Date:	Sun, 13 Jul 2008 14:47:00 -0400
From:	Ming Zhang <blackmagic02881@...il.com>
To:	"Nicholas A. Bellinger" <nab@...ux-iscsi.org>
Cc:	Vladislav Bolkhovitin <vst@...b.net>, linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org,
	linux-scsi@...r.kernel.org,
	scst-devel <scst-devel@...ts.sourceforge.net>,
	"Linux-iSCSI.org Target Dev" 
	<linux-iscsi-target-dev@...glegroups.com>,
	Jeff Garzik <jeff@...zik.org>,
	Leonid Grossman <leonid.grossman@...erion.com>,
	"H. Peter Anvin" <hpa@...or.com>, Pete Wyckoff <pw@....edu>,
	"Ross S. W. Walker" <rwalker@...allion.com>,
	Rafiu Fakunle <rafiu@...nfiler.com>,
	Mike Mazarick <mazarick@...lsouth.net>,
	Andrew Morton <akpm@...l.org>,
	David Miller <davem@...emloft.net>,
	Christoph Hellwig <hch@....de>, Ted Ts'o <tytso@...nk.org>,
	Jerome Martin <tramjoe.merin@...il.com>
Subject: Re: [ANNOUNCE]: Generic SCSI Target Mid-level For	Linux (followup)

On Fri, 2008-07-11 at 20:28 -0700, Nicholas A. Bellinger wrote:
> On Fri, 2008-07-11 at 22:41 +0400, Vladislav Bolkhovitin wrote:
> > Nicholas A. Bellinger wrote:
> > >>>>  And this is a real showstopper for making LIO-Core 
> > >>>> the default and the only SCSI target framework. SCST is SCSI-centric, 
> > >>> Well, one needs to understand that LIO-Core subsystem API is more than a
> > >>> SCSI target framework.  Its a generic method of accessing any possible
> > >>> storage object of the storage stack, and having said engine handle the
> > >>> hardware restrictions (be they physical or virtual) for the underlying
> > >>> storage object.  It can run as a SCSI engine to real (or emualted) SCSI
> > >>> hardware from linux/drivers/scsi, but the real strength is that it sits
> > >>> above the SCSI/BLOCK/FILE layers and uses a single codepath for all
> > >>> underlying storage objects.  For example in the lio-core-2.6.git tree, I
> > >>> chose the location linux/drivers/lio-core, because LIO-Core uses 'struct
> > >>> file' from fs/, 'struct block_device' from block/ and struct scsi_device
> > >>> from drivers/scsi.
> > >> SCST and iSCSI-SCST, basically, do the same things, except iSCSI MC/S 
> > >> and related, + something more, like 1-to-many pass-through and 
> > >> scst_user, which need a big chunks of code, correct? And they are 
> > >> together about 2 times smaller:
> > > 
> > > Yes, something much more.  A complete implementation of traditional
> > > iSCSI/TCP (known as RFC-3720), iSCSI/SCTP (which will be important in
> > > the future), and IPv6 (also important) is a significant amount of logic.
> > > When I say a 'complete implementation' I mean:
> > > 
> > > I) Active-Active connection layer recovery (known as
> > > ErrorRecoveryLevel=2).  (We are going to use the same code for iSER for
> > > inter-nexus OS independent (eg: below the SCSI Initiator level)
> > > recovery.  Again, the important part here is that recovery and
> > > outstanding task migration happens transparently to the host OS SCSI
> > > subsystem.  This means (at least with iSCSI and iSER): not having to
> > > register multiple LUNs and depend (at least completely) on SCSI WWN
> > > information, and OS dependent SCSI level multipath.  
> > > 
> > > II) MC/S for multiplexing (same as I), as well as being able to
> > > multiplex across multiple cards and subnets (using TCP, SCTP has
> > > multi-homing).  Also being able to bring iSCSI connections up/down on
> > > the fly, until we all have iSCSI/SCTP, is very important too.
> > > 
> > > III) Every possible combination of RFC-3720 defined parameter keys (and
> > > provide the apparatis to prove it).  And yes, anyone can do this today
> > > against their own Target.  I created core-iscsi-dv specifically for
> > > testing LIO-Target <-> LIO-Core back in 2005.  Core-iSCSI-DV is the
> > > _ONLY_ _PUBLIC_ RFC-3720 domain validation tool that will actually
> > > demonstrate, using ANY data integrity tool complete domain validation of
> > > user defined keys.  Please have a look at:
> > > 
> > > http://linux-iscsi.org/index.php/Core-iscsi-dv
> > > 
> > > http://www.linux-iscsi.org/files/core-iscsi-dv/README
> > > 
> > > Any traditional iSCSI target mode implementation + Storage Engine +
> > > Subsystem Plugin that thinks its ready to go into the kernel will have
> > > to pass at LEAST the 8k test loop interations, the simplest being:
> > > 
> > > HeaderDigest, DataDigest, MaxRecvDataSegmentLength (512 -> 262144, in
> > > 512 byte increments)
> > > 
> > > Core-iSCSI-DV is also a great indication of stability and data integrity
> > > of hardware/software of an iSCSI Target + Engine, espically when you
> > > have multiple core-iscsi-dv nodes hitting multiple VHACS clouds on
> > > physical machines within the cluster.  I have never run IET against
> > > core-iscsi-dv personally, and I don't think Ming or Ross has either.
> 
> Ming or Ross, would you like to make a comment on this, considering
> after it, it is your work..?

hot water here ;)

i never run that test on iet, probably nobody. if someone actually ran
the test and find the failed case, i believe there are people who want
to fix it.

why not both of you write/reuse some test scripts to test a most
advanced/fast target and let the number to talk?



> 
> >   So
> > > until SOMEONE actually does this first, I think that iSCSI-SCST is more
> > > of an experiment for your our devel that a strong contender for
> > > Linux/iSCSI Target Mode.
> > 
> > There are big doubts among storage experts if features I and II are 
> > needed at all, see, e.g. http://lkml.org/lkml/2008/2/5/331.
> 
> Well, jgarzik is both a NETWORKING and STORAGE (he was a networking guy
> first, mind you) expert!
> 
> >  I also tend 
> > to agree, that for block storage on practice MC/S is not needed or, at 
> > least, definitely doesn't worth the effort, because:
> > 
> 
> Trying to agrue against MC/S (or against any other major part of
> RFC-3720, including ERL=2) is saying that Linux/iSCSI should be BEHIND
> what the greatest minds in the IETF have produced (and learned) from
> iSCSI.  Considering so many people are interested in seeing Linux/iSCSI
> be best and most complete implementation possible, surely one would not
> be foolish enough to try to debate that Linux should be BEHIND what
> others have figured out, be it with RFCs or running code.
> 
> Also, you should understand that MC/S is more than about just moving
> data I/O across multiple TCP connections, its about being able to bring
> those paths up/down on the fly without having to actually STOP/PAUSE
> anything. Then you then add the ERL=2 pixie dust, which you should
> understand, is the result of over a decade of work creating RFC-3720
> within the IETF IPS TWG.  What you have is a fabric that does not
> STOP/PAUSE from an OS INDEPENDENT LEVEL (below the OS dependent SCSI
> subsystem layer) perspective, on every possible T/I node, big and small,
> open or closed platform.  Even as we move towards more logic in the
> network layer (a la Stream Control Transmission Protocol), we will still
> benefit from RFC-3720 as the years roll on.  Quite a powerful thing..
> 
> > 1. It is useless for sync. untagged operation (regular reads in most 
> > cases over a single stream), when always there is only one command being 
> > executed at any time, because of the commands connection allegiance, 
> > which forbids transferring data for a command over multiple connections.
> > 
> 
> This is a very Parallel SCSI centric way of looking at design of SAM.
> Since SAM allows the transport fabric to enforce its own ordering rules
> (it does offer some of its own SCSI level ones of course).  Obviously
> each fabric (PSCSI, FC, SAS, iSCSI) are very different from the bus
> phase perspective.  But, if you look back into the history of iSCSI, you
> will see that an asymmetric design with seperate CONTROL/DATA TCP
> connections was considered originally BEFORE the Command Sequence Number
> (CmdSN) ordering algoritim was adopted that allows both SINGLE and
> MULTIPLE TCP connections to move both CONTROL/DATA packets across a
> iSCSI Nexus.
> 
> Using MC/S with a modern iSCSI implementation to take advantage of lots
> of cores and hardware threads is something that allows one to multiplex
> across multiple vendor's NIC ports, with the least possible overhead, in
> the OS INDEPENDENT manner.  Keep in mind that you can do the allocation
> and RX of WRITE data OOO, but the actual *EXECUTION* down via the
> subsystem API (which is what LIO-Target <-> LIO-Core does, in a generic
> way) MUST BE in the same over as the CDBs came from the iSCSI Initiator
> port.  This is the only requirement for iSCSI CmdSN order rules wrt the
> SCSI Architecture Model.
> 
> > 2. The only advantage it has over traditional OS multi-pathing is 
> > keeping commands execution order, but on practice at the moment there is 
> > no demand for this feature, because all OS'es I know don't rely on 
> > commands order to protect data integrity. They use other techniques, 
> > like queue draining. A good target should be able itself to scheduler 
> > coming commands for execution in the correct from performance POV order 
> >   and not rely for that on the commands order as they came from initiators.
> > 
> 
> Ok, you are completely missing the point of MC/S and ERL=2. Notice how
> it works in both iSCSI *AND* iSER (even across DDP fabrics!).  I
> discussed the significant benefit of ERL=2 in numerious previous
> threads.  But they can all be neatly summerized in:
> 
> http://linux-iscsi.org/builds/user/nab/Inter.vs.OuterNexus.Multiplexing.pdf
> 
> Internexus Multiplexing is DESIGNED to work with OS dependent multipath
> transparently, and as a matter of fact, it complements it quite well, in
> a OSI (independent) method.  Its completely up to the admin to determine
> the benefit and configure the knobs.
> 
> So, the bit: "We should not implement this important part of the RFC
> just because I want some code in the kernel" is not going to get your
> design very far.
> 
> >  From other side, devices bonding also preserves commands execution 
> > order, but doesn't suffer from the connection allegiance limitation of 
> > MC/S, so can boost performance ever for sync untagged operations. Plus, 
> > it's pretty simple, easy to use and doesn't need any additional code. I 
> > don't have the exact numbers of MC/S vs bonding performance comparison 
> > (mostly, because open-iscsi doesn't support MC/S, but very curious to 
> > see them), but have very strong suspicious that on modern OS'es, which 
> > do TCP frames reorder in zero-copy manner, there shouldn't be much 
> > performance difference between MC/S vs bonding in the maximum possible 
> > throughput, but bonding should outperform MC/S a lot in case of sync 
> > untagged operations.
> > 
> 
> Simple case here for you to get your feet wet with MC/S.  Try doing
> bonding across 4x GB/sec ports on 2x socket 2x core x86_64 and compare
> MC/S vs. OS dependent networking bonding and see what you find. There
> about two iSCSI initiators for two OSes that implementing MC/S and
> LIO-Target <-> LIO-Target.  Anyone interested in the CPU overhead on
> this setup between MC/S and Link Layer bonding across 2x 2x 1 Gb/sec
> port chips on 4 core x86_64..?
> 
> > Anyway, I think features I and II, if added, would increase iSCSI-SCST 
> > kernel side code not more than on 5K lines, because most of the code is 
> > already there, the most important part which missed is fixes of locking 
> > problems, which almost never add a lot of code.
> 
> You can think whatever you want.  Why don't you have a look at
> lio-core-2.6.git and see how big they are for yourself.
> 
> >  Relating Core-iSCSI-DV, 
> > I'm sure iSCSI-SCST will pass it without problems among the required set 
> > of iSCSI features, although still there are some limitations, derived 
> > from IET, for instance, support for multu-PDU commands in discovery 
> > sessions, which isn't implemented. But for adding to iSCSI-SCST optional 
> > iSCSI features there should be good *practical* reasons, which at the 
> > moment don't exist. And unused features are bad features, because they 
> > overcomplicate the code and make its maintainance harder for no gain.
> > 
> 
> Again, you can think whatever you want.  But since you did not implement
> the majority of the iSCSI-SCST code yourself, (or implement your own
> iSCSI Initiator in parallel with your own iSCSI Target), I do not
> believe you are in a position to say.  Any IET devs want to comment on
> this..?
> 
> > So, current SCST+iSCSI-SCST 36K lines + 5K new lines = 41K lines, which 
> > still a lot less than LIO's 63K lines. I downloaded the cleanuped 
> > lio-core-2.6.git tree and:
> > 
> 
> Blindly comparing lines of code with no context is usually dumb.  But,
> since that is what you seem to be stuck on, how about this:
> 
> LIO 63k +
> SCST (minus iSCSI) ??k +
> iSER from STGT ??k ==
> 
> For the complete LIO-Core engine on fabrics, and which includes what
> Rafiu from Openfiler has been so kind to call LIO-Target, "arguably the
> most feature complete and mature implementation out there (on any
> platform) "
> 
> > $ find lio-core-2.6/drivers/lio-core -type f -name "*.[ch]"|xargs wc
> > 57064  156617 1548344 total
> > 
> > Still much bigger.
> > 
> > > Obviously not.  Also, what I was talking about there was the strength
> > > and flexibility of the LIO-Core design (it even ran on the Playstation 2
> > > at one point, http://linux-iscsi.org/index.php/Playstation2/iSCSI, when
> > > MIPS r5900 boots modern v2.6, then we will do it again with LIO :-)
> > 
> > SCST and the target drivers have been successfully ran on PPC and 
> > Sparc64, so I don't see any reasons, why it can't be ran on Playstation 
> > 2 as well.
> > 
> 
> Oh it can, can it..?  Does your engine memory allocation algoritim
> provide for a SINGLE method for allocating linked list scatterlists
> containing page links of ANY (not just PAGE_SIZE) size handled
> generically across both internal or preregistered memory allocation
> acases, or coming from say, a software RNIC moving DDP packets for iSCSI
> in a single code path..? 
> 
> And then it needs to be able to go down to the PS2-Linux PATA driver,
> that does not show up under the SCSI subsystem mind you.   Surely you
> understand that because the MIPS r5900 is a non cache coherent
> architecture that you simply cannot allocate out multiple page
> contigious scatterlists for your I/Os, and simply expect it to work when
> we are sending blocks down to the 32-bit MIPS r3000 IOP..?
> 
> > >>>>   - Pass-through mode (PSCSI) also provides non-enforced 1-to-1 
> > >>>> relationship, as it used to be in STGT (now in STGT support for 
> > >>>> pass-through mode seems to be removed), which isn't mentioned anywhere.
> > >>>>
> > >>> Please be more specific by what you mean here.  Also, note that because
> > >>> PSCSI is an LIO-Core subsystem plugin, LIO-Core handles the limitations
> > >>> of the storage object through the LIO-Core subsystem API.  This means
> > >>> that things like (received initiator CDB sectors > LIO-Core storage
> > >>> object max_sectors) are handled generically by LIO-Core, using a single
> > >>> set of algoritims for all I/O interaction with Linux storage systems.
> > >>> These algoritims are also the same for DIFFERENT types of transport
> > >>> fabrics, both those that expect LIO-Core to allocate memory, OR that
> > >>> hardware will have preallocated memory and possible restrictions from
> > >>> the CPU/BUS architecture (take non-cache coherent MIPS for example) of
> > >>> how the memory gets DMA'ed or PIO'ed down to the packet's intended
> > >>> storage object.
> > >> See here: 
> > >> http://www.mail-archive.com/linux-scsi@vger.kernel.org/msg06911.html
> > >>
> > > 
> > > <nod>
> > > 
> > >>>>   - There is some confusion in the code in the function and variable 
> > >>>> names between persistent and SAM-2 reservations.
> > >>> Well, that would be because persistent reservations are not emulated
> > >>> generally for all of the subsystem plugins just yet.  Obviously with
> > >>> LIO-Core/PSCSI if the underlying hardware supports it, it will work.
> > >> What you did (passing reservation commands directly to devices and 
> > >> nothing more) will work only with a single initiator per device, where 
> > >> reservations in the majority of cases are not needed at all.
> > > 
> > > I know, like I said, implementing Persistent Reservations for stuff
> > > besides real SCSI hardware with LIO-Core/PSCSI is a TODO item.  Note
> > > that the VHACS cloud (see below) will need this for DRBD objects at some
> > > point.
> > 
> > The problem is that persistent reservations don't work for multiple 
> > initiators even for real SCSI hardware with LIO-Core/PSCSI and I clearly 
> > described why in the referenced e-mail. Nicholas, why don't you want to 
> > see it?
> > 
> 
> Why don't you provide a reference in the code to where you think the
> problem is, and/or problem case using Linux iSCSI Initiators VMs to
> demonstrate the bug..?
> 
> > >>>>> The more in fighting between the
> > >>>>> leaders in our community, the less the community benefits.
> > >>>> Sure. If my note hurts you, I can remove it. But you should also remove 
> > >>>> from your presentation and the summary paper those psychological 
> > >>>> arguments to not confuse people.
> > >>>>
> > >>> Its not about removing, it is about updating the page to better reflect
> > >>> the bigger picture so folks coming to the sight can get the latest
> > >>> information from last update.
> > >> Your suggestions?
> > >>
> > > 
> > > I would consider helping with this at some point, but as you can see, I
> > > am extremly busy ATM.  I have looked at SCST quite a bit over the years,
> > > but I am not the one making a public comparision page, at least not
> > > yet. :-)  So until then, at least explain how there are 3 projects on
> > > your page, with the updated 10,000 ft overviews, and mabye even add some
> > > links to LIO-Target and a bit about VHACS cloud.  I would be willing to
> > > include info about SCST into the Linux-iSCSI.org wiki.  Also, please
> > > feel free to open an account and start adding stuff about SCST yourself
> > > to the site.
> > > 
> > > For Linux-iSCSI.org and VHACS (which is really where everything is going
> > > now), please have a look at:
> > > 
> > > http://linux-iscsi.org/index.php/VHACS-VM
> > > http://linux-iscsi.org/index.php/VHACS
> > > 
> > > Btw, the VHACS and LIO-Core design will allow for other fabrics to be
> > > used inside our cloud, and between other virtualized client setups who
> > > speak the wire protocol presented by the server side of VHACS cloud.
> > > 
> > > Many thanks for your most valuable of time,
> > > 
> 
> New v0.8.15 VHACS-VM images online btw.  Keep checking the site for more details.
> 
> Many thanks for your most valuable of time,
> 
> --nab
> 
> 
-- 
Ming Zhang


@#$%^ purging memory... (*!%
http://blackmagic02881.wordpress.com/
http://www.linkedin.com/in/blackmagic02881
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