linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH 1/4] introduce complete_vfork

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Message-ID: <20120217143706.GA22440@redhat.com>
Date:	Fri, 17 Feb 2012 15:37:06 +0100
From:	Oleg Nesterov <oleg@...hat.com>
To:	Andrew Morton <akpm@...ux-foundation.org>
Cc:	apw@...onical.com, arjan@...ux.intel.com, fhrbata@...hat.com,
	john.johansen@...onical.com, penguin-kernel@...ove.SAKURA.ne.jp,
	rientjes@...gle.com, rusty@...tcorp.com.au, tj@...nel.org,
	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH 1/4] introduce complete_vfork_done()

On 02/16, Andrew Morton wrote:
>
> On Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:26:47 +0100
> Oleg Nesterov <oleg@...hat.com> wrote:
>
> > ...
> > +void complete_vfork_done(struct task_struct *tsk)
> > +{
> > +	struct completion *vfork_done = tsk->vfork_done;
> > +
> > +	tsk->vfork_done = NULL;
> > +	complete(vfork_done);
> > +}
> > +
> >  /* Please note the differences between mmput and mm_release.
> >   * mmput is called whenever we stop holding onto a mm_struct,
> >   * error success whatever.
> > @@ -682,8 +690,6 @@ struct mm_struct *mm_access(struct task_struct *task, unsigned int mode)
> >   */
> >  void mm_release(struct task_struct *tsk, struct mm_struct *mm)
> >  {
> > -	struct completion *vfork_done = tsk->vfork_done;
> > -
> >  	/* Get rid of any futexes when releasing the mm */
> >  #ifdef CONFIG_FUTEX
> >  	if (unlikely(tsk->robust_list)) {
> > @@ -703,11 +709,8 @@ void mm_release(struct task_struct *tsk, struct mm_struct *mm)
> >  	/* Get rid of any cached register state */
> >  	deactivate_mm(tsk, mm);
> >
> > -	/* notify parent sleeping on vfork() */
> > -	if (vfork_done) {
> > -		tsk->vfork_done = NULL;
> > -		complete(vfork_done);
> > -	}
> > +	if (tsk->vfork_done)
> > +		complete_vfork_done(tsk);
>
> This all looks somewhat smelly.

First of all, let me repeat that this patch changes nothing, justs
move this code into the new helper.


> - Why do we zero tsk->vfork_done in this manner?  It *looks* like
>   it's done to prevent the kernel from running complete() twice against
>   a single task

Yes,

> in a race situation.

No. More precisely, not before/after this patch.

"if (vfork_done) complete_vfork_done()" is called twice very often.
A vforked child does exec and notifies its parent. It should clear
->vfork_done, otherwise it will do complete_vfork_done() again on
exit when ->vfork_done points to nowhere.

The caller can never race with another user of ->vfork_done. It
is the parent sleeping in do_fork(CLONE_VFORK). (I am ignoring
the kernel threads created by kthread_create).

>   We'd need external locking to firm that up
>   and I'm not seeing it.

After the next patch, parent/child can race with each other, that
is why the next patch moves complete() under task_lock(). I'll write
another email in reply to 2/4.

> - Moving the test for non-null tsk->vfork_done into
>   complete_vfork_done() would simplify things a bit?

Yes, perhaps this makes sense. After 3/4 mm_release() becomes the
only caller and this microoptimization buys nothing, this helper
will be static.

I like the explicit test a bit more, just because it looks more
clear to me. But this is subjective, I can redo.

> - The complete_vfork_done() interface isn't wonderful.  What prevents
>   tsk from getting freed?  Presumably the caller must have pinned it in
>   some fashion?  Or must hold some lock?  Or it's always run against
>   `current',

Yes, it is always current,

> in which case it would be clearer to not pass the
>   task_struct arg at all?

Well, may be... But mm_release() already has the 'tsk' argument which
is always current. It would be strange to not use it.

Oleg.

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