# Pagemap
The Pagemap now stores all the meta-data for the object allocation. The meta-data in the pagemap is effectively a triple of the sizeclass, the remote allocator, and a pointer to a 64 byte block of meta-data for this chunk of memory. By storing the pointer to a block, it allows the pagemap to handle multiple slab sizes without branching on the fast path. There is one entry in the pagemap per 16KiB of address space, but by using the same entry in the pagemap for 4 adjacent entries, then we can treat a 64KiB range can be treated as a single slab of allocations.
This change also means there is almost no capability amplification required by the implementation on CHERI for finding meta-data. The only amplification is required, when we change the way a chunk is used to a size of object allocation.
# Backend
There is a second major aspect of the refactor that there is now a narrow API that abstracts the Pagemap, PAL and address space management. This should better enable the compartmentalisation and makes it easier to produce alternative backends for various research directions. This is a template parameter that can be used to specialised by the front-end in different ways.
# Thread local state
The thread local state has been refactored into two components, one (called 'localalloc') that is stored directly in the TLS and is constant initialised, and one that is allocated in the address space (called 'coreallloc') which is lazily created and pooled.
# Difference
This removes Superslabs/Medium slabs as there meta-data is now part of the pagemap.
This requires that the caller perform the cast on the output rather than the
input, which is a little closer to the truth. Shuffle some casts into the right
position.
The link object was previously stored in a disused object. This is
good for reducing meta-data, but if we want to reduce the meta-data
corruption potential, then this is not a good design choice.
This commit moves it into the Metaslab.
* Remote dealloc refactor.
* Improve remote dealloc
Change remote to count down to 0, so fast path does not need a constant.
Use signed value so that branch does not depend on addition.
* Inline remote_dealloc
The fast path of remote_dealloc is sufficiently compact that it can be
inlined.
* Improve fast path in Slab::alloc
Turn the internal structure into tail calls, to improve fast path.
Should be no algorithmic changes.
* Refactor initialisation to help fast path.
Break lazy initialisation into two functions, so it is easier to codegen
fast paths.
* Minor tidy to statically sized dealloc.
* Refactor semi-slow path for alloc
Make the backup path a bit faster. Only algorithmic change is to delay
checking for first allocation. Otherwise, should be unchanged.
* Test initial operation of a thread
The first operation a new thread takes is special. It results in
allocating an allocator, and swinging it into the TLS. This makes
this a very special path, that is rarely tested. This test generates
a lot of threads to cover the first alloc and dealloc operations.
* Correctly handle reusing get_noncachable
* Fix large alloc stats
Large alloc stats aren't necessarily balanced on a thread, this changes
to tracking individual pushs and pops, rather than the net effect
(with an unsigned value).
* Fix TLS init on large alloc path
* Add Bump ptrs to allocator
Each allocator has a bump ptr for each size class. This is no longer
slab local.
Slabs that haven't been fully allocated no longer need to be in the DLL
for this sizeclass.
* Change to a cycle non-empty list
This change reduces the branching in the case of finding a new free
list. Using a non-empty cyclic list enables branch free add, and a
single branch in remove to detect the empty case.
* Update differences
* Rename first allocation
Use needs initialisation as makes more sense for other scenarios.
* Use a ptrdiff to help with zero init.
* Make GlobalPlaceholder zero init
The GlobalPlaceholder allocator is now a zero init block of memory.
This removes various issues for when things are initialised. It is made read-only
to we detect write to it on some platforms.
