linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH v2 10/10] nf_conntrack: Use rcu_barrier() and fix kmem_cache

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Message-Id: <1245922153.24921.56.camel@localhost.localdomain>
Date:	Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:29:13 +0200
From:	Jesper Dangaard Brouer <jdb@...x.dk>
To:	Patrick McHardy <kaber@...sh.net>,
	Christoph Lameter <cl@...ux-foundation.org>, linux-mm@...ck.org
Cc:	"David S. Miller" <davem@...emloft.net>,
	"Paul E. McKenney" <paulmck@...ux.vnet.ibm.com>,
	netdev@...r.kernel.org, linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org,
	dougthompson@...ssion.com, bluesmoke-devel@...ts.sourceforge.net,
	axboe@...nel.dk, christine.caulfield@...glemail.com,
	Trond.Myklebust@...app.com, linux-wireless@...r.kernel.org,
	johannes@...solutions.net, yoshfuji@...ux-ipv6.org,
	shemminger@...ux-foundation.org, linux-nfs@...r.kernel.org,
	bfields@...ldses.org, neilb@...e.de, linux-ext4@...r.kernel.org,
	tytso@....edu, adilger@....com, netfilter-devel@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH v2 10/10] nf_conntrack: Use rcu_barrier() and
	fix	kmem_cache_create flags


On Wed, 2009-06-24 at 15:58 +0200, Patrick McHardy wrote:
> Jesper Dangaard Brouer wrote:
> > Adjusting SLAB_DESTROY_BY_RCU flags.
> > 
> >  kmem_cache_create("nf_conntrack", ...) does not need the
> >  SLAB_DESTROY_BY_RCU flag.
> 
> It does need it. We're using it instead of call_rcu() for conntracks.
> 
> >  But the
> >  kmem_cache_create("nf_conntrack_expect", ...) should use the
> >  SLAB_DESTROY_BY_RCU flag, because it uses a call_rcu() callback to
> >  invoke kmem_cache_free().
> 
> No, using call_rcu() means we don't need SLAB_DESTROY_BY_RCU.
> Please see the note in include/linux/slab.h.

Oh, I see.  The description is some what cryptic, but I think I got it,
after reading through the code.

BUT this still means that we need to do rcu_barrier() if the
SLAB_DESTROY_BY_RCU is NOT set and we do call_rcu() our self.

Look at: slab.c kmem_cache_destroy()

void kmem_cache_destroy(struct kmem_cache *cachep)
{
	...<cut>...
	if (__cache_shrink(cachep)) {
		slab_error(cachep, "Can't free all objects");
		...<cut>...
		return;
	}

	if (unlikely(cachep->flags & SLAB_DESTROY_BY_RCU))
		synchronize_rcu();

	__kmem_cache_destroy(cachep);
	...<cut>...
}

My understanding for the code is (please feel free to correct me): that
if SLAB_DESTROY_BY_RCU _is_ set, then the __cache_shrink() call will
call drain_freelist(), which calls slab_destroy().

If SLAB_DESTROY_BY_RCU _is_ set, then slab_destroy() will then start a
call_rcu() callback to kmem_rcu_free() which calls kmem_cache_free().
Given that the callback code kmem_rcu_free() is not removed, we are not
worried about unloading the module at this point.

I'm a bit worried about what happens if __kmem_cache_destroy() is
invoked and there is still callbacks for kmem_rcu_free() in flight?
The synchronize_rcu() between __cache_shrink() and
__kmem_cache_destroy() should perhaps be changed to rcu_barrier()?

But I'm sure that the SLAB/MM guys will tell me that this case is
handled (and something about its unlinked from the appropiate
lists)??? ;-)


> > RCU barriers, rcu_barrier(), is inserted two places.
> > 
> >  In nf_conntrack_expect.c nf_conntrack_expect_fini() before the
> >  kmem_cache_destroy(), even though the use of the SLAB_DESTROY_BY_RCU
> >  flag, because slub does not (currently) handle rcu sync correctly.
> 
> I think that should be fixed in slub then.

I don't think so, we/I'm are talking about "nf_conntrack_expect" and not
"nf_conntrack" slab.  Clearly the slab "nf_conntrack" is handled
correcly (according to description above). 

We still need to make sure the callbacks for "nf_conntrack_expect", are
done before unloading/removing the code they are about to call.


> >  And in nf_conntrack_extend.c nf_ct_extend_unregister(), inorder to
> >  wait for completion of callbacks to __nf_ct_ext_free_rcu(), which is
> >  invoked by __nf_ct_ext_add().  It might be more efficient to call
> >  rcu_barrier() in nf_conntrack_core.c nf_conntrack_cleanup_net(), but
> >  thats make it more difficult to read the code (as the callback code
> >  in located in nf_conntrack_extend.c).
> 
> This one looks fine.

Should I make two different patchs?


> > diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_core.c b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_core.c
> > index 5f72b94..438ce84 100644
> > --- a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_core.c
> > +++ b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_core.c
> > @@ -1242,7 +1242,7 @@ static int nf_conntrack_init_init_net(void)
> >  
> >  	nf_conntrack_cachep = kmem_cache_create("nf_conntrack",
> >  						sizeof(struct nf_conn),
> > -						0, SLAB_DESTROY_BY_RCU, NULL);
> > +						0, 0, NULL);
> >  	if (!nf_conntrack_cachep) {
> >  		printk(KERN_ERR "Unable to create nf_conn slab cache\n");
> >  		ret = -ENOMEM;
> > diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_expect.c b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_expect.c
> > index afde8f9..56227c2 100644
> > --- a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_expect.c
> > +++ b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_expect.c
> > @@ -593,7 +593,7 @@ int nf_conntrack_expect_init(struct net *net)
> >  	if (net_eq(net, &init_net)) {
> >  		nf_ct_expect_cachep = kmem_cache_create("nf_conntrack_expect",
> >  					sizeof(struct nf_conntrack_expect),
> > -					0, 0, NULL);
> > +					0, SLAB_DESTROY_BY_RCU, NULL);
> >  		if (!nf_ct_expect_cachep)
> >  			goto err2;
> >  	}
> > @@ -617,8 +617,15 @@ err1:
> >  void nf_conntrack_expect_fini(struct net *net)
> >  {
> >  	exp_proc_remove(net);
> > -	if (net_eq(net, &init_net))
> > +	if (net_eq(net, &init_net)) {
> > +		/* hawk@...x.dk 2009-06-24: The rcu_barrier() can be
> > +		 * removed once the sl*b allocators has been fixed
> > +		 * regarding handling the SLAB_DESTROY_BY_RCU flag
> > +		 * correctly.
> > +		 */
> > +		rcu_barrier(); /* Wait for call_rcu() before destroy */
> >  		kmem_cache_destroy(nf_ct_expect_cachep);
> > +	}
> >  	nf_ct_free_hashtable(net->ct.expect_hash, net->ct.expect_vmalloc,
> >  			     nf_ct_expect_hsize);
> >  }
> > diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_extend.c b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_extend.c
> > index 4b2c769..fef95be 100644
> > --- a/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_extend.c
> > +++ b/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_extend.c
> > @@ -186,6 +186,6 @@ void nf_ct_extend_unregister(struct nf_ct_ext_type *type)
> >  	rcu_assign_pointer(nf_ct_ext_types[type->id], NULL);
> >  	update_alloc_size(type);
> >  	mutex_unlock(&nf_ct_ext_type_mutex);
> > -	synchronize_rcu();
> > +	rcu_barrier(); /* Wait for completion of call_rcu()'s */
> >  }
> >  EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(nf_ct_extend_unregister);
> > 
> 
-- 
Med venlig hilsen / Best regards
  Jesper Brouer
  ComX Networks A/S
  Linux Network developer
  Cand. Scient Datalog / MSc.
  Author of http://adsl-optimizer.dk
  LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/brouer
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