diff mbox series

[v4,1/2] tools/xg: Streamline cpu policy serialise/deserialise calls

Message ID f456bfb8996bb1fd4b965755622cda6fcb61b297.1716992707.git.alejandro.vallejo@cloud.com (mailing list archive)
State New, archived
Headers show
Series Clean the policy manipulation path in domain creation | expand

Commit Message

Alejandro Vallejo May 29, 2024, 2:30 p.m. UTC
The idea is to use xc_cpu_policy_t as a single object containing both the
serialised and deserialised forms of the policy. Note that we need lengths
for the arrays, as the serialised policies may be shorter than the array
capacities.

* Add the serialised lengths to the struct so we can distinguish
  between length and capacity of the serialisation buffers.
* Remove explicit buffer+lengths in serialise/deserialise calls
  and use the internal buffer inside xc_cpu_policy_t instead.
* Refactor everything to use the new serialisation functions.
* Remove redundant serialization calls and avoid allocating dynamic
  memory aside from the policy objects in xen-cpuid. Also minor cleanup
  in the policy print call sites.

No functional change intended.

Signed-off-by: Alejandro Vallejo <alejandro.vallejo@cloud.com>
Acked-by: Roger Pau Monné <roger.pau@citrix.com>
---
v4:
  * Clarify with a comment the semantics of the serialised buffer accessors
  * Remove local variables in policy serialiser
---
 tools/include/xenguest.h            | 14 ++++-
 tools/libs/guest/xg_cpuid_x86.c     | 94 +++++++++++++++++++----------
 tools/libs/guest/xg_private.h       |  2 +
 tools/libs/guest/xg_sr_common_x86.c | 56 ++++++-----------
 tools/misc/xen-cpuid.c              | 41 ++++---------
 5 files changed, 108 insertions(+), 99 deletions(-)

Comments

Andrew Cooper May 30, 2024, 11:59 p.m. UTC | #1
On 29/05/2024 3:30 pm, Alejandro Vallejo wrote:
> diff --git a/tools/include/xenguest.h b/tools/include/xenguest.h
> index e01f494b772a..85d56f26537b 100644
> --- a/tools/include/xenguest.h
> +++ b/tools/include/xenguest.h
> @@ -799,15 +799,23 @@ int xc_cpu_policy_set_domain(xc_interface *xch, uint32_t domid,
>                               xc_cpu_policy_t *policy);
>  
>  /* Manipulate a policy via architectural representations. */
> -int xc_cpu_policy_serialise(xc_interface *xch, const xc_cpu_policy_t *policy,
> -                            xen_cpuid_leaf_t *leaves, uint32_t *nr_leaves,
> -                            xen_msr_entry_t *msrs, uint32_t *nr_msrs);
> +int xc_cpu_policy_serialise(xc_interface *xch, xc_cpu_policy_t *policy);
>  int xc_cpu_policy_update_cpuid(xc_interface *xch, xc_cpu_policy_t *policy,
>                                 const xen_cpuid_leaf_t *leaves,
>                                 uint32_t nr);
>  int xc_cpu_policy_update_msrs(xc_interface *xch, xc_cpu_policy_t *policy,
>                                const xen_msr_entry_t *msrs, uint32_t nr);
>  
> +/*
> + * Accessors for the serialised forms of the policy. The outputs are pointers
> + * into the policy object and not fresh allocations, so their lifetimes are tied
> + * to the policy object itself.

This is far more complicated.  See below.

> + */
> +int xc_cpu_policy_get_leaves(xc_interface *xch, const xc_cpu_policy_t *policy,
> +                             const xen_cpuid_leaf_t **leaves, uint32_t *nr);
> +int xc_cpu_policy_get_msrs(xc_interface *xch, const xc_cpu_policy_t *policy,
> +                           const xen_msr_entry_t **msrs, uint32_t *nr);
> +
>  /* Compatibility calculations. */
>  bool xc_cpu_policy_is_compatible(xc_interface *xch, xc_cpu_policy_t *host,
>                                   xc_cpu_policy_t *guest);
> diff --git a/tools/libs/guest/xg_cpuid_x86.c b/tools/libs/guest/xg_cpuid_x86.c
> index 4453178100ad..6cab5c60bb41 100644
> --- a/tools/libs/guest/xg_cpuid_x86.c
> +++ b/tools/libs/guest/xg_cpuid_x86.c
> @@ -834,14 +834,13 @@ void xc_cpu_policy_destroy(xc_cpu_policy_t *policy)
>      }
>  }
>  
> -static int deserialize_policy(xc_interface *xch, xc_cpu_policy_t *policy,
> -                              unsigned int nr_leaves, unsigned int nr_entries)
> +static int deserialize_policy(xc_interface *xch, xc_cpu_policy_t *policy)
>  {
>      uint32_t err_leaf = -1, err_subleaf = -1, err_msr = -1;
>      int rc;
>  
>      rc = x86_cpuid_copy_from_buffer(&policy->policy, policy->leaves,
> -                                    nr_leaves, &err_leaf, &err_subleaf);
> +                                    policy->nr_leaves, &err_leaf, &err_subleaf);
>      if ( rc )
>      {
>          if ( err_leaf != -1 )

Urgh - this is a mess.  (Not your fault, but we really need to think
twice before continuing.)

xc_cpu_policy_serialise() is an exported function and, prior to this
series, used by external entities to get at the content inside the
opaque object.

deserialize_policy()  (Clearly not written by me - Roger?) is a local
helper.  Also it looks wonky in the next patch, although I think that's
just code movement to avoid a forward declaration?

By the end of the series, xc_cpu_policy_serialise() isn't used
externally, but it's still exported.

But, besides the visibility, there's a second difference...


> @@ -851,7 +850,7 @@ static int deserialize_policy(xc_interface *xch, xc_cpu_policy_t *policy,
>      }
>  
>      rc = x86_msr_copy_from_buffer(&policy->policy, policy->msrs,
> -                                  nr_entries, &err_msr);
> +                                  policy->nr_msrs, &err_msr);
>      if ( rc )
>      {
>          if ( err_msr != -1 )
> @@ -878,7 +877,10 @@ int xc_cpu_policy_get_system(xc_interface *xch, unsigned int policy_idx,
>          return rc;
>      }
>  
> -    rc = deserialize_policy(xch, policy, nr_leaves, nr_msrs);
> +    policy->nr_leaves = nr_leaves;
> +    policy->nr_msrs = nr_msrs;
> +
> +    rc = deserialize_policy(xch, policy);

... they're asymmetric as to whether the caller or the callee preloads
policy->nr_*.

Both of these need rationalising, one way or another.


But, there's a related problem.

Previously there was only one canonical form (the deserialised form),
and anything operating on state was responsible for getting it back to
being the deserialised form.

Now, there are two forms which are coexist side by side.  The buffer
exposed by get_{cpuid,msr}() is only good until the next operation which
uses what were (previously) the internal staging buffer(s).

And that makes it a fragile and error prone interface.

>      if ( rc )
>      {
>          errno = -rc;
> @@ -903,7 +905,10 @@ int xc_cpu_policy_get_domain(xc_interface *xch, uint32_t domid,
>          return rc;
>      }
>  
> -    rc = deserialize_policy(xch, policy, nr_leaves, nr_msrs);
> +    policy->nr_leaves = nr_leaves;
> +    policy->nr_msrs = nr_msrs;
> +
> +    rc = deserialize_policy(xch, policy);
>      if ( rc )
>      {
>          errno = -rc;
> @@ -917,17 +922,14 @@ int xc_cpu_policy_set_domain(xc_interface *xch, uint32_t domid,
>                               xc_cpu_policy_t *policy)
>  {
>      uint32_t err_leaf = -1, err_subleaf = -1, err_msr = -1;
> -    unsigned int nr_leaves = ARRAY_SIZE(policy->leaves);
> -    unsigned int nr_msrs = ARRAY_SIZE(policy->msrs);
>      int rc;
>  
> -    rc = xc_cpu_policy_serialise(xch, policy, policy->leaves, &nr_leaves,
> -                                 policy->msrs, &nr_msrs);
> +    rc = xc_cpu_policy_serialise(xch, policy);
>      if ( rc )
>          return rc;
>  
> -    rc = xc_set_domain_cpu_policy(xch, domid, nr_leaves, policy->leaves,
> -                                  nr_msrs, policy->msrs,
> +    rc = xc_set_domain_cpu_policy(xch, domid, policy->nr_leaves, policy->leaves,
> +                                  policy->nr_msrs, policy->msrs,
>                                    &err_leaf, &err_subleaf, &err_msr);
>      if ( rc )
>      {
> @@ -942,32 +944,26 @@ int xc_cpu_policy_set_domain(xc_interface *xch, uint32_t domid,
>      return rc;
>  }
>  
> -int xc_cpu_policy_serialise(xc_interface *xch, const xc_cpu_policy_t *p,
> -                            xen_cpuid_leaf_t *leaves, uint32_t *nr_leaves,
> -                            xen_msr_entry_t *msrs, uint32_t *nr_msrs)
> +int xc_cpu_policy_serialise(xc_interface *xch, xc_cpu_policy_t *p)
>  {
>      int rc;
> +    p->nr_leaves = ARRAY_SIZE(p->leaves);
> +    p->nr_msrs = ARRAY_SIZE(p->msrs);
>  
> -    if ( leaves )
> +    rc = x86_cpuid_copy_to_buffer(&p->policy, p->leaves, &p->nr_leaves);
> +    if ( rc )
>      {
> -        rc = x86_cpuid_copy_to_buffer(&p->policy, leaves, nr_leaves);
> -        if ( rc )
> -        {
> -            ERROR("Failed to serialize CPUID policy");
> -            errno = -rc;
> -            return -1;
> -        }
> +        ERROR("Failed to serialize CPUID policy");
> +        errno = -rc;
> +        return -1;
>      }
>  
> -    if ( msrs )
> +    rc = x86_msr_copy_to_buffer(&p->policy, p->msrs, &p->nr_msrs);
> +    if ( rc )
>      {
> -        rc = x86_msr_copy_to_buffer(&p->policy, msrs, nr_msrs);
> -        if ( rc )
> -        {
> -            ERROR("Failed to serialize MSR policy");
> -            errno = -rc;
> -            return -1;
> -        }
> +        ERROR("Failed to serialize MSR policy");
> +        errno = -rc;
> +        return -1;
>      }
>  
>      errno = 0;
> @@ -1012,6 +1008,42 @@ int xc_cpu_policy_update_msrs(xc_interface *xch, xc_cpu_policy_t *policy,
>      return rc;
>  }
>  
> +int xc_cpu_policy_get_leaves(xc_interface *xch,
> +                             const xc_cpu_policy_t *policy,
> +                             const xen_cpuid_leaf_t **leaves,
> +                             uint32_t *nr)
> +{
> +    if ( !policy )
> +    {
> +        ERROR("Failed to fetch CPUID leaves from policy object");
> +        errno = -EINVAL;
> +        return -1;
> +    }

This check isn't useful, and it's making the interface inconsistent. 
There's no case ever where a NULL policy is meaningful, except for the
very initial failure to allocate, and there it's the return value not an
input parameter.

More importantly however, the error message is misleading as a consequence.

> +
> +    *leaves = policy->leaves;
> +    *nr = policy->nr_leaves;
> +
> +    return 0;
> +}
> +
> +int xc_cpu_policy_get_msrs(xc_interface *xch,
> +                           const xc_cpu_policy_t *policy,
> +                           const xen_msr_entry_t **msrs,
> +                           uint32_t *nr)
> +{
> +    if ( !policy )
> +    {
> +        ERROR("Failed to fetch MSRs from policy object");
> +        errno = -EINVAL;
> +        return -1;
> +    }
> +
> +    *msrs = policy->msrs;
> +    *nr = policy->nr_msrs;
> +
> +    return 0;
> +}
> +
>  bool xc_cpu_policy_is_compatible(xc_interface *xch, xc_cpu_policy_t *host,
>                                   xc_cpu_policy_t *guest)
>  {
> diff --git a/tools/libs/guest/xg_private.h b/tools/libs/guest/xg_private.h
> index d73947094f2e..a65dae818f3d 100644
> --- a/tools/libs/guest/xg_private.h
> +++ b/tools/libs/guest/xg_private.h
> @@ -177,6 +177,8 @@ struct xc_cpu_policy {
>      struct cpu_policy policy;
>      xen_cpuid_leaf_t leaves[CPUID_MAX_SERIALISED_LEAVES];
>      xen_msr_entry_t msrs[MSR_MAX_SERIALISED_ENTRIES];
> +    uint32_t nr_leaves;
> +    uint32_t nr_msrs;

These need a comment explaining how they're used, and sadly they have no
relationship to the lengths of the array.  There's a corner case where
they can end up larger.

>  };
>  #endif /* x86 */
>  
> diff --git a/tools/libs/guest/xg_sr_common_x86.c b/tools/libs/guest/xg_sr_common_x86.c
> index 563b4f016877..a0d67c3211c6 100644
> --- a/tools/libs/guest/xg_sr_common_x86.c
> +++ b/tools/libs/guest/xg_sr_common_x86.c
> @@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
>  #include "xg_sr_common_x86.h"
> +#include "xg_sr_stream_format.h"

I'm pretty sure this shouldn't be necessary.  Is it?

>  
>  int write_x86_tsc_info(struct xc_sr_context *ctx)
>  {
> @@ -45,54 +46,39 @@ int handle_x86_tsc_info(struct xc_sr_context *ctx, struct xc_sr_record *rec)
>  int write_x86_cpu_policy_records(struct xc_sr_context *ctx)
>  {
>      xc_interface *xch = ctx->xch;
> -    struct xc_sr_record cpuid = { .type = REC_TYPE_X86_CPUID_POLICY, };
> -    struct xc_sr_record msrs  = { .type = REC_TYPE_X86_MSR_POLICY, };
> -    uint32_t nr_leaves = 0, nr_msrs = 0;
> -    xc_cpu_policy_t *policy = NULL;
> +    xc_cpu_policy_t *policy = xc_cpu_policy_init();
>      int rc;
>  
> -    if ( xc_cpu_policy_get_size(xch, &nr_leaves, &nr_msrs) < 0 )
> -    {
> -        PERROR("Unable to get CPU Policy size");
> -        return -1;
> -    }
> -
> -    cpuid.data = malloc(nr_leaves * sizeof(xen_cpuid_leaf_t));
> -    msrs.data  = malloc(nr_msrs   * sizeof(xen_msr_entry_t));
> -    policy = xc_cpu_policy_init();
> -    if ( !cpuid.data || !msrs.data || !policy )
> -    {
> -        ERROR("Cannot allocate memory for CPU Policy");
> -        rc = -1;
> -        goto out;
> -    }
> -
> -    if ( xc_cpu_policy_get_domain(xch, ctx->domid, policy) )
> +    if ( !policy || xc_cpu_policy_get_domain(xch, ctx->domid, policy) )
>      {
>          PERROR("Unable to get d%d CPU Policy", ctx->domid);
>          rc = -1;
>          goto out;
>      }
> -    if ( xc_cpu_policy_serialise(xch, policy, cpuid.data, &nr_leaves,
> -                                 msrs.data, &nr_msrs) )
> -    {
> -        PERROR("Unable to serialize d%d CPU Policy", ctx->domid);
> -        rc = -1;
> -        goto out;
> -    }

Wow, the old code here was especially daft.

We're having Xen serialise the policy, copying (double buffering) into
the policy object then desensitising.  And vs the old copy, we've got
rid of the re-serialise into yet another buffer.

But we should still be using a plain XEN_DOMCTL_get_cpu_policy here. 
Literally all we want to do is take the array(s) Xen gave us and feed
them straight into the fd.

deserialising is already a reasonably expensive operation (every
individual leaf coordinate needs re-range checking), and is only ever
going to get worse.

It will probably help to split the changes to
write_x86_cpu_policy_records() out into a separate patch.  It's more
clear cut and also addresses one of the local vs external issues
discussed above.


>  
> -    cpuid.length = nr_leaves * sizeof(xen_cpuid_leaf_t);
> -    if ( cpuid.length )
> +
> +    if ( policy->nr_leaves )
>      {
> -        rc = write_record(ctx, &cpuid);
> +        struct xc_sr_record record = {
> +            .type = REC_TYPE_X86_CPUID_POLICY,
> +            .data = policy->leaves,
> +            .length = policy->nr_leaves * sizeof(*policy->leaves),
> +        };
> +
> +        rc = write_record(ctx, &record);

Please keep this name being cpuid.  It's more helpful when grepping, and
it also shrinks the diff.

>          if ( rc )
>              goto out;
>      }
>  
> -    msrs.length = nr_msrs * sizeof(xen_msr_entry_t);
> -    if ( msrs.length )
> +    if ( policy->nr_msrs )
>      {
> -        rc = write_record(ctx, &msrs);
> +        struct xc_sr_record record = {
> +            .type = REC_TYPE_X86_MSR_POLICY,
> +            .data = policy->msrs,
> +            .length = policy->nr_msrs * sizeof(*policy->msrs),
> +        };
> +
> +        rc = write_record(ctx, &record);
>          if ( rc )
>              goto out;
>      }
> @@ -100,8 +86,6 @@ int write_x86_cpu_policy_records(struct xc_sr_context *ctx)
>      rc = 0;
>  
>   out:
> -    free(cpuid.data);
> -    free(msrs.data);
>      xc_cpu_policy_destroy(policy);
>  
>      return rc;
> diff --git a/tools/misc/xen-cpuid.c b/tools/misc/xen-cpuid.c
> index 4c4593528dfe..488f43378406 100644
> --- a/tools/misc/xen-cpuid.c
> +++ b/tools/misc/xen-cpuid.c
> @@ -156,12 +156,18 @@ static void dump_info(xc_interface *xch, bool detail)
>  
>      free(fs);
>  }
> -

Stray (deleted) whitespace.

> -static void print_policy(const char *name,
> -                         xen_cpuid_leaf_t *leaves, uint32_t nr_leaves,
> -                         xen_msr_entry_t *msrs, uint32_t nr_msrs)
> +static void print_policy(xc_interface *xch, const char *name,
> +                         const xc_cpu_policy_t *policy)
>  {
>      unsigned int l;
> +    const xen_cpuid_leaf_t *leaves;
> +    const xen_msr_entry_t *msrs;
> +    uint32_t nr_leaves, nr_msrs;
> +
> +    if ( xc_cpu_policy_get_leaves(xch, policy, &leaves, &nr_leaves) )
> +        err(1, "xc_cpu_policy_get_leaves()");
> +    if ( xc_cpu_policy_get_msrs(xch, policy, &msrs, &nr_msrs) )
> +        err(1, "xc_cpu_policy_get_msrs()");

Not an issue with here per say, but to drive home the main problem.

This doesn't return the current leaves/msrs.  It gives you whatever's
stale in the staging buffer, which happens to be ok in xen-cpuid because
it only ever reads a policy...

~Andrew
Alejandro Vallejo June 13, 2024, 3:38 p.m. UTC | #2
On 31/05/2024 00:59, Andrew Cooper wrote:
> On 29/05/2024 3:30 pm, Alejandro Vallejo wrote:
>> diff --git a/tools/include/xenguest.h b/tools/include/xenguest.h
>> index e01f494b772a..85d56f26537b 100644
>> --- a/tools/include/xenguest.h
>> +++ b/tools/include/xenguest.h
>> @@ -799,15 +799,23 @@ int xc_cpu_policy_set_domain(xc_interface *xch, uint32_t domid,
>>                               xc_cpu_policy_t *policy);
>>  
>>  /* Manipulate a policy via architectural representations. */
>> -int xc_cpu_policy_serialise(xc_interface *xch, const xc_cpu_policy_t *policy,
>> -                            xen_cpuid_leaf_t *leaves, uint32_t *nr_leaves,
>> -                            xen_msr_entry_t *msrs, uint32_t *nr_msrs);
>> +int xc_cpu_policy_serialise(xc_interface *xch, xc_cpu_policy_t *policy);
>>  int xc_cpu_policy_update_cpuid(xc_interface *xch, xc_cpu_policy_t *policy,
>>                                 const xen_cpuid_leaf_t *leaves,
>>                                 uint32_t nr);
>>  int xc_cpu_policy_update_msrs(xc_interface *xch, xc_cpu_policy_t *policy,
>>                                const xen_msr_entry_t *msrs, uint32_t nr);
>>  
>> +/*
>> + * Accessors for the serialised forms of the policy. The outputs are pointers
>> + * into the policy object and not fresh allocations, so their lifetimes are tied
>> + * to the policy object itself.
> 
> This is far more complicated.  See below.
> 
>> + */
>> +int xc_cpu_policy_get_leaves(xc_interface *xch, const xc_cpu_policy_t *policy,
>> +                             const xen_cpuid_leaf_t **leaves, uint32_t *nr);
>> +int xc_cpu_policy_get_msrs(xc_interface *xch, const xc_cpu_policy_t *policy,
>> +                           const xen_msr_entry_t **msrs, uint32_t *nr);
>> +
>>  /* Compatibility calculations. */
>>  bool xc_cpu_policy_is_compatible(xc_interface *xch, xc_cpu_policy_t *host,
>>                                   xc_cpu_policy_t *guest);
>> diff --git a/tools/libs/guest/xg_cpuid_x86.c b/tools/libs/guest/xg_cpuid_x86.c
>> index 4453178100ad..6cab5c60bb41 100644
>> --- a/tools/libs/guest/xg_cpuid_x86.c
>> +++ b/tools/libs/guest/xg_cpuid_x86.c
>> @@ -834,14 +834,13 @@ void xc_cpu_policy_destroy(xc_cpu_policy_t *policy)
>>      }
>>  }
>>  
>> -static int deserialize_policy(xc_interface *xch, xc_cpu_policy_t *policy,
>> -                              unsigned int nr_leaves, unsigned int nr_entries)
>> +static int deserialize_policy(xc_interface *xch, xc_cpu_policy_t *policy)
>>  {
>>      uint32_t err_leaf = -1, err_subleaf = -1, err_msr = -1;
>>      int rc;
>>  
>>      rc = x86_cpuid_copy_from_buffer(&policy->policy, policy->leaves,
>> -                                    nr_leaves, &err_leaf, &err_subleaf);
>> +                                    policy->nr_leaves, &err_leaf, &err_subleaf);
>>      if ( rc )
>>      {
>>          if ( err_leaf != -1 )
> 
> Urgh - this is a mess.

That's a fair assessment, yes :)

> (Not your fault, but we really need to think
> twice before continuing.)>
> xc_cpu_policy_serialise() is an exported function and, prior to this
> series, used by external entities to get at the content inside the
> opaque object.>
> deserialize_policy()  (Clearly not written by me - Roger?) is a local
> helper.  Also it looks wonky in the next patch, although I think that's
> just code movement to avoid a forward declaration?

Correct.

> 
> By the end of the series, xc_cpu_policy_serialise() isn't used
> externally, but it's still exported.

Because it's external and I didn't want to break the ABI should it be
used somewhere downstream. Happy to change that though.

> 
> But, besides the visibility, there's a second difference...
> 
> 
>> @@ -851,7 +850,7 @@ static int deserialize_policy(xc_interface *xch, xc_cpu_policy_t *policy,
>>      }
>>  
>>      rc = x86_msr_copy_from_buffer(&policy->policy, policy->msrs,
>> -                                  nr_entries, &err_msr);
>> +                                  policy->nr_msrs, &err_msr);
>>      if ( rc )
>>      {
>>          if ( err_msr != -1 )
>> @@ -878,7 +877,10 @@ int xc_cpu_policy_get_system(xc_interface *xch, unsigned int policy_idx,
>>          return rc;
>>      }
>>  
>> -    rc = deserialize_policy(xch, policy, nr_leaves, nr_msrs);
>> +    policy->nr_leaves = nr_leaves;
>> +    policy->nr_msrs = nr_msrs;
>> +
>> +    rc = deserialize_policy(xch, policy);
> 
> ... they're asymmetric as to whether the caller or the callee preloads
> policy->nr_*.>
> Both of these need rationalising, one way or another.
> 


I'm not sure I follow. Neither the why nor the how.

nr_* assignments are not arbitrary. Deserialising doesn't involve
modifying the number of leaves/MSRs. The cases in which they are set are:

1. New policy is loaded from the hypervisor
    * Must be reset to maximum values before hypercall and set to the
outputs of the hypercall after.
2. Policy is serialised
    * Number of leaves could increase/decrease

Case (1) must be handled in the hypercall wrappers themselves because
the policy is effectively an output object as a whole then. On case (2)
they must be set by the serialiser itself, as that's the one that knows
the end result.

Could you elaborate in what you mean?

> 
> But, there's a related problem.
> 
> Previously there was only one canonical form (the deserialised form),
> and anything operating on state was responsible for getting it back to
> being the deserialised form.

That's true. But this tension exists regardless of this patch. Some
parts of the code want to operate on raw data and others on structured
data; and then others on featuresets because 3 forms are better than 2.

The roundtrip through featuresets already breaks apart the idea of a
"canonical" form. Truth is, users of this framework operate on a "I know
what form I'm operating on and what form I must restore it to", if not
by design then by accident.

I don't have a good argument about the fragility of the whole thing
besides it being silly, convoluted and visually noisy to dynamically
allocate a fixed-sized array in order to deserialize things. Plus it's
yet another source of errors when callers have to keep track of their
own dynamic buffers.

> 
> Now, there are two forms which are coexist side by side.  The buffer
> exposed by get_{cpuid,msr}() is only good until the next operation which
> uses what were (previously) the internal staging buffer(s).
> 
> And that makes it a fragile and error prone interface.

3, including the featuresets. And note that dynamically allocating
buffers outside the policy object is very error prone as well. It's a
matter of where we want to have fragility.

Unrelated for what you mean, but I'll put my Rust hat for this and start
preaching; This is the sort of thing Rust's borrow checker can be abused
to avoid lifetime related pitfalls.

Can you think of another way that doesn't involve a copyout?

>>      if ( rc )
>>      {
>>          errno = -rc;
>> @@ -903,7 +905,10 @@ int xc_cpu_policy_get_domain(xc_interface *xch, uint32_t domid,
>>          return rc;
>>      }
>>  
>> -    rc = deserialize_policy(xch, policy, nr_leaves, nr_msrs);
>> +    policy->nr_leaves = nr_leaves;
>> +    policy->nr_msrs = nr_msrs;
>> +
>> +    rc = deserialize_policy(xch, policy);
>>      if ( rc )
>>      {
>>          errno = -rc;
>> @@ -917,17 +922,14 @@ int xc_cpu_policy_set_domain(xc_interface *xch, uint32_t domid,
>>                               xc_cpu_policy_t *policy)
>>  {
>>      uint32_t err_leaf = -1, err_subleaf = -1, err_msr = -1;
>> -    unsigned int nr_leaves = ARRAY_SIZE(policy->leaves);
>> -    unsigned int nr_msrs = ARRAY_SIZE(policy->msrs);
>>      int rc;
>>  
>> -    rc = xc_cpu_policy_serialise(xch, policy, policy->leaves, &nr_leaves,
>> -                                 policy->msrs, &nr_msrs);
>> +    rc = xc_cpu_policy_serialise(xch, policy);
>>      if ( rc )
>>          return rc;
>>  
>> -    rc = xc_set_domain_cpu_policy(xch, domid, nr_leaves, policy->leaves,
>> -                                  nr_msrs, policy->msrs,
>> +    rc = xc_set_domain_cpu_policy(xch, domid, policy->nr_leaves, policy->leaves,
>> +                                  policy->nr_msrs, policy->msrs,
>>                                    &err_leaf, &err_subleaf, &err_msr);
>>      if ( rc )
>>      {
>> @@ -942,32 +944,26 @@ int xc_cpu_policy_set_domain(xc_interface *xch, uint32_t domid,
>>      return rc;
>>  }
>>  
>> -int xc_cpu_policy_serialise(xc_interface *xch, const xc_cpu_policy_t *p,
>> -                            xen_cpuid_leaf_t *leaves, uint32_t *nr_leaves,
>> -                            xen_msr_entry_t *msrs, uint32_t *nr_msrs)
>> +int xc_cpu_policy_serialise(xc_interface *xch, xc_cpu_policy_t *p)
>>  {
>>      int rc;
>> +    p->nr_leaves = ARRAY_SIZE(p->leaves);
>> +    p->nr_msrs = ARRAY_SIZE(p->msrs);
>>  
>> -    if ( leaves )
>> +    rc = x86_cpuid_copy_to_buffer(&p->policy, p->leaves, &p->nr_leaves);
>> +    if ( rc )
>>      {
>> -        rc = x86_cpuid_copy_to_buffer(&p->policy, leaves, nr_leaves);
>> -        if ( rc )
>> -        {
>> -            ERROR("Failed to serialize CPUID policy");
>> -            errno = -rc;
>> -            return -1;
>> -        }
>> +        ERROR("Failed to serialize CPUID policy");
>> +        errno = -rc;
>> +        return -1;
>>      }
>>  
>> -    if ( msrs )
>> +    rc = x86_msr_copy_to_buffer(&p->policy, p->msrs, &p->nr_msrs);
>> +    if ( rc )
>>      {
>> -        rc = x86_msr_copy_to_buffer(&p->policy, msrs, nr_msrs);
>> -        if ( rc )
>> -        {
>> -            ERROR("Failed to serialize MSR policy");
>> -            errno = -rc;
>> -            return -1;
>> -        }
>> +        ERROR("Failed to serialize MSR policy");
>> +        errno = -rc;
>> +        return -1;
>>      }
>>  
>>      errno = 0;
>> @@ -1012,6 +1008,42 @@ int xc_cpu_policy_update_msrs(xc_interface *xch, xc_cpu_policy_t *policy,
>>      return rc;
>>  }
>>  
>> +int xc_cpu_policy_get_leaves(xc_interface *xch,
>> +                             const xc_cpu_policy_t *policy,
>> +                             const xen_cpuid_leaf_t **leaves,
>> +                             uint32_t *nr)
>> +{
>> +    if ( !policy )
>> +    {
>> +        ERROR("Failed to fetch CPUID leaves from policy object");
>> +        errno = -EINVAL;
>> +        return -1;
>> +    }
> 
> This check isn't useful, and it's making the interface inconsistent. 
> There's no case ever where a NULL policy is meaningful, except for the
> very initial failure to allocate, and there it's the return value not an
> input parameter.>
> More importantly however, the error message is misleading as a consequence.

Pretty sure I've been asked before to validate trivial preconditions so
I'm guessing various maintainers have conflicting opinions on how
aggresively to validate?

TL;DR: Sure, happy to rip that out.

> 
>> +
>> +    *leaves = policy->leaves;
>> +    *nr = policy->nr_leaves;
>> +
>> +    return 0;
>> +}
>> +
>> +int xc_cpu_policy_get_msrs(xc_interface *xch,
>> +                           const xc_cpu_policy_t *policy,
>> +                           const xen_msr_entry_t **msrs,
>> +                           uint32_t *nr)
>> +{
>> +    if ( !policy )
>> +    {
>> +        ERROR("Failed to fetch MSRs from policy object");
>> +        errno = -EINVAL;
>> +        return -1;
>> +    }
>> +
>> +    *msrs = policy->msrs;
>> +    *nr = policy->nr_msrs;
>> +
>> +    return 0;
>> +}
>> +
>>  bool xc_cpu_policy_is_compatible(xc_interface *xch, xc_cpu_policy_t *host,
>>                                   xc_cpu_policy_t *guest)
>>  {
>> diff --git a/tools/libs/guest/xg_private.h b/tools/libs/guest/xg_private.h
>> index d73947094f2e..a65dae818f3d 100644
>> --- a/tools/libs/guest/xg_private.h
>> +++ b/tools/libs/guest/xg_private.h
>> @@ -177,6 +177,8 @@ struct xc_cpu_policy {
>>      struct cpu_policy policy;
>>      xen_cpuid_leaf_t leaves[CPUID_MAX_SERIALISED_LEAVES];
>>      xen_msr_entry_t msrs[MSR_MAX_SERIALISED_ENTRIES];
>> +    uint32_t nr_leaves;
>> +    uint32_t nr_msrs;
> 
> These need a comment explaining how they're used, and sadly they have no
> relationship to the lengths of the array.  There's a corner case where
> they can end up larger.

The may end up smaller, but they must absolutely never end up larger. If
such a corner case exists, please elaborate because it's a bug I'd like
to have fixed.

>  
>>  };
>>  #endif /* x86 */
>>  
>> diff --git a/tools/libs/guest/xg_sr_common_x86.c b/tools/libs/guest/xg_sr_common_x86.c
>> index 563b4f016877..a0d67c3211c6 100644
>> --- a/tools/libs/guest/xg_sr_common_x86.c
>> +++ b/tools/libs/guest/xg_sr_common_x86.c
>> @@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
>>  #include "xg_sr_common_x86.h"
>> +#include "xg_sr_stream_format.h"
> 
> I'm pretty sure this shouldn't be necessary.  Is it?

Indeed. Leftover from previous version

> 
>>  
>>  int write_x86_tsc_info(struct xc_sr_context *ctx)
>>  {
>> @@ -45,54 +46,39 @@ int handle_x86_tsc_info(struct xc_sr_context *ctx, struct xc_sr_record *rec)
>>  int write_x86_cpu_policy_records(struct xc_sr_context *ctx)
>>  {
>>      xc_interface *xch = ctx->xch;
>> -    struct xc_sr_record cpuid = { .type = REC_TYPE_X86_CPUID_POLICY, };
>> -    struct xc_sr_record msrs  = { .type = REC_TYPE_X86_MSR_POLICY, };
>> -    uint32_t nr_leaves = 0, nr_msrs = 0;
>> -    xc_cpu_policy_t *policy = NULL;
>> +    xc_cpu_policy_t *policy = xc_cpu_policy_init();
>>      int rc;
>>  
>> -    if ( xc_cpu_policy_get_size(xch, &nr_leaves, &nr_msrs) < 0 )
>> -    {
>> -        PERROR("Unable to get CPU Policy size");
>> -        return -1;
>> -    }
>> -
>> -    cpuid.data = malloc(nr_leaves * sizeof(xen_cpuid_leaf_t));
>> -    msrs.data  = malloc(nr_msrs   * sizeof(xen_msr_entry_t));
>> -    policy = xc_cpu_policy_init();
>> -    if ( !cpuid.data || !msrs.data || !policy )
>> -    {
>> -        ERROR("Cannot allocate memory for CPU Policy");
>> -        rc = -1;
>> -        goto out;
>> -    }
>> -
>> -    if ( xc_cpu_policy_get_domain(xch, ctx->domid, policy) )
>> +    if ( !policy || xc_cpu_policy_get_domain(xch, ctx->domid, policy) )
>>      {
>>          PERROR("Unable to get d%d CPU Policy", ctx->domid);
>>          rc = -1;
>>          goto out;
>>      }
>> -    if ( xc_cpu_policy_serialise(xch, policy, cpuid.data, &nr_leaves,
>> -                                 msrs.data, &nr_msrs) )
>> -    {
>> -        PERROR("Unable to serialize d%d CPU Policy", ctx->domid);
>> -        rc = -1;
>> -        goto out;
>> -    }
> 
> Wow, the old code here was especially daft.

Can confirm.

> 
> We're having Xen serialise the policy, copying (double buffering) into
> the policy object then desensitising.  And vs the old copy, we've got
> rid of the re-serialise into yet another buffer.
> 
> But we should still be using a plain XEN_DOMCTL_get_cpu_policy here. 
> Literally all we want to do is take the array(s) Xen gave us and feed
> them straight into the fd.
> 
> deserialising is already a reasonably expensive operation (every
> individual leaf coordinate needs re-range checking), and is only ever
> going to get worse.

I wouldn't go that far. It's definitely on the "don't do it every other
operation", but it's a tiny fraction of the (current) cost of a single
hypercall.

> 
> It will probably help to split the changes to
> write_x86_cpu_policy_records() out into a separate patch.  It's more
> clear cut and also addresses one of the local vs external issues
> discussed above.
> 
> 
>>  
>> -    cpuid.length = nr_leaves * sizeof(xen_cpuid_leaf_t);
>> -    if ( cpuid.length )
>> +
>> +    if ( policy->nr_leaves )
>>      {
>> -        rc = write_record(ctx, &cpuid);
>> +        struct xc_sr_record record = {
>> +            .type = REC_TYPE_X86_CPUID_POLICY,
>> +            .data = policy->leaves,
>> +            .length = policy->nr_leaves * sizeof(*policy->leaves),
>> +        };
>> +
>> +        rc = write_record(ctx, &record);
> 
> Please keep this name being cpuid.  It's more helpful when grepping, and
> it also shrinks the diff.

Ack

> 
>>          if ( rc )
>>              goto out;
>>      }
>>  
>> -    msrs.length = nr_msrs * sizeof(xen_msr_entry_t);
>> -    if ( msrs.length )
>> +    if ( policy->nr_msrs )
>>      {
>> -        rc = write_record(ctx, &msrs);
>> +        struct xc_sr_record record = {
>> +            .type = REC_TYPE_X86_MSR_POLICY,
>> +            .data = policy->msrs,
>> +            .length = policy->nr_msrs * sizeof(*policy->msrs),
>> +        };
>> +
>> +        rc = write_record(ctx, &record);
>>          if ( rc )
>>              goto out;
>>      }
>> @@ -100,8 +86,6 @@ int write_x86_cpu_policy_records(struct xc_sr_context *ctx)
>>      rc = 0;
>>  
>>   out:
>> -    free(cpuid.data);
>> -    free(msrs.data);
>>      xc_cpu_policy_destroy(policy);
>>  
>>      return rc;
>> diff --git a/tools/misc/xen-cpuid.c b/tools/misc/xen-cpuid.c
>> index 4c4593528dfe..488f43378406 100644
>> --- a/tools/misc/xen-cpuid.c
>> +++ b/tools/misc/xen-cpuid.c
>> @@ -156,12 +156,18 @@ static void dump_info(xc_interface *xch, bool detail)
>>  
>>      free(fs);
>>  }
>> -
> 
> Stray (deleted) whitespace.

Ack

> 
>> -static void print_policy(const char *name,
>> -                         xen_cpuid_leaf_t *leaves, uint32_t nr_leaves,
>> -                         xen_msr_entry_t *msrs, uint32_t nr_msrs)
>> +static void print_policy(xc_interface *xch, const char *name,
>> +                         const xc_cpu_policy_t *policy)
>>  {
>>      unsigned int l;
>> +    const xen_cpuid_leaf_t *leaves;
>> +    const xen_msr_entry_t *msrs;
>> +    uint32_t nr_leaves, nr_msrs;
>> +
>> +    if ( xc_cpu_policy_get_leaves(xch, policy, &leaves, &nr_leaves) )
>> +        err(1, "xc_cpu_policy_get_leaves()");
>> +    if ( xc_cpu_policy_get_msrs(xch, policy, &msrs, &nr_msrs) )
>> +        err(1, "xc_cpu_policy_get_msrs()");
> 
> Not an issue with here per say, but to drive home the main problem.
> 
> This doesn't return the current leaves/msrs.  It gives you whatever's
> stale in the staging buffer, which happens to be ok in xen-cpuid because
> it only ever reads a policy...
> 
> ~Andrew

It's not stale if the deserialized policy is not dirty. The alternative
is a copyout (what happened before) which was way more brittle and
involved more hypercalls.

As I mentioned before, I you can think of a better scheme, I'm happy to
consider it.

Cheers,
Alejandro
diff mbox series

Patch

diff --git a/tools/include/xenguest.h b/tools/include/xenguest.h
index e01f494b772a..85d56f26537b 100644
--- a/tools/include/xenguest.h
+++ b/tools/include/xenguest.h
@@ -799,15 +799,23 @@  int xc_cpu_policy_set_domain(xc_interface *xch, uint32_t domid,
                              xc_cpu_policy_t *policy);
 
 /* Manipulate a policy via architectural representations. */
-int xc_cpu_policy_serialise(xc_interface *xch, const xc_cpu_policy_t *policy,
-                            xen_cpuid_leaf_t *leaves, uint32_t *nr_leaves,
-                            xen_msr_entry_t *msrs, uint32_t *nr_msrs);
+int xc_cpu_policy_serialise(xc_interface *xch, xc_cpu_policy_t *policy);
 int xc_cpu_policy_update_cpuid(xc_interface *xch, xc_cpu_policy_t *policy,
                                const xen_cpuid_leaf_t *leaves,
                                uint32_t nr);
 int xc_cpu_policy_update_msrs(xc_interface *xch, xc_cpu_policy_t *policy,
                               const xen_msr_entry_t *msrs, uint32_t nr);
 
+/*
+ * Accessors for the serialised forms of the policy. The outputs are pointers
+ * into the policy object and not fresh allocations, so their lifetimes are tied
+ * to the policy object itself.
+ */
+int xc_cpu_policy_get_leaves(xc_interface *xch, const xc_cpu_policy_t *policy,
+                             const xen_cpuid_leaf_t **leaves, uint32_t *nr);
+int xc_cpu_policy_get_msrs(xc_interface *xch, const xc_cpu_policy_t *policy,
+                           const xen_msr_entry_t **msrs, uint32_t *nr);
+
 /* Compatibility calculations. */
 bool xc_cpu_policy_is_compatible(xc_interface *xch, xc_cpu_policy_t *host,
                                  xc_cpu_policy_t *guest);
diff --git a/tools/libs/guest/xg_cpuid_x86.c b/tools/libs/guest/xg_cpuid_x86.c
index 4453178100ad..6cab5c60bb41 100644
--- a/tools/libs/guest/xg_cpuid_x86.c
+++ b/tools/libs/guest/xg_cpuid_x86.c
@@ -834,14 +834,13 @@  void xc_cpu_policy_destroy(xc_cpu_policy_t *policy)
     }
 }
 
-static int deserialize_policy(xc_interface *xch, xc_cpu_policy_t *policy,
-                              unsigned int nr_leaves, unsigned int nr_entries)
+static int deserialize_policy(xc_interface *xch, xc_cpu_policy_t *policy)
 {
     uint32_t err_leaf = -1, err_subleaf = -1, err_msr = -1;
     int rc;
 
     rc = x86_cpuid_copy_from_buffer(&policy->policy, policy->leaves,
-                                    nr_leaves, &err_leaf, &err_subleaf);
+                                    policy->nr_leaves, &err_leaf, &err_subleaf);
     if ( rc )
     {
         if ( err_leaf != -1 )
@@ -851,7 +850,7 @@  static int deserialize_policy(xc_interface *xch, xc_cpu_policy_t *policy,
     }
 
     rc = x86_msr_copy_from_buffer(&policy->policy, policy->msrs,
-                                  nr_entries, &err_msr);
+                                  policy->nr_msrs, &err_msr);
     if ( rc )
     {
         if ( err_msr != -1 )
@@ -878,7 +877,10 @@  int xc_cpu_policy_get_system(xc_interface *xch, unsigned int policy_idx,
         return rc;
     }
 
-    rc = deserialize_policy(xch, policy, nr_leaves, nr_msrs);
+    policy->nr_leaves = nr_leaves;
+    policy->nr_msrs = nr_msrs;
+
+    rc = deserialize_policy(xch, policy);
     if ( rc )
     {
         errno = -rc;
@@ -903,7 +905,10 @@  int xc_cpu_policy_get_domain(xc_interface *xch, uint32_t domid,
         return rc;
     }
 
-    rc = deserialize_policy(xch, policy, nr_leaves, nr_msrs);
+    policy->nr_leaves = nr_leaves;
+    policy->nr_msrs = nr_msrs;
+
+    rc = deserialize_policy(xch, policy);
     if ( rc )
     {
         errno = -rc;
@@ -917,17 +922,14 @@  int xc_cpu_policy_set_domain(xc_interface *xch, uint32_t domid,
                              xc_cpu_policy_t *policy)
 {
     uint32_t err_leaf = -1, err_subleaf = -1, err_msr = -1;
-    unsigned int nr_leaves = ARRAY_SIZE(policy->leaves);
-    unsigned int nr_msrs = ARRAY_SIZE(policy->msrs);
     int rc;
 
-    rc = xc_cpu_policy_serialise(xch, policy, policy->leaves, &nr_leaves,
-                                 policy->msrs, &nr_msrs);
+    rc = xc_cpu_policy_serialise(xch, policy);
     if ( rc )
         return rc;
 
-    rc = xc_set_domain_cpu_policy(xch, domid, nr_leaves, policy->leaves,
-                                  nr_msrs, policy->msrs,
+    rc = xc_set_domain_cpu_policy(xch, domid, policy->nr_leaves, policy->leaves,
+                                  policy->nr_msrs, policy->msrs,
                                   &err_leaf, &err_subleaf, &err_msr);
     if ( rc )
     {
@@ -942,32 +944,26 @@  int xc_cpu_policy_set_domain(xc_interface *xch, uint32_t domid,
     return rc;
 }
 
-int xc_cpu_policy_serialise(xc_interface *xch, const xc_cpu_policy_t *p,
-                            xen_cpuid_leaf_t *leaves, uint32_t *nr_leaves,
-                            xen_msr_entry_t *msrs, uint32_t *nr_msrs)
+int xc_cpu_policy_serialise(xc_interface *xch, xc_cpu_policy_t *p)
 {
     int rc;
+    p->nr_leaves = ARRAY_SIZE(p->leaves);
+    p->nr_msrs = ARRAY_SIZE(p->msrs);
 
-    if ( leaves )
+    rc = x86_cpuid_copy_to_buffer(&p->policy, p->leaves, &p->nr_leaves);
+    if ( rc )
     {
-        rc = x86_cpuid_copy_to_buffer(&p->policy, leaves, nr_leaves);
-        if ( rc )
-        {
-            ERROR("Failed to serialize CPUID policy");
-            errno = -rc;
-            return -1;
-        }
+        ERROR("Failed to serialize CPUID policy");
+        errno = -rc;
+        return -1;
     }
 
-    if ( msrs )
+    rc = x86_msr_copy_to_buffer(&p->policy, p->msrs, &p->nr_msrs);
+    if ( rc )
     {
-        rc = x86_msr_copy_to_buffer(&p->policy, msrs, nr_msrs);
-        if ( rc )
-        {
-            ERROR("Failed to serialize MSR policy");
-            errno = -rc;
-            return -1;
-        }
+        ERROR("Failed to serialize MSR policy");
+        errno = -rc;
+        return -1;
     }
 
     errno = 0;
@@ -1012,6 +1008,42 @@  int xc_cpu_policy_update_msrs(xc_interface *xch, xc_cpu_policy_t *policy,
     return rc;
 }
 
+int xc_cpu_policy_get_leaves(xc_interface *xch,
+                             const xc_cpu_policy_t *policy,
+                             const xen_cpuid_leaf_t **leaves,
+                             uint32_t *nr)
+{
+    if ( !policy )
+    {
+        ERROR("Failed to fetch CPUID leaves from policy object");
+        errno = -EINVAL;
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    *leaves = policy->leaves;
+    *nr = policy->nr_leaves;
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
+int xc_cpu_policy_get_msrs(xc_interface *xch,
+                           const xc_cpu_policy_t *policy,
+                           const xen_msr_entry_t **msrs,
+                           uint32_t *nr)
+{
+    if ( !policy )
+    {
+        ERROR("Failed to fetch MSRs from policy object");
+        errno = -EINVAL;
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    *msrs = policy->msrs;
+    *nr = policy->nr_msrs;
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
 bool xc_cpu_policy_is_compatible(xc_interface *xch, xc_cpu_policy_t *host,
                                  xc_cpu_policy_t *guest)
 {
diff --git a/tools/libs/guest/xg_private.h b/tools/libs/guest/xg_private.h
index d73947094f2e..a65dae818f3d 100644
--- a/tools/libs/guest/xg_private.h
+++ b/tools/libs/guest/xg_private.h
@@ -177,6 +177,8 @@  struct xc_cpu_policy {
     struct cpu_policy policy;
     xen_cpuid_leaf_t leaves[CPUID_MAX_SERIALISED_LEAVES];
     xen_msr_entry_t msrs[MSR_MAX_SERIALISED_ENTRIES];
+    uint32_t nr_leaves;
+    uint32_t nr_msrs;
 };
 #endif /* x86 */
 
diff --git a/tools/libs/guest/xg_sr_common_x86.c b/tools/libs/guest/xg_sr_common_x86.c
index 563b4f016877..a0d67c3211c6 100644
--- a/tools/libs/guest/xg_sr_common_x86.c
+++ b/tools/libs/guest/xg_sr_common_x86.c
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@ 
 #include "xg_sr_common_x86.h"
+#include "xg_sr_stream_format.h"
 
 int write_x86_tsc_info(struct xc_sr_context *ctx)
 {
@@ -45,54 +46,39 @@  int handle_x86_tsc_info(struct xc_sr_context *ctx, struct xc_sr_record *rec)
 int write_x86_cpu_policy_records(struct xc_sr_context *ctx)
 {
     xc_interface *xch = ctx->xch;
-    struct xc_sr_record cpuid = { .type = REC_TYPE_X86_CPUID_POLICY, };
-    struct xc_sr_record msrs  = { .type = REC_TYPE_X86_MSR_POLICY, };
-    uint32_t nr_leaves = 0, nr_msrs = 0;
-    xc_cpu_policy_t *policy = NULL;
+    xc_cpu_policy_t *policy = xc_cpu_policy_init();
     int rc;
 
-    if ( xc_cpu_policy_get_size(xch, &nr_leaves, &nr_msrs) < 0 )
-    {
-        PERROR("Unable to get CPU Policy size");
-        return -1;
-    }
-
-    cpuid.data = malloc(nr_leaves * sizeof(xen_cpuid_leaf_t));
-    msrs.data  = malloc(nr_msrs   * sizeof(xen_msr_entry_t));
-    policy = xc_cpu_policy_init();
-    if ( !cpuid.data || !msrs.data || !policy )
-    {
-        ERROR("Cannot allocate memory for CPU Policy");
-        rc = -1;
-        goto out;
-    }
-
-    if ( xc_cpu_policy_get_domain(xch, ctx->domid, policy) )
+    if ( !policy || xc_cpu_policy_get_domain(xch, ctx->domid, policy) )
     {
         PERROR("Unable to get d%d CPU Policy", ctx->domid);
         rc = -1;
         goto out;
     }
-    if ( xc_cpu_policy_serialise(xch, policy, cpuid.data, &nr_leaves,
-                                 msrs.data, &nr_msrs) )
-    {
-        PERROR("Unable to serialize d%d CPU Policy", ctx->domid);
-        rc = -1;
-        goto out;
-    }
 
-    cpuid.length = nr_leaves * sizeof(xen_cpuid_leaf_t);
-    if ( cpuid.length )
+
+    if ( policy->nr_leaves )
     {
-        rc = write_record(ctx, &cpuid);
+        struct xc_sr_record record = {
+            .type = REC_TYPE_X86_CPUID_POLICY,
+            .data = policy->leaves,
+            .length = policy->nr_leaves * sizeof(*policy->leaves),
+        };
+
+        rc = write_record(ctx, &record);
         if ( rc )
             goto out;
     }
 
-    msrs.length = nr_msrs * sizeof(xen_msr_entry_t);
-    if ( msrs.length )
+    if ( policy->nr_msrs )
     {
-        rc = write_record(ctx, &msrs);
+        struct xc_sr_record record = {
+            .type = REC_TYPE_X86_MSR_POLICY,
+            .data = policy->msrs,
+            .length = policy->nr_msrs * sizeof(*policy->msrs),
+        };
+
+        rc = write_record(ctx, &record);
         if ( rc )
             goto out;
     }
@@ -100,8 +86,6 @@  int write_x86_cpu_policy_records(struct xc_sr_context *ctx)
     rc = 0;
 
  out:
-    free(cpuid.data);
-    free(msrs.data);
     xc_cpu_policy_destroy(policy);
 
     return rc;
diff --git a/tools/misc/xen-cpuid.c b/tools/misc/xen-cpuid.c
index 4c4593528dfe..488f43378406 100644
--- a/tools/misc/xen-cpuid.c
+++ b/tools/misc/xen-cpuid.c
@@ -156,12 +156,18 @@  static void dump_info(xc_interface *xch, bool detail)
 
     free(fs);
 }
-
-static void print_policy(const char *name,
-                         xen_cpuid_leaf_t *leaves, uint32_t nr_leaves,
-                         xen_msr_entry_t *msrs, uint32_t nr_msrs)
+static void print_policy(xc_interface *xch, const char *name,
+                         const xc_cpu_policy_t *policy)
 {
     unsigned int l;
+    const xen_cpuid_leaf_t *leaves;
+    const xen_msr_entry_t *msrs;
+    uint32_t nr_leaves, nr_msrs;
+
+    if ( xc_cpu_policy_get_leaves(xch, policy, &leaves, &nr_leaves) )
+        err(1, "xc_cpu_policy_get_leaves()");
+    if ( xc_cpu_policy_get_msrs(xch, policy, &msrs, &nr_msrs) )
+        err(1, "xc_cpu_policy_get_msrs()");
 
     printf("%s policy: %u leaves, %u MSRs\n", name, nr_leaves, nr_msrs);
     printf(" CPUID:\n");
@@ -287,8 +293,6 @@  int main(int argc, char **argv)
             [ XEN_SYSCTL_cpu_policy_pv_default ]   = "PV Default",
             [ XEN_SYSCTL_cpu_policy_hvm_default ]  = "HVM Default",
         };
-        xen_cpuid_leaf_t *leaves;
-        xen_msr_entry_t *msrs;
         uint32_t i, max_leaves, max_msrs;
 
         xc_interface *xch = xc_interface_open(0, 0, 0);
@@ -305,36 +309,21 @@  int main(int argc, char **argv)
             printf("Xen reports there are maximum %u leaves and %u MSRs\n",
                    max_leaves, max_msrs);
 
-        leaves = calloc(max_leaves, sizeof(xen_cpuid_leaf_t));
-        if ( !leaves )
-            err(1, "calloc(max_leaves)");
-        msrs = calloc(max_msrs, sizeof(xen_msr_entry_t));
-        if ( !msrs )
-            err(1, "calloc(max_msrs)");
-
         if ( domid != -1 )
         {
             char name[20];
-            uint32_t nr_leaves = max_leaves;
-            uint32_t nr_msrs = max_msrs;
 
             if ( xc_cpu_policy_get_domain(xch, domid, policy) )
                 err(1, "xc_cpu_policy_get_domain(, %d, )", domid);
-            if ( xc_cpu_policy_serialise(xch, policy, leaves, &nr_leaves,
-                                         msrs, &nr_msrs) )
-                err(1, "xc_cpu_policy_serialise");
 
             snprintf(name, sizeof(name), "Domain %d", domid);
-            print_policy(name, leaves, nr_leaves, msrs, nr_msrs);
+            print_policy(xch, name, policy);
         }
         else
         {
             /* Get system policies */
             for ( i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(sys_policies); ++i )
             {
-                uint32_t nr_leaves = max_leaves;
-                uint32_t nr_msrs = max_msrs;
-
                 if ( xc_cpu_policy_get_system(xch, i, policy) )
                 {
                     if ( errno == EOPNOTSUPP )
@@ -346,18 +335,12 @@  int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
                     err(1, "xc_cpu_policy_get_system(, %s, )", sys_policies[i]);
                 }
-                if ( xc_cpu_policy_serialise(xch, policy, leaves, &nr_leaves,
-                                             msrs, &nr_msrs) )
-                    err(1, "xc_cpu_policy_serialise");
 
-                print_policy(sys_policies[i], leaves, nr_leaves,
-                             msrs, nr_msrs);
+                print_policy(xch, sys_policies[i], policy);
             }
         }
 
         xc_cpu_policy_destroy(policy);
-        free(leaves);
-        free(msrs);
         xc_interface_close(xch);
     }
     else if ( mode == MODE_INFO || mode == MODE_DETAIL )