Re: [PATCH] Add block device speciffic splice write method

[Dmitri Monakhov <dmonakhov@openvz.org>]

Jens Axboe <jens.axboe@oracle.com> writes:

> On Sun, Oct 19 2008, Dmitri Monakhov wrote:
>> Block device write procedure is different from regular file:
>>  - Actual write performed without i_mutex.
>>  - It has no metadata, so generic_osync_inode(O_SYNCMETEDATA) can not livelock.
>>  - We do not have to worry about S_ISUID/S_ISGID bits.
>
> I already did an O_DIRECT part of block device splicing [1], I'll fold
> this into the splice branch and double check with some testing.
>
> [1] http://git.kernel.dk/?p=linux-2.6-block.git;a=commitdiff;h=fbb724a0484aba938024d41ca1dd86337d2550c9;hp=08c7910b275a4c580ad646ae8654439c8dfae4c5
Ok i've missed this branch :(, your approach is really cool.
But current patch seems not completely ready, 
O_DIRECT case:
  - sync case missed, some one may want use it with O_DIRECT|O_SYNC
  - i'm not sure why it is necessary to always hold bd_inode->i_mutex
    inside __splice_on_pice(.., pipe_to_disk)
!O_DIRECT case:
  - still use generic_file_splice_write

So I'll re-base to your patch and:
 - add appropriate fixes  necessary fixes for direct case.
 - redone my patch on top of yours for buffered writes.

What do you think?