Re: [PATCH] xen-netback: correct success/error reporting for the SKB-with-fraglist case

[Jan Beulich <jbeulich@suse.com>]

On 25.02.2021 17:23, Paul Durrant wrote:
> On 25/02/2021 14:00, Jan Beulich wrote:
>> On 25.02.2021 13:11, Paul Durrant wrote:
>>> On 25/02/2021 07:33, Jan Beulich wrote:
>>>> On 24.02.2021 17:39, Paul Durrant wrote:
>>>>> On 23/02/2021 16:29, Jan Beulich wrote:
>>>>>> When re-entering the main loop of xenvif_tx_check_gop() a 2nd time, the
>>>>>> special considerations for the head of the SKB no longer apply. Don't
>>>>>> mistakenly report ERROR to the frontend for the first entry in the list,
>>>>>> even if - from all I can tell - this shouldn't matter much as the overall
>>>>>> transmit will need to be considered failed anyway.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Signed-off-by: Jan Beulich <jbeulich@suse.com>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --- a/drivers/net/xen-netback/netback.c
>>>>>> +++ b/drivers/net/xen-netback/netback.c
>>>>>> @@ -499,7 +499,7 @@ check_frags:
>>>>>>     				 * the header's copy failed, and they are
>>>>>>     				 * sharing a slot, send an error
>>>>>>     				 */
>>>>>> -				if (i == 0 && sharedslot)
>>>>>> +				if (i == 0 && !first_shinfo && sharedslot)
>>>>>>     					xenvif_idx_release(queue, pending_idx,
>>>>>>     							   XEN_NETIF_RSP_ERROR);
>>>>>>     				else
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> I think this will DTRT, but to my mind it would make more sense to clear
>>>>> 'sharedslot' before the 'goto check_frags' at the bottom of the function.
>>>>
>>>> That was my initial idea as well, but
>>>> - I think it is for a reason that the variable is "const".
>>>> - There is another use of it which would then instead need further
>>>>     amending (and which I believe is at least part of the reason for
>>>>     the variable to be "const").
>>>>
>>>
>>> Oh, yes. But now that I look again, don't you want:
>>>
>>> if (i == 0 && first_shinfo && sharedslot)
>>>
>>> ? (i.e no '!')
>>>
>>> The comment states that the error should be indicated when the first
>>> frag contains the header in the case that the map succeeded but the
>>> prior copy from the same ref failed. This can only possibly be the case
>>> if this is the 'first_shinfo'
>>
>> I don't think so, no - there's a difference between "first frag"
>> (at which point first_shinfo is NULL) and first frag list entry
>> (at which point first_shinfo is non-NULL).
> 
> Yes, I realise I got it backwards. Confusing name but the comment above 
> its declaration does explain.
> 
>>
>>> (which is why I still think it is safe to unconst 'sharedslot' and
>>> clear it).
>>
>> And "no" here as well - this piece of code
>>
>> 		/* First error: if the header haven't shared a slot with the
>> 		 * first frag, release it as well.
>> 		 */
>> 		if (!sharedslot)
>> 			xenvif_idx_release(queue,
>> 					   XENVIF_TX_CB(skb)->pending_idx,
>> 					   XEN_NETIF_RSP_OKAY);
>>
>> specifically requires sharedslot to have the value that was
>> assigned to it at the start of the function (this property
>> doesn't go away when switching from fragments to frag list).
>> Note also how it uses XENVIF_TX_CB(skb)->pending_idx, i.e. the
>> value the local variable pending_idx was set from at the start
>> of the function.
>>
> 
> True, we do have to deal with freeing up the header if the first map 
> error comes on the frag list.
> 
> Reviewed-by: Paul Durrant <paul@xen.org>

Since I've not seen this go into 5.13-rc, may I ask what the disposition
of this is?

Jan