linux-kernel - Re: [RFC][PATCH] mm: fix page

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Date:	Thu, 08 Mar 2007 12:21:01 +0100
From:	Miklos Szeredi <miklos@...redi.hu>
To:	a.p.zijlstra@...llo.nl
CC:	npiggin@...e.de, miklos@...redi.hu, akpm@...ux-foundation.org,
	mingo@...e.hu, linux-mm@...ck.org, linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org,
	benh@...nel.crashing.org, jdike@...toit.com, hugh@...itas.com,
	torvalds@...ux-foundation.org
Subject: Re: [RFC][PATCH] mm: fix page_mkclean() vs non-linear vmas

> Partial revert of commit: 204ec841fbea3e5138168edbc3a76d46747cc987
> 
> Non-linear vmas aren't properly handled by page_mkclean() and fixing that
> would result in linear scans of all related non-linear vmas per page_mkclean()
> invocation.
> 
> This is deemed too costly, hence re-instate the msync scan for non-linear vmas.
> 
> However this can lead to double IO:
> 
>  - pages get instanciated with RO mapping
>  - page takes write fault, and gets marked with PG_dirty
>  - page gets tagged for writeout and calls page_mkclean()
>  - page_mkclean() fails to find the dirty pte (and clean it)
>  - writeout happens and PG_dirty gets cleared.
>  - user calls msync, the dirty pte is found and the page marked with PG_dirty
>  - the page gets writen out _again_ even though its not re-dirtied.
> 
> To minimize this reset the protection when creating a nonlinear vma.
> 
> I'm not at all happy with this, but plain disallowing
> remap_file_pages on bdis without BDI_CAP_NO_WRITEBACK seems to
> offend some people, hence restrict it to root only.

Root only for !BDI_CAP_NO_WRITEBACK mappings doesn't make sense
because:

  - just encourages insecure applications

  - there are no current users that want this and presumable no future
    uses either

  - it's a maintenance burden: I'll have to layer the m/ctime update
    patch on top of this

  - the only pro for this has been that Nick thinks it cool ;)

I think the proper way to deal with this is to

  - allow BDI_CAP_NO_WRITEBACK (tmpfs/ramfs) uses, makes database
    people happy

  - for !BDI_CAP_NO_WRITEBACK emulate using do_mmap_pgoff(), should be
    trivial, no userspace ABI breakage

Miklos
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