linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH RFC] rcu/tree: Use GFP_MEMALLOC for alloc memory to free memory pattern

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Date:   Tue, 31 Mar 2020 17:34:50 +0200
From:   Michal Hocko <mhocko@...nel.org>
To:     Joel Fernandes <joel@...lfernandes.org>
Cc:     linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org, linux-mm@...ck.org,
        rcu@...r.kernel.org, willy@...radead.org, peterz@...radead.org,
        neilb@...e.com, vbabka@...e.cz, mgorman@...e.de,
        Andrew Morton <akpm@...ux-foundation.org>,
        Josh Triplett <josh@...htriplett.org>,
        Lai Jiangshan <jiangshanlai@...il.com>,
        Mathieu Desnoyers <mathieu.desnoyers@...icios.com>,
        "Paul E. McKenney" <paulmck@...nel.org>,
        Steven Rostedt <rostedt@...dmis.org>
Subject: Re: [PATCH RFC] rcu/tree: Use GFP_MEMALLOC for alloc memory to free
 memory pattern

On Tue 31-03-20 10:58:06, Joel Fernandes wrote:
[...]
> > diff --git a/kernel/rcu/tree.c b/kernel/rcu/tree.c
> > index 4be763355c9fb..965deefffdd58 100644
> > --- a/kernel/rcu/tree.c
> > +++ b/kernel/rcu/tree.c
> > @@ -3149,7 +3149,7 @@ static inline struct rcu_head *attach_rcu_head_to_object(void *obj)
> >  
> >  	if (!ptr)
> >  		ptr = kmalloc(sizeof(unsigned long *) +
> > -				sizeof(struct rcu_head), GFP_ATOMIC | __GFP_NOWARN);
> > +				sizeof(struct rcu_head), GFP_MEMALLOC);
> 
> Just to add, the main requirements here are:
> 1. Allocation should be bounded in time.
> 2. Allocation should try hard (possibly tapping into reserves)
> 3. Sleeping is Ok but should not affect the time bound.


__GFP_ATOMIC | __GFP_HIGH is the way to get an additional access to
memory reserves regarless of the sleeping status.

Using __GFP_MEMALLOC is quite dangerous because it can deplete _all_ the
memory. What does prevent the above code path to do that?
If a partial access to reserves is sufficient then why the existing
modifiers (mentioned above are not sufficient?
-- 
Michal Hocko
SUSE Labs