This module allows user to control access to ARMv8 PMU counters from userspace.

It was initially created just for enabling userspace access to Performance Monitors Cycle Count Register (PMCCNTR_EL0) for use in dataplane software such as DPDK framework. It has been later extended to provide a general purpose interface for managing ARMv8 PMU counters.

git clone https://github.com/jerinjacobk/armv8_pmu_cycle_counter_el0
cd armv8_pmu_cycle_counter_el0
# If compiling natively on ARMv8 host
make
# If cross compiling pass arguments as make arguments, not env vars
make CROSS_COMPILE={cross_compiler_prefix} ARCH=arm64 KDIR=/path/to/kernel/sources

Next module has to be copied to the target board in question if it was cross-compiled. Next load it:

sudo insmod pmu_el0_cycle_counter.ko

Loading the module will enable userspace access to PMCCNTR counter. Unloading this module will disable userspace access to PMCCNTR.

The PMCCNTR can be read in the application with:

static inline uint64_t
read_pmccntr(void)
{
	uint64_t val;
	asm volatile("mrs %0, pmccntr_el0" : "=r"(val));
	return val;
}

Additionally module creates a device (/dev/pmuctl) which can be used to enable/disable access to PMU counters (currently only PMCCNTR is supported). This device supports the following interfaces:

1. read() - Dump current counter configuration. It is preferred to read all data in one call as the data may change in between read syscalls:

   $ cat /dev/pmuctl
   PMCCNTR=1

2. write() - Modify the configuration of a particular counter. The write buffer should have the name=value format. Both name and value are counter specific and described in the next chapter. Below is an example of how to use this:

   echo "PMCCNTR=1" > /dev/pmuctl

3. ioctl() - Similar to write() but intended for use in user applications rather than scripts. The list of supported ioctls is located in pmuctl.h header. Below is an example of how to use this interface:

   struct pmuctl_pmccntr_data arg = { .enable = 0 };
   int fd = open("/dev/pmuctl", O_RDONLY);
   if (ioctl(fd, PMU_IOC_PMCCNTR, &arg)) {
       /* error handling */
   }

1. Performance Monitors Cycle Count Register: name is PMCCNTR, value is 0 to disable EL0 access, 1 to enable EL0 access.

To add support for managing a new counter, developer should do the following:

1. Add a new value to enum pmu_ctls at the end, just before PM_CTL_CNT. This will be used to identify the new counter in read and write operations. I.e.:

   enum pmu_ctls {
       PM_CTL_PMCCNTR,
       PM_CTL_NEW_CNTR, /* Short description */ // <- new entry
       PM_CTL_CNT,
   };

2. Write read() and write() handlers for the new counter and add a descriptor to the struct pmu_ctl_cfg pmu_ctls array in pmu_el0_cycle_counter.c file. New entry should be placed at the index matching the new entry in enum pmu_ctls. I.e.:

   static ssize_t
   new_cntr_show(char *arg, size_t size)
   {
       /* Dump configuration to arg buffer, up to size characters.
        * Return number of written characters or negative error code.
        */
   }
   static int
   new_cntr_modify(const char *arg, size_t size)
   {
       /* Modify config according to value parsed from arg buffer
        * of size length.
        * Return 0 on success or a negative error code.
        */
   }
   /* ... */
   static struct pmu_ctl_cfg pmu_ctls[PM_CTL_CNT] = {
       /* ... */
       [PM_CTL_NEW_CNTR] = {
           .name	= "NEW_CNTR",
           .show	= new_cntr_show,
           .modify	= new_cntr_modify
       }
   };

3. For ioctl() support, add the definition of new ioctl and its arguments to the pmuctl.h file using PMUCTL_IOC_MAGIC as the ioctl magic and new enum pmu_ctls as a sequence number and using macros in <linux/ioctl.h>. I.e.:

   struct pmuctl_new_cntr_arg {
       int some_argument;
   };
   /* ... */
   #define PMU_IOC_NEW_CNTR \
       _IOW(PMUCTL_IOC_MAGIC, PM_CTL_NEW_CNTR, struct pmuctl_new_cntr_arg)

4. Next add a case statement in pmuctl_ioctl() function in pmu_el0_cycle_counter.c file to handle the new ioctl, i.e.:

   static long
   pmuctl_ioctl(struct file *f, unsigned int cmd, unsigned long arg)
   {
       /* ... */
       mutex_lock(&pmuctl_lock);
       switch (cmd) {
           /* ... */
       case PMU_IOC_NEW_CNTR:
           /* handle the ioctl() */
           break;
       /* ...*/
       }
       mutex_unlock(&pmuctl_lock);
       return ret;
   }