Re: [PATCH v6 7/8] KVM: arm/arm64: Provide a get_input_level for the arch timer

Christoffer Dall
2017-12-06T16:38:46Z

On Wed, Dec 06, 2017 at 05:17:28PM +0300, Yury Norov wrote:
> On Wed, Dec 06, 2017 at 11:59:04AM +0100, Christoffer Dall wrote:
> > On Tue, Dec 05, 2017 at 06:24:46PM +0300, Yury Norov wrote:
> > > On Mon, Dec 04, 2017 at 09:05:05PM +0100, Christoffer Dall wrote:
> > > > From: Christoffer Dall <christoffer.dall@linaro.org>
> > > >
> > > > The VGIC can now support the life-cycle of mapped level-triggered
> > > > interrupts, and we no longer have to read back the timer state on every
> > > > exit from the VM if we had an asserted timer interrupt signal, because
> > > > the VGIC already knows if we hit the unlikely case where the guest
> > > > disables the timer without ACKing the virtual timer interrupt.
> > > >
> > > > This means we rework a bit of the code to factor out the functionality
> > > > to snapshot the timer state from vtimer_save_state(), and we can reuse
> > > > this functionality in the sync path when we have an irqchip in
> > > > userspace, and also to support our implementation of the
> > > > get_input_level() function for the timer.
> > > >
> > > > This change also means that we can no longer rely on the timer's view of
> > > > the interrupt line to set the active state, because we no longer
> > > > maintain this state for mapped interrupts when exiting from the guest.
> > > > Instead, we only set the active state if the virtual interrupt is
> > > > active, and otherwise we simply let the timer fire again and raise the
> > > > virtual interrupt from the ISR.
> > > >
> > > > Signed-off-by: Christoffer Dall <christoffer.dall@linaro.org>
> > > > ---
> > > > include/kvm/arm_arch_timer.h | 2 ++
> > > > virt/kvm/arm/arch_timer.c | 75 +++++++++++++++++++++-----------------------
> > > > 2 files changed, 38 insertions(+), 39 deletions(-)
> > > >
> > > > diff --git a/include/kvm/arm_arch_timer.h b/include/kvm/arm_arch_timer.h
> > > > index 01ee473517e2..f57f795d704c 100644
> > > > --- a/include/kvm/arm_arch_timer.h
> > > > +++ b/include/kvm/arm_arch_timer.h
> > > > @@ -90,6 +90,8 @@ void kvm_timer_vcpu_put(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu);
> > > >
> > > > void kvm_timer_init_vhe(void);
> > > >
> > > > +bool kvm_arch_timer_get_input_level(int vintid);
> > > > +
> > > > #define vcpu_vtimer(v) (&(v)->arch.timer_cpu.vtimer)
> > > > #define vcpu_ptimer(v) (&(v)->arch.timer_cpu.ptimer)
> > > >
> > >
> > > [...]
> > >
> > > > +bool kvm_arch_timer_get_input_level(int vintid)
> > > > +{
> > > > + struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu = kvm_arm_get_running_vcpu();
> > > > + struct arch_timer_context *timer;
> > > > +
> > > > + if (vintid == vcpu_vtimer(vcpu)->irq.irq)
> > > > + timer = vcpu_vtimer(vcpu);
> > > > + else
> > > > + BUG() We only map the vtimer so far */
> > > > +
> > > > + if (timer->loaded)
> > > > + __timer_snapshot_state(timer);
> > > > +
> > > > + return kvm_timer_should_fire(timer);
> > > > +}
> > >
> > > I think it worth to reword to highlight your intention about BUG,
> > > and save 1 call to vcpu_vtimer()
> > >
> > > bool kvm_arch_timer_get_input_level(int vintid)
> > > {
> > > struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu = kvm_arm_get_running_vcpu();
> > > struct arch_timer_context *timer = vcpu_vtimer(vcpu);
> > >
> > > /* We only map the vtimer so far */
> > > BUG_ON(vintid != timer->irq.irq)
> > >
> > > if (timer->loaded)
> > > __timer_snapshot_state(timer);
> > >
> > > return kvm_timer_should_fire(timer);
> > > }
> > >
> >
> > Besides the incredible bikesheding nature of your comments, I disagree.
> > The current code suggests where to add functionality once we move to
> > using the physical timer hardware to drive an EL1 physical timer on VHE
> > systems, and is purposely written this way.
> >
> > I'm sure we have real bugs and real issues in the code, perhaps you
> > could spend your energy looking for those, and if you cannot find any,
> > then provide a reviewed-by instead of these pointless cosmetic
> > adjustments.
>
> OK. I understood. Let me elaborate.
>
> 0. As you say in patch 0, This series is based on 4.15-rc, so I decided that
> the code above is assumed to be release version. You may change it in
> future, or may not, but the code will exist as is in mainline kernel for
> some time, right?

When the code is properly reviewed and nobody raises relevant
objections, the maintainers of the subsystem can merge the code.

>
> 1. BUG() is needed to kill system, and it really kills it. This is wrong
> to kill system in else-branch of some minor helper due to unimplemented
> feature. You should use pr_err() or WARN_ON() instead. The best - return
> reasonable error and do everything possible on upper levels to keep system
> alive. What's really wrong in my comment is that I didn't suggest you switch
> to WARN_ON().
>

You're missing a key point. If the system can reasonably recover from a
failure or some condition, it's definitely preferred to use a print or a
warning.

However, if an internal function is called with an unsupported value,
when managing the operation of hardware, the most sane thing to do is to
panic, because the system is in an enitrely unsupported state.

>
> 2. Calling the same function with the same argument twice in code path is
> also an issue. Besides the nasty feeling of that code, it might be dangerous.
> The most obvious scenario is when it returns different values due to change
> of internal state. I realize that vcpu_vtimer() is just a pointer dereference.
> But it may bite you painfully as well. I know it for sure because it bitten
> me once. Consider racing scenario in this patch:
> https://patchwork.kernel.org/patch/9974327/

Seriously, what make you think I need a programming lesson from you?

You are taking a specific lesson and generalizing it, and then applying
it to a piece of code you admit to not understanding. This is not
helpful.

I really don't care about your nasty feelings at this point, and
claiming that calling the same function twice is in general a problem is
a ridiculous statement.

>
> It may never become the problem, or may become one day. But fix is
> clear and obvious - why not taking it?

I think I've answered this already, but that's because this function
will eventually become:

bool kvm_arch_timer_get_input_level(int vintid)
{
struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu = kvm_arm_get_running_vcpu();
struct arch_timer_context *timer;

if (vintid == vcpu_vtimer(vcpu)->irq.irq)
timer = vcpu_vtimer(vcpu);
else
timer = vcpu_ptimer(vcpu);

if (timer->loaded)
__timer_snapshot_state(timer);

return kvm_timer_should_fire(timer);
}

>
> 3. I will be really happy to provide tested-by and reviewed-by. But
> for doing that I need to actually test and review. It would be extremely
> helpful if you share your testing modules and scripts. I have access
> to several Cavium machines and can do before/after measurements. Right
> now I have few tests, but kvm is very complex system, and I'm not sure I
> measure what I'm actually going to. Guidance from KVM experts is what
> really lacks.
>

If you don't understand what KVM is and how to use it, I'm afraid your
input is not very valuable.

Until you change your attitude and make some attempt to understand how
we work, and try to actually understand the code you comment on, I'll be
inclined to ignore future posting from you.

-Christoffer