[PATCH RFC 0/2] A small improvement in the allocation algorithm

[PATCH RFC 0/2] A small improvement in the allocation algorithm

[Carlos Maiolino]

This is totally based on the discussion between Brian, Dave and me regarding the
issues we have on the allocation mechanism, and this patchset is just used to
put the ideas together.

Dave, this is a small improvement based on your hack on your original patch, to
'fix' the total number. And based on my last reply to the thread

It still does need improvement, and I need to check the math, but I think we
should maybe start here.

I just removed the hack from your patch, and moved the args.total fix to the 2nd
patch.

What you guys think about it?

Carlos Maiolino (1):
  xfs: Limit total allocation request to maximum possible

Dave Chinner (1):
  xfs: cap longest free extent to maximum allocatable

 fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_alloc.c | 3 ++-
 fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c  | 5 +++++
 2 files changed, 7 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

-- 
2.20.1

[PATCH 1/2] xfs: cap longest free extent to maximum allocatable

[Carlos Maiolino]

From: Dave Chinner <dchinner@redhat.com>

Cap longest extent to the largest we can allocate based on limits
calculated at mount time. Dynamic state (such as finobt blocks)
can result in the longest free extent exceeding the size we can
allocate, and that results in failure to align full AG allocations
when the AG is empty.

Result:

xfs_io-4413  [003]   426.412459: xfs_alloc_vextent_loopfailed: dev 8:96 agno 0 agbno 32 minlen 243968 maxlen 244000 mod 0 prod 1 minleft 1 total 262148 alignment 32 minalignslop 0 len 0 type NEAR_BNO otype START_BNO wasdel 0 wasfromfl 0 resv 0 datatype 0x5 firstblock 0xffffffffffffffff

minlen and maxlen are now separated by the alignment size, and
allocation fails because args.total > free space in the AG.

Signed-off-by: Dave Chinner <dchinner@redhat.com>
Signed-off-by: Carlos Maiolino <cmaiolino@redhat.com>
---
 fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_alloc.c | 3 ++-
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_alloc.c b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_alloc.c
index 372ad55631fc..35b39fc863a0 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_alloc.c
+++ b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_alloc.c
@@ -1989,7 +1989,8 @@ xfs_alloc_longest_free_extent(
 	 * reservations and AGFL rules in place, we can return this extent.
 	 */
 	if (pag->pagf_longest > delta)
-		return pag->pagf_longest - delta;
+		return min_t(xfs_extlen_t, pag->pag_mount->m_ag_max_usable,
+				pag->pagf_longest - delta);
 
 	/* Otherwise, let the caller try for 1 block if there's space. */
 	return pag->pagf_flcount > 0 || pag->pagf_longest > 0;
-- 
2.20.1

[PATCH 2/2] xfs: Limit total allocation request to maximum possible

[Carlos Maiolino]

The original allocation request may have a total value way beyond
possible limits.

Trim it down to the maximum possible if needed

Signed-off-by: Carlos Maiolino <cmaiolino@redhat.com>
---
 fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c | 5 +++++
 1 file changed, 5 insertions(+)

diff --git a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c
index 07aad70f3931..3aa0bf5cc7e3 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c
+++ b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c
@@ -3477,6 +3477,11 @@ xfs_bmap_btalloc(
 			error = xfs_bmap_btalloc_filestreams(ap, &args, &blen);
 		else
 			error = xfs_bmap_btalloc_nullfb(ap, &args, &blen);
+
+		/* We can never have total larger than blen, so trim it now */
+		if (args.total > blen)
+			args.total = blen;
+
 		if (error)
 			return error;
 	} else if (ap->tp->t_flags & XFS_TRANS_LOWMODE) {
-- 
2.20.1

Re: [PATCH 1/2] xfs: cap longest free extent to maximum allocatable

[Brian Foster]

On Wed, Sep 18, 2019 at 10:24:52AM +0200, Carlos Maiolino wrote:
> From: Dave Chinner <dchinner@redhat.com>
> 
> Cap longest extent to the largest we can allocate based on limits
> calculated at mount time. Dynamic state (such as finobt blocks)
> can result in the longest free extent exceeding the size we can
> allocate, and that results in failure to align full AG allocations
> when the AG is empty.
> 
> Result:
> 
> xfs_io-4413  [003]   426.412459: xfs_alloc_vextent_loopfailed: dev 8:96 agno 0 agbno 32 minlen 243968 maxlen 244000 mod 0 prod 1 minleft 1 total 262148 alignment 32 minalignslop 0 len 0 type NEAR_BNO otype START_BNO wasdel 0 wasfromfl 0 resv 0 datatype 0x5 firstblock 0xffffffffffffffff
> 
> minlen and maxlen are now separated by the alignment size, and
> allocation fails because args.total > free space in the AG.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Dave Chinner <dchinner@redhat.com>
> Signed-off-by: Carlos Maiolino <cmaiolino@redhat.com>
> ---

Seems fine, but what about the bma.minlen alignment fix (in
xfs_bmap_btalloc()) Dave suggested in the previous thread?

Brian

>  fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_alloc.c | 3 ++-
>  1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
> 
> diff --git a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_alloc.c b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_alloc.c
> index 372ad55631fc..35b39fc863a0 100644
> --- a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_alloc.c
> +++ b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_alloc.c
> @@ -1989,7 +1989,8 @@ xfs_alloc_longest_free_extent(
>  	 * reservations and AGFL rules in place, we can return this extent.
>  	 */
>  	if (pag->pagf_longest > delta)
> -		return pag->pagf_longest - delta;
> +		return min_t(xfs_extlen_t, pag->pag_mount->m_ag_max_usable,
> +				pag->pagf_longest - delta);
>  
>  	/* Otherwise, let the caller try for 1 block if there's space. */
>  	return pag->pagf_flcount > 0 || pag->pagf_longest > 0;
> -- 
> 2.20.1
> 

Re: [PATCH 2/2] xfs: Limit total allocation request to maximum possible

[Brian Foster]

On Wed, Sep 18, 2019 at 10:24:53AM +0200, Carlos Maiolino wrote:
> The original allocation request may have a total value way beyond
> possible limits.
> 
> Trim it down to the maximum possible if needed
> 
> Signed-off-by: Carlos Maiolino <cmaiolino@redhat.com>
> ---

Confused.. what was wrong with the original bma.total patch that it
needs to be replaced? I was assuming we'd replace the allocation retry
patch with the minlen alignment fixups and combine those with the
bma.total patch to fix the problem. Hm?

>  fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c | 5 +++++
>  1 file changed, 5 insertions(+)
> 
> diff --git a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c
> index 07aad70f3931..3aa0bf5cc7e3 100644
> --- a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c
> +++ b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c
> @@ -3477,6 +3477,11 @@ xfs_bmap_btalloc(
>  			error = xfs_bmap_btalloc_filestreams(ap, &args, &blen);
>  		else
>  			error = xfs_bmap_btalloc_nullfb(ap, &args, &blen);
> +
> +		/* We can never have total larger than blen, so trim it now */
> +		if (args.total > blen)
> +			args.total = blen;
> +

I don't think this is safe. The reason the original patch only updated
certain callers is because those callers only used it for extra blocks
that are already incorported into bma.minleft by the bmap layer itself.
There are still other callers for which bma.total is specifically
intended to be larger than the map size.

(I think the whole total thing is still kind of a confusing mess in this
regard, but fixing that is a separate problem.)

Brian

>  		if (error)
>  			return error;
>  	} else if (ap->tp->t_flags & XFS_TRANS_LOWMODE) {
> -- 
> 2.20.1
> 

Re: [PATCH 1/2] xfs: cap longest free extent to maximum allocatable

[Carlos Maiolino]

On Wed, Sep 18, 2019 at 08:27:26AM -0400, Brian Foster wrote:
> On Wed, Sep 18, 2019 at 10:24:52AM +0200, Carlos Maiolino wrote:
> > From: Dave Chinner <dchinner@redhat.com>
> > 
> > Cap longest extent to the largest we can allocate based on limits
> > calculated at mount time. Dynamic state (such as finobt blocks)
> > can result in the longest free extent exceeding the size we can
> > allocate, and that results in failure to align full AG allocations
> > when the AG is empty.
> > 
> > Result:
> > 
> > xfs_io-4413  [003]   426.412459: xfs_alloc_vextent_loopfailed: dev 8:96 agno 0 agbno 32 minlen 243968 maxlen 244000 mod 0 prod 1 minleft 1 total 262148 alignment 32 minalignslop 0 len 0 type NEAR_BNO otype START_BNO wasdel 0 wasfromfl 0 resv 0 datatype 0x5 firstblock 0xffffffffffffffff
> > 
> > minlen and maxlen are now separated by the alignment size, and
> > allocation fails because args.total > free space in the AG.
> > 
> > Signed-off-by: Dave Chinner <dchinner@redhat.com>
> > Signed-off-by: Carlos Maiolino <cmaiolino@redhat.com>
> > ---
> 
> Seems fine, but what about the bma.minlen alignment fix (in
> xfs_bmap_btalloc()) Dave suggested in the previous thread?

I forgot to git add that while playing with this set :P

> 
> Brian
> 
> >  fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_alloc.c | 3 ++-
> >  1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
> > 
> > diff --git a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_alloc.c b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_alloc.c
> > index 372ad55631fc..35b39fc863a0 100644
> > --- a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_alloc.c
> > +++ b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_alloc.c
> > @@ -1989,7 +1989,8 @@ xfs_alloc_longest_free_extent(
> >  	 * reservations and AGFL rules in place, we can return this extent.
> >  	 */
> >  	if (pag->pagf_longest > delta)
> > -		return pag->pagf_longest - delta;
> > +		return min_t(xfs_extlen_t, pag->pag_mount->m_ag_max_usable,
> > +				pag->pagf_longest - delta);
> >  
> >  	/* Otherwise, let the caller try for 1 block if there's space. */
> >  	return pag->pagf_flcount > 0 || pag->pagf_longest > 0;
> > -- 
> > 2.20.1
> > 

-- 
Carlos

Re: [PATCH 2/2] xfs: Limit total allocation request to maximum possible

[Carlos Maiolino]

On Wed, Sep 18, 2019 at 08:28:59AM -0400, Brian Foster wrote:
> On Wed, Sep 18, 2019 at 10:24:53AM +0200, Carlos Maiolino wrote:
> > The original allocation request may have a total value way beyond
> > possible limits.
> > 
> > Trim it down to the maximum possible if needed
> > 
> > Signed-off-by: Carlos Maiolino <cmaiolino@redhat.com>
> > ---
> 
> Confused.. what was wrong with the original bma.total patch that it
> needs to be replaced?

At this point in time, what you mean by the 'original' patch? :) Yours? Or
Dave's?

If you meant yours, I was just trying to find out a way to fix it without
modifying the callers, nothing else than that.

If you meant regarding Dave's proposal, as he tagged his proposal as a /* Hack
*/, I was just looking for ways to change total, instead of cropping it to 0.

And giving the fact args.total > blen seems unreasonable, giving it will
certainly tail here, I just thought it might be a reasonable way to change
args.total value.

By no means this patchset was meant to supersede yours or Dave's idea though, I
was just looking for a different approach, if feasible.


> I was assuming we'd replace the allocation retry
> patch with the minlen alignment fixups and combine those with the
> bma.total patch to fix the problem. Hm?
> 
> >  fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c | 5 +++++
> >  1 file changed, 5 insertions(+)
> > 
> > diff --git a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c
> > index 07aad70f3931..3aa0bf5cc7e3 100644
> > --- a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c
> > +++ b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c
> > @@ -3477,6 +3477,11 @@ xfs_bmap_btalloc(
> >  			error = xfs_bmap_btalloc_filestreams(ap, &args, &blen);
> >  		else
> >  			error = xfs_bmap_btalloc_nullfb(ap, &args, &blen);
> > +
> > +		/* We can never have total larger than blen, so trim it now */
> > +		if (args.total > blen)
> > +			args.total = blen;
> > +
> 
> I don't think this is safe. The reason the original patch only updated
> certain callers is because those callers only used it for extra blocks
> that are already incorported into bma.minleft by the bmap layer itself.
> There are still other callers for which bma.total is specifically
> intended to be larger than the map size.

Afaik, yes, but still, total is basically used to attempt an allocation of data
+ metadata on the same AG if possible, reducing args.total to match blen, the
'worst' case would be to have an allocation of data + metadata on different ags,
which, if total is larger than blen, it will fall into that behavior anyway.


> 
> Brian
> 
> >  		if (error)
> >  			return error;
> >  	} else if (ap->tp->t_flags & XFS_TRANS_LOWMODE) {
> > -- 
> > 2.20.1
> > 

-- 
Carlos

Re: [PATCH 2/2] xfs: Limit total allocation request to maximum possible

[Brian Foster]

On Mon, Sep 23, 2019 at 02:39:34PM +0200, Carlos Maiolino wrote:
> On Wed, Sep 18, 2019 at 08:28:59AM -0400, Brian Foster wrote:
> > On Wed, Sep 18, 2019 at 10:24:53AM +0200, Carlos Maiolino wrote:
> > > The original allocation request may have a total value way beyond
> > > possible limits.
> > > 
> > > Trim it down to the maximum possible if needed
> > > 
> > > Signed-off-by: Carlos Maiolino <cmaiolino@redhat.com>
> > > ---
> > 
> > Confused.. what was wrong with the original bma.total patch that it
> > needs to be replaced?
> 
> At this point in time, what you mean by the 'original' patch? :) Yours? Or
> Dave's?
> 

The original patch I posted..

> If you meant yours, I was just trying to find out a way to fix it without
> modifying the callers, nothing else than that.
> 
> If you meant regarding Dave's proposal, as he tagged his proposal as a /* Hack
> */, I was just looking for ways to change total, instead of cropping it to 0.
> 
> And giving the fact args.total > blen seems unreasonable, giving it will
> certainly tail here, I just thought it might be a reasonable way to change
> args.total value.
> 

I think the code is flaky, but I'm not sure why that's unreasonable. The
intent of args.total is to be larger than the mapping length.

> By no means this patchset was meant to supersede yours or Dave's idea though, I
> was just looking for a different approach, if feasible.
> 
> 
> > I was assuming we'd replace the allocation retry
> > patch with the minlen alignment fixups and combine those with the
> > bma.total patch to fix the problem. Hm?
> > 
> > >  fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c | 5 +++++
> > >  1 file changed, 5 insertions(+)
> > > 
> > > diff --git a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c
> > > index 07aad70f3931..3aa0bf5cc7e3 100644
> > > --- a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c
> > > +++ b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c
> > > @@ -3477,6 +3477,11 @@ xfs_bmap_btalloc(
> > >  			error = xfs_bmap_btalloc_filestreams(ap, &args, &blen);
> > >  		else
> > >  			error = xfs_bmap_btalloc_nullfb(ap, &args, &blen);
> > > +
> > > +		/* We can never have total larger than blen, so trim it now */
> > > +		if (args.total > blen)
> > > +			args.total = blen;
> > > +
> > 
> > I don't think this is safe. The reason the original patch only updated
> > certain callers is because those callers only used it for extra blocks
> > that are already incorported into bma.minleft by the bmap layer itself.
> > There are still other callers for which bma.total is specifically
> > intended to be larger than the map size.
> 
> Afaik, yes, but still, total is basically used to attempt an allocation of data
> + metadata on the same AG if possible, reducing args.total to match blen, the
> 'worst' case would be to have an allocation of data + metadata on different ags,
> which, if total is larger than blen, it will fall into that behavior anyway.
> 

Maybe..? There is no requirement that the additional blocks accounted by
args.total be contiguous with the allocation for the mapping, so I don't
see how you could reliably predict that.

Brian

> 
> > 
> > Brian
> > 
> > >  		if (error)
> > >  			return error;
> > >  	} else if (ap->tp->t_flags & XFS_TRANS_LOWMODE) {
> > > -- 
> > > 2.20.1
> > > 
> 
> -- 
> Carlos

Re: [PATCH 2/2] xfs: Limit total allocation request to maximum possible

[Carlos Maiolino]

On Mon, Sep 23, 2019 at 09:11:36AM -0400, Brian Foster wrote:
> On Mon, Sep 23, 2019 at 02:39:34PM +0200, Carlos Maiolino wrote:
> > On Wed, Sep 18, 2019 at 08:28:59AM -0400, Brian Foster wrote:
> > > On Wed, Sep 18, 2019 at 10:24:53AM +0200, Carlos Maiolino wrote:
> > > > The original allocation request may have a total value way beyond
> > > > possible limits.
> > > > 
> > > > Trim it down to the maximum possible if needed
> > > > 
> > > > Signed-off-by: Carlos Maiolino <cmaiolino@redhat.com>
> > > > ---
> > > 
> > > Confused.. what was wrong with the original bma.total patch that it
> > > needs to be replaced?
> > 
> > At this point in time, what you mean by the 'original' patch? :) Yours? Or
> > Dave's?
> > 
> 
> The original patch I posted..
> 
> > If you meant yours, I was just trying to find out a way to fix it without
> > modifying the callers, nothing else than that.
> > 
> > If you meant regarding Dave's proposal, as he tagged his proposal as a /* Hack
> > */, I was just looking for ways to change total, instead of cropping it to 0.
> > 
> > And giving the fact args.total > blen seems unreasonable, giving it will
> > certainly tail here, I just thought it might be a reasonable way to change
> > args.total value.
> > 
> 
> I think the code is flaky, but I'm not sure why that's unreasonable. The
> intent of args.total is to be larger than the mapping length.
> 
> > By no means this patchset was meant to supersede yours or Dave's idea though, I
> > was just looking for a different approach, if feasible.
> > 
> > 
> > > I was assuming we'd replace the allocation retry
> > > patch with the minlen alignment fixups and combine those with the
> > > bma.total patch to fix the problem. Hm?
> > > 
> > > >  fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c | 5 +++++
> > > >  1 file changed, 5 insertions(+)
> > > > 
> > > > diff --git a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c
> > > > index 07aad70f3931..3aa0bf5cc7e3 100644
> > > > --- a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c
> > > > +++ b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c
> > > > @@ -3477,6 +3477,11 @@ xfs_bmap_btalloc(
> > > >  			error = xfs_bmap_btalloc_filestreams(ap, &args, &blen);
> > > >  		else
> > > >  			error = xfs_bmap_btalloc_nullfb(ap, &args, &blen);
> > > > +
> > > > +		/* We can never have total larger than blen, so trim it now */
> > > > +		if (args.total > blen)
> > > > +			args.total = blen;
> > > > +
> > > 
> > > I don't think this is safe. The reason the original patch only updated
> > > certain callers is because those callers only used it for extra blocks
> > > that are already incorported into bma.minleft by the bmap layer itself.
> > > There are still other callers for which bma.total is specifically
> > > intended to be larger than the map size.
> > 
> > Afaik, yes, but still, total is basically used to attempt an allocation of data
> > + metadata on the same AG if possible, reducing args.total to match blen, the
> > 'worst' case would be to have an allocation of data + metadata on different ags,
> > which, if total is larger than blen, it will fall into that behavior anyway.
> > 
> 
> Maybe..? There is no requirement that the additional blocks accounted by
> args.total be contiguous with the allocation for the mapping, so I don't
> see how you could reliably predict that.

I'm not predicting, {bma,ap}.total is basically:
data size requested + all metadata space it may need, so the original request
can try to allocate everything as close as possible. And, if not possible, we
give up on it by reducing .total.

One of the issues here, is that we reduce .total maybe 'too late', when we
consider it already LOW SPACE mode, that's why Dave's fix does not 'fix' the
original problem without zeroing .total.
My patch was just an attempt to use a different approach to round down .total to
a reasonable size, without messing with the callers of xfs_bmap_alloc().
Anyway, again, I'm not saying my patch is the right approach. I was just trying
a different one.


> 
> Brian
> 
> > 
> > > 
> > > Brian
> > > 
> > > >  		if (error)
> > > >  			return error;
> > > >  	} else if (ap->tp->t_flags & XFS_TRANS_LOWMODE) {
> > > > -- 
> > > > 2.20.1
> > > > 
> > 
> > -- 
> > Carlos

-- 
Carlos

Re: [PATCH 2/2] xfs: Limit total allocation request to maximum possible

[Dave Chinner]

On Wed, Sep 18, 2019 at 10:24:53AM +0200, Carlos Maiolino wrote:
> The original allocation request may have a total value way beyond
> possible limits.
> 
> Trim it down to the maximum possible if needed
> 
> Signed-off-by: Carlos Maiolino <cmaiolino@redhat.com>
> ---
>  fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c | 5 +++++
>  1 file changed, 5 insertions(+)
> 
> diff --git a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c
> index 07aad70f3931..3aa0bf5cc7e3 100644
> --- a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c
> +++ b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c
> @@ -3477,6 +3477,11 @@ xfs_bmap_btalloc(
>  			error = xfs_bmap_btalloc_filestreams(ap, &args, &blen);
>  		else
>  			error = xfs_bmap_btalloc_nullfb(ap, &args, &blen);
> +
> +		/* We can never have total larger than blen, so trim it now */

Yes we can. blen is typically the largest contiguous extent in the
filesystem or AG in question. It is not typically the total free
space in the AG, which only occurs when the AG is empty. i.e. in
normal situations, we can allocate both blen and the rest of the
metadata from the same AG as there is more than one free extent in
the AG.

I think that for the purposes of a single > AG size allocation, the
total needs to be clamped to the free space in the AG that is
selected, not the length of the allocation we are trying....

Cheers,

Dave.
-- 
Dave Chinner
david@fromorbit.com

Re: [PATCH 2/2] xfs: Limit total allocation request to maximum possible

[Brian Foster]

On Wed, Sep 25, 2019 at 06:50:29AM +1000, Dave Chinner wrote:
> On Wed, Sep 18, 2019 at 10:24:53AM +0200, Carlos Maiolino wrote:
> > The original allocation request may have a total value way beyond
> > possible limits.
> > 
> > Trim it down to the maximum possible if needed
> > 
> > Signed-off-by: Carlos Maiolino <cmaiolino@redhat.com>
> > ---
> >  fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c | 5 +++++
> >  1 file changed, 5 insertions(+)
> > 
> > diff --git a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c
> > index 07aad70f3931..3aa0bf5cc7e3 100644
> > --- a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c
> > +++ b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_bmap.c
> > @@ -3477,6 +3477,11 @@ xfs_bmap_btalloc(
> >  			error = xfs_bmap_btalloc_filestreams(ap, &args, &blen);
> >  		else
> >  			error = xfs_bmap_btalloc_nullfb(ap, &args, &blen);
> > +
> > +		/* We can never have total larger than blen, so trim it now */
> 
> Yes we can. blen is typically the largest contiguous extent in the
> filesystem or AG in question. It is not typically the total free
> space in the AG, which only occurs when the AG is empty. i.e. in
> normal situations, we can allocate both blen and the rest of the
> metadata from the same AG as there is more than one free extent in
> the AG.
> 

Right..

> I think that for the purposes of a single > AG size allocation, the
> total needs to be clamped to the free space in the AG that is
> selected, not the length of the allocation we are trying....
> 

As already noted, I do think args.total could use some work. But unless
I'm missing something about the set of callers modified in the original
patch, I'd rather not tweak a core bmap mechanism in service to callers
that have no reason to use said mechanism in the first place.

And I know that such a change would affect legitimate args.total users
too and so still might be appropriate, I just think that's something for
a separate patch (even if in the same series)...

Brian

> Cheers,
> 
> Dave.
> -- 
> Dave Chinner
> david@fromorbit.com