[PATCH v3] membarrier: Document scheduler barrier requirements

[PATCH v3] membarrier: Document scheduler barrier requirements

[Mathieu Desnoyers]

Document the membarrier requirement on having a full memory barrier in
__schedule() after coming from user-space, before storing to rq->curr.
It is provided by smp_mb__after_spinlock() in __schedule().

Document that membarrier requires a full barrier on transition from
kernel thread to userspace thread. We currently have an implicit barrier
from atomic_dec_and_test() in mmdrop() that ensures this.

The x86 switch_mm_irqs_off() full barrier is currently provided by many
cpumask update operations as well as write_cr3(). Document that
write_cr3() provides this barrier.

Changes since v1:
- Update comments to match reality for code paths which are after
  storing to rq->curr, before returning to user-space.
Changes since v2:
- Update changelog (smp_mb__before_spinlock -> smp_mb__after_spinlock).

Signed-off-by: Mathieu Desnoyers <mathieu.desnoyers@efficios.com>
CC: Peter Zijlstra <peterz@infradead.org>
CC: Paul E. McKenney <paulmck@linux.vnet.ibm.com>
CC: Boqun Feng <boqun.feng@gmail.com>
CC: Andrew Hunter <ahh@google.com>
CC: Maged Michael <maged.michael@gmail.com>
CC: gromer@google.com
CC: Avi Kivity <avi@scylladb.com>
CC: Benjamin Herrenschmidt <benh@kernel.crashing.org>
CC: Paul Mackerras <paulus@samba.org>
CC: Michael Ellerman <mpe@ellerman.id.au>
CC: Dave Watson <davejwatson@fb.com>
---
 arch/x86/mm/tlb.c        | 5 +++++
 include/linux/sched/mm.h | 5 +++++
 kernel/sched/core.c      | 9 +++++++++
 3 files changed, 19 insertions(+)

diff --git a/arch/x86/mm/tlb.c b/arch/x86/mm/tlb.c
index 1ab3821f9e26..74f94fe4aded 100644
--- a/arch/x86/mm/tlb.c
+++ b/arch/x86/mm/tlb.c
@@ -144,6 +144,11 @@ void switch_mm_irqs_off(struct mm_struct *prev, struct mm_struct *next,
 	}
 #endif
 
+	/*
+	 * The membarrier system call requires a full memory barrier
+	 * before returning to user-space, after storing to rq->curr.
+	 * Writing to CR3 provides that full memory barrier.
+	 */
 	if (real_prev == next) {
 		VM_BUG_ON(this_cpu_read(cpu_tlbstate.ctxs[prev_asid].ctx_id) !=
 			  next->context.ctx_id);
diff --git a/include/linux/sched/mm.h b/include/linux/sched/mm.h
index 3a19c253bdb1..766cc47c4d7c 100644
--- a/include/linux/sched/mm.h
+++ b/include/linux/sched/mm.h
@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@ static inline void mmgrab(struct mm_struct *mm)
 extern void __mmdrop(struct mm_struct *);
 static inline void mmdrop(struct mm_struct *mm)
 {
+	/*
+	 * The implicit full barrier implied by atomic_dec_and_test is
+	 * required by the membarrier system call before returning to
+	 * user-space, after storing to rq->curr.
+	 */
 	if (unlikely(atomic_dec_and_test(&mm->mm_count)))
 		__mmdrop(mm);
 }
diff --git a/kernel/sched/core.c b/kernel/sched/core.c
index 18a6966567da..7977b25acf54 100644
--- a/kernel/sched/core.c
+++ b/kernel/sched/core.c
@@ -2658,6 +2658,12 @@ static struct rq *finish_task_switch(struct task_struct *prev)
 	finish_arch_post_lock_switch();
 
 	fire_sched_in_preempt_notifiers(current);
+	/*
+	 * When transitioning from a kernel thread to a userspace
+	 * thread, mmdrop()'s implicit full barrier is required by the
+	 * membarrier system call, because the current active_mm can
+	 * become the current mm without going through switch_mm().
+	 */
 	if (mm)
 		mmdrop(mm);
 	if (unlikely(prev_state == TASK_DEAD)) {
@@ -3299,6 +3305,9 @@ static void __sched notrace __schedule(bool preempt)
 	 * Make sure that signal_pending_state()->signal_pending() below
 	 * can't be reordered with __set_current_state(TASK_INTERRUPTIBLE)
 	 * done by the caller to avoid the race with signal_wake_up().
+	 *
+	 * The membarrier system call requires a full memory barrier
+	 * after coming from user-space, before storing to rq->curr.
 	 */
 	rq_lock(rq, &rf);
 	smp_mb__after_spinlock();
-- 
2.11.0

Re: [PATCH v3] membarrier: Document scheduler barrier requirements

[Paul E. McKenney]

On Tue, Sep 19, 2017 at 06:02:05PM -0400, Mathieu Desnoyers wrote:
> Document the membarrier requirement on having a full memory barrier in
> __schedule() after coming from user-space, before storing to rq->curr.
> It is provided by smp_mb__after_spinlock() in __schedule().
> 
> Document that membarrier requires a full barrier on transition from
> kernel thread to userspace thread. We currently have an implicit barrier
> from atomic_dec_and_test() in mmdrop() that ensures this.
> 
> The x86 switch_mm_irqs_off() full barrier is currently provided by many
> cpumask update operations as well as write_cr3(). Document that
> write_cr3() provides this barrier.
> 
> Changes since v1:
> - Update comments to match reality for code paths which are after
>   storing to rq->curr, before returning to user-space.
> Changes since v2:
> - Update changelog (smp_mb__before_spinlock -> smp_mb__after_spinlock).
> 
> Signed-off-by: Mathieu Desnoyers <mathieu.desnoyers@efficios.com>

I replaced the version that I had queued with this one, thank you!

						Thanx, Paul

> CC: Peter Zijlstra <peterz@infradead.org>
> CC: Paul E. McKenney <paulmck@linux.vnet.ibm.com>
> CC: Boqun Feng <boqun.feng@gmail.com>
> CC: Andrew Hunter <ahh@google.com>
> CC: Maged Michael <maged.michael@gmail.com>
> CC: gromer@google.com
> CC: Avi Kivity <avi@scylladb.com>
> CC: Benjamin Herrenschmidt <benh@kernel.crashing.org>
> CC: Paul Mackerras <paulus@samba.org>
> CC: Michael Ellerman <mpe@ellerman.id.au>
> CC: Dave Watson <davejwatson@fb.com>
> ---
>  arch/x86/mm/tlb.c        | 5 +++++
>  include/linux/sched/mm.h | 5 +++++
>  kernel/sched/core.c      | 9 +++++++++
>  3 files changed, 19 insertions(+)
> 
> diff --git a/arch/x86/mm/tlb.c b/arch/x86/mm/tlb.c
> index 1ab3821f9e26..74f94fe4aded 100644
> --- a/arch/x86/mm/tlb.c
> +++ b/arch/x86/mm/tlb.c
> @@ -144,6 +144,11 @@ void switch_mm_irqs_off(struct mm_struct *prev, struct mm_struct *next,
>  	}
>  #endif
> 
> +	/*
> +	 * The membarrier system call requires a full memory barrier
> +	 * before returning to user-space, after storing to rq->curr.
> +	 * Writing to CR3 provides that full memory barrier.
> +	 */
>  	if (real_prev == next) {
>  		VM_BUG_ON(this_cpu_read(cpu_tlbstate.ctxs[prev_asid].ctx_id) !=
>  			  next->context.ctx_id);
> diff --git a/include/linux/sched/mm.h b/include/linux/sched/mm.h
> index 3a19c253bdb1..766cc47c4d7c 100644
> --- a/include/linux/sched/mm.h
> +++ b/include/linux/sched/mm.h
> @@ -38,6 +38,11 @@ static inline void mmgrab(struct mm_struct *mm)
>  extern void __mmdrop(struct mm_struct *);
>  static inline void mmdrop(struct mm_struct *mm)
>  {
> +	/*
> +	 * The implicit full barrier implied by atomic_dec_and_test is
> +	 * required by the membarrier system call before returning to
> +	 * user-space, after storing to rq->curr.
> +	 */
>  	if (unlikely(atomic_dec_and_test(&mm->mm_count)))
>  		__mmdrop(mm);
>  }
> diff --git a/kernel/sched/core.c b/kernel/sched/core.c
> index 18a6966567da..7977b25acf54 100644
> --- a/kernel/sched/core.c
> +++ b/kernel/sched/core.c
> @@ -2658,6 +2658,12 @@ static struct rq *finish_task_switch(struct task_struct *prev)
>  	finish_arch_post_lock_switch();
> 
>  	fire_sched_in_preempt_notifiers(current);
> +	/*
> +	 * When transitioning from a kernel thread to a userspace
> +	 * thread, mmdrop()'s implicit full barrier is required by the
> +	 * membarrier system call, because the current active_mm can
> +	 * become the current mm without going through switch_mm().
> +	 */
>  	if (mm)
>  		mmdrop(mm);
>  	if (unlikely(prev_state == TASK_DEAD)) {
> @@ -3299,6 +3305,9 @@ static void __sched notrace __schedule(bool preempt)
>  	 * Make sure that signal_pending_state()->signal_pending() below
>  	 * can't be reordered with __set_current_state(TASK_INTERRUPTIBLE)
>  	 * done by the caller to avoid the race with signal_wake_up().
> +	 *
> +	 * The membarrier system call requires a full memory barrier
> +	 * after coming from user-space, before storing to rq->curr.
>  	 */
>  	rq_lock(rq, &rf);
>  	smp_mb__after_spinlock();
> -- 
> 2.11.0
> 

Re: [PATCH v3] membarrier: Document scheduler barrier requirements

[Peter Zijlstra]

On Tue, Sep 19, 2017 at 06:02:05PM -0400, Mathieu Desnoyers wrote:
> diff --git a/arch/x86/mm/tlb.c b/arch/x86/mm/tlb.c
> index 1ab3821f9e26..74f94fe4aded 100644
> --- a/arch/x86/mm/tlb.c
> +++ b/arch/x86/mm/tlb.c
> @@ -144,6 +144,11 @@ void switch_mm_irqs_off(struct mm_struct *prev, struct mm_struct *next,
>  	}
>  #endif
>  
> +	/*
> +	 * The membarrier system call requires a full memory barrier
> +	 * before returning to user-space, after storing to rq->curr.
> +	 * Writing to CR3 provides that full memory barrier.
> +	 */
>  	if (real_prev == next) {
>  		VM_BUG_ON(this_cpu_read(cpu_tlbstate.ctxs[prev_asid].ctx_id) !=
>  			  next->context.ctx_id);
> diff --git a/include/linux/sched/mm.h b/include/linux/sched/mm.h
> index 3a19c253bdb1..766cc47c4d7c 100644
> --- a/include/linux/sched/mm.h
> +++ b/include/linux/sched/mm.h
> @@ -38,6 +38,11 @@ static inline void mmgrab(struct mm_struct *mm)
>  extern void __mmdrop(struct mm_struct *);
>  static inline void mmdrop(struct mm_struct *mm)
>  {
> +	/*
> +	 * The implicit full barrier implied by atomic_dec_and_test is
> +	 * required by the membarrier system call before returning to
> +	 * user-space, after storing to rq->curr.
> +	 */
>  	if (unlikely(atomic_dec_and_test(&mm->mm_count)))
>  		__mmdrop(mm);
>  }
> diff --git a/kernel/sched/core.c b/kernel/sched/core.c
> index 18a6966567da..7977b25acf54 100644
> --- a/kernel/sched/core.c
> +++ b/kernel/sched/core.c
> @@ -2658,6 +2658,12 @@ static struct rq *finish_task_switch(struct task_struct *prev)
>  	finish_arch_post_lock_switch();
>  
>  	fire_sched_in_preempt_notifiers(current);
> +	/*
> +	 * When transitioning from a kernel thread to a userspace
> +	 * thread, mmdrop()'s implicit full barrier is required by the
> +	 * membarrier system call, because the current active_mm can
> +	 * become the current mm without going through switch_mm().
> +	 */
>  	if (mm)
>  		mmdrop(mm);
>  	if (unlikely(prev_state == TASK_DEAD)) {


I would also put a comment in context_switch() that explains we either
pass through switch_mm() or do mmdrop().

And I think that for the weak archs that don't have native RELEASE we
actually rely on rq_unlock() for the smp_mb().

So there's 4 schemes:

 - switch_mm()/mmdrop() (x86,s390, sparc?)
 - finish_lock_switch() (weak, !release)
 - switch_to (arm64)
 - member arch hook (ppc)

And I don't think that's spelled out clearly enough.

> @@ -3299,6 +3305,9 @@ static void __sched notrace __schedule(bool preempt)
>  	 * Make sure that signal_pending_state()->signal_pending() below
>  	 * can't be reordered with __set_current_state(TASK_INTERRUPTIBLE)
>  	 * done by the caller to avoid the race with signal_wake_up().
> +	 *
> +	 * The membarrier system call requires a full memory barrier
> +	 * after coming from user-space, before storing to rq->curr.
>  	 */
>  	rq_lock(rq, &rf);
>  	smp_mb__after_spinlock();

Right, this is the only part that's actually trivial :-)

Re: [PATCH v3] membarrier: Document scheduler barrier requirements

[Mathieu Desnoyers]

----- On Sep 21, 2017, at 8:25 AM, Peter Zijlstra peterz@infradead.org wrote:

> On Tue, Sep 19, 2017 at 06:02:05PM -0400, Mathieu Desnoyers wrote:
>> diff --git a/arch/x86/mm/tlb.c b/arch/x86/mm/tlb.c
>> index 1ab3821f9e26..74f94fe4aded 100644
>> --- a/arch/x86/mm/tlb.c
>> +++ b/arch/x86/mm/tlb.c
>> @@ -144,6 +144,11 @@ void switch_mm_irqs_off(struct mm_struct *prev, struct
>> mm_struct *next,
>>  	}
>>  #endif
>>  
>> +	/*
>> +	 * The membarrier system call requires a full memory barrier
>> +	 * before returning to user-space, after storing to rq->curr.
>> +	 * Writing to CR3 provides that full memory barrier.
>> +	 */
>>  	if (real_prev == next) {
>>  		VM_BUG_ON(this_cpu_read(cpu_tlbstate.ctxs[prev_asid].ctx_id) !=
>>  			  next->context.ctx_id);
>> diff --git a/include/linux/sched/mm.h b/include/linux/sched/mm.h
>> index 3a19c253bdb1..766cc47c4d7c 100644
>> --- a/include/linux/sched/mm.h
>> +++ b/include/linux/sched/mm.h
>> @@ -38,6 +38,11 @@ static inline void mmgrab(struct mm_struct *mm)
>>  extern void __mmdrop(struct mm_struct *);
>>  static inline void mmdrop(struct mm_struct *mm)
>>  {
>> +	/*
>> +	 * The implicit full barrier implied by atomic_dec_and_test is
>> +	 * required by the membarrier system call before returning to
>> +	 * user-space, after storing to rq->curr.
>> +	 */
>>  	if (unlikely(atomic_dec_and_test(&mm->mm_count)))
>>  		__mmdrop(mm);
>>  }
>> diff --git a/kernel/sched/core.c b/kernel/sched/core.c
>> index 18a6966567da..7977b25acf54 100644
>> --- a/kernel/sched/core.c
>> +++ b/kernel/sched/core.c
>> @@ -2658,6 +2658,12 @@ static struct rq *finish_task_switch(struct task_struct
>> *prev)
>>  	finish_arch_post_lock_switch();
>>  
>>  	fire_sched_in_preempt_notifiers(current);
>> +	/*
>> +	 * When transitioning from a kernel thread to a userspace
>> +	 * thread, mmdrop()'s implicit full barrier is required by the
>> +	 * membarrier system call, because the current active_mm can
>> +	 * become the current mm without going through switch_mm().
>> +	 */
>>  	if (mm)
>>  		mmdrop(mm);
>>  	if (unlikely(prev_state == TASK_DEAD)) {
> 
> 
> I would also put a comment in context_switch() that explains we either
> pass through switch_mm() or do mmdrop().
> 
> And I think that for the weak archs that don't have native RELEASE we
> actually rely on rq_unlock() for the smp_mb().
> 
> So there's 4 schemes:
> 
> - switch_mm()/mmdrop() (x86,s390, sparc?)
> - finish_lock_switch() (weak, !release)
> - switch_to (arm64)
> - member arch hook (ppc)
> 
> And I don't think that's spelled out clearly enough.
> 
>> @@ -3299,6 +3305,9 @@ static void __sched notrace __schedule(bool preempt)
>>  	 * Make sure that signal_pending_state()->signal_pending() below
>>  	 * can't be reordered with __set_current_state(TASK_INTERRUPTIBLE)
>>  	 * done by the caller to avoid the race with signal_wake_up().
>> +	 *
>> +	 * The membarrier system call requires a full memory barrier
>> +	 * after coming from user-space, before storing to rq->curr.
>>  	 */
>>  	rq_lock(rq, &rf);
>>  	smp_mb__after_spinlock();
> 
> Right, this is the only part that's actually trivial :-)

Does something like this work ? (except for tabs vs spaces)

diff --git a/kernel/sched/core.c b/kernel/sched/core.c
index 08095bb1cfe6..6254f87645de 100644
--- a/kernel/sched/core.c
+++ b/kernel/sched/core.c
@@ -2760,6 +2760,13 @@ context_switch(struct rq *rq, struct task_struct *prev,
         */
        arch_start_context_switch(prev);
 
+       /*
+        * If mm is non-NULL, we pass through switch_mm(). If mm is
+        * NULL, we will pass through mmdrop() in finish_task_switch().
+        * Both of these contain the full memory barrier required by
+        * membarrier after storing to rq->curr, before returning to
+        * user-space.
+        */
        if (!mm) {
                next->active_mm = oldmm;
                mmgrab(oldmm);
@@ -3346,16 +3353,17 @@ static void __sched notrace __schedule(bool preempt)
                /*
                 * The membarrier system call requires each architecture
                 * to have a full memory barrier after updating
-                * rq->curr, before returning to user-space. For TSO
-                * (e.g. x86), the architecture must provide its own
-                * barrier in switch_mm(). For weakly ordered machines
-                * for which spin_unlock() acts as a full memory
-                * barrier, finish_lock_switch() in common code takes
-                * care of this barrier. For weakly ordered machines for
-                * which spin_unlock() acts as a RELEASE barrier (only
-                * arm64 and PowerPC), arm64 has a full barrier in
-                * switch_to(), and PowerPC has a full barrier in
-                * membarrier_arch_sched_in().
+                * rq->curr, before returning to user-space.
+                *
+                * Here are the schemes providing that barrier on the
+                * various architectures:
+                * - mm ? switch_mm() : mmdrop() for x86, s390, sparc,
+                * - finish_lock_switch() for weakly-ordered
+                *   architectures where spin_unlock is a full barrier,
+                * - switch_to() for arm64 (weakly-ordered, spin_unlock
+                *   is a RELEASE barrier),
+                * - membarrier_arch_sched_in() for PowerPC,
+                *   (weakly-ordered, spin_unlock is a RELEASE barrier).
                 */
                ++*switch_count;

Thanks,

Mathieu


-- 
Mathieu Desnoyers
EfficiOS Inc.
http://www.efficios.com