure. Currently, only BPF_ITER_RESCHED is supported. This means
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that the kernel function cond_resched() is called to avoid other kernel
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subsystem (e.g., rcu) misbehaving.
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`Click here
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<https://lore.kernel.org/bpf/20210212183107.50963-2-songliubraving@fb.com/>`_
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to see an implementation of the ``task_vma`` BPF iterator in the kernel.
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---------------------------------
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Parameterizing BPF Task Iterators
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---------------------------------
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By default, BPF iterators walk through all the objects of the specified types
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(processes, cgroups, maps, etc.) across the entire system to read relevant
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kernel data. But often, there are cases where we only care about a much smaller
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subset of iterable kernel objects, such as only iterating tasks within a
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specific process. Therefore, BPF iterator programs support filtering out objects
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from iteration by allowing user space to configure the iterator program when it
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is attached.
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--------------------------
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BPF Task Iterator Program
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--------------------------
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The following code is a BPF iterator program to print files and task information
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through the ``seq_file`` of the iterator. It is a standard BPF iterator program
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that visits every file of an iterator. We will use this BPF program in our
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example later.
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::
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#include <vmlinux.h>
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#include <bpf/bpf_helpers.h>
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char _license[] SEC("license") = "GPL";
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SEC("iter/task_file")
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int dump_task_file(struct bpf_iter__task_file *ctx)
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{
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struct seq_file *seq = ctx->meta->seq;
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struct task_struct *task = ctx->task;
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struct file *file = ctx->file;
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__u32 fd = ctx->fd;
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if (task == NULL || file == NULL)
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return 0;
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if (ctx->meta->seq_num == 0) {
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BPF_SEQ_PRINTF(seq, " tgid pid fd file\n");
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}
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BPF_SEQ_PRINTF(seq, "%8d %8d %8d %lx\n", task->tgid, task->pid, fd,
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(long)file->f_op);
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return 0;
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}
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----------------------------------------
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Creating a File Iterator with Parameters
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----------------------------------------
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Now, let us look at how to create an iterator that includes only files of a
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process.
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First, fill the ``bpf_iter_attach_opts`` struct as shown below:
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::
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LIBBPF_OPTS(bpf_iter_attach_opts, opts);
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union bpf_iter_link_info linfo;
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memset(&linfo, 0, sizeof(linfo));
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linfo.task.pid = getpid();
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opts.link_info = &linfo;
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opts.link_info_len = sizeof(linfo);
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``linfo.task.pid``, if it is non-zero, directs the kernel to create an iterator
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that only includes opened files for the process with the specified ``pid``. In
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this example, we will only be iterating files for our process. If
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``linfo.task.pid`` is zero, the iterator will visit every opened file of every
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process. Similarly, ``linfo.task.tid`` directs the kernel to create an iterator
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that visits opened files of a specific thread, not a process. In this example,
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``linfo.task.tid`` is different from ``linfo.task.pid`` only if the thread has a
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separate file descriptor table. In most circumstances, all process threads share
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a single file descriptor table.
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Now, in the userspace program, pass the pointer of struct to the
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``bpf_program__attach_iter()``.
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::
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link = bpf_program__attach_iter(prog, &opts); iter_fd =
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bpf_iter_create(bpf_link__fd(link));
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If both *tid* and *pid* are zero, an iterator created from this struct
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``bpf_iter_attach_opts`` will include every opened file of every task in the
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system (in the namespace, actually.) It is the same as passing a NULL as the
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second argument to ``bpf_program__attach_iter()``.
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The whole program looks like the following code:
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::
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#include <stdio.h>
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#include <unistd.h>
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#include <bpf/bpf.h>
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#include <bpf/libbpf.h>
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#include "bpf_iter_task_ex.skel.h"
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static int do_read_opts(struct bpf_program *prog, struct bpf_iter_attach_opts *opts)
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{
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struct bpf_link *link;
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char buf[16] = {};
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int iter_fd = -1, len;
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int ret = 0;
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link = bpf_program__attach_iter(prog, opts);
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if (!link) {
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fprintf(stderr, "bpf_program__attach_iter() fails\n");
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return -1;
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}
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iter_fd = bpf_iter_create(bpf_link__fd(link));
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if (iter_fd < 0) {
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fprintf(stderr, "bpf_iter_create() fails\n");
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ret = -1;
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goto free_link;
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}
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/* not check contents, but ensure read() ends without error */
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while ((len = read(iter_fd, buf, sizeof(buf) - 1)) > 0) {
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buf[len] = 0;
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printf("%s", buf);
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}
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printf("\n");
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free_link:
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if (iter_fd >= 0)
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close(iter_fd);
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bpf_link__destroy(link);
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return 0;
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}
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static void test_task_file(void)
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{
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LIBBPF_OPTS(bpf_iter_attach_opts, opts);
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struct bpf_iter_task_ex *skel;
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union bpf_iter_link_info linfo;
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skel = bpf_iter_task_ex__open_and_load();
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if (skel == NULL)
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return;
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memset(&linfo, 0, sizeof(linfo));
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linfo.task.pid = getpid();
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opts.link_info = &linfo;
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opts.link_info_len = sizeof(linfo);
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printf("PID %d\n", getpid());
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do_read_opts(skel->progs.dump_task_file, &opts);
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bpf_iter_task_ex__destroy(skel);
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}
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int main(int argc, const char * const * argv)
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{
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test_task_file();
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return 0;
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}
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The following lines are the output of the program.
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::
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PID 1859
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tgid pid fd file
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1859 1859 0 ffffffff82270aa0
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1859 1859 1 ffffffff82270aa0
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1859 1859 2 ffffffff82270aa0
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1859 1859 3 ffffffff82272980
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1859 1859 4 ffffffff8225e120
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1859 1859 5 ffffffff82255120
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1859 1859 6 ffffffff82254f00
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1859 1859 7 ffffffff82254d80
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1859 1859 8 ffffffff8225abe0
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------------------
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Without Parameters
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------------------
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Let us look at how a BPF iterator without parameters skips files of other
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processes in the system. In this case, the BPF program has to check the pid or
|
||||
the tid of tasks, or it will receive every opened file in the system (in the
|
||||
current *pid* namespace, actually). So, we usually add a global variable in the
|
||||
BPF program to pass a *pid* to the BPF program.
|
||||
|
||||
The BPF program would look like the following block.
|
||||
|
||||
::
|
||||
|
||||
......
|
||||
int target_pid = 0;
|
||||
|
||||
SEC("iter/task_file")
|
||||
int dump_task_file(struct bpf_iter__task_file *ctx)
|
||||
{
|
||||
......
|
||||
if (task->tgid != target_pid) /* Check task->pid instead to check thread IDs */
|
||||
return 0;
|
||||
BPF_SEQ_PRINTF(seq, "%8d %8d %8d %lx\n", task->tgid, task->pid, fd,
|
||||
(long)file->f_op);
|
||||
return 0;
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
The user space program would look like the following block:
|
||||
|
||||
::
|
||||
|
||||
......
|
||||
static void test_task_file(void)
|
||||
{
|
||||
......
|
||||
skel = bpf_iter_task_ex__open_and_load();
|
||||
if (skel == NULL)
|
||||
return;
|
||||
skel->bss->target_pid = getpid(); /* process ID. For thread id, use gettid() */
|
||||
memset(&linfo, 0, sizeof(linfo));
|
||||
linfo.task.pid = getpid();
|
||||
opts.link_info = &linfo;
|
||||
opts.link_info_len = sizeof(linfo);
|
||||
......
|
||||
}
|
||||
|
||||
``target_pid`` is a global variable in the BPF program. The user space program
|
||||
should initialize the variable with a process ID to skip opened files of other
|
||||
processes in the BPF program. When you parametrize a BPF iterator, the iterator
|
||||
calls the BPF program fewer times which can save significant resources.
|
||||
|
||||
---------------------------
|
||||
Parametrizing VMA Iterators
|
||||
---------------------------
|
||||
|
||||
By default, a BPF VMA iterator includes every VMA in every process. However,
|
||||
you can still specify a process or a thread to include only its VMAs. Unlike
|
||||
files, a thread can not have a separate address space (since Linux 2.6.0-test6).
|
||||
Here, using *tid* makes no difference from using *pid*.
|
||||
|
||||
----------------------------
|
||||
Parametrizing Task Iterators
|
||||
----------------------------
|
||||
|
||||
A BPF task iterator with *pid* includes all tasks (threads) of a process. The
|
||||
BPF program receives these tasks one after another. You can specify a BPF task
|
||||
iterator with *tid* parameter to include only the tasks that match the given
|
||||
*tid*.
|
||||
@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ that goes into great technical depth about the BPF Architecture.
|
||||
maps
|
||||
bpf_prog_run
|
||||
classic_vs_extended.rst
|
||||
bpf_iterators
|
||||
bpf_licensing
|
||||
test_debug
|
||||
clang-notes
|
||||
|
||||
Loading…
Reference in New Issue
Block a user