Re: [PATCH] 2.6.12-rc6: fix rh_dec()/rh_inc() race in dm-raid1.c

["Jun'ichi Nomura" <j-nomura@ce.jp.nec.com>]

Hi Jon,

Jonathan E Brassow wrote:
 > could this be solved by doing your patch in rh_dec and just moving the
 > atomic_inc in rh_inc?  The reason I ask is that the mark_region log
 > call can block.

No.
Unless they are serialized, it's possible that rh_inc() will see the
state RH_DIRTY, while rh_dec change it to RH_CLEAN.
As a result, the region which has I/O in-flight may be freed.

Is it reasonable to call mark_region() unconditionally?
Then we can call it outside of the lock.

 >>    CPU0                                   CPU1
 >>
 >> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 >> -------
 >>    rh_dec()
 >>      if (atomic_dec_and_test(pending))
 >>         <the region is still marked dirty>
            if (atomic_read(pending)==0)
 >>                                           rh_inc()
 >>                                             atomic_inc(pending)
 >>                                             if the region is clean
 >>                                                mark the region dirty
 >>                                                and remove from clean list
                                                else do nothing
 >>         mark the region clean
 >>         and move to clean list