linux-kernel - Re: [patch 23/30] x86/microcode: Provide new control functions

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Message-ID: <20230810202519.GD212435@hirez.programming.kicks-ass.net>
Date:   Thu, 10 Aug 2023 22:25:19 +0200
From:   Peter Zijlstra <peterz@...radead.org>
To:     Thomas Gleixner <tglx@...utronix.de>
Cc:     LKML <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>, x86@...nel.org,
        Borislav Petkov <bp@...en8.de>,
        Ashok Raj <ashok.raj@...el.com>,
        Arjan van de Ven <arjan@...ux.intel.com>
Subject: Re: [patch 23/30] x86/microcode: Provide new control functions

On Thu, Aug 10, 2023 at 08:38:00PM +0200, Thomas Gleixner wrote:
> From: Thomas Gleixner <tglx@...utronix.de>
> 
> The current all in one code is unreadable and really not suited for adding
> future features like uniform loading with package or system scope.
> 
> Provide a set of new control functions which split the handling of the
> primary and secondary CPUs. These will replace the current rendevouz all in
> one function in the next step. This is intentionally a separate change
> because diff makes an complete unreadable mess otherwise.
> 
> So the flow separates the primary and the secondary CPUs into their own
> functions, which use the control field in the per CPU ucode_ctrl struct.
> 
>    primary()			secondary()
>     wait_for_all()		 wait_for_all()
>     apply_ucode()		 wait_for_release()
>     release()			 apply_ucode()

This hard assumes SMT2, right? If someone were ever to do an x86 smt4
part then smt siblings 1,2,3 would all apply concurrently in secondary,
is that intended?

> +	/*
> +	 * Wait for primary threads to complete. If one of them hangs due
> +	 * to the update, there is no way out. This is non-recoverable
> +	 * because the CPU might hold locks or resources and confuse the
> +	 * scheduler, watchdogs etc. There is no way to safely evacuate the
> +	 * machine.
> +	 */
> +	if (!wait_for_ctrl())
> +		panic("Microcode load: Primary CPU %d timed out\n", ctrl_cpu);

One way around this is to first hot-unplug the CPUs, then NMI prod them
into the rendevous, and only on-line them again if ucode update is
successful. On failure stick them in a (new) error state so that manual
online also fails and scream murder, like above.

But yeah, rather unlikely, and for another day etc..