pgsql: Optimize pg_memory_is_all_zeros() in memutils.h - Mailing list pgsql-committers

From Michael Paquier
Subject pgsql: Optimize pg_memory_is_all_zeros() in memutils.h
Date
Msg-id E1tCqNW-002KW4-8G@gemulon.postgresql.org
Whole thread Raw
List pgsql-committers
Optimize pg_memory_is_all_zeros() in memutils.h

pg_memory_is_all_zeros() is currently implemented to do only a
byte-per-byte comparison.  While being sufficient for its existing
callers for pgstats entries, it could lead to performance regressions
should it be used for larger memory areas, like 8kB blocks, or even
future commits.

This commit optimizes the implementation of this function to be more
efficient for larger sizes, written in a way so that compilers can
optimize the code.  This is portable across 32b and 64b architectures.

The implementation handles three cases, depending on the size of the
input provided:
* If less than sizeof(size_t), do a simple byte-by-byte comparison.
* If between sizeof(size_t) and (sizeof(size_t) * 8 - 1):
** Phase 1: byte-by-byte comparison, until the pointer is aligned.
** Phase 2: size_t comparisons, with aligned pointers, up to the last
   aligned location possible.
** Phase 3: byte-by-byte comparison, until the end location.
* If more than (sizeof(size_t) * 8) bytes, this is the same as case 2
except that an additional phase is placed between Phase 1 and Phase 2,
with 8 * sizeof(size_t) comparisons using bitwise OR, to encourage
compilers to use SIMD instructions if available.

The last improvement proves to be at least 3 times faster than the
size_t comparisons, which is something currently used for the all-zero
page check in PageIsVerifiedExtended().

The optimization tricks that would encourage the use of SIMD
instructions have been suggested by David Rowley.

Author: Bertrand Drouvot
Reviewed-by: Michael Paquier, Ranier Vilela
Discussion: https://postgr.es/m/CAApHDvq7P-JgFhgtxUPqhavG-qSDVUhyWaEX9M8_MNorFEijZA@mail.gmail.com

Branch
------
master

Details
-------
https://git.postgresql.org/pg/commitdiff/5be1dabd2ae0cf48d927aad363c4b65507e38b25

Modified Files
--------------
src/include/utils/memutils.h | 119 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++--
1 file changed, 116 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)


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