Date:	Wed, 21 Nov 2012 12:15:59 -0800
From:	Andrew Morton <akpm@...ux-foundation.org>
To:	Mel Gorman <mgorman@...e.de>
Cc:	David Rientjes <rientjes@...gle.com>,
	Luigi Semenzato <semenzato@...gle.com>, linux-mm@...ck.org,
	LKML <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>,
	Dan Magenheimer <dan.magenheimer@...cle.com>,
	KOSAKI Motohiro <kosaki.motohiro@...fujitsu.com>,
	Sonny Rao <sonnyrao@...gle.com>,
	Minchan Kim <minchan@...nel.org>
Subject: Re: [PATCH] mm: vmscan: Check for fatal signals iff the process was
 throttled

On Wed, 21 Nov 2012 15:38:24 +0000
Mel Gorman <mgorman@...e.de> wrote:

> commit 5515061d22f0 ("mm: throttle direct reclaimers if PF_MEMALLOC reserves
> are low and swap is backed by network storage") introduced a check for
> fatal signals after a process gets throttled for network storage. The
> intention was that if a process was throttled and got killed that it
> should not trigger the OOM killer. As pointed out by Minchan Kim and
> David Rientjes, this check is in the wrong place and too broad. If a
> system is in am OOM situation and a process is exiting, it can loop in
> __alloc_pages_slowpath() and calling direct reclaim in a loop. As the
> fatal signal is pending it returns 1 as if it is making forward progress
> and can effectively deadlock.
> 
> This patch moves the fatal_signal_pending() check after throttling to
> throttle_direct_reclaim() where it belongs. If the process is killed
> while throttled, it will return immediately without direct reclaim
> except now it will have TIF_MEMDIE set and will use the PFMEMALLOC
> reserves.
> 
> Minchan pointed out that it may be better to direct reclaim before returning
> to avoid using the reserves because there may be pages that can easily
> reclaim that would avoid using the reserves. However, we do no such targetted
> reclaim and there is no guarantee that suitable pages are available. As it
> is expected that this throttling happens when swap-over-NFS is used there
> is a possibility that the process will instead swap which may allocate
> network buffers from the PFMEMALLOC reserves. Hence, in the swap-over-nfs
> case where a process can be throtted and be killed it can use the reserves
> to exit or it can potentially use reserves to swap a few pages and then
> exit. This patch takes the option of using the reserves if necessary to
> allow the process exit quickly.
> 
> If this patch passes review it should be considered a -stable candidate
> for 3.6.
> 
> ...
>
> --- a/mm/vmscan.c
> +++ b/mm/vmscan.c
> @@ -2207,9 +2207,12 @@ static bool pfmemalloc_watermark_ok(pg_data_t *pgdat)
>   * Throttle direct reclaimers if backing storage is backed by the network
>   * and the PFMEMALLOC reserve for the preferred node is getting dangerously
>   * depleted. kswapd will continue to make progress and wake the processes
> - * when the low watermark is reached
> + * when the low watermark is reached.
> + *
> + * Returns true if a fatal signal was delivered during throttling. If this

s/delivered/received/imo

> + * happens, the page allocator should not consider triggering the OOM killer.
>   */
> -static void throttle_direct_reclaim(gfp_t gfp_mask, struct zonelist *zonelist,
> +static bool throttle_direct_reclaim(gfp_t gfp_mask, struct zonelist *zonelist,
>  					nodemask_t *nodemask)
>  {
>  	struct zone *zone;
> @@ -2224,13 +2227,20 @@ static void throttle_direct_reclaim(gfp_t gfp_mask, struct zonelist *zonelist,
>  	 * processes to block on log_wait_commit().
>  	 */
>  	if (current->flags & PF_KTHREAD)
> -		return;
> +		goto out;

hm, well, back in the old days some kernel threads were killable via
signals.  They had to opt-in to it by diddling their signal masks and a
few other things.  Too lazy to check if there are still any such sites.


> +	/*
> +	 * If a fatal signal is pending, this process should not throttle.
> +	 * It should return quickly so it can exit and free its memory
> +	 */
> +	if (fatal_signal_pending(current))
> +		goto out;

theresabug.  It should return "true" here.

>  
>  	/* Check if the pfmemalloc reserves are ok */
>  	first_zones_zonelist(zonelist, high_zoneidx, NULL, &zone);
>  	pgdat = zone->zone_pgdat;
>  	if (pfmemalloc_watermark_ok(pgdat))
> -		return;
> +		goto out;
>  
>  	/* Account for the throttling */
>  	count_vm_event(PGSCAN_DIRECT_THROTTLE);
> @@ -2246,12 +2256,20 @@ static void throttle_direct_reclaim(gfp_t gfp_mask, struct zonelist *zonelist,
>  	if (!(gfp_mask & __GFP_FS)) {
>  		wait_event_interruptible_timeout(pgdat->pfmemalloc_wait,
>  			pfmemalloc_watermark_ok(pgdat), HZ);
> -		return;
> +
> +		goto check_pending;

And this can be just an "else".

>  	}
>  
>  	/* Throttle until kswapd wakes the process */
>  	wait_event_killable(zone->zone_pgdat->pfmemalloc_wait,
>  		pfmemalloc_watermark_ok(pgdat));
> +
> +check_pending:
> +	if (fatal_signal_pending(current))
> +		return true;
> +
> +out:
> +	return false;
>  }
>  
>  unsigned long try_to_free_pages(struct zonelist *zonelist, int order,
> @@ -2273,13 +2291,12 @@ unsigned long try_to_free_pages(struct zonelist *zonelist, int order,
>  		.gfp_mask = sc.gfp_mask,
>  	};
>  
> -	throttle_direct_reclaim(gfp_mask, zonelist, nodemask);
> -
>  	/*
> -	 * Do not enter reclaim if fatal signal is pending. 1 is returned so
> -	 * that the page allocator does not consider triggering OOM
> +	 * Do not enter reclaim if fatal signal was delivered while throttled.

Again, "received" is clearer.

> +	 * 1 is returned so that the page allocator does not OOM kill at this
> +	 * point.
>  	 */
> -	if (fatal_signal_pending(current))
> +	if (throttle_direct_reclaim(gfp_mask, zonelist, nodemask))
>  		return 1;
>  
>  	trace_mm_vmscan_direct_reclaim_begin(order,

So I end up with the below patch, which yields

static bool throttle_direct_reclaim(gfp_t gfp_mask, struct zonelist *zonelist,
					nodemask_t *nodemask)
{
	struct zone *zone;
	int high_zoneidx = gfp_zone(gfp_mask);
	pg_data_t *pgdat;

	/*
	 * Kernel threads should not be throttled as they may be indirectly
	 * responsible for cleaning pages necessary for reclaim to make forward
	 * progress. kjournald for example may enter direct reclaim while
	 * committing a transaction where throttling it could force other
	 * processes to block on log_wait_commit().
	 */
	if (current->flags & PF_KTHREAD)
		goto out;

	/*
	 * If a fatal signal is pending, this process should not throttle.
	 * It should return quickly so it can exit and free its memory
	 */
	if (fatal_signal_pending(current))
		goto killed;

	/* Check if the pfmemalloc reserves are ok */
	first_zones_zonelist(zonelist, high_zoneidx, NULL, &zone);
	pgdat = zone->zone_pgdat;
	if (pfmemalloc_watermark_ok(pgdat))
		goto out;

	/* Account for the throttling */
	count_vm_event(PGSCAN_DIRECT_THROTTLE);

	/*
	 * If the caller cannot enter the filesystem, it's possible that it
	 * is due to the caller holding an FS lock or performing a journal
	 * transaction in the case of a filesystem like ext[3|4]. In this case,
	 * it is not safe to block on pfmemalloc_wait as kswapd could be
	 * blocked waiting on the same lock. Instead, throttle for up to a
	 * second before continuing.
	 */
	if (!(gfp_mask & __GFP_FS)) {
		wait_event_interruptible_timeout(pgdat->pfmemalloc_wait,
					pfmemalloc_watermark_ok(pgdat), HZ);
	} else {
		/* Throttle until kswapd wakes the process */
		wait_event_killable(zone->zone_pgdat->pfmemalloc_wait,
				    pfmemalloc_watermark_ok(pgdat));
	}

	if (fatal_signal_pending(current)) {
killed:
		return true;
	}

out:
	return false;
}

(I hate that "goto killed" thing, but can't think of a better way)

--- a/mm/vmscan.c~mm-vmscan-check-for-fatal-signals-iff-the-process-was-throttled-fix
+++ a/mm/vmscan.c
@@ -2209,7 +2209,7 @@ static bool pfmemalloc_watermark_ok(pg_d
  * depleted. kswapd will continue to make progress and wake the processes
  * when the low watermark is reached.
  *
- * Returns true if a fatal signal was delivered during throttling. If this
+ * Returns true if a fatal signal was received during throttling.  If this
  * happens, the page allocator should not consider triggering the OOM killer.
  */
 static bool throttle_direct_reclaim(gfp_t gfp_mask, struct zonelist *zonelist,
@@ -2223,7 +2223,7 @@ static bool throttle_direct_reclaim(gfp_
 	 * Kernel threads should not be throttled as they may be indirectly
 	 * responsible for cleaning pages necessary for reclaim to make forward
 	 * progress. kjournald for example may enter direct reclaim while
-	 * committing a transaction where throttling it could forcing other
+	 * committing a transaction where throttling it could force other
 	 * processes to block on log_wait_commit().
 	 */
 	if (current->flags & PF_KTHREAD)
@@ -2234,7 +2234,7 @@ static bool throttle_direct_reclaim(gfp_
 	 * It should return quickly so it can exit and free its memory
 	 */
 	if (fatal_signal_pending(current))
-		goto out;
+		goto killed;
 
 	/* Check if the pfmemalloc reserves are ok */
 	first_zones_zonelist(zonelist, high_zoneidx, NULL, &zone);
@@ -2255,18 +2255,17 @@ static bool throttle_direct_reclaim(gfp_
 	 */
 	if (!(gfp_mask & __GFP_FS)) {
 		wait_event_interruptible_timeout(pgdat->pfmemalloc_wait,
-			pfmemalloc_watermark_ok(pgdat), HZ);
-
-		goto check_pending;
+					pfmemalloc_watermark_ok(pgdat), HZ);
+	} else {
+		/* Throttle until kswapd wakes the process */
+		wait_event_killable(zone->zone_pgdat->pfmemalloc_wait,
+				    pfmemalloc_watermark_ok(pgdat));
 	}
 
-	/* Throttle until kswapd wakes the process */
-	wait_event_killable(zone->zone_pgdat->pfmemalloc_wait,
-		pfmemalloc_watermark_ok(pgdat));
-
-check_pending:
-	if (fatal_signal_pending(current))
+	if (fatal_signal_pending(current)) {
+killed:
 		return true;
+	}
 
 out:
 	return false;
@@ -2292,7 +2291,7 @@ unsigned long try_to_free_pages(struct z
 	};
 
 	/*
-	 * Do not enter reclaim if fatal signal was delivered while throttled.
+	 * Do not enter reclaim if a fatal signal was received while throttled.
 	 * 1 is returned so that the page allocator does not OOM kill at this
 	 * point.
 	 */
_


(Still hating that "goto killed")

(relents)

How about this version?

static bool throttle_direct_reclaim(gfp_t gfp_mask, struct zonelist *zonelist,
					nodemask_t *nodemask)
{
	struct zone *zone;
	int high_zoneidx = gfp_zone(gfp_mask);
	pg_data_t *pgdat;

	/*
	 * Kernel threads should not be throttled as they may be indirectly
	 * responsible for cleaning pages necessary for reclaim to make forward
	 * progress. kjournald for example may enter direct reclaim while
	 * committing a transaction where throttling it could force other
	 * processes to block on log_wait_commit().
	 */
	if (current->flags & PF_KTHREAD)
		return false;

	/*
	 * If a fatal signal is pending, this process should not throttle.
	 * It should return quickly so it can exit and free its memory
	 */
	if (fatal_signal_pending(current))
		return true;

	/* Check if the pfmemalloc reserves are ok */
	first_zones_zonelist(zonelist, high_zoneidx, NULL, &zone);
	pgdat = zone->zone_pgdat;
	if (pfmemalloc_watermark_ok(pgdat))
		return false;

	/* Account for the throttling */
	count_vm_event(PGSCAN_DIRECT_THROTTLE);

	/*
	 * If the caller cannot enter the filesystem, it's possible that it
	 * is due to the caller holding an FS lock or performing a journal
	 * transaction in the case of a filesystem like ext[3|4]. In this case,
	 * it is not safe to block on pfmemalloc_wait as kswapd could be
	 * blocked waiting on the same lock. Instead, throttle for up to a
	 * second before continuing.
	 */
	if (!(gfp_mask & __GFP_FS)) {
		wait_event_interruptible_timeout(pgdat->pfmemalloc_wait,
					pfmemalloc_watermark_ok(pgdat), HZ);
	} else {
		/* Throttle until kswapd wakes the process */
		wait_event_killable(zone->zone_pgdat->pfmemalloc_wait,
				    pfmemalloc_watermark_ok(pgdat));
	}

	return fatal_signal_pending(current);
}

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