Proper documentation for the design and usage of sequence counters and sequential locks does not exist. Complete the seqlock.h documentation as follows:
- Divide all documentation on a seqcount_t vs. seqlock_t basis. The description for both mechanisms was intermingled, which is incorrect since the usage constrains for each type are vastly different. - Add an introductory paragraph describing the internal design of, and rationale for, sequence counters. - Document seqcount_t writer non-preemptibility requirement, which was not previously documented anywhere, and provide a clear rationale. - Provide template code for seqcount_t and seqlock_t initialization and reader/writer critical sections. - Recommend using seqlock_t by default. It implicitly handles the serialization and non-preemptibility requirements of writers. At seqlock.h: - Remove references to brlocks as they've long been removed from the kernel. - Remove references to gcc-3.x since the kernel's minimum supported gcc version is 4.6. References: 0f6ed63b1707 ("no need to keep brlock macros anymore...") References: cafa0010cd51 ("Raise the minimum required gcc version to 4.6") Signed-off-by: Ahmed S. Darwish <a.darw...@linutronix.de> --- Documentation/locking/index.rst | 1 + Documentation/locking/seqlock.rst | 184 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ include/linux/seqlock.h | 77 ++++++------- 3 files changed, 221 insertions(+), 41 deletions(-) create mode 100644 Documentation/locking/seqlock.rst diff --git a/Documentation/locking/index.rst b/Documentation/locking/index.rst index d785878cad65..7003bd5aeff4 100644 --- a/Documentation/locking/index.rst +++ b/Documentation/locking/index.rst @@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ locking mutex-design rt-mutex-design rt-mutex + seqlock spinlocks ww-mutex-design preempt-locking diff --git a/Documentation/locking/seqlock.rst b/Documentation/locking/seqlock.rst new file mode 100644 index 000000000000..c9916efe038e --- /dev/null +++ b/Documentation/locking/seqlock.rst @@ -0,0 +1,184 @@ +====================================== +Sequence counters and sequential locks +====================================== + +Introduction +============ + +Sequence counters are a reader-writer consistency mechanism with +lockless readers (read-only retry loops), and no writer starvation. They +are used for data that's rarely written to (e.g. system time), where the +reader wants a consistent set of information and is willing to retry if +that information changes. + +A data set is consistent when the sequence count at the beginning of the +read side critical section is even and the same sequence count value is +read again at the end of the critical section. The data in the set must +be copied out inside the read side critical section. If the sequence +count has changed between the start and the end of the critical section, +the reader must retry. + +Writers increment the sequence count at the start and the end of their +critical section. After starting the critical section the sequence count +is odd and indicates to the readers that an update is in progress. At +the end of the write side critical section the sequence count becomes +even again which lets readers make progress. + +A sequence counter write side critical section must never be preempted +or interrupted by read side sections. Otherwise the reader will spin for +the entire scheduler tick due to the odd sequence count value and the +interrupted writer. If that reader belongs to a real-time scheduling +class, it can spin forever and the kernel will livelock. + +This mechanism cannot be used if the protected data contains pointers, +as the writer can invalidate a pointer that the reader is following. + +.. _seqcount_t: + +Sequence counters (:c:type:`seqcount_t`) +======================================== + +This is the the raw counting mechanism, which does not protect against +multiple writers. Write side critical sections must thus be serialized +by an external lock. + +If the write serialization primitive is not implicitly disabling +preemption, preemption must be explicitly disabled before entering the +write side section. If the read section can be invoked from hardirq or +softirq contexts, interrupts or bottom halves must also be respectively +disabled before entering the write section. + +If it's desired to automatically handle the sequence counter +requirements of writer serialization and non-preemptibility, use a +:ref:`sequential lock <seqlock_t>` instead. + +Initialization: + +.. code-block:: c + + /* dynamic */ + seqcount_t foo_seqcount; + seqcount_init(&foo_seqcount); + + /* static */ + static seqcount_t foo_seqcount = SEQCNT_ZERO(foo_seqcount); + + /* C99 struct init */ + struct { + .seq = SEQCNT_ZERO(foo.seq), + } foo; + +Write path: + +.. code-block:: c + + /* Serialized context with disabled preemption */ + + write_seqcount_begin(&foo_seqcount); + + /* ... [[write-side critical section]] ... */ + + write_seqcount_end(&foo_seqcount); + +Read path: + +.. code-block:: c + + do { + seq = read_seqcount_begin(&foo_seqcount); + + /* ... [[read-side critical section]] ... */ + + } while (read_seqcount_retry(&foo_seqcount, seq)); + +.. _seqlock_t: + +Sequential locks (:c:type:`seqlock_t`) +====================================== + +This contains the :ref:`sequence counting mechanism <seqcount_t>` +earlier discussed, plus an embedded spinlock for writer serialization +and non-preemptibility. + +If the read side section can be invoked from hardirq or softirq context, +use the write side function variants which disable interrupts or bottom +halves respectively. + +Initialization: + +.. code-block:: c + + /* dynamic */ + seqlock_t foo_seqlock; + seqlock_init(&foo_seqlock); + + /* static */ + static DEFINE_SEQLOCK(foo_seqlock); + + /* C99 struct init */ + struct { + .seql = __SEQLOCK_UNLOCKED(foo.seql) + } foo; + +Write path: + +.. code-block:: c + + write_seqlock(&foo_seqlock); + + /* ... [[write-side critical section]] ... */ + + write_sequnlock(&foo_seqlock); + +Read path, three categories: + +1. Normal Sequence readers which never block a writer but they must + retry if a writer is in progress by detecting change in the sequence + number. Writers do not wait for a sequence reader. + + .. code-block:: c + + do { + seq = read_seqbegin(&foo_seqlock); + + /* ... [[read-side critical section]] ... */ + + } while (read_seqretry(&foo_seqlock, seq)); + +2. Locking readers which will wait if a writer or another locking reader + is in progress. A locking reader in progress will also block a writer + from entering its critical section. This read lock is + exclusive. Unlike rwlock_t, only one locking reader can acquire it. + + .. code-block:: c + + read_seqlock_excl(&foo_seqlock); + + /* ... [[read-side critical section]] ... */ + + read_sequnlock_excl(&foo_seqlock); + +3. Conditional lockless reader (as in 1), or locking reader (as in 2), + according to a passed marker. This is used to avoid lockless readers + starvation (too much retry loops) in case of a sharp spike in write + activity. First, a lockless read is tried (even marker passed). If + that trial fails (odd sequence counter is returned, which is used as + the next iteration marker), the lockless read is transformed to a + full locking read and no retry loop is necessary. + + .. code-block:: c + + /* marker; even initialization */ + int seq = 0; + do { + read_seqbegin_or_lock(&foo_seqlock, &seq); + + /* ... [[read-side critical section]] ... */ + + } while (need_seqretry(&foo_seqlock, seq)); + done_seqretry(&foo_seqlock, seq); + +API documentation +================= + +.. kernel-doc:: include/linux/seqlock.h diff --git a/include/linux/seqlock.h b/include/linux/seqlock.h index 8b97204f35a7..e54ff48e87f8 100644 --- a/include/linux/seqlock.h +++ b/include/linux/seqlock.h @@ -1,36 +1,15 @@ /* SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0 */ #ifndef __LINUX_SEQLOCK_H #define __LINUX_SEQLOCK_H + /* - * Reader/writer consistent mechanism without starving writers. This type of - * lock for data where the reader wants a consistent set of information - * and is willing to retry if the information changes. There are two types - * of readers: - * 1. Sequence readers which never block a writer but they may have to retry - * if a writer is in progress by detecting change in sequence number. - * Writers do not wait for a sequence reader. - * 2. Locking readers which will wait if a writer or another locking reader - * is in progress. A locking reader in progress will also block a writer - * from going forward. Unlike the regular rwlock, the read lock here is - * exclusive so that only one locking reader can get it. + * seqcount_t / seqlock_t - a reader-writer consistency mechanism with + * lockless readers (read-only retry loops), and no writer starvation. * - * This is not as cache friendly as brlock. Also, this may not work well - * for data that contains pointers, because any writer could - * invalidate a pointer that a reader was following. + * See Documentation/locking/seqlock.rst for full description. * - * Expected non-blocking reader usage: - * do { - * seq = read_seqbegin(&foo); - * ... - * } while (read_seqretry(&foo, seq)); - * - * - * On non-SMP the spin locks disappear but the writer still needs - * to increment the sequence variables because an interrupt routine could - * change the state of the data. - * - * Based on x86_64 vsyscall gettimeofday - * by Keith Owens and Andrea Arcangeli + * Copyrights: + * - Based on x86_64 vsyscall gettimeofday: Keith Owens, Andrea Arcangeli */ #include <linux/spinlock.h> @@ -41,8 +20,8 @@ #include <asm/processor.h> /* - * The seqlock interface does not prescribe a precise sequence of read - * begin/retry/end. For readers, typically there is a call to + * The seqlock seqcount_t interface does not prescribe a precise sequence of + * read begin/retry/end. For readers, typically there is a call to * read_seqcount_begin() and read_seqcount_retry(), however, there are more * esoteric cases which do not follow this pattern. * @@ -56,10 +35,24 @@ #define KCSAN_SEQLOCK_REGION_MAX 1000 /* - * Version using sequence counter only. - * This can be used when code has its own mutex protecting the - * updating starting before the write_seqcountbeqin() and ending - * after the write_seqcount_end(). + * Sequence counters (seqcount_t) + * + * This is the raw counting mechanism, without any writer protection. + * + * Write side critical sections must be serialized and non-preemptible. + * + * If readers can be invoked from hardirq or softirq contexts, + * interrupts or bottom halves must also be respectively disabled before + * entering the write section. + * + * This mechanism can't be used if the protected data contains pointers, + * as the writer can invalidate a pointer that a reader is following. + * + * If it's desired to automatically handle the sequence counter writer + * serialization and non-preemptibility requirements, use a sequential + * lock (seqlock_t) instead. + * + * See Documentation/locking/seqlock.rst */ typedef struct seqcount { unsigned sequence; @@ -398,10 +391,6 @@ static inline void raw_write_seqcount_latch(seqcount_t *s) smp_wmb(); /* increment "sequence" before following stores */ } -/* - * Sequence counter only version assumes that callers are using their - * own mutexing. - */ static inline void write_seqcount_begin_nested(seqcount_t *s, int subclass) { raw_write_seqcount_begin(s); @@ -434,15 +423,21 @@ static inline void write_seqcount_invalidate(seqcount_t *s) kcsan_nestable_atomic_end(); } +/* + * Sequential locks (seqlock_t) + * + * Sequence counters with an embedded spinlock for writer serialization + * and non-preemptibility. + * + * For more info, see: + * - Comments on top of seqcount_t + * - Documentation/locking/seqlock.rst + */ typedef struct { struct seqcount seqcount; spinlock_t lock; } seqlock_t; -/* - * These macros triggered gcc-3.x compile-time problems. We think these are - * OK now. Be cautious. - */ #define __SEQLOCK_UNLOCKED(lockname) \ { \ .seqcount = SEQCNT_ZERO(lockname), \ -- 2.20.1