linux-ext4 - Re: [PATCH 2/3] ext4: journalled quota optimization

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Date:	Mon, 05 Apr 2010 07:30:37 +0400
From:	dmonakhov@...nvz.org
To:	Jan Kara <jack@...e.cz>
Cc:	linux-ext4@...r.kernel.org, linux-fsdevel@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH 2/3] ext4: journalled quota optimization

Jan Kara <jack@...e.cz> writes:

>   Hi,
>
> On Sat 27-03-10 15:15:39, Dmitry Monakhov wrote:
>> Currently each quota modification result in write_dquot()
>> and later dquot_commit().  This means what each quota modification
>> function must wait for dqio_mutex. Which is *huge* performance
>> penalty on big SMP systems. ASAIU The core idea of this implementation
>> is to guarantee that each quota modification will be written to journal
>> atomically. But in fact this is not always true, because dquot may be
>> changed after dquot modification, but before it was committed to disk.
>   We were already discussing this when you've last submitted the patch.
> dqio_mutex has nothing to do with journaling. It is there so that two
> writes to quota file cannot happen in parallel because that could cause
> corruption. Without dqio_mutex, the following would be possible:
>   Task 1				Task 2
> ...
>   qtree_write_dquot()
>     ...
>     info->dqi_ops->mem2disk_dqblk
> 					modify dquot
> 					mark_dquot_dirty
> 					...
> 					qtree_write_dquot()
> 					  - writes newer information
>     ret = sb->s_op->quota_write
>       - overwrites the new information
>         with an old one.
>
>
>>  | Task 1                           | Task 2                      |
>>  | alloc_space(nr)                  |                             |
>>  | ->spin_lock(dq_data_lock)        |                             |
>>  | ->curspace += nr                 |                             |
>>  | ->spin_unlock(dq_data_lock)      |                             |
>>  | ->mark_dirty()                   | free_space(nr)              |
>>  | -->write_dquot()                 | ->spin_lock(dq_data_lock)   |
>>  | --->dquot_commit()               | ->curspace -= nr            |
>>  | ---->commit_dqblk()              | ->spin_unlock(dq_data_lock) |
>>  | ----->spin_lock(dq_data_lock)    |                             |
>>  | ----->mem2disk_dqblk(ddq, dquot) | <<< Copy updated value      |
>>  | ----->spin_unlock(dq_data_lock)  |                             |
>>  | ----->quota_write()              |                             |
>> Quota corruption not happens only because quota modification caller
>> started journal already. And ext3/4 allow only one running transaction
>> at a time.
>   While what you write above happens for other ext3/4 metadata as well.
>
>> Let's exploit this fact and avoid writing quota each time.
>> Act similar to dirty_for_io in general write_back path in page-cache.
>> If we have found what other task already started on copy and write the
>> dquot then we skip actual quota_write stage. And let that task do the job.
>> This patch fix only contention on dqio_mutex.
>   As I wrote last time, your patch helps the contention only a tiny bit -
> we clear the dirty bit as a first thing after we acquire dqio_mutex. So
> your patch helps only if one task happens while another task is between
>
Yes. Absolutely right. But in fact two or more writer tasks are common
because each quota modification result int quota_write.
Mail server is just an example.
In my measurements performance boost was about x2, x3
> dquot_mark_dquot_dirty <---------- here
> mutex_lock(&dqopt->dqio_mutex);
> spin_lock(&dq_list_lock);
> if (!clear_dquot_dirty(dquot)) { <----- and here
>

> So I find this as complicating the code without much merit. And if I
> remember right, last time I also suggested that it might be much more
> useful to optimize how quota structure is written - i.e., get a reference
> to a buffer in ext4_acquire_dquot and thus save ext4_bread from
> ext4_quota_write.
Ok, Indeed this make code more tricky. I just want to make future
default quota switch to journalled_mode more painless with minimal
code changes.
I'll go back to work on long term solution(according to your comments).
Right now i think it is reasonable to add new field to struct dquot.
void *dq_private; to let filesystem to store it's private data.
Ext3/4 will store journalled_buffer here.
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