Re: [PATCH v2 1/2] livepatch: introduce shadow variable API

[Miroslav Benes <mbenes@suse.cz>]

On Wed, 28 Jun 2017, Joe Lawrence wrote:

> +Brief API summary
> +-----------------
> +
> +See the full API usage docbook notes in the livepatch/shadow.c
> +implementation.
> +
> +An in-kernel hashtable references all of the shadow variables.  These
> +references are stored/retrieved through a <obj, num> key pair.
> +
> +* The klp_shadow variable data structure encapsulates both tracking
> +meta-data and shadow-data:
> +  - meta-data
> +    - obj - pointer to original data
> +    - num - numerical description of new data
> +  - new_data[] - storage for shadow data
> +
> +* klp_shadow_attach() - allocate and add a new shadow variable:
> +  - allocate a new shadow variable
> +  - push a <obj, num> key pair into hashtable
> +
> +* klp_shadow_get() - retrieve a shadow variable new_data pointer
> +  - search hashtable for <obj, num> key pair
> +
> +* klp_shadow_get_or_attach() - get existing or attach a new shadow variable
> +  - search hashtable for <obj, num> key pair
> +  - if not found, call klp_shadow_attach()
> +
> +* klp_shadow_detach() - detach and free a <obj, num> shadow variable
> +  - find and remove any <obj, num> references from hashtable
> +    - if found, release shadow variable
> +
> +* klp_shadow_detach() - detach and free all <*, num> shadow variables
> +  - find and remove any <*, num> references from hashtable
> +    - if found, release shadow variable

I think that the second one should be klp_shadow_detach_all(), shouldn't 
it?

[...]

> +static DEFINE_HASHTABLE(klp_shadow_hash, 12);

Is there a reason, why you pick 12? I'm just curious.

> +static DEFINE_SPINLOCK(klp_shadow_lock);
> +
> +/**
> + * struct klp_shadow - shadow variable structure
> + * @node:	klp_shadow_hash hash table node
> + * @rcu_head:	RCU is used to safely free this structure
> + * @obj:	pointer to original data
> + * @num:	numerical description of new data

Josh proposed better description. Could we also have a note somewhere in 
the documentation what this member is practically for? I mean versioning 
and ability to attach new members to a data structure if live patches are 
stacked.

> + * @new_data:	new data area
> + */
> +struct klp_shadow {
> +	struct hlist_node node;
> +	struct rcu_head rcu_head;
> +	void *obj;
> +	unsigned long num;
> +	char new_data[];
> +};

What is the reason to change 'void *new_data' to 'char new_data[]'? I 
assume it is related to API changes below...

[...]

> +/**
> + * _klp_shadow_attach() - allocate and add a new shadow variable
> + * @obj:	pointer to original data
> + * @num:	numerical description of new data
> + * @new_data:	pointer to new data
> + * @new_size:	size of new data
> + * @gfp_flags:	GFP mask for allocation
> + * @lock:	take klp_shadow_lock during klp_shadow_hash operations

I am not sure about lock argument. Do we need it? Common practice is to 
have function foo() which takes a lock, and function __foo() which does 
not.

In klp_shadow_get_or_attach(), you use it as I'd expect. You take the 
spinlock, call this function and release the spinlock. Is it possible 
to do the same in klp_shadow_attach() and have __klp_shadow_attach() 
without lock argument?

> + *
> + * Note: allocates @new_size space for shadow variable data and copies
> + * @new_size bytes from @new_data into the shadow varaible's own @new_data
> + * space.  If @new_data is NULL, @new_size is still allocated, but no
> + * copy is performed.

I must say I'm not entirely happy with this. I don't know if this is what 
Petr had in mind (I'm sure he'll get to the patch set soon). Calling 
memcpy instead of a simple assignment in v1 seems worse. 

I'll take another look tomorrow and will think about it.

Miroslav

> + * Return: the shadow variable new_data element, NULL on failure.
> + */
> +static void *_klp_shadow_attach(void *obj, unsigned long num, void *new_data,
> +				size_t new_size, gfp_t gfp_flags,
> +				bool lock)
> +{
> +	struct klp_shadow *shadow;
> +	unsigned long flags;
> +
> +	shadow = kzalloc(new_size + sizeof(*shadow), gfp_flags);
> +	if (!shadow)
> +		return NULL;
> +
> +	shadow->obj = obj;
> +	shadow->num = num;
> +	if (new_data)
> +		memcpy(shadow->new_data, new_data, new_size);
> +
> +	if (lock)
> +		spin_lock_irqsave(&klp_shadow_lock, flags);
> +	hash_add_rcu(klp_shadow_hash, &shadow->node, (unsigned long)obj);
> +	if (lock)
> +		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&klp_shadow_lock, flags);
> +
> +	return shadow->new_data;
> +}
> +
> +/**
> + * klp_shadow_attach() - allocate and add a new shadow variable
> + * @obj:	pointer to original data
> + * @num:	numerical description of new num
> + * @new_data:	pointer to new data
> + * @new_size:	size of new data
> + * @gfp_flags:	GFP mask for allocation
> + *
> + * Return: the shadow variable new_data element, NULL on failure.
> + */
> +void *klp_shadow_attach(void *obj, unsigned long num, void *new_data,
> +			size_t new_size, gfp_t gfp_flags)
> +{
> +	return _klp_shadow_attach(obj, num, new_data, new_size,
> +				  gfp_flags, true);
> +}
> +EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(klp_shadow_attach);
> +
> +/**
> + * klp_shadow_get_or_attach() - get existing or attach a new shadow variable
> + * @obj:	pointer to original data
> + * @num:	numerical description of new data
> + * @new_data:	pointer to new data
> + * @new_size:   size of new data
> + * @gfp_flags:	GFP mask used to allocate shadow variable metadata
> + *
> + * Note: if memory allocation is necessary, it will do so under a spinlock,
> + * so @gfp_flags should include GFP_NOWAIT, or GFP_ATOMIC, etc.
> + *
> + * Return: the shadow variable new_data element, NULL on failure.
> + */
> +void *klp_shadow_get_or_attach(void *obj, unsigned long num, void *new_data,
> +			       size_t new_size, gfp_t gfp_flags)
> +{
> +	void *nd;
> +	unsigned long flags;
> +
> +	nd = klp_shadow_get(obj, num);
> +
> +	if (!nd) {
> +		spin_lock_irqsave(&klp_shadow_lock, flags);
> +		nd = klp_shadow_get(obj, num);
> +		if (!nd)
> +			nd = _klp_shadow_attach(obj, num, new_data, new_size,
> +						gfp_flags, false);
> +		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&klp_shadow_lock, flags);
> +	}
> +
> +	return nd;
> +
> +}
> +EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(klp_shadow_get_or_attach);