Re: [Xen-devel] [PATCH v10 2/4] xen/blkback: Squeeze page pools if a memory pressure is detected

[SeongJae Park <sjpark@amazon.com>]

On Tue, 17 Dec 2019 12:39:15 +0100 "Roger Pau Monné" <roger.pau@citrix.com> wrote:

> On Mon, Dec 16, 2019 at 08:48:03PM +0100, SeongJae Park wrote:
> > On on, 16 Dec 2019 17:23:44 +0100, Jürgen Groß wrote:
> > 
> > > On 16.12.19 17:15, SeongJae Park wrote:
> > > > On Mon, 16 Dec 2019 15:37:20 +0100 SeongJae Park <sjpark@amazon.com> wrote:
> > > > 
> > > >> On Mon, 16 Dec 2019 13:45:25 +0100 SeongJae Park <sjpark@amazon.com> wrote:
> > > >>
> > > >>> From: SeongJae Park <sjpark@amazon.de>
> > > >>>
> > > > [...]
> > > >>> --- a/drivers/block/xen-blkback/xenbus.c
> > > >>> +++ b/drivers/block/xen-blkback/xenbus.c
> > > >>> @@ -824,6 +824,24 @@ static void frontend_changed(struct xenbus_device *dev,
> > > >>>   }
> > > >>>   
> > > >>>   
> > > >>> +/* Once a memory pressure is detected, squeeze free page pools for a while. */
> > > >>> +static unsigned int buffer_squeeze_duration_ms = 10;
> > > >>> +module_param_named(buffer_squeeze_duration_ms,
> > > >>> +		buffer_squeeze_duration_ms, int, 0644);
> > > >>> +MODULE_PARM_DESC(buffer_squeeze_duration_ms,
> > > >>> +"Duration in ms to squeeze pages buffer when a memory pressure is detected");
> > > >>> +
> > > >>> +/*
> > > >>> + * Callback received when the memory pressure is detected.
> > > >>> + */
> > > >>> +static void reclaim_memory(struct xenbus_device *dev)
> > > >>> +{
> > > >>> +	struct backend_info *be = dev_get_drvdata(&dev->dev);
> > > >>> +
> > > >>> +	be->blkif->buffer_squeeze_end = jiffies +
> > > >>> +		msecs_to_jiffies(buffer_squeeze_duration_ms);
> > > >>
> > > >> This callback might race with 'xen_blkbk_probe()'.  The race could result in
> > > >> __NULL dereferencing__, as 'xen_blkbk_probe()' sets '->blkif' after it links
> > > >> 'be' to the 'dev'.  Please _don't merge_ this patch now!
> > > >>
> > > >> I will do more test and share results.  Meanwhile, if you have any opinion,
> > > >> please let me know.
> > 
> > I reduced system memory and attached bunch of devices in short time so that
> > memory pressure occurs while device attachments are ongoing.  Under this
> > circumstance, I was able to see the race.
> > 
> > > > 
> > > > Not only '->blkif', but 'be' itself also coule be a NULL.  As similar
> > > > concurrency issues could be in other drivers in their way, I suggest to change
> > > > the reclaim callback ('->reclaim_memory') to be called for each driver instead
> > > > of each device.  Then, each driver could be able to deal with its concurrency
> > > > issues by itself.
> > > 
> > > Hmm, I don't like that. This would need to be changed back in case we
> > > add per-guest quota.
> > 
> > Extending this callback in that way would be still not too hard.  We could use
> > the argument to the callback.  I would keep the argument of the callback to
> > 'struct device *' as is, and will add a comment saying 'NULL' value of the
> > argument means every devices.  As an example, xenbus would pass NULL-ending
> > array of the device pointers that need to free its resources.
> > 
> > After seeing this race, I am now also thinking it could be better to delegate
> > detailed control of each device to its driver, as some drivers have some
> > complicated and unique relation with its devices.
> > 
> > > 
> > > Wouldn't a get_device() before calling the callback and a put_device()
> > > afterwards avoid that problem?
> > 
> > I didn't used the reference count manipulation operations because other similar
> > parts also didn't.  But, if there is no implicit reference count guarantee, it
> > seems those operations are indeed necessary.
> > 
> > That said, as get/put operations only adjust the reference count, those will
> > not make the callback to wait until the linking of the 'backend' and 'blkif' to
> > the device (xen_blkbk_probe()) is finished.  Thus, the race could still happen.
> > Or, am I missing something?
> 
> I would expect the device is not added to the list of backend devices
> until the probe hook has finished with a non-error return code. Ie:
> bus_for_each_dev should _not_ iterate over devices for which the probe
> function hasn't been run to competition without errors.
> 
> The same way I would expect the remove hook to first remove the device
> from the list of backend devices and then run the remove hook.
> 
> blkback uses an ad-hoc reference counting mechanism, but if the above
> assumptions are true I think it would be enough to take an extra
> reference in xen_blkbk_probe and drop it in xen_blkbk_remove.

Well, if the assumption is true, wouldn't the Juergen's approach solved the
problem?  As previously said, I tried the approach but failed to solve this
race.  The assumption is wrong or I missed something.  I think Juergen also
think the assumption is not true as he suggested use of locking but not sure.
Juergen, if I misunderstood, please let me know.


Thanks,
SeongJae Park

> 
> Additionally it might be interesting to switch the ad-hoc reference
> counting to use get_device/put_device (in a separate patch), but I'm
> not sure how feasible that is.
> 
> Roger.

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