Enable QoS based on runC container¶

This document describes how ACRN supports Device-Model Quality of Service (QoS) based on using runC containers to control the SOS resources (CPU, Storage, Memory, Network) by modifying the runC configuration file.

What is QoS¶

Traditionally, Quality of Service (QoS) is the description or measurement of the overall performance of a service, such as a computer network or a cloud computing service, particularly the performance is seen by the users on the network.

What is runC container¶

Containers are an abstraction at the application layer that packages code and dependencies together. Multiple containers can run on the same machine and share the OS kernel with other containers, each running as isolated processes in user space. runC, a lightweight universal container runtime, is a command-line tool for spawning and running containers according to the Open Container Initiative (OCI) specification.

ACRN-DM QoS architecture¶

In ACRN-DM QoS design, we run the ACRN-DM in a runC container environment. Every time we start a UOS, we first start a runC container and then launch the ACRN-DM within that container. The ACRN-DM QoS can manage these resources for Device-Model:

CPU utilization
Memory amount/limitation
I/O bandwidth
Network throughput

Figure 47 ACRN-DM QoS architecture

ACRN-QoS CPU utilization example¶

In runC config.json we set the CPU resource as shown below for VM0 and VM1:

"cpu": {
   "shares": 1024,
   "quota": 1000000,
   "period": 500000,
   "realtimeRuntime": 950000,
   "realtimePeriod": 1000000,
   "mems": "0-7"
},

In this example the cpu.shares value is 1024, so the VM0 and VM1 device model CPU utilization is 1024 / (1024 + 1024 + 1024) = 33%, which means the maximal CPU resource for the VM0 or VM1 is 33% of the entire CPU resource.

Figure 48 CPU utilization image

How to use ACRN-DM QoS¶

Follow Getting started guide for Intel NUC to boot “The ACRN Service OS” based on Clear Linux 29970 (ACRN tag v1.1).

Add these parameters to the runC.json file:

# vim /usr/share/acrn/samples/nuc/runC.json

"linux": {
   "resources": {
      "memory": {
         "limit": 536870912,
         "reservation": 536870912,
         "swap": 536870912,
         "kernel": -1,
         "kernelTCP": -1,
         "swappiness": 0,
         "disableOOMKiller": false
      },
      "cpu": {
         "shares": 1024,
         "quota": 1000000,
         "period": 500000,
         "mems": "0-7"
      },
      "devices": [
         {
            "allow": true,
            "access": "rwm"
         }
      ]
   },

Note

For configuration details, refer to the Open Containers configuration documentation.

Add the UOS by acrnctl add command:
```
# acrnctl add launch_uos.sh -C
```
Note

You can download an example launch_uos.sh script that supports the -C (run_container function) option.
Start the UOS by acrnd
```
# acrnd -t
```

After UOS boots, you may use runc list command to check the container status in SOS:

# runc list
ID          PID         STATUS      BUNDLE                              CREATED                        OWNER
vm1         1686        running     /usr/share/acrn/conf/add/runc/vm1   2019-06-27T08:16:40.9039293Z   #0