[PATCH] multipath.conf.in: Update path_checker and force_sync documentation

[PATCH] multipath.conf.in: Update path_checker and force_sync documentation

[Martin Wilck]

Document the fact that all path checkers are now asynchronous by default.

Signed-off-by: Martin Wilck <mwilck@suse.com>
---
 multipath/multipath.conf.5.in | 14 +++++++-------
 1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 7 deletions(-)

diff --git a/multipath/multipath.conf.5.in b/multipath/multipath.conf.5.in
index e6b4fc0..2ea78fc 100644
--- a/multipath/multipath.conf.5.in
+++ b/multipath/multipath.conf.5.in
@@ -504,12 +504,11 @@ The default is: \fB0\fR
 .
 .TP
 .B path_checker
-The default method used to determine the path's state. The synchronous
-checkers (all except \fItur\fR and \fIdirectio\fR) will cause multipathd to
-pause most activity, waiting up to \fIchecker_timeout\fR seconds for the path
-to respond. The asynchronous checkers (\fItur\fR and \fIdirectio\fR) will not
-pause multipathd. Instead, multipathd will check for a response once per
-second, until \fIchecker_timeout\fR seconds have elapsed. Possible values are:
+The default method used to determine the path's state. Since multipath-tools
+0.15.0, all path checkers run in asynchronous mode by default, so that
+unresponsive devices don't pause multipathd. Use the \fIforce_sync\fR parameter
+to enforce synchronous path checking instead.
+Possible values are:
 .RS
 .TP
 .I readsector0
@@ -905,7 +904,8 @@ The default is: \fByes\fR
 If set to
 .I yes
 , multipathd will call the path checkers in sync mode only.  This means that
-only one checker will run at a time.  This is useful in the case where many
+only one checker will run at a time, and that multipathd may pause operating
+while it is waiting for a device to respond. This is useful in the case where many
 multipathd checkers running in parallel causes significant CPU pressure.
 .RS
 .TP
-- 
2.54.0

Re: [PATCH] multipath.conf.in: Update path_checker and force_sync documentation

[Benjamin Marzinski]

On Mon, Jul 06, 2026 at 03:50:49PM +0200, Martin Wilck wrote:
> Document the fact that all path checkers are now asynchronous by default.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Martin Wilck <mwilck@suse.com>

Reviewed-by: Benjamin Marzinski <bmarzins@redhat.com>

> ---
>  multipath/multipath.conf.5.in | 14 +++++++-------
>  1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 7 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/multipath/multipath.conf.5.in b/multipath/multipath.conf.5.in
> index e6b4fc0..2ea78fc 100644
> --- a/multipath/multipath.conf.5.in
> +++ b/multipath/multipath.conf.5.in
> @@ -504,12 +504,11 @@ The default is: \fB0\fR
>  .
>  .TP
>  .B path_checker
> -The default method used to determine the path's state. The synchronous
> -checkers (all except \fItur\fR and \fIdirectio\fR) will cause multipathd to
> -pause most activity, waiting up to \fIchecker_timeout\fR seconds for the path
> -to respond. The asynchronous checkers (\fItur\fR and \fIdirectio\fR) will not
> -pause multipathd. Instead, multipathd will check for a response once per
> -second, until \fIchecker_timeout\fR seconds have elapsed. Possible values are:
> +The default method used to determine the path's state. Since multipath-tools
> +0.15.0, all path checkers run in asynchronous mode by default, so that
> +unresponsive devices don't pause multipathd. Use the \fIforce_sync\fR parameter
> +to enforce synchronous path checking instead.
> +Possible values are:
>  .RS
>  .TP
>  .I readsector0
> @@ -905,7 +904,8 @@ The default is: \fByes\fR
>  If set to
>  .I yes
>  , multipathd will call the path checkers in sync mode only.  This means that
> -only one checker will run at a time.  This is useful in the case where many
> +only one checker will run at a time, and that multipathd may pause operating
> +while it is waiting for a device to respond. This is useful in the case where many
>  multipathd checkers running in parallel causes significant CPU pressure.
>  .RS
>  .TP
> -- 
> 2.54.0